Each year, it’s possible to discern several trends throughout the world’s two major watch trade shows, SIHH and Baselworld. The through-lines this year at SIHH turned out to be bronze and green watches, “salmon”-colored dials and complicated pieces. A complication, you may recall, is anything beyond the typical time-telling capability of a watch — a calendar, for example, or a moon phase. At this year’s SIHH, we saw some particularly interesting complicated watches — here are some of our favorites, and why we loved them.
What You Need to Know About the Incredible Technology Inside the New Vacheron Constantin Pereptual Calendar
Taking the spot in our 12 Best Watches of SIHH 2019 for Best High Complication Watch, the Traditionelle Twin Beat features some of the coolest watchmaking tech we’ve seen in a long time.
There Are Only 2 of These Ultra-Complicated Vacheron Constantin Watches
This sophisticated piece combines a perpetual calendar with a minute repeater, but there are only two examples being made in white gold and pink gold.
Everything You Need to Know About the New Richard Lange Jumping Seconds in a Not-So-Basic Black
This new iteration of a beloved Lange piece with jumping seconds is being offered with a black dial and a white gold case.
A Tourbillon in Steel? It’s a Baller Move for Vacheron Constantin and We Dig it
Vacheron surprised us by putting a tourbillon in a steel sports watch, and the result is admittedly pretty badass looking.
The IWC Pilot’s Watch Line Gets a Complicated Addition
Though based on IWC’s Pilot’s Watch family, the Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Edition “Le Petit Prince” takes the tool watch to an entirely new level.
One of Our Favorite New Watches from Vacheron Constantin’s Fiftysix Collection Gets a Cool Blue New Look
Last year’s Fiftysix Collection contained a classically-inspired perpetual calendar, but if you ask us, it was this year’s new blue dial that truly captured our attention.
The A. Lange & Sohne Langematik, One of Our Favorite Watches, Just Got a Major Update
Lange & Söhne makes some of the most beautiful complicated pieces around, and this Honeygold execution of their Langematik Perpetual is no exception.
Montblanc’s 1858 Watches Get a Handsome Bronze and Green Makeover
Though technically an updated version of a watch released last year, Montblanc’s Geosphere from the 1858 Collection is still one of our favorite complicated watches, now in bronze.
Smart Use of Colors and Materials Makes This Complicated Vacheron Constantin a Total Winner
The blue dial and all-rose-gold editions of Vacheron’s Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin impress with their looks, but the thinness of the case and movement is what takes center stage with this release.
A. Lange & Sohnë Brightens Up One of its Most Complicated Models
This watch, which includes a flyback chronograph, a perpetual calendar with moon phase, a tourbillon with stop seconds and a power reserve indicator, received a new pink gold dial.
Montblanc’s New Watch Draws Design Inspiration from Minerva’s Irresistible Watchmaking Heritage
Montblanc’s deep dive into the Minerva watchmaking heritage resulted in some stunning pieces this year, chief amongst which was the new Pulsograph.
Laurent Ferrier’s Annual Calendar Watch Is an Instant Heirloom
Though it uses a traditional annual calendar layout, Laurent Ferrier’s Galet Annual Calendar Montre Ecole’s beautiful blue dial breathes new life into this complication.
This Is the New, (Relatively) Affordable Baume & Mercier Perpetual Calendar
Baume & Mercier may be known for their simpler time-and-date offerings, but this year saw the brand expand into complicated territory with a perpetual calendar that costs a fraction of the competition’s.
This Is One of the Most Elegant Executions of a Moon Phase Watch That We’ve Seen in Quite a While
JLC’s newest entries into their Master Ultra Thin line incorporate beautiful hand-guillauché blue enamel into a moon phase and a perpetual calendar.
Greubel Forsey Fit an Incredible Amount of Engineering Into This 39.6mm Watch
Though not necessarily amongst the show’s most complicated watches, this new piece from Greubel Forsey reimagines the watch dial to display the time, power reserve and movement in a whole new way.
IWC’s Timezoner Spitfire Edition “Longest Flight” Is a True Purpose-Built Pilot’s Watch
Originally issued in the form of a chronograph, this new time-and-date version of the Timezoner allows the user to easily track a second time zone.
Meet the Zeitwerk Date, One of A. Lange & Sohne’s Most Exciting New Watches
The Zeitwerk, which uses a “digital” readout to display the time, receives an upgrade in the form of a unique date ring around the perimeter of the dial.