AYES ON DUBAI

The first crop of novelties of 2020 are also the only ones to benefit from a major fair, backed by the resources of an important watchmaking group. This story covers a few key highlights from Bvlgari and Zenith, as well as a surprise from TAG Heuer

- JONATHAN HO

LVMH’s Watch Week in Dubai took the place in January, which for the first time in more than a decade, happened to not coincide with any Swiss watch fairs. (At press time, this is the only watch fair that went ahead in 2020, with both Watches & Wonders and BaselWorld cancelling their shows. For those looking for fair coverage and attendant novelties, this story is it in this issue – Ed). It is decidedly a more relaxed atmosphere in Dubai but still a serious one.

In his opening remarks, Bvlgari CEO Jean Christophe Babin noted that LVMH decided to hold its own watch exhibition in the first month of 2020 because it was important for its retailers to know early in the year what the novelties are going to be and for crucial watch media to plan editorial coverage for major highlights and novelties of the brands. It was not difficult to convince sister brands, Zenith, and Hublot to participate in the LVMH Watch Week (our coverage of Hublot news from this fair has been integrated into our story on bracelets this issue – Ed).

Though participating but not exhibiting at LVMH Watch Week, TAG Heuer celebrated the occasion of their 160th birthday with a re-edition of the Heuer Carrera chronograph with a special Carrera 160 Years Silver Limited Edition. Shown only to selected media, the newest chronograph is inspired by the original Carrera “2447S” monochrome silver-dial watch of the early 1960s. The TAG Heuer Carrera 160 Years Silver Limited Edition (pictured right) is not a remake of the original Carrera 2447S but it shares many of the same elements. This includes such standouts as a monochrome silver-coloured dial, polished case and pushers, and three chronograph counters with concentric circles.