Les Journées de la Passion is a prestigious event organized by the Perini family which takes place every year alternately in Luxembourg and in Brussels. I attended the last two editions in Brussels so this year I wished to travel to Luxembourg to discover another flavor of the event.
The purpose of Les Journées de la Passion is to gather around 40 brands in order that they can present to the visitors their latest collections. We are not at SalonQP or at the Dubai Watch Week: the focus is made on more classic brands and don't expect to discover novelties specially released for the event. But it is always nice to attend this event because it is well organized and because I have the pleasure to meet again the teams in charge of the Benelux market.
So Friday afternoon I arrived to Luxembourg with one of my fav pieces of my collection, the IWC Portofino 5251. I discovered the charms of the city and its different layers... it is far from being a flat city!
The event took place at the Cercle Cité, a beautiful classic building located in the city center.
The first booth I visited was Montblanc. And I couldn't miss the opportunity to wear the Rally Timer for the first time! Actually I saw several times this watch in the stop watch configuration.
To be frank with you, I was not very convinced by the new IWC Ingenieur collection. I think that it becomes too quiet, too soft... and in this context, the most interesting piece is the digital perpetual calender. This display works very well in the Ingenieur collection.
I have mixed emotions with the Ulysse Nardin Diver Le Locle.
The watch is nice and well made. I like its finishes, its design, its retro touch.
But it seems to be a strange thing in the current Ulysse Nardin catalogue. Even if inspired by a watch from the past, I have some troubles to consider it as an Ulysse Nardin piece. I would prefer a watch which contains more typical details of the brand.
Glashütte Original came with Jessica, one of its very gifted young watchmakes.
The Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar offers a great value for money. And it is also a very legible watch. I like the dial lay-out, everything seems very clear on it.
The PanoMatic Counter XL is a piece I appreciate a lot. Because it is orignal, intriguing and offers an useful additional feature. I don't call this feature "a complication" because it is not linked to timekeeping. But the mechanical system beyond is very well made.
Sometimes, watches are totally out of your radar screen. And it occurred with this version of the Girard-Perregaux Vintage 45 Moonphase.
The decoration style leads to a strange yet seducing outcome. A very contemporary piece with a classic background.
The Neo-Bridges by Girard-Perregaux is one of the top novelties of the year. I love its design and I find it much more convincing that the Neo Tourbillon. The balance wheel seems to breathe much better here and I like the contemporary style of the watch.
The Chopard XPS 1860 in steel is one good way to enter the world of haute horologie with a fair price. This version features a micro-rotor movement with a gold winding mass.
The platinum version is available with a blue dial:
The Mille Miglia chronograph and its usual elements of design:
I took the decision to put on my wrist Jaeger-Lecoultre watches... but with tourbillon only!
With the Master Tourbillon Micheangelo, I have the feeling to be back in Rome!
And with the Geophysic Tourbillon Universal Time... I travel the world!
This Vacheron Constantin Historiques Triple Calendrier 1948 is one of the stars of this end of the year. Even if Vacheron has just released a version of the same complication in the Traditionnelle line, I tend to prefer this version which has a lot of charm.
Another beauty which was released this year: this Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde offers a perfect stage for the moonphase display.
I already published an article about the Toric Hemispheres Retrograde. A great travel watch which won a prize at the last GPHG.
Schroeder is a local jewelry brand which has built a watches offer. This piece is powered by a Valjoux 88 movement and features a MOP dial.
The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Milspec was released this year at Baselworld and I like it. To be clear, I don't like the Bathyscaphe but I find the contemporary versions of the Fifty Fathoms quite appealing.
And if you don't like the water, you can have a bowl of fresh air thanks to the Villeret Tourbillon Volant!
The Breguet Tradition Chronographe takes fully advantage of the lay-out of the watch.
I'm not lucky! Each time I see the Marine Tourbillon Equation Marchante, it is the pink gold version! But I do hope to see the platinum version soon!
Breguet has a strong asset in its catalogue: thanks to the Type XX, XXI and XXII, the brand can propose more casual, more sportive pieces with a strong legitimity.
The high frequency watch, the Type XXII:
And this version of the Type XXI was presented at Basel this year:
The Raidillon Curve is without any doubt a strange bird! It makes me think, in a way, to the Lip by Roger Tallon.
Tudor was one of the main exhibitors with a wide selection of its current catalogue. Of course, the strong focus was made on the Black Bay pieces.
The Bronze:
The Two Tones:
And the chronograph which won the Petite Aiguille prize at the GPHG:
The Tag Heuer Chronograph Tourbillon keeps its power of attraction thanks to its affordable price.
The Parmigiani team which welcomed the visitors during the event:
And with Christelle, area manager for Jaquet Droz