With Watches & Wonders 2022 ending with a resounding success a couple of weeks ago, we bring you a recap of three hero timepieces that were presented during the first physical watch fair held in Geneva, post-pandemic.
Cartier Santos-Dumont
The revival of watches from yesteryear has been an ongoing trend for some time, though the reissues mostly revolved around the theme of vintage sports watches. Regarded by many as one of the most charming vintage reissues of Watches & Wonders 2022, is Cartier’s refreshed Santos-Dumont. Inspired by one of aviation’s most famous and impeccably dressed pioneers, Alberto Santos-Dumont, the Santos-Dumont has more or less enjoyed quieter fame compared to Cartier’s other iconic timepieces. Elegance, simplicity and practicality, were the three core principles that Alberto Santos-Dumont’s personal style was built upon. It was also the foundation on which Cartier based the design of this watch upon. Lacquer, a popular form of dial decoration in the early 20th century, was used to give the timepiece a vintage look.
Produced in three colours – black, burgundy and cream, the antique effect is most prevalent on the cream-coloured dial, which, at first look, reminds one of aged ivory. Besides pairing the cream-coloured dial with a rose gold case, the black is paired with steel, and burgundy lacquer with platinum. Each dial is meticulously painted with lacquer thin enough to let the colour of the metal seep through, then smoothened and polished by hand.
The new Santos-Dumont has a case size of 43.5mm, and is fitted with the 430 MC manual-winding manufacture movement. The platinum version is released as a limited edition of 150 pieces, the rose gold 250 pieces, while the steel and black version will be part of Cartier’s regular production.
Chopard Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon
One of Chopard’s most emblematic launches in the recent few years, the Alpine Eagle line has been very well received since debuting in 2019. This collection, which drew inspiration from the St. Moritz series of the 1980s, welcomed its first tourbillon model during Watches & Wonders 2022.
Fitted with Chopard’s very own L.U.C 96.24-L self-winding movement, the Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon is also the first model in the collection (and one of the very few tourbillon watches on the market) to bear the Poinçon de Geneve certification, in addition to being a COSC-certified chronometer. Although it bears striking resemblance to the other earlier models in the Alpine Eagle series, there are some tiny differences. Firstly, compared to the earliest base model of the collection, the case of the Flying Tourbillon has been slimmed down, thanks to the use of a self-winding movement with a micro-rotor. The width of the bezel was also made slightly thinner, to accommodate the flying tourbillon and still have the dial appear reasonably spacious. The watch also boasts a power reserve of 65 hours, due to the usage of two stacked barrels.
Chopard’s proprietary alloy, the Lucent Steel A223, has also been used to craft the bracelet of the Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon. It is endowed with hypoallergenic properties, as well as hardness that triumphs over conventional stainless steel.
Zenith Chronomaster Open
In 2003, Zenith made watchmaking history by being the first brand to launch a timepiece featuring a cut-out dial that revealed its high-frequency chronograph movement – the one and only El Primero calibre. Christened as the Chronomaster Open, this series of chronographs has since become one of Zenith’s most iconic creations.
The recent few years have seen Zenith gradually streamlining its Chronomaster series, and the latest Chronomaster Open released at Watches & Wonders 2022 has been updated in terms of design as well as technical aspects. The most significant update would be the change of movement – it now houses the in-house calibre El Primero 3604, a reworked version of the El Primero 3600 (launched last year) that now features a skeletonised escapement. Still accurate to 1/10th of a second, this refreshed Chronomaster Open has also been redesigned to feature a smaller and more wearable case size that is now 39.5mm. Parts of the movement visible from the open-heart dial have also been finished with a laser-engraved pattern, rather than perlage decoration that was used previously. Zenith also chose to give the dial opening a more contemporary update by using chamfered edges, rather than a ‘frame-like’ border used in earlier versions.
Keep up with all the Watches and Wonders 2022 launches here! Locate the nearest boutique for a visit.
