This article is part of our Watches and Wonders 2022 series. Find out what we saw at watch fair Watches and Wonders in our ‘Day Two Round Up’. From some of the world's most prestigious luxury watch brands showcasing in impressive exhibition stands to our expert buyer’s reactions, as well as having a peek into the behind the scenes of the fair, we take you on the journey with us. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more watch launches, news and Q&As with influential people within the world of horology. To see more content from the fair, you can visit our dedicated Watches and Wonders 2022 landing page where we will be updating with the timepieces as they launch.
Day two at Watches and Wonders saw us reacquaint ourselves with the nuances of a watch fair and allowed us to make more meaningful connections, catching up with our most prominent luxury watch brands.
We saw some incredible timepieces launch and our buyers offered us their immediate reactions to their appointments over on our YouTube channel. You can head there to listen to them talk all about who and what they've seen, and offer their insight into some of the new releases. Rachel Garrahan, Jewellery and Watch Director at Vogue Magazine was also in attendance and took her Instagram audience, and ours, through a day in the life of an influential figure in horology and Stephen Watson, freelance Watch Editor also divulged his day with us. We met with and interviewed Rob Brook, Brand Manager of Grand Seiko to discuss their new releases and his thoughts, and we also caught up with Omar Choudhary, Hublot's Brand Director who talked us through their latest pieces with our very own Retail Director, Heath Waller.
IWC Schaffhausen’s exhibition was, without a doubt, a real attention grabber. In line with the recent container roadshows, the brand’s sleek stand was geared towards highlighting the Big Pilot, and there was much to view and explore with their photobooths. Their new timepieces were inspired by a multitude of natural factors, using different types of material within their pieces.
Jaeger-LeCoultre takes inspiration from the cosmos with their new releases, merging the concept of space and time together. Their impressive exhibition at Watches and Wonders featured a multitude of interactive elements, all connected to these themes – including a view of the night sky, complete with stars in the shape of the zodiac signs.
Grand Seiko’s releases are all about aesthetics, legitimacy, accuracy and comfort – their Evolution 9 collections are beautiful pieces that we are sure will be treasured by many fans of the Japanese brand. The exhibition was a welcome haven of peace at the fair, with their exhibition taking design inspiration from Japanese gardens with their structure made from special wood from the country Japan.
Ulysse Nardin was all about breaking boundaries at this year’s Watches and Wonders. A true pioneer in innovative watchmaking, Ulysee Nardin have stuck with their futuristic roots with the release of three new collections: the Blast – Moonstruck, the Freak S and the Freak X Adventurine. Building on its successful Freak collection, the luxury Swiss watchmaker has taken inspiration from the very first Freak timepiece originally launched in 2001, with a new case combining ceramic, titanium and gold.
As you walk into the Panerai stand, you are met with an underwater world, complete with their iconic shark. It is bold, it is brave, it is Panerai; and the excitement didn’t stop at the stand. This year, we saw new models added to the Luminor collection and, sitting alongside the 47mm and 42mm already in the Submersible dive watches collection, the introduction of a new range of 44mm case for the Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro. A firm favourite of ours must be the Submersible QuarantaQuattro Bianco (PAM01226), which exhibits a brilliant white dial with a brushed steel case on a versatile military green strap.
Stay tuned as we deliver more exciting new launches as we head into day three of Watches and Wonders 2022.
