Bulgari Papillon Voyageur - 99 piece limited edition in rose gold launched at Baselworld 2012
Carl F. Bucherer Patravi TravelTec Four X - 46.6 mm diameter. Rose gold
Carl F. Bucherer Patravi TravelTec Four X - 46.6 mm diameter. Rose gold
Eterna Heritage Chronograph L.E. 1938 - 45 x 63 mm Steel
Eterna Heritage Chronograph L.E. 1938 - 45 x 63 mm Steel
Bulgari Papillon Voyageur - 99 piece limited edition in rose gold launched at Baselworld 2012
Bulgari Papillon Voyageur - 99 piece limited edition Rose gold
Bulgari Papillon Voyageur - 99 piece limited edition Rose gold
Breitling Chronomat 44 GMT - 44 mm diameter. Steel
Breitling Chronomat 44 GMT - 44 mm diameter. Steel
Concord C2 Chronograph Black & White - 43 mm diameter. Steel and diamonds
Tissot Le Locle Chronometer Edition - 40 mm diameter. Rose gold
Poljot Aviator Professional Edition Chronograph - 44 mm diameter. Steel
Poljot Aviator Professional Edition Chronograph - 44 mm diameter. Steel
Blancpain Villeret Retrograde Seconds - 40 mm diameter. White gold
Blancpain Villeret Retrograde Seconds - 40 mm diameter. White gold
Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diving Chronograph - 43 mm diameter. Steel
Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diving Chronograph - 43 mm diameter. Steel
Muhle-Glashutte Terranaut I Trail - 44 mm diameter. Steel
Muhle-Glashutte Terranaut I Trail - 44 mm diameter. Steel
Longines St. Imier Chronograph - 39 mm diameter. Steel and rose gold
Milus Tirion TriRetrograde - 45 mm diameter. Rose gold
Zeitwinkel 273 Degrees - 42.5 mm diameter. Steel
Zeitwinkel 273 Degrees - 42.5 mm diameter. Steel
Breitling for Bentley GMT V8 - 250 piece limited edition. 49 mm diameter. Steel
Hanhart Pioneer MonoScope - 45 mm diameter. Steel
Hanhart Pioneer MonoScope - 45 mm diameter. Steel
Hanhart Pioneer MonoScope - 45 mm diameter. Steel
Hamilton Khaki Aviation X-Patrol - 42 mm diameter. Steel
Hamilton Khaki Aviation X-Patrol - 42 mm diameter. Steel
Hamilton Khaki Aviation X-Patrol - 42 mm diameter. Steel
Glashutte Original Senator Observer - 44 mm diameter. Steel
Glashutte Original Senator Observer - 44 mm diameter. Steel
Glashutte Original Senator Observer - 44 mm diameter. Steel
Glashutte Original Senator Observer - 44 mm diameter. Steel
Oris Big Crown Date Stealth Grey - 44 mm diameter. Steel
Oris Big Crown Date Stealth Grey - 44 mm diameter. Steel
Maîtres du Temps 'Chapter Two' - Diamonds, Big Date Triple Calendar - 58 x 42 mm. Rose or white gold
Maîtres du Temps 'Chapter Two' - Diamonds, Big Date Triple Calendar - 58 x 42 mm. Rose or white gold
Maîtres du Temps 'Chapter Two' - Big Date Triple Calendar - 58 x 42 mm. Rose or white gold
Chopard L.U.C. Quattro - 43 mm diameter. Rose gold
Chopard L.U.C. Quattro - 43 mm diameter. Rose gold
Louis Erard Excellence Moonphase Chronograph - 42 mm diameter. Steel
Louis Erard Excellence Ladies Chronograph - 36 mm diameter. Diamonds and steel
Bovet Amadeo Rising Star - 46 mm diameter. White gold. Limited edition
Thomas Prescher Nemo Sailor - 44 mm diameter. Copper, bronze, steel
Thomas Prescher Nemo Sailor - 44 mm diameter. Copper, bronze, steel
Urban Juergensen Chronometre P8 Automatique - 44 mm diameter. White gold
Laurent Ferrier Galet Classic - 41 mm diameter. Rose gold
Yeslam GVA 738 - 41.5 mm diameter. Titanium
Bell & Ross BR 01 Horizon - 46 mm square. Steel
