From Vintage to Recycled Metals

As a Freelance FHH Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie Certified Trainer in Geneva, Ugo Pancani can safely say that he has a keen eye for every little movement in the market. Both from the point of view of technical timepiece specifications and style and trends in general. Hence a summary of the latest innovations that are creating positive "turbulence" in the sector. «If there is one phenomenon that has overwhelmed the sector in the last two years, it is vintage, which has reached staggering prices at auctions that are already history. Perhaps in the wake of this strong input, leading haute horlogerie companies have started to produce new models inspired by the lines and concepts of some cult pieces from their archives, in an attempt, and why not, at a time that is anything but serene, to find a fixed point in their DNA. Another trend that has taken off is ladies watches, which have finally adopted complications from men's collections that were previously not even contemplated, such as moon phases and tourbillons, for a gender fluid effect that has now pervaded every sector. In the last two seasons, models have also appeared on the scene in colors such as blue and green, which until recently, in the niche that is pure haute horlogerie, were considered a gamble. Sports models, on the other hand, have undergone a small revolution: steel is now the most popular material, while straps have become interchangeable, passing from rubber to leather, so as to make the watch suitable for all occasions. Recovered or recycled metals have also become increasingly popular, as well as new shades of gold, the result of ad hoc alloys, destined to become an iconic element of the maison.»