3 Major Trends As Spotted At Baselworld

During the past month, Miami has been marching to the beat of Baselworld, the prestigious watch and jewelry fair, bringing us the best and most of the timepiece world and beyond.

In a previous article we’ve covered the watches which caught our keen collector’s eye and made a lasting impression. In this installment we will cover all the trends, as spotted in the alleys of Baselworld, which will inform stylistic choices of fashionistas and jewelry aficionados, alike.

Rainbow Gems

Out with the old, austere timepieces, in with the colorful new. If there was one key takeaway from this year’s Baselworld, that would be it. Rainbow watches were the red-hot topic, and almost all flagship watchmakers offered their version and vision of the trend.

As crazy as it looked when Rolex first presented its iconic rainbow Comsmograph Daytona during last year’s Baselworld, it looks like quite a few manufacturers took notice, even some unexpected ones!

For instance, Casio seized the opportunity and announced its updated Casio G-SHOCK, a limited-edition timepiece in its luxury men’s MT-G collection. Touting an eye-catching rainbow bezel for the MT-G line’s 20th anniversary, the new MTGB1000RB-2A incorporates bright and bold colors without comprising the toughness that G-SHOCK is known for.

Another model that got the rainbow makeover was the Rolex Day-Date 36. Although the watchmaker has not gone as far as adorning the case, it has equipped the model with a subtle, yet highly au-courant rainbow dial, which can convince even the most fashion-averse ones among us to give it a go.

Go Green or Go Home

The green color tide is here and it’s not going anywhere. At least for the foreseeable future. Green models were prominently featured across all major and independent brands, signaling this season’s top color and creating the urge to update our wardrobes with fashion shades appropriate for a foliage-hue timepiece.

Panerai, IWC and Piaget were among the watchmakers which championed the trend. Have a look.

Blurring the Lines

We all knew that watchmaking and jewelry would go hand and in hand, as they both combine a keen eye for detail and an expert level of craftsmanship. However, in this year’s Baselworld, the lines were further blurred.

Massive timepieces adorned with phenomenally rare and precious stones were the stars of the show. Are these pieces for everyone? Definitely not, but they prove that high jewelry and functionality can converge, if you are a millionaire or walk around with a security detail. Alas, we can admire freely!

First it was Graff, the famed jewelry house which unveiled its Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond watch. Set with 211 diamonds weighing an incredible 59.25 carats, it marks the harmonious collaboration between the Swiss-based Graff Luxury Watches and Graff London’s high-jewelry atelier.

Then, it was Coronet, a signature Swiss brand of Aaron Shum Jewelry, which once again exceeded expectations at Baselworld: the brand was awarded its 9th Guinness World Record for ‘the most diamonds set on a watch’. The ‘Mudan’ watch features 15,858 diamonds (400 ct.) set in 18k gold with artist Reena Ahluwalia’s matchless diamond painting on the dial.

That’s all for now. See you soon Baselworld!