Best Open Casebacks of SIHH
Today’s fine mechanical watches are as beautiful from the back as they are from the wrist-up side. In fact, just to qualify as a fine timepiece, the movement has to be decorated. This includes chamfering, which means beveling the edges of components; perlage, or circular graining, usually done on the base plate; Côtes de Genève, a striped pattern that often decorates the rotor; and various degrees of polishing and engraving. These casebacks were standouts among the watches introduced at the SIHH in Geneva.
A. Lange & Söhne 1815 (Ref 235), with the hand-wound Caliber L051.1, with a 55 hour power reserve. It features the brand’s iconic three-quarter plate made of German silver, a hand-engraved balance cock, screwed gold chatons and blued screws.
Montblanc TimeWalker Chronograph 100, with the Montblanc/Minerva Caliber MB M66.25. It vibrates at a frequency of 50 hertz or 360,000 vph, with two balance wheels – one dedicated to the chronograph and the other to regular time, each powered by a separate mainspring barrel.
Panerai Radiomir Pocket Watch 3 Days, with the hand-wound caliber P.3001/10, driven by two barrels for a 3-day power reserve. It is inspired by pocket watches sold by the brand in the 1930s, and features the brand’s signature Radiomir cushion case and sandwich dial.
Vacheron Constantin Mecaniques Ajourées, with the Caliber 4400SQ, the engraving and decorating of which is inspired by the openworked architecture of 19th century railway stations.
Roger Dubuis Hommage Double Flying Tourbillon, with the hand-wound Caliber RD102 movement, which is finished to Poinçon de Genève standards, with the hallmark engraved between the two tourbillon carriages. It carries the signature of Roger Dubuis.
