FROM THE EDITORS Letters + Events
The IWC Da Vinci Automatic
Edition “150 Years”
NEW AND NOTED
he SIHH 2018 previews arrived to International Watch editors at a dizzying
pace in late 2017. This is not an entirely new trend, however. Many of the
show’s high-end timepiece exhibitors learned several years ago that early
product announcements encourage collectors to set aside time (an presumably, the
funds) for that next ‘must-have’ watch.
T
BUT THIS YEAR THERE IS AN INTERESTING TWIST TO THE PHENOMENON OF THE DEBUTS: more
competition. As the number of watch companies slated to show their wares within the SIHH halls grows, each
exhibiting brand shares the preview spotlight. The 2018 event includes six new exhibitors: Hermès, Armin
Strom, DeWitt, Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud, Élégante by F.P.Journe and Romain Gauthier. This brings the
total number of exhibitors to thirty-five.
We’ve seen previews primarily from the larger brands, not surprisingly. Only a few of the independent watch-
makers that line the show’s relatively new Carré des Horlogers exhibition space have offered an early look at
their upcoming pieces. With fewer pieces in production, these brands generally wait until the show opens to
debut their new collections—though a few will offer teasers.
Inside we’re showing you what we knew a month or so ago, as this issue went to print. Starting on page 63 we
introduce you to these new watches, from the stately 1815 ‘Homage to Walter Lange,’ by A. Lange and Söhne to
the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time (on page 78-79). In between you’ll find out more about how IWC
plans to celebrate its 150th anniversary as well as how Piaget is once again leading the race to create the thinnest
automatic watch on the market.
Away from the halls of the Palexpo in Geneva, however, plenty of watches have also
12 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | WINTER 2018
captured our attention.
You’ll see one example on this issue’s cover. Wempe
has quietly been expanding its impressive watch
lineup in relatively new division of the German-based
company perhaps best known around the world as a
jewelry and watch retailer.
By rebuilding and utilizing the Glashütte Observa-
tory to assemble and test its watches, Wempe signaled
its serious approach to watchmaking. Once you learn
more about many of its newest timepieces (including
new chronometer-rated movements made with part-
ners like Nomos, Dubois Dépraz and Soprod), we think
you will agree the Wempe lineup is a strong
one indeed.
Regards ,
Michael Thompson
Editor-in-Chief | [email protected]