The Best Watches Of SIAR 2019
Every year the Salón Internacional de Alta Relogeria, better known as SIAR, gets bigger and better. Most of the brands attending have already taken on the tradition to take something special with them to this fair in Mexico. Most launch a special edition of an existing watch, but some take even a whole new creation with them. Take a look at some of the best watches introduced at this years edition of the SIAR;
Christophe Claret Maestro Quetzalcoatl
Christophe Claret introduced an extraordinary edition of the Maestro, the watch known for its unique memory system. Based on the Maestro Mamba, where a snake crawls over the front of the watch, did Claret create the Quetzalcoatl. This watch is based on an ancient Aztec legend about a feathered serpent. The animal is made with an incredible eye for detail and engraved entirely by hand. Despite being quite small, as it has to be able to fit on the dial of the watch, do the feathers look almost lifelike and is the head of the serpent equally captivating and full of color. Only eight pieces of this version of the Maestro will be made.
RJ Arraw Spider-Man Tourbillon
At the SIAR did RJ make quite an impression as they launched their very first complication that is not only designed entirely in-house but will also be made in the manufacture of the brand in Switzerland. It features a peripheral indication of the hours and minutes as the center of the watch is dedicated to showcasing an oversized tourbillon. Winding the movement is not done by a traditional crown, but instead by pulling up a hoop that is recessed in the case back. The power reserve is an impressive 150 hours, and the movement is captured in a 45-mm case that is crafted from a composite of red fiberglass and black carbon. The watch is inspired by Spider-Man himself, as RJ joined forces with Marvel to make this watch even more unique.
Photo Credit: Hublot
Hublot Big Bang MP-11 SAXEM
As ‘King of Fusion’ has Hublot often used or created materials that have never seen before in watchmaking. With the Big Bang MP-11 SAXEM, they continue this tradition. As a beautiful shade of green is impossible to accomplish in sapphire, a material that Hublot masters, they continued their quest and developed SAXEM. This material uses the primary component of sapphire, aluminum oxide, which is mixed with scarce elements such as chromium, holmium, and thulium. The result resemblance that of emerald, but is not only perfectly clear but also much harder. As the first watch to be fitted with a case of this new material, Hublot opted for their legendary MP-11, with its seven mainspring-barrels that give the watch a power reserve of no less than two weeks.
Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1
Also Greubel Forsey brought something very special to SIAR. The brand flexed its considerable horological muscles and introduced a watch that has been made for 95% by using hand-operated tools. With this creation, they not only celebrate these rare crafts but also play a vital role in the preservation of it for future generations. The work requires a wide variety of competences, of which many are very labor-intensive. In total, it takes 6.000 hours for a single watch to be completed. Greubel Forsey is planning to make only two to three of these watches a year, making them even among their own collection a true rarity in terms of numbers.
