After attending epic presentations from 35 exhibitors and feasting one's eyes on fine watches for four whole days, what lingers in the mind about the 29th Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH)?
Held at Palexpo, Geneva's exhibition and congress centre, the prestigious watch fair ended last Thursday, with over 23,000 visitors having explored lively booths boasting a variety of themes.
Among 18 historical maisons, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget and Hermès transported visitors respectively to a Swiss forest, a sunny beach and a mysterious moon.
One-off Lamborghini SC18 Alston supercar and Roger Dubuis' unique piece.
An actual Silver Spitfire parked in IWC's booth that looked like a hangar but was actually inspired by the interior of the British aircraft's wings, while a one-off Lamborghini SC18 Alston supercar was a crowd-puller at Roger Dubuis.
The sweetest stop was at Richard Mille's confectionery, where visitors could suck lollipops and other candies while admiring the refreshing Bonbon collection.
In contrast, Ulysse Nardin dedicated a room, walled by Milo Manara's comics, to display a collection featuring the art of miniature painting based on the Italian artist's erotic illustrations.
The immersive experience was also educational through presentations and panel discussions in the auditorium, which were all streamed live to global audiences, in implementing SIHH's digital communications strategy.
The new SIHH Lab was strategically positioned at the centre of the fair. Pepper, a five-year-old robot, welcomed visitors to the interactive space that showcased innovations in digital and technology, developed by exhibitors, some in collaboration with EPFL or the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne.
While the Lab is an incubator for tomorrow's watchmaking, Time Æon Foundation's workshop had three students learning traditional techniques that need to be passed on to a new generation of horologists.
The foundation's exhibition space is a part of Carré des Horlogers, where 17 artisanal and independent brands displayed their extraordinary novelties. One model grown, watered and trimmed by H Moser & Cie, Nature Watch symbolises the fragility of our ecosystem.
Perpetual calendars, in particular, were highlights in many of the historic maisons and Carré des Horlogers, while blue and green continue to be popular colours in watch designs. Exceptional timepieces further feature original alloys, such as those based on carbon or recycled titanium.
The 30th edition will not be staged in winter, as, from 2020, the SIHH in Geneva and Baselworld in Basel will synchronise their calendars.
Next year, the watch industry's biggest events will be held back to back: the SIHH from April 26-29, followed immediately by Baselworld from April 30 to May 5.