Clerc Hydroscaph Limited Edition Central Chronograph - 49 mm diameter. Steel
Cuervo y Sobrinos Historiador Pequeños Segundos 130° Aniversario - Limited edition of 130 pieces - 40 mm diameter. Rose gold
Cuervo y Sobrinos Historiador Pequeños Segundos 130° Aniversario - Limited edition of 130 pieces - 40 mm diameter. Rose gold
Breitling Transocean Chronograph Unitime - 46 mm diameter. Steel
Breitling Transocean Chronograph Unitime - 46 mm diameter. Rose gold
Breitling Transocean Chronograph Unitime - 46 mm diameter. Rose gold
Breitling Transocean Chronograph Unitime - 46 mm diameter. Steel
Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Automatic Ref. 5940 - 37 mm square. Yellow gold
Omega Spacemaster Z-33 - Titantium
Zenith Pilot Aeronef Type 20 - 57.5 mm diameter. Titanium
Zenith Pilot Aeronef Type 20 - 57.5 mm diameter. Titanium
Zenith Pilot Aeronef Type 20 - 57.5 mm diameter. Titanium
Longines Column-Wheel MonoPusher Chronograph - Limited edition of 180 pieces. 40 mm diameter. Rose gold
Longines Column-Wheel MonoPusher Chronograph - Limited edition of 180 pieces. 40 mm diameter. Rose gold
Breguet Tradition 7047 Tourbillon Fusee - 41 mm diameter. Rose gold
Glycine Combat Golden Eye - 42 mm diameter. Rose gold and steel
Glycine Combat Golden Eye - 42 mm diameter. Rose gold and steel
Casio G-SHOCK GW-A1000-1ADF - Steel. Solar-powered with radio-controlled calibration
Muhle-Glashutte Terrasport I Chronograph - 44 mm diameter. Steel
Rolex COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA - 40 mm diameter. Yellow gold with multicoloured diamonds
Rolex COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA - 40 mm diameter. Yellow gold with multicoloured diamonds
Rolex SKY-DWELLER - 40 mm diameter. White gold
Rolex SKY-DWELLER - 40 mm diameter. Yellow gold
Rolex SKY-DWELLER - 40 mm diameter. Rose gold
Rolex SKY-DWELLER - 40 mm diameter. White gold
Glashutte Original Senator Perpetual Calendar - Steel
Glashutte Original Senator Perpetual Calendar - Steel
Glashutte Original Senator Perpetual Calendar - Rose gold
Glashutte Original PanoMaticLunar - Rose gold
Glashutte Original PanoMaticLunar - Steel
Glashutte Original PanoInverse XL - 42 mm diameter. Steel
Glashutte Original PanoInverse XL - 42 mm diameter. Rose gold
Glashutte Original PanoReserve -Rose gold
Glashutte Original PanoReserve - Steel
Glashutte Original PanoReserve -Rose gold
Jaquet Droz Eclipse Onyx - 43 mm diameter in steel
Certina DS Action Diver Chronograph - 45 mm diameter in steel
Rolex Oyster Perpetual DATEJUST II - 41 mm diameter in steel
Rolex Oyster Perpetual YACHT-MASTER - 40 mm diameter in steel
Rolex Oyster Perpetual SUBMARINER - 40 mm diameter in steel
Maitres du Temps – Chapter Three - Very limited edition in Rose gold
Maitres du Temps – Chapter Three - Very limited edition in Rose gold
Maitres du Temps – Chapter Three - Very limited edition in Rose gold
Louis Erard La Sportive Edition Limitée BMC - 42 mm diameter in steel
Bell & Ross WW1 Jump Hours Power Reserve Rose Gold - Limited edition of 50 pieces. 42 mm diameter
Bell & Ross WW1 Jump Hours Power Reserve Rose Gold - Limited edition of 50 pieces. 42 mm diameter
Bell & Ross WW1 Jump Hours Power Reserve Platinum - Limited edition of 50 pieces. 42 mm diameter
Bell & Ross WW1 Jump Hours Power Reserve Platinum - Limited edition of 50 pieces. 42 mm diameter
