The 10 Best Watches of Geneva Watch Days

In just a couple of short years, Geneva Watch Days has grown from about 20 brands into a global powerhouse fair of 66 officially participating brands, and a lot of others in and around the city showcasing tradition, creativity and innovation in watchmaking. This year, several major brands joined in on the celebration of watches with some genuinely impressive new collections. But, and to us this is always dear to our hearts, there were also several new and very interesting indie brands to be discovered! While they might not have yet made this year’s “Best of Show” for us, it does indicate that independent watchmaking is alive and thriving! With that said, here is the MONOCHROME Editorial Team’s Top 10 Watches, which includes a duo selected by our new videographer, Kobin.

Frank – FERDINAND BERTHOUD Naissance d’une montre 3

My statement for this year’s Geneva Watch Days is a sincere and much-deserved “Thank You” to Mr. Karl-Friedrich Scheufele and the Ferdinand Berthoud team. Over the course of six years, they poured more than 11,000 hours into what is essentially one of the finest watches ever created, the Naissance d’une Montre 3. Made entirely by hand, long-lost techniques have been rediscovered and used to make this very watch. It’s a true watchmaking history lesson, aimed to protect the craft and carry it forward.

For more information, please check out the full story here.

Frank – LAURENT FERRIER CLASSIC TOURBILLON TEAL Green

Laurent Ferrier celebrates a milestone in the brand’s history, marking 15 years of watchmaking since its debut with the Tourbillon Double Spiral. For the occasion, it introduces the Classic Tourbillon Teal Green, in the signature pebble-shaped case, with a double-spiral tourbillon movement, and a rather unexpected but stunning dial. Finished in teal Grand Feu enamel, it shifts from dark green to blue-ish green under light, and is lovingly finished with a sky blue minute track and elongated Roman numerals.

For more information, please check out the full story here.

Brice – GERALD GENTA MINUTE REPEATER

Picture this: a yellow gold case with a subtle cushion shape, a black onyx dial with only the bare essentials and a rather slim minute repeater. Now add to that the Gérald Genta name, and you get this, the wonderfully elegant Gérald Genta Minute Repeater. The shapes, the mechanics, the minimalism … It’s all incredibly coherent and oh-so-lovely. One detail that really stands out is the design of the minute track, which follows the shape of the case. It’s a superb touch to a superb watch.

For more information, please check out the full story here.

Brice – DE BETHUNE DB25XS STARRY VARIUS

While the recipe is quite well known, anything with the name “Starry Varius” gets me excited. This new DB25XS Starry Varius is another stunner by this highly regarded independent watchmaker. It comes with a slender 8.8mm case in polished grade 5 titanium or 18k rose gold, and with a high-polished burgundy dial that’s finished with hand-applied gold dots and a laser-milled Milky Way pattern. It really makes you feel like you live among the stars, with a finely executed movement to admire around the back.

For more information, please check out the full story here.

Robin – h. MOSER & CIE. ENDEAVOUR PERPETUAL SMOKED SALMON

To me, this was one of those watches I instantly fell in love with. I have a soft spot for the brand to begin with, as I love the styling and creativity, although, given the choice, not all watches are for me personally. However, the new Endeavour Perpetual Smoked Salmon ticks all boxes for me: a sporty-chic case, superb smoked salmon fumé griffé dial, and an in-house QP movement with a minimalist and thus very clean design for its indications on the dial. Simply LOVELY!

For more information, please check out the full story here.

Robin – FURLAN MARRI DISCO DIAMONDS ONYX

My second pick is something left-field, as it’s a watch I wouldn’t normally gravitate towards. But, and I say this despite feeling it’s a touch too petite for me, the Furlan Marri Disco Diamonds Onyx is just an amazing retro-styled flying saucer of a watch! The case is compact, refined and oozes character. The black onyx dial shines in its simplicity thanks to the lab-grown diamond hour markers. But the cherry on top is that woven mesh bracelet! Plus, considering the relatively accessible price, it’s an absolute smash hit in my book!

For more information, please check out the full story here.

Xavier – TAg hEUER cARBONSPRING CONCEPT

The biggest technical innovation of the fair has to be TAG Heuer’s new TH-Carbonspring oscillator, which dusts off and genuinely improves on the carbon hairspring of a few years back. Further developing the technology for several years has solved key issues, such as the porosity of the material. It’s also anti-magnetic, offers superb stability and is shock-resistant. With that, it’s a solid and industrially produced alternative to silicon, which is a major step for the brand and the industry. It now makes its debut in the iconic Monaco and the Carrera Tourbillon, but will no doubt be incorporated into other watches soon.

For more information, please check out the full story here.

Xavier – Trilobe trente-deux

Trilobe presented its first integrated stainless steel watch, and it’s called the Trente-Deux, or Thirty-Two in English. It uses the familiar yet impressive Nuit Fantastique display and puts it in a newly designed profile. However, what’s more important is that it comes with a movement that’s entirely conceived, developed, machined, finished, and assembled in the brand’s workshop in Paris (except for a few key parts, such as the mainspring). It looks and wears beautifully and gives a new spin on the brand’s hallmark style.

For more information, please check out the full story here.

Kobin – Frederique Constant Classic Perpetual Calendar Manufacture

I’m relatively new to the watch game, having joined the MONOCHROME team not too long ago. I have had the privilege, though, to quickly learn a lot of things about a lot of brands and watches. I got to shoot this new Frederique Constant Classic Perpetual Calendar Manufacture just before Geneva Watch Days, and I think it’s just pure class! I have discovered that I tend to prefer classically styled watches, and this is a home run for me. Elegant, sophisticated, and with something very interesting going on on the dial. And the price? A smidge below 10k euros, which is mighty impressive!

For more information, please check out the full story here.

kobin – Bulgari Octo Finissimo Lee Ufan

This watch surprised me as well, as at first I thought it was made of meteorite, while in fact it’s hand-filed titanium for the case and bracelet! Bulgari collaborated with South Korean artist and sculptor Lee Ufan, and the result is truly impressive. The gradient silver-to-blue dial looks amazing too, and I just love the clean, straight lines. Learning that it’s also one of the thinnest watches ever, with a movement that’s just 2.23mm thin, amazes me even more!

For more information, please check out the full story here.