Who would have thought that an anti-establishment musical manifesto would inspire diamond-smothered watches and unorthodox marketing strategies? Incandescent, unpredictable, forty years after its official demise, punk is as powerful as ever.

Two schools have emerged in Fine Watchmaking in recent years, one traditional and one unconventional. In 2019, it would appear that the second category has the upper hand. Take the example of these complicated timepieces, all making their debut at SIHH and all characteristic of a new way of thinking.

It's Dorothy's brick road, it's the Beatles' submarine, it's sunshine on a rainy day. Buttercup, canary, lemon, mustard, straw, honey or saffron, a splash of yellow brings laidback style to the beautiful mechanics on our wrist. "Hey, chicken! You got the time?".

Wearing green on Saint Patrick's Day is a great way to celebrate the Emerald Isle's patron saint, and the first days of spring. Lichen, apple or olive, name your green!

At SIHH 2018, cases, dials and straps were awash with eye-popping shades and high-energy colours as brands set out to seduce women, younger buyers and anyone looking to put something a little more out of the ordinary on their wrist.

Among the useful functions lining the aisles at the 28th Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, the chronograph is the standout complication. It confirms demand for robust, precise, reliable timepieces, and the enduring appeal of a sporty design.

Opinionated, controversial, unpredictable… watchmaking's new ambassadors are moving the line between political correctness and audacity. All the better to provoke… sales.

Watchmakers have definitely grasped the fact that the child slumbering inside each of us is just begging to be reawakened with creations combining nostalgia with a fantasy universe.