Watches & Wonders – the news from Rolex, Cartier and IWC

April in Geneva and that means watches. Lots of watches. From April 9 to 15, the city is among the 54 brands presenting their latest models during Watches & Wonders. The fair when it comes to watches for journalists, insiders and jewelers, where the last three days are open to the public.

Both large and small independent watch brands show their latest works of art. With all Richemont brands such as Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai and IWC and big names such as Patek Philippe, TAG Heuer, Hublot and Rolex. On the first day we put the spotlight on Rolex, Cartier and IWC.

Rolex

In addition to the red-blue ‘Pepsi’, the black-blue ‘Batman’ and the black-green left-handed ‘Sprite’, this new Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II the fourth in the Oystersteel GMT-Master II series. Don’t be surprised by waiting lists until well into next year if you want to get this one. Featuring a black and gray Cerachrom bezel that is available on a Jubilee or Oyster bracelet. The latest version, which has no nickname for now, is subtle with its monochrome style. And for the connoisseurs: The green ‘GMT-MASTER II’ on the black dial, together with the green GMT hand, is reminiscent of the previous all-black GMT-Master II from Rolex, ref. 116710LN, produced from 2007 to 2019, with the same green accents.

Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master IIPerpetual 1908

The Perpetual 1908 collection joined the Rolex ranks last year. A distinguished dress watch that fills the room now that the Rolex Cellini (a favorite of Barack Obama) is no longer there. This year, Rolex is adding a new platinum version to the Perpetual 1908. With the same caliber 7140 in a 39mm case, but now with an ice blue dial and a guilloché rice grain pattern on the dial. A 1908 that stands out from last year’s models with smooth white or black dials and gold cases instead of platinum.

Cartier

It exists 112 years after its creation Cartier’s tortoisewatch still. In fact, it is making a strong comeback, as evidenced by the new models as part of the Cartier Privé collection. “The Cartier Privé collection highlights the design of its legendary watches from the house’s repertoire,” said the French house. The new timepieces are produced in limited numbers and are numbered. This year marks the eighth edition of this Cartier Privé collection, the Tortue, which follows the Crash, the Tank Cintrée and the Tonneau.

Tortoise Monopusher ChronographSantos-Dumont Rewind

Also new is the Santos-Dumont Rewind. A platinum case with a brown-red shade for the dial. The most special thing here is the hand-wound 320 MC movement. This runs in reverse – also look at the dial. Limited to 200 pieces.

IWC Schaffhausen

This year IWC Schaffhausen has taken care of the Portugieser. From the Portugieser Automatic with the time and a small seconds to a chronograph and tourbillon models. The Portugieser Automatic 40 Due to the newly designed case construction, it now has a slimmer side profile with a box-shaped sapphire glass that provides a better view of the dial.

Portugieser Automatic 40Portugieser Eternal Calendar

The highlight, as far as we are concerned, is the Portugieser Eternal Calendar. It’s the watch brand’s first secular perpetual calendar, which can not only recognize how long each month is and add a leap day every four years, but also intelligently navigate the complex exception rules of the Gregorian calendar thanks to a new 400- birthday wheel in the clockwork. This wheel causes the calendar to automatically skip three leap years in four centuries. In addition, the moon phase will only have a deviation of one day for the next 45 million years. Just when you think it can’t get any more complex…