Exhibitors at Baselworld remembered that women watch buyers aren't to be overlooked. Even so, only a few made a noticeable effort to introduce originality into collections, resulting in a rather predictable crop of new releases overall.
There was a time when visitors came to Baselworld expecting to be dazzled. But those days are gone. Exhibitors at this year's fair presented collections that were solidly grounded but lacking star quality. It was left to the independents to keep the flame of creativity burning.
Watchmaking has many registers and so does the chronograph. Performance-focused or a lesson in elegance, innovative or traditional, a record-breaker or a design delight, chronographs were all over Baselworld 2019.
Olive, khaki, bottle or forest, shiny or mat, last year saw a first wave of green dials. A look around the latest Baselworld confirms the trend. So is green the new blue?
When the well of inspiration runs dry, or in a lacklustre environment, what better way to rekindle the flame than a trip down memory lane. For watch brands, it's still a winning formula.
They produce only small batches, have yet to become household names, and operate with limited resources. What they also have in common is the extraordinary creative drive that makes for the best in contemporary watchmaking. As far removed from mass production as it gets, join us on a tour of Baselworld's independents.
The world's biggest watchmaker is going for gold. White or yellow, Everose or Rolesor, the precious metal is omnipresent in the new releases introduced at Baselworld.