Watches and Wonders has begun an era that will see numerous changes in terms of launches, presentation, and interaction. Watch brands all across the world have realisedthe potential of digital media now and have started to tap into this massive resource. Watches and Wonders 2020 was held in Shanghai and watchmakers such as Cartier, Panerai, IWC, Roger Dubuis, and Montblac participated to introduce the world to an all-new array of watches. The experience was phenomenal, to say the least and so was the vibe.
Watches and Wonders 2020 – The Most Interesting Launches To Look Into
With digital media swooping in and replacing the personal one-on-one photo sessions, the champaign, the top notch hospitality, and of course, the luxury industry comradery, watch exhibitions are surely to change and this year’s event was no different. Instead of booking flights to Geneva, people tuned into the extravaganza formerly known as the SIHH.
There were various references launched this year at the Watches and Wonders 2020 and each and every one of these watches are ecstatic in their own respective way.
Pasha de Cartier Skeleton
If someone has mastered the art of fitting a square peg inside a round case, it has to be Cartier. Trust me on this, no one does it better. Cartier launched the Pasha for the first time back in 1985. Now, it is not as if the Pasha did something extraordinary. Almost every timepiece in the Cartier catalogue has an icon status and with that, a really intriguing back story to spice things up.
The Pasha de Cartier, however, was unique because it displayed a square shaped minute track inside a round case. This was groundbreaking back then simply because no one thought of it. The present-day Pasha, which headlines Cartier’s 2020 catalogue retains much of the vintage charm of its progenitor and also adds a pinch of modern features to it.
The skeleton reference is, in particular, a spectacular creation as it just stands out almost effortlessly. The square minute track is formed via bridges of the manually-wound 9624 MC Calibre.
Panerai Luminor Marina Fibratech44 MM
Panerai added yet another reference to the Luminor watch family in the form of the Luminor Marina Fibratech 44 MM. The Luminor line of timepieces turned 70 years old this year. Panerai is celebrating this milestone with the launch of a brand new material called Fibratech. Fibratech is essentially made from volcanic basalt fibresthat happen to be about 60 per cent lighter than stainless steel and much more corrosion resistant too.
Inside the 44 mm case is a gradient dark blue dial with the brand’s iconic sandwich-style luminescent numeral hour markers. The watch uses an in-house manufactured P.9010 caliberthat offers a decent  3-day power reserve.
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Diabolus in Machina
Roger Dubuis just does not know when to stop, does it? The Swiss watchmaker is simply outstanding when it comes to taking horological mechanics to the next level. Launched this year at the Watches and Wonders event is the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Diabolus in Machina. Diabolus, as in ‘devil’ is an apt name for this watch as it is definitely a hell of a device.
The minute repeater in the timepiece is not your usual out of the mill complication. The time chimer can be activated by pressing a button. There is a low-pitched tone for hours, a high-pitched tone for minutes, and 2 different tones for quarter hours. There is a Roman numeral disk at the 11 o’clock marker that offers a visual representation of the time units simultaneously.
There is always a safety concern in minute repeaters as they can be severely damaged if the time is adjusted while the repeater is turned on. Well, Roger Dubuishas come up with a couple of safety features to prevent that. The first feature is basically a lever at the 4 o’clock marker that switches the module from winding to time setting. The second mechanism is an ‘all or nothing’ that makes the user to use the hardest press possible to activate the minute repeater.
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