Glashutte Original Grande Cosmopolitan Tourbillon - 48 mm diameter in platinum. Unique time complications for a mechanical watch
Glashutte Original Grande Cosmopolitan Tourbillon - 48 mm diameter in platinum. Unique time complications for a mechanical watch
Glashutte Original Grande Cosmopolitan Tourbillon - 48 mm diameter in platinum. Unique time complications for a mechanical watch
Breguet Heritage Phases de Lune Retrograde - 35 x 25 mm case in rose gold
Breguet Heritage Phases de Lune Retrograde - 35 x 25 mm case in rose gold
Breguet Marine GM - 42 mm diameter in rose gold
Breguet Marine GM - 42 mm diameter in rose gold
Breguet Classique Chronométrie - 41 mm daimeter in rose gold
Mondaine Vintage - 41 mm diameter in steel
Nord Zeitmaschine Variocurve - Unique display method. Steel
Epos Flying Tourbillon - 44 mm diameter in rose gold
Epos Flying Tourbillon movement
Alexander Shorokhoff Peter Tchaikovsky Big Alarm - 40 mm diameter in steel
TW Steel CEO Pilot - 45 or 48 mm diameter in rose gold plated steel
TW Steel CEO Diver - 44 or 48 mm diameter in titanium coated steel
TW Steel CEO Diver David Coulthard - 48 mm diameter in steel
TAG Heuer Mikrogirder 10000 - uniquely accurate regulator
TAG Heuer Mikrogirder 10000 - uniquely accurate regulator
TAG Heuer Calibre 17 Jack Heuer 80th Birthday LE - 41 mm diameter in steel
Blancpain L-evolution Chronographe Flyback à Rattrapan - 43 mm diameter carbon fiber and rose gold or white gold
Blancpain L-evolution Chronographe Flyback à Rattrapan movement
Blancpain Villeret Squelette 8 Jours caseback - 38 mm diameter white gold
Blancpain Villeret Squelette 8 Jours - 38 mm diameter white gold
Bremont Victory Chronograph - contains parts made out of metal from the original HMS Victory.
Harry Winston Opus 12 - 46 mm diameter in white gold. Limited edition of 120 pieces
Harry Winston Opus 12 - 46 mm diameter in white gold. Limited edition of 120 pieces
Harry Winston Opus 12 movement. Limited edition of 120 pieces
Ulysse Nardin Chronometer Manufacture - 45 mm diameter in rose gold
Ulysse Nardin Chronometer Manufacture - 45 mm diameter in rose gold
DeWitt Twenty-8-Eight Seconde Retrograde - 43 mm diameter in rose gold and titanium
DeWitt Twenty-8-Eight Seconde Retrograde - 43 mm diameter in rose gold and titanium
DeWitt Twenty-8-Eight Tourbillon Squelette - 43 mm diameter in rose gold
DeWitt Twenty-8-Eight Tourbillon Squelette - 43 mm diameter in rose gold
Corum Admiral’s Cup Legend 42 Chrono - 42 mm diameter in rose gold
Corum Admiral’s Cup Legend 42 Chrono - 42 mm diameter in steel
Tissot Classic Automatic - 42 mm diameter in rose gold
Hublot Big Bang Ferrari Magic Gold - 45.5 mm diameter in yellow gold. 500-piece limited edition
Hublot Big Bang Ferrari Titanium - 45.5 mm diameter in titanium. 1000-piece limited edition
Hublot "$5 MILLION" Watch - 44 mm diameter in white gold and 1282 diamonds. Ugly as hell!
Hublot "$5 MILLION" Watch - 44 mm diameter in white gold and 1282 diamonds.
Hublot Big Bang Classic Fusion Skeleton Tourbillon. 45 mm diameter in rose gold. Limited edition of 50 pieces
Hublot Big Bang Classic Fusion Skeleton Tourbillon. 45 mm diameter in titanium. Limited edition of 50 pieces
Charriol Celtic XL Automatic - 43 mm diameter in white gold
Delacour Bichrono Tech - 55 x 43 mm in steel.
Delacour Bichrono Tech - 55 x 43 mm in steel.
Manufacture Rodolphe Cattin Witness One - 45 mm diameter in steel
Revelation R01 Double Complication - 45 mm diameter in yellow gold.
Breitling Transocean QP Perpetual Calendar - 43 mm diameter in rose gold. Limited Edition of 50 Pieces
Breitling Transocean Chronograph 1461 - 43 mm diameter in steel
Armin Strom Manual New Generation - 43 mm diameter in steel
Louis Moinet Mecanograph - 43.5 mm diameter in titanium. Limited Edition of 365 Pieces
Longines Lepine 180th Anniversary Limited Edition - 56 mm diameter in yellow gold
IceLink Zermatt GMT - 63 x 43 mm in titanium and rose gold
IceLink Zermatt GMT - 63 x 43 mm in titanium and rose gold
Schauer Handwinding Chronograph - 41 mm diameter in steel
Schauer Handwinding Chronograph - 41 mm diameter in steel
L’Duchen Space - 43 mm square in yellow gold coated steel
Calvin Klein CK Cogent - 40 mm diameter in mineral crystal and steel
Calvin Klein CK Cogent - 40 mm diameter in mineral crystal and steel
Calvin Klein CK Cogent - 40 mm diameter in mineral crystal and steel
Graham Chronofighter 1695 - 42 mm diameter in rose gold
Graham Chronofighter Oversize Black Sahara Wildlife - 47 mm diameter in steel
Graham Chronofighter Oversize Black Sahara Wildlife color variations - 47 mm diameter in steel
Rado R-One - 48.5 x 34.5 mm in ceramic and titanium. Limited Edition of 300 Pieces
View gallery - 162 images
BASELWORLD, held in Basel Switzerland, is an annual watchmakers and jewelers exhibition where over 100,000 buyers from all over the world descend to check out the coming year's new product. Literally hundreds of new watches are launched at the fair from dozens of manufacturers including big-hitters Rolex, Hublot, Breitling, Patek Phillipe, Tissot and Glashutte. We've assembled a gallery of the most notable releases in 2012, which includes the most innovative, most beautiful, most expensive and most ugly ... and the last two categories are embodied by the same watch!
The most obvious design trend was the rise of the two or three sub-dial chronograph - often in the context of a very classic and traditional face. There were also signs of the resurrection of yellow gold as a finish as opposed to the all-conquering rose gold coloration of recent years. Expect to see more of this as nostalgia for the 70s and 80s increases. In contrast there were several examples of the "steampunk" faux-retro style which shows no sign of disappearing. Enjoy the pictures.
Glashutte Original Senator Observer - 44 mm diameter. Steel
Louis Erard Excellence Moonphase Chronograph - 42 mm diameter. Steel
Breitling Chronomat 44 GMT - 44 mm diameter. Steel
Longines Column-Wheel MonoPusher Chronograph - Limited edition of 180 pieces. 40 mm diameter. Rose gold
Breguet Marine GM - 42 mm diameter in rose gold
Hublot "$5 MILLION" Watch - 44 mm diameter in white gold and 1282 diamonds. Ugly as hell!
..... Neither shall you desire your neighbour's wife, your neighbour's watch ....
Chris Beach
You're right about that $5m watch, but you missed off the fact you can't read the time off it either with all that mess going on...
Gadgety
I flew down to Baselworld a few years ago and spent two days browsing. I learned that any watch manufacturer that places a non running watch in their exhibition is just a industrial marketing company with no true heart and not worthy of my money. What really got me going were the small boutique brands that took pride in their exhibitions and where every watch shown was running.
Richardf
Its all a bit sad rather ,we seek to make clocks even more presise with atomic clocks and watch that can dive to depths that will mostlikly kill us,who really cares if were of by a few seconds
Matt Rings
Just give me a watch where the second hand actually tick exactly on the marks... that is a of craftsmanship... I despise thousand dollar watches that can't even get that right.
Joe Sobotka
Although these watches are beautiful (with the exception of the 5 million dollar watch, which is gaudy beyond bellief) and I would love to own one, if I could afford it,, were there any watches there that are affordable to the masses? $100-$300. I'd like to see a write up on those. Thanks!