08.07.2021 - News

Baselworld 2018 Watches!

Today the all important and all exciting Baselworld 2018 draws to a close after a long week of surprise unveilings from some of the world’s greatest watch manufacturers. Although we cannot list all the memorable watches from this year’s show, we thought we’d highlight a few special pieces that caught our eye!

Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5740/1G

The Nautilus collection is arguably one of Patek Philippe’s best selling models of all time. The modern, clean and solid appearance attracts people from all industries of work and leisure. And this year, the Swiss watchmakers revealed its latest creation, the very first grand complication in the Nautilus collection, ref. 5740/1G.

The robust 40mm 18-carat white gold case features an 18-carat white gold bracelet with folding clasp, and a blue ‘sunburst’ dial. The baton hour markers are also applied with gold and coated in a luminescent material. The elegant appearance is in perfect harmony with the ref. 5740’s advanced design.

Credit: Patek Philippe

The perpetual calendar has been purposefully designed to recognise and automatically update the days in each month, even for those confusing leap years. This watch has already caused a stir among Patek Philippe fans and followers and it’s easy to see why!

Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5968A

It’s safe to say that 2018 has already been an incredible year for Patek Philippe watchmakers, not only have they created a unique Nautilus grand complication; they have also produced the very first Aquanaut chronograph.

The chunky 42.2mm stainless steel case exhibits all the original elements of the ref. 5167A and more. The new Aquanaut features a slightly enlarged case, the added chronograph function and a quirky black and orange theme, a pretty appropriate colour for the upcoming Spring/ Summer season!

Credit: Patek Philippe

The sleek and stylish wrist watch will most certainly impress watch collectors and connoisseurs with its new sense of vibrancy!

Hublot Big Bang Sapphire Tourbillon ref. 405.JX.0120.RT

It would be wrong to put together a Baselworld watch list and not mention this transparent beauty. Hublot has previously created a one-of-a-kind Usain Bolt tribute watch made from sapphire crystal for last year’s ‘Only Watch’ auction, but it has completely blown us away with the Big Bang’s stunningly futuristic look.

Featuring a tourbillon movement that is completely uncovered, the Hublot Big Bang is a unique example of how sapphire crystal is being used more and more in the horological industry (and not just for the dial).

Credit: Hublot

The chunky 45mm case features a skeletonised dial with only seven of the twelve hour markers applied. The power reserve indicator, tourbillon movement, and inner mechanisms take up the rest of the dials space, making this watch almost seem like a robotic machine.

Hublot pushed the boat out this year by unveiling some pretty striking pieces, including the Big Bang Unico Red Magic and Hublot’s first ever smartwatch, the Big Bang Referee (created in partnership with FIFA 2018 World Cup). 

Credit: Hublot

Omega Speedmaster “Dark Side Of The Moon” Apollo 8 ref. 311.92.44.30.01.001 

For decades, Omega and the U.S. Space Program have worked side-by-side to create a number of sporty watches for astronauts. This year, Omega has unveiled its latest addition to the ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ collection, the black and yellow themed Speedmaster, Apollo 8. The release coincided perfectly with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 8 space mission around the moon.

Credit: Omega

The case back features an engraving of the mission’s date (1968) and the famous words spoken by the shuttles pilot Jim Lovell, “We’ll see you on the other side”. The open dial even features a superbly decorated movement (1868) specially designed to mimic the moon’s rough surface.

To learn more about the Apollo 8 specifications, click here.

It’s impossible to acknowledge all the brands and watches that exhibited at Baselworld this year (there are just too many!!). But if you’d like to see what other brands exhibited, click here.