Stepping out of the train at Basel SBB railway station, I’m greeted by light flakes of white, a starry night sky and a gush of cold wind.
Every year, the city sees thousands of people make their way here for Baselworld — a fair that is the ultimate place to be for all aficionados of haute horology.
Though Baselworld, in its 101st edition this year, is two days shorter than the previous years, I soon find that it has as much — if not more — on offer for diehard fans of timepieces. There’s no denying that for those with a penchant for horology, Baselworld is a wonderland. Walking through its massive confines, we discover that the 2018 show is about the confluence of something old, something new and definitely some things blue!
With a schedule filled with press conferences, launches, events and presentations in hand, on the first day of the show at the Messe Basel exhibition site, I make my way to the press centre, get hold of my press badge, walk across the road, and with a simple scan of my card, I’m in! As someone who has for the first time ventured into the mammoth confines of Baselworld, it takes me about 10 seconds to add a pair of roller-skates to my packing list for next year, for swi‡ navigation around the halls! As the fair progresses and I skip, dance, waltz — and hurtle — around the main halls, 1.0 and 1.1, I find that diving is an increasingly popular theme, vintage is making a comeback, rose gold has firmly found its feet, complications are going strong — and blue is everywhere, with green making some spectacular guest appearances.
TRENDY TICKERS
From what Rolex brings to Basel, three timekeepers catch my eye — the new Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II with the Cerachrom two-colour, bezel the Datejust 36 armed with the patented Chronergy escapement, and the Cosmograph Daytona whose bezel is fit with a gradation of 36 bague– ecut sapphires in rainbow hues.
This story is from the May 2018 edition of Verve.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2018 edition of Verve.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Making Amends
This generation’s penchant for thoughtless consumption gets Madhu Jain roiled up, and she wonders if nature is getting its own back for our missteps…
Diamonds With Provenance
In keeping with the company’s commitment to environmental and social responsibility, Anisa Kamadoli Costa, chief sustainability officer at Tiffany & Co. and chairman and president at The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, enlightens Shirin Mehta on the efforts that make the jewellery giant an industry leader in transparency
SARTORIAL ECONOMICS
Sisters Tashi and Tara Mitra demonstrate to Akanksha Pandey how deviating from the mainstream can bend the way we think, live and dress
NOTES TO SELF
An anthropomorphized tiger’s perspective, a viscerally worded futuristic interpretation of loss, a critique of performative activism, a meta reflection on the earth’s crises. Told through different lenses, Janaki Lenin, Indrapramit Das, Keshava Guha and Roshan Ali’s stories — written exclusively for Verve — attempt to make sense of the fraught reality that we exist in today
The Eternal Optimist
As Generation X and xennials grapple with fully transitioning to conscious living, young millennials and Generation Z are leading the charge to reverse human-caused environmental damage. Sahar Mansoor, founder and CEO of the Bengaluru-based zero-waste social enterprise Bare Necessities, has a simple overarching philosophy: consume less and stay positive. Verve gets deeper into the mindset of the action-oriented earth advocate
Redemption SONGS
Indian music festivals have been demonstrating a refreshing sense of responsibility in terms of their ecological impact. Interacting with stakeholders who strive to make these large-scale events greener, Akhil Sood investigates the reasons behind the improved attitudes of audiences and the increase in corporate support.
earth hour
Crafted using nature’s elements, these dials draw inspiration from the many heterogeneous materials and hues around us.Verve turns its lens onto a mesmerising few
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Children are holding adults accountable for both the grim future they are facing and the toll this is taking on their mental health. Madhumita Bhattacharyya initiates conversations with families of young climate activists and observes the extent to which parenting has changed in the face of catastrophe
NATURAL JUSTICE
Most of us are only just waking up to the urgency of climatic action. When the stakes are so high, what can individual action solve? Mridula Mary Paul, an environmental policy expert, is proof of the tenacity needed to effect systemic change. It’s not glamorous, and the rewards are few and far between, but that doesn’t stop her from aiming big, finds Anandita Bhalerao
Along For The Ride
Navigating Indian streets as a woman is hard enough. But what is it like while riding a bicycle? Bengaluru-based Shreya Dasgupta, a regular cyclist, speaks to five urban women about the pros and cons of this increasingly popular means of transport.
