This year, the watch-fair landscape is changing. The world’s two biggest watch events — SIHH, now rebranded as Watches & Wonders Geneva, and Baselworld — will return, one following the other, in late April. Plus, more and more brands are hosting individual summits to showcase their latest creations. But fear not if you can’t wait any longer to get your horological fix, TAG Heuer, Hublot, Zenith and Bulgari will kickstart affairs in just over a week’s time, from 13-15 January, with the inaugural LVMH Swiss Watch Manufactures Exhibition in Dubai. Read on to discover more
Joining the line-up
In previous years, the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) would kick off the annual watch fair calendar in January, but last year its organisers announced the show would move to late April to coincide with Baselworld from 2020 until 2024. Now the LVMH watch maisons — TAG Heuer, Hublot, Zenith and Bulgari — have stepped into the January slot with a brand new watch exhibition.
The first LVMH Swiss Watch Manufactures Exhibition will take place in Dubai’s luxurious Bulgari Hotel over three days from 13-15 January. Situated on a private island just off Jumeirah Bay, the hotel provides the ultimate in luxury. TAG Heuer, Hublot, Zenith and Bulgari will use the fair to introduce their latest novelties to the world’s waiting press and retailers. And, in addition, the Group will continue to exhibit during the 2020 Baselworld show.
Stéphane Bianchi, President of the LVMH Watch Division, said: ‘We remain very supportive and loyal to Baselworld and the Swiss watchmaking industry. However, it was not possible for us to go 13 months without a global presentation of our products and brands. This additional event further confirms the LVMH commitment to the strategic and profitable watch category’.
Fan favourites
We’re always excited to lay eyes on the LVMH watch maisons’ newest creations, especially as the brands are hugely popular among our customers. All four watch houses are titans of the industry, each offering differing styles and designs to suit a wide range of tastes.
TAG Heuer is the king of motorsport, known for its racing-inspired timepieces that are perfect for everyday wear; Bulgari is synonymous with elegance thanks to its ultra-thin creations; Zenith’s incredible El Primero chronograph movement remains an unsurpassed watchmaking achievement; and Hublot is loved by sports stars and watch lovers alike for its bold, head-turning designs.
Jump on the blue dial bandwagon with this handsome Hublot Classic Fusion Blue Titanium, featuring a blue dial and a matching blue rubber and leather strap
Take Hublot’s Classic Fusion Blue Titanium (£6,400), which channels the brand’s ‘Art of Fusion’ philosophy. The 45mm timepiece is cast in lightweight polished and satin-finished titanium and comes on a blue rubber and alligator leather strap. We love its blue sunray dial with rhodium-plated appliques and hands, and those signature H-shaped titanium screws on the bezel. Inside ticks an automatic movement, which has an approximate 42-hour power reserve and powers the date window at 3 o’clock.
TAG Heuer is unveiling a number of handsome new models in its much-loved Autavia collection this month, including this bronze 42mm iteration with a green dial
This
month, TAG Heuer is also relaunching its signature Autavia collection. The
Swiss brand first coined the Autavia name – a portmanteau of automobile and
aviation – for its dashboard clocks, which were used from 1933 to 1957 in racing
cars and aircraft, as well as for timing rallies. In 1962, Jack Heuer had the
idea of using the Autavia name
on a new chronograph wristwatch. With their distinctive rounded cases, bevelled
lugs and excellent legibility, the early models proved hugely popular. We love
this new 42mm automatic model (£3,150) for its stylish khaki-green dial – and
because its case has been cast in bronze, a material which develops its own
distinctive patina over time. Keep an eye out for more updates on this
collection later this month.
Only time will tell what the four brands will be unveiling at the LVMH Swiss Watch Manufactures Exhibition — so stay tuned.
Discover more of our luxury watch fair stories on Calibre Online here.
Shop TAG Heuer, Hublot and Zenith at Watches of Switzerland UK and US, Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths, and Bulgari at Mayors in the US
