Like concept cars, concept watches are many things folded into one seductive and highly publicized object. They are life-sized laboratories for the public to see; showcases for future implementations of technology and style, and intended to be as desirable as they are unavailable. Unlike concept cars, though, their watch equivalents have been awfully scarce, especially in an industry where a set of key players pride themselves on innovating. In the past 20 years, arguably the most exciting, stimulating, and innovative era in watchmaking history, there have been but a handful. Which makes them all the more significant. Some have been introduced as such, near prototypes introducing many new features, sprucing up the brand's profile. Others have denied being such creatures and released as products, only for the community to find out they were not ready to be mass produced. And some others still, shown under the shroud of secrecy, were never released. After the glamorous presentations are over, a concept watch can have various destinies. It sometimes becomes a product, which includes some degree of the original's technical creativity. Or it can be so advanced its author brand ends up being unable to materialize it in enduring form, especially as far as reliability is concerned. This is the story of a handful of these projects, with outcomes as diverse as the technologies and achievements they introduced.
LOW RISKS, HIGH REWARDS
Denne historien er fra Spring 2024-utgaven av World of Watches.
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Denne historien er fra Spring 2024-utgaven av World of Watches.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
BRAND ELEVATION
On the sidelines of Geneva Watch Days, Bulgari CEO JeanChristophe Babin talks about the challenges of having one brand identity across all categories, and tells us what he really thinks of watch fairs.
EVEN MORE HANDS
For the third year in a row, the collective WOW team shares the watches we ponied up for. As always, we include a couple of fantasy pieces and more than a few fails.
CONCEPTS AND CONSEQUENCES
What is the legacy of concept watches? What happens when the show is over and it is time to actually manufacture them? How do these ticking research labs translate into actual, wearable timepieces...if they ever do?
THE QUESTION OF SUCCESSION
In the watchmaking industry, a company’s longevity is oftentimes measured not in decades but in centuries. What then happens to a brand beyond its founders? We speak to three CEOs to answer this question.
LEAPS AND BOUNDS
The quest to add one day to a month every four years may seem like a mundane task in the digital age, but achieving this mechanically is anything but.
FLIP SIDE
Omega celebrates the first human flight orbit the moon with a new Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon.
SNAPPING BACK
A powerful showcase for a one-of-a-kind constant force mechanism, the Girard Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement is now available for everyone.
GO FOR GOLD
Forty-five years after Piaget released its allgold Polo 79 luxury sports watch to critical acclaim, the maison revisits this iconic collection with a new ultra-thin movement.
CLEAR WINNER
Hublot's fourth collaboration with Takashi Murakami puts the artist's joyful flower motif at the centre of a bold new case design.
HISTORICAL TRIBUTE
Parmigiani Fleurier launches a new version of their Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar with a vivid green dial.