Panerai’s SIHH 2015 line-up was compact, comprising five key models, but it did bring some novelty to the table, including the Carbotech Submersible and the elaborately engraved Radiomir Firenze.

A cult brand that has reached maturity, Panerai kept its focus this year, offering just five new models (though one is not a typical Panerai). Interestingly they were all clustered in the mid-five figure price range, with no entry-level models introduced at SIHH 2015. [All prices are in Singapore dollars (S$) and include 7% tax. US$1 = S$1.35] Of the five new models, two were Submersible models, Panerai’s name for its dive watches with rotating bezels. The one that got the most attention was the Luminor Submersible 1950 Carbotech (PAM616), featuring a carbon fibre composite case rated to 300 m.

Carbon composite materials are not new in watch cases, in fact they are somewhat passé, but this is the first time Panerai is using this material. The striped pattern on the case comes from the method used to produce the material, which calls for layering multiple sheets carbon fibre with a polymer to bind them together, before being baked in an autoclave to harden it.

The markings on the dial have bezel have a tan, faux-antique look, as well as bright blue accents, something Panerai favours this year.

Thought a lightweight material, the Carbotech Submersible is quite weighty, likely due to the size of the case as well as the metal inner case to which the case back is screwed. The case is 47 mm in diameter, with the automatic P.9000 movement inside. The Carbotech is no a limited edition, 500 pieces will be made annually, with a retail price of S$24,800. The blue accents are also found on the new Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic Titanio, offered in two guises, both flyback chronographs. The simpler of the two is the PAM614, equipped with a 30-minute chronograph. 

This has a 47 mm titanium case, and the P.9100 movement inside. Thanks to the co-axial placement of the elapsed seconds and minute hands on the central axis, the dial is clean, save for the constant seconds at nine and a date at three. 500 pieces will be made each year, priced at S$22,400.

Using the same movement but with the addition of a 12-hour counter is the PAM615. Beside the chronograph, this is also distinguished by the black ceramic insert on the bezel, a feature also found on the Luminor Submersible Amagnetic. Also an annual edition of 500 pieces, this will cost S$24,800.

The other new chronograph launched is an entirely different beast. 52 mm in diameter, the Mare Nostrum Titanio is a remake of a prototype deck chronograph for the Italian navy dating from the 1940s. 

Limited to just 300 pieces, this is equipped with a beautifully finished Minerva movement, explaining the S$58,200 price tag. You’ll find more about this in the story published last month. Also a limited edition is the Radiomir Firenze PAM604. Limited to 99 pieces and available only at the Florene boutique, the Radiomir Firenze has a 47 mm steel case decorated with gun engraving. 

Engraved by an Italian craftsman, decorating the watch case takes a week. The engraved motif is taken from Florentine history, and includes the Florentine lily, the symbol of the Italian city.  

The dial is black, but unlike most other Panerai dials it has a sunray brushed finish. Inside is the hand-wound P.3000 movement. The Radiomir Firenze costs S$29,800. The last new timepiece is something that strays far away from Panerai’s core competencies: an equation of time with eight-day power reserve. This is not Panerai’s first watch with that complication, the honour goes to the L’Astronomo, which had both a tourbillon and equation of time.  Though based on the same basic movement, the new equation of time wristwatch lacks a tourbillon, making it significantly more affordable. Offered in a 48 mm Radiomir 1940 case (PAM516) or 47 mm Luminor 1950 case (PAM601), the equation of time is powered by the P.2002/E calibre.

A scale on the dial graduated from -15 to +15 indicates the equation of time, that is the difference between the standard 24-hour day and solar time. Because the Earth orbits around the Sun in an ellipse rather than a circle, the actual length of a day is not exactly 24 hours. But due to the graduations of the scale, the equation of time displayed is only an approximation.  

The sub-dial at nine is the seconds, while the one across is for the month – “D” indicates December, “M” is for March and so on. Over on the back an indicator for the eight-day power reserve is integrated onto the bridge for the gear train.

The Radiomir 1940 Equation of Time 8 Days is priced at S$29,100, while the Luminor 1950 Equation of Time 8 Days is $29,800.

The rest of our SIHH roundups are right here:

A. Lange & Söhne

Cartier

Greubel Forsey

IWC

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Panerai

Parmigiani

Piaget

Ralph Lauren

Roger Dubuis 

Vacheron Constantin

A bit of everything, well made and developed in-house, sums up Jaeger-LeCoultre’s SIHH 2015 offerings nicely. The manufacture covered all the bases, at all price segments, for both genders. 

Jaeger-LeCoultre has the capacity, unique amongst watchmakers, to create well constructed and finished timepieces of great variety and numbers. Its offerings each year demonstrate that, and the SIHH 2015 line-up is no different.  The 2015 collection has a bit of everything, ranging from the vintage inspired Grande Reverso 1931 Seconde Centrale to the Duomètre Sphérotourbillon Moon. But Jaeger-LeCoultre did not reveal a major new complicated movement, maybe it has something up its sleeve for later in the year? [NB: All prices are in Singapore dollars (S$) and include 7% tax. US$1=S$1.35] Jaeger-LeCoultre’s wristwatches can always be split in two categories: round and Reverso. Let’s start with the latter, the brand’s signature watch case. There are surprisingly few new Reverso timepieces launched this year, majority were variations of existing ladies models. The key new Reverso was the Reverso 1931 Seconde Centrale, the first Reverso 1931 with a central seconds. Despite the name this is based on a Reverso from 1935, and it has the faux vintage dial markings de rigeur for such vintage-inspired watches.

This has dimensions very similar to the manual-wind 1931, measuring exactly the same at 46.8 mm by 27.4 mm, but thicker at 9.2 mm high to accommodate the self-winding movement. 

The 1931 Seconde Centrale has a solid case back suitable for personalisation (here’s a first hand experience with hand-engraving). It’s available only in white gold, and only at Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques, the Reverso 1931 Seconde Centrale will cost S$28,600. And now on to the round watches. The men’s timepieces were mostly conservatively styled wristwatches with small complications, something Jaeger-LeCoultre excels at. Previewed before SIHH was the Master Calendar Meteorite. It’s essentially the same watch as the 39 mm Master Calendar, except with a meteorite dial. 

The dial is made from a thin slice of meteorite discovered in Sweden, with a darker shade for the rose gold model and a pale grey on the steel. Highlighted by etching the material in acid, the Widmanstätten pattern of the material is formed by the nickel-iron crystals inside, making each dial unique. 

The meteorite dial Master Calendar costs about 20% more than its brass dial counterpart, retailing at S$18,190 in steel and S$38,100 in rose gold. Equipped with nearly the same movement is the Master Ultra Thin Moon 39, available with a black dial for the first time. This is 39 mm in diameter and just 4.9 mm high.

The Master Ultra Thin Moon is priced at S$13,500.

Also available in black for the first time is the Master Control Date, probably Jaeger-LeCoultre’s most affordable watch. Priced at S$9850, this is a basic, fuss-free watch with a 39 mm case and an automatic movement.

For those with a bit more money to spend, Jaeger-LeCoultre presented new variant of several Duomètre models, watches with movements equipped with twin barrels and gear trains (hence the name). The Duomètre à Quantième Lunaire is now available with cut-outs on the dial that reveal the mechanics behind the twin power reserve indicators.

One gear train is devoted to the time, while the other powers the 1/6 of a second counter, moon phase and date. The movement is a visual treat, with an architecture common to all  Duometre watches like the Spherotourbillon, like the grand sonnerie style winding clicks for both barrels.

The Duomètre à Quantième Lunaire has a 42 mm rose gold case, with a price of S$55,500.

Also getting a new dial treatment is the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Cylindrique à Quantième Perpétuel, a model first introduced three years ago. The model name says it all, this is a perpetual calendar with tourbillon equipped with a cylindrical hairspring (which provides more concentric breathing).

The blue dial has a grained texture with a subtle extravagance: the sub-dial for the moon phase is a tiny disc of lapis lazuli. Case diameter is 42 mm and material is white gold.

S$190,000 is the price of the privilege of owning the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Cylindrique à Quantième Perpétuel, unusual amongst high-end watches because there are more words in the name than digits in the price.

For several years now Jaeger-LeCoultre has been assiduously cultivating its female clientele and it continues in 2015. Several new Rendez-Vous models were launched, including new variants of the Night & Day, including this one with a black dial. Available only in boutiques and priced at S$22,100, this has a 34 mm case and a steel bracelet.

What makes the Rendez-Vous Night and Day unusual is the day and night display. Instead of the typical disc, it has gilded sun and moon cut-outs rotating against a starry backdrop.

The Rendez-Vous Moon is an elaborately executed moon phase wristwatch, with a mother of pearl moon phase and dial, along with diamonds on the case. 

A tiny star-shaped indicator on the perimeter of the dial is an appointment marker, set by the second crown. This costs S$63,000.

This has an automatic movement, the same workhorse base calibre that powers many of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s watches, including the men’s calendar watches above.

Mechanically similar is the Rendez-Vous Celestial. Instead of a moon phase, this has a celestial disc that makes on revolution every 23 hours, 56 minutes and four seconds, displaying the constellations as they appear from the Northern Hemisphere. And this also has a rendezvous indicator on the dial in the form of a star, controlled by the second crown. This retails for S$75,500.

The rest of our SIHH roundups are right here:

A. Lange & Söhne

Cartier

Greubel Forsey

IWC

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Panerai

Parmigiani

Piaget

Ralph Lauren

Roger Dubuis 

Vacheron Constantin