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Trendspotting
The watch industry has shown its hand for 2007 and revealed its wares. We analyze the developments and showcase the highlights
Trends
Modern haute horlogerie is a strange beast, with an ever-changing constituency of buyers, sellers and enthusiasts. The face of the modern watch collector is growing ever-younger, and, as the developing world's economies skyrocket, wealthier as well. The world's nouveau riche are becoming more and more appreciative of the finer traditional arts, and collecting luxury watches as a connoisseur's hobby is growing every single day.
As with any luxury industry, technological change, fashion and new stylistic trends all conspire to renew the watch industry every single year, if not daily. What was amazing to collectors last year is fast-forgotten every April, when the watch-loving world turns its eye to Switzerland and the two major horology fairs it hosts in both Geneva and Basel.
This year's fairs were no different. With vast numbers of tradesmen, journalists and collectors so eagerly awaiting the latest and greatest new inventions, it was pleasing to note that the interesting new developments in the world of haute horlogerie this year did not disappoint.
Black Watches
It became clear that one of the hottest trends to emerge this year was the rise of of the all-black watch, which were mostly sporting models whose menacing looks so reflected their intended audience of a younger, masculine, go-getter crowd.
The all-black watch is not necessarily a new invention. Popularized over a decade ago by the International Watch Company (IWC) with their cult-classic 3705 model — said to be stronger than steel because of its durable, zirconium oxide ceramic case — the all-black timepiece is making a comeback and then some.
A sleek, modern look characterizes much of what is fashionable today, from apparel, to home furnishings and to even our dwellings. For many younger watch enthusiasts, their daily accessories have to follow suit as well. To this end, larger-faced, sport-style watches with dark finishes have been in fashion for a couple of years now, in no small part due to the rise and rise of Richard Mille's futuristic, trend-setting watches. Their technical, racecar-inspired designs appeal to our dynamic sensibilities and have led to the renaissance of the all-black watch so popular in Switzerland this year.
The evolution of this trend has progressed so much, and so quickly, that it actually compels pause for thought, if only for just a minute: With a watch that is encased in a hard, black material, it would seem impractical to design it with a matching, black face, and yet that is just what has become all the rage.
Yes, some of these new all-black watches may be rather hard to read at times, but then the reality of the luxury watch today is such that many watches are no longer truly used for the actual task of timekeeping; that is, as so many collectors will tell you, best left to the inevitable mobile phone.
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