The biggest trends at the Salon International De La Haute Horlogerie this year ranged from slimmer watches to chiming mechanisms. But for us, unique materials made the cut. Giving bronze, tobacco, feathers and fossils from earlier editions some serious competition, this year the world of horology saw everything from lava rock and cheese to graphene-infused alloys.
Panerai
Material: Carbotech
Panerai’s new Lab-ID Luminor 1950 in 49mm debuts the new material, Carbotech. Formed by compressing thin sheets of carbon fibre along with PEEK (a high-end polymer that starred in earlier SIHH editions), Carbotech is light, hypoallergenic and resists corrosion. Priced at approximately $53,000
Richard Mille: Graph TPT
Material: Graph TPT
The case material of Richard Mille’s new RM 50-03 Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph Ultralight McLaren F1 – RM 50-03 to you and me – is made of a revolutionary new material called Graph TPT. It is created by injecting graphene into Carbon TPT, making this specimen possibly the “lightest mechanical chronograph” in the market. Priced at $1000,000
Roger Dubuis
Material: Cobalt Chrome
Standing out among the launches last month was the Excalibur Quatuor Cobalt Micro-Melt from Roger Dubuis, for the high-performance alloy used in its case – cobalt-chrome. Made using Micro-Melt technology, the material forms a ‘passive protection film’ that prevents corrosion and has mechanical properties comparable to those of stainless steel.
Priced at $390,000
Romain Jerome
Material: Volcanic lava
The third in the Eyjafjallajökull collection from Romain Jerome, named after the Icelandic volcano that erupted in 2010, the Eyjafjallajökull-DNA Burnt Lava has an unusual dial, made of onyx and genuine lava rock from Iceland. It gets better, for the bezel contains ash from the erupting volcano. Priced at $ 25000
H.Moser & Cie
Material: Swiss Cheese
Venturer million dollar ‘Swiss Mad’ features a bezel made with Vacherin Mont d’Or cheese mixed with a special resin – an inside joke protesting the Swiss government’s newly-tightened legislation around defining what is really ‘Swiss Made’. It doesn’t smell, but a dairy-free version is also available on request!
Priced at CHF 1,081,291