rpr_IMG_4173

What we already have seen at Basel World 2012 is that all watch news was heritage related. Classic design inspiration, decent measures, heritage details & lifestyle. At the 2013 Geneva SIHH watch show with brands like Panerai, Lange & Söhne, IWC, Richard Mille, Vacheron Constatin, Cartier, Baume & Mercier, Piaget, Ralph Lauren etc. the Richmont group is going deep into their heritage and historical details again. All serious watch brands honor their history, impress their clients / dealers with their exceptional past transforming heritage into their newest collection.

rpr_IMG_4123

Panerai is honoring their 1940 ( by Rolex made ) Radiomir with straight lugs, introducing a sleek new range from 42-47 mm. Jaeger Le Coultre is showing their vintage pieces also, introducing more models in their vintage deep sea reincarnation. Lange blows away with historic pocket watch looking grande complication in 6 piece only, measuring 50 mm setting you down 1.9 million euro. All new Baume & Mercier models are retro, the pulsometer chrono line and now new retro Clifton models. Cartier is always very historic, elegantly combining modern manufacture technics. IWC reintroduces their historic Ingenieur, shows off Mercedes Heritage with Fangio’s SLR and boosts their lifestyle with famous people. It all has become obvious, if you as a watch brand have a history then you have to use it properly as new generation costumers decide between good & perfect on the roots of the company.

rpr_IMG_4147

If you have no history but are genius as Richard Mille, you simply create a new one, start sponsoring exclusive heritage car races and make your way up to famous star, then connect yourself to a big watch group to be successful. Honestly, I think it too much news the watch industry is bringing out. Instead of perfectioning a current model or create a fully new range, its become easy “cope-paste” by changing color of the dial, adding new function or recreating heritage with canvas bracelets and vintage looking pvd coating as Ralph Lauren is doing. Watch brand have become giants in terms of turn over, I heard Cartier group recently bought a famous Ladies online website for $ 350 million & they acquired a chinese retailer with 1600 shops to secure their future. I believe the traditional ‘jeweler’ who had different watch brands on stock will disappear in 5 – 10 years. Only mono stores, online sale and own community is the way forward. Branding have become the key for success, hardly anybody’s is interested in the movement besides it has to be manufacture. Its all become about the dial, like we see at vintage Rolex, it’s all about the face. Here are some of my impression i can share with you. Great thanks to all the friends i met again and new ones i’ve made, see some of you very soon in the sun 😉

rpr_IMG_4179

From a dear friend & ultimate vintage Rolex collector, a spectacular duo of 2 ‘Stella’ Day Dates, the right brown has been originally delivered, having a elegant green Qaboos added! One day I will show you all 😉

rpr_MiddleEast_Vintage_Rolex

rpr_IMG_3997

rpr_IMG_4022

Retro classic up & down, customized reproduction by De Bethune.. watchmakers

rpr_IMG_4032

rpr_IMG_4034

Some more iconic Rolex Heritage, the Daytona is having it’s 50-ies Anniversary this year 2013!..

rpr_Rolex_PaulNewmans

rpr_IMG_4038

Ice, Ice Baby 😉

foto 2-1

SIHH – Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie Geneve  2013

rpr_IMG_4039

Military canvas on leather & polished PVD coating to make it look vintage…

rpr_IMG_4043

rpr_IMG_4044  rpr_IMG_4046 rpr_IMG_4048

Baume & Mercier adding a new worldtimer to their ‘heritage collection’.

rpr_IMG_4047

rpr_IMG_4051

Classic retro new Clifton model with fat polished bevels

rpr_IMG_4050

rpr_IMG_4054rpr_IMG_4052 rpr_IMG_4055

rpr_IMG_4057

rpr_IMG_4056

rpr_IMG_4058

rpr_IMG_4060

Buddy Wei Koh from Revolution….. where i’ve become a author reporting news about the wonder of the Rolex World  😉

rpr_IMG_4061

rpr_IMG_4062

rpr_IMG_4073

Lange showed me their Grande Complication, upstairs in a special room, giant 50 mm and huge double stepped case back for 1.9 million euro!

rpr_IMG_4074

rpr_IMG_4069

rpr_IMG_4071

rpr_IMG_4085 rpr_IMG_4079 rpr_IMG_4077

Legendary Mr. Kurt Klaus alias Mr IWC..

rpr_IMG_4100

rpr_IMG_4075 rpr_IMG_4076

rpr_IMG_4134

Vintage legedary Mercedes No. 658, IWC ceo & beauty  Adriana Lima..

rpr_IMG_4098

Fangio & Figgo..

rpr_IMG_4087

Original SLR versus..

rpr_IMG_4129

Reproduction…

rpr_IMG_4035

@ Cartier..

rpr_IMG_4105 rpr_IMG_4106 rpr_IMG_4107 rpr_IMG_4103 rpr_IMG_4104 rpr_IMG_4108

@ Panerai..

 

rpr_IMG_4113

 

Vintage Panerai on display..

 

rpr_IMG_4123

 

Modern result, 2013 collection…

rpr_IMG_4112

rpr_IMG_4110rpr_IMG_4111 rpr_IMG_4114  rpr_IMG_4116

rpr_IMG_4126

rpr_IMG_4115

rpr_IMG_4128

rpr_IMG_4118 rpr_IMG_4117

Michael Schumacher @ AP..

rpr_IMG_4139

Vintage Jaeger Le Coultre’s on display…

rpr_IMG_4130 rpr_IMG_4131   rpr_IMG_4142

AP showing prominently their history..

rpr_IMG_4141

 

rpr_IMG_4143

rpr_IMG_4140

 

Nice genius! Richard Mille..

rpr_IMG_4132

rpr_IMG_4145  rpr_IMG_4151

At Rolex Boutique..

rpr_IMG_4195

rpr_platinum_day_date_rolex

rpr_IMG_4194

rpr_MiddleEast_Vintage_Rolex2

Spectacular and maybe unique brown & green Qaboos i’ve never seen before!

rpr_MiddleEast_Vintage_Rolex0

rpr_MiddleEast_Vintage_Rolex3

The Rolex Boutique owner was very pleased to hear I like his perfect ‘Gilt Honeycomb’ ref 6298 from 1957 so much 😉

rpr_IMG_4192

 

rpr_IMG_4165

foto 5

Some more Rolex Heritage… 2013 is 50-ies anniversary of the Daytona!

rpr_NewmanUAE

rpr_Rolex_Daytonas

FP Journe manufacture

foto 2  foto 4

rpr_IMG_4197

Grande & Petite Sonnerie from FP Journe, for the sounds, it’s made in steel, sfr 700.000,=

rpr_IMG_4202

rpr_IMG_4200

foto 1

Special edition Jean Allesi..

rpr_IMG_4204    rpr_IMG_4196

rpr_IMG_4207

At the Patek Philippe Boutique, some really nice & ultra passionated people of there, they life heritage, see  you definitely next time!

rpr_IMG_4208

Rare bird and ultimate collectors item, jumbo PPC Nautilus in platinum! Extra blue dial with small diamond in bezel.

rpr_IMG_4216 rpr_IMG_4210

Stella’s at Piaget

stella

 

Rolex Pre Daytona Ref 6238 ” Black Knight” from Alexander Friedman from Watchonista

rpr_foto 5

De Betune Geneve…

rpr_foto 5-3 rpr_foto 5-2

Beautiful location downtown Geneve of GTE Watch Show..

rpr_foto 3

Moser…

rpr_foto 4-2

Laurent Ferrier Geneve…

rpr_foto 2-1

rpr_foto 2-3

rpr_foto 1

rpr_foto 2-2

rpr_foto 1-3

Cabestan Geneve …

rpr_foto 1-2

rpr_IMG_4218

Comex Sea Dweller ref 1665..

rpr_IMG_4178

haha!

rpr_IMG_4236

Best Pizzaria in town..

rpr_IMG_4233

Thanks YOU all again very much. See you next time!

rpr_IMG_4238