This is my choice, my very personal selection, a choice of watches I like and I would buy. This is neither a rating, nor a chart, it is just my very personal choice…
I will in the next days and weeks publish many more charts that are going to be less emotional and more rational, trying to explain you why this and that watch is cooler, better, cheaper or what´s or ever.
This here is my personal selection, these are my top ten favorite watches of Baselworld 2014.
There is a watch is missing? Of course! But the one you are looking for is not the one I probably like. Please do not ask me why I have not put your favorite watch in the list; once again this is my personal chart.
Questions and discussions why a certain watch is not being mentioned in one of my rational and technical charts are more then welcome later. But first please let me do my analyses of what I have seen the last days in Basel.
If you wish to add your personal selection, PLEASE do so in the comment section here below. I am looking forward seeing your top three/five/ten Baselworld 2014 watches!
The watches are presented in an alphabetic order, so once again this is not a ranking!
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronographe
This is a good looking, an absolute cool ceramic watch equipped with a new Blancpain 5-Hz-Chronograph-Fly-Back-Chronograph-Calibre. In my eyes a must-have!
Glashütte Original Senator Chronograph Panorama Date
Congratulations once again to you guys in Glashütte! You have developed an amazing chronograph-calibre and you have designed a wonderful timepiece.
Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Quantieme Ivory Enamel
One of the best watch designs I have seen for a long time! The watch features a two-level enamel dial, that looks just gorgeous. Less is more!!!
Nomos Glashütte Metro
Not only a good looking watch but also the start of new area at Nomos. The Metro is equipped with the in-house developed escapement and hairspring.
Omega De Ville Trésor Master-Co-Axial
Wow, wow, wow, what a beautiful retro-design. The new developed hand-wound Omega-calibre features the newest Master-Co-Axial-Technology that makes it totally insensitive to even the strongest magnetic fields.
Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial
I am sure it is not a surprise that I would present you this Omega. Already during Baselworld I have been posting that the new Seamaster 300, with its all-inclusive Omega-technology, is one of my favorite watches.
Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Chronograph Ref. 5960:1A
Can you believe this? I had to defend the new Annual Calendar Chronograph when talking to collectors and colleagues. Not everyone liked the Ref. 5960, since it looks not like a typical Patek Philippe. And exactly this is what makes it so attractive to me. Finally a bit of modernity in the collections …
Rado HyperChrome Touch Dual Timer
This is a little revolution many of you might not have realized yet. Rado presented last year the first quartz watch without a crown that is operated by touching it and letting a finger slide along the ceramic case. This now is the second timepiece equipped with the technology featuring a second zone-time indication; it offers a very pleasant look and feel and it is so easy to use.
Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000
Unbelievable! Again a watch I had to defend towards collectors and colleagues. The general opinion was: boring! No, not at all! This is in my eyes the first Rolex sport-watch whose re-design turned out well. I personally do not like the re-design of the GMT-Master II and Explorer II, here I prefer the “old” design. But I like the new Sea-Dweller 4000 more then the “old” one. Anyhow just my two cents 🙂
Zenith El Primero 410
What shall I write? The El Primero 410 looks good, the watch is powered an iconic chronograph-calibre and it does not cost a fortune. So let´s go for it …
Nice top. I agree about Rado.
Great Choice Alexander! Omega De Ville Tresor for Classical and Nomos for the new! No need to spend hundred of Thousands all the horology is already there!
My top choices at Basel World (in no specific order) were as follows:
1. Patek 5990
2. Omega Apollo 11 45th Anniversary edition limited to 1,969 pieces
3. Rolex GMT II in white gold with “Pepsi” bezel
4. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Ceramic
5. Rolex Sea Dweller 4000
6. Patek 5204 (black face)
7. Patek 5951
8. Tudor Black Bay with Blue Bezel and Blue NATO strap
9. Omega Lunar Dust
10. Breguet 8998 (new Queen of Naples)
Thank you Alex,
I can only congrats PP for this new 5960 ( very modern and still very Patek)
The Jacquet Droz is amazing, the nicest dress watch with the new H Moser
The new rolex SD is a bit disappointing ( was expecting a dôme saphir a la Deepsea)
The GMT pepsi is amazing, too bad it is WG
Alex well done – I agree with most of your watches. I personally do not like the new Patek Phillip personally for the price they could have done a better design job.
The best of them for my taste is the Blancpain and the Zenith. For a classic watch i like the simplicity of the Omega de Ville. I will bet in 100 years this watch will still be appreciated. Would you know the price for the Rado and the Zenith?
Interesting choices even if I don’t agree with them all. Thanks for the hard work & fantastic reporting from this years show.
Nice selection. I particularly like the Omega Tresor, JD, and GO models on your list. In my opinion, GO is underrated. I haven’t had the opportunity to catch up on all of the new offerings yet, but I also liked the new Rolex Pepsi and PP Nautilis, although I would have preferred the latter with a blue dial.
P.S. I enjoyed your interviews!
Alexander, could not agree more on the selection, howewer my judgement ist purely based on the photos available. On the Patek 5960/1A: Very courageous from Thierry Stern, can hardly wait to try it in my wrist. The value Kings are definitely Omega and Zenith. Great coverage, thanks !
regards
Alexander
Very nice collection, Alexander. And I love my Zenith El Primero 410 – I have now for almost two weeks – a stunning watch. The Blancpain however looks very sexy too…
Couldn’t agree more on the Omega De Ville Trésor Master-Co-Axial!
Amazing classic dress watch! a pity they don’t have it in SS..
As for the Rolex SD4000, most of the WIS I talk to just love it
Very nice top 10, Alex. Of these 10, I probably prefer the style of the Nomos. It is a splendid combination of that German-style timelessness and a touch for sporty frivolity.
I love the Blancpain!
Good list, I agree with you on most of them, especially the new PP.
Blancpain fifty fathoms chronograph Bathyscaphe, ceramic.
A wonderful watch.
Full ceramic and to a beautiful movement.
It is the almost perfect watch. (the pointers are too thick)
H. Moser & Cie. Venturer.
A Dresswatch can not be better.
Omega de Ville Tresor.
The most beautiful Omega that I’ve ever seen.
New Rolex Cellini.
The first Rolex for many years that I would buy me back.
Zeitwinkel 273 gold
Here are the proportions.
Still a very nice caliber.
New Rolex GMT “Pepsi”
Rolex proves his great skill with this small detail.
Omega Speedmaster Lunar dust ceramic.
Is the new RADO Omega and Blancpain now?
You could almost believe it.
A “new” material conquers the world of watches.
(my glass ball has worked very well 15 to 20 years ago ;-))
Laurent Ferrier
The perfection is in the finding every detail of these watches.
Bremont 247
Simply a beautiful chronograph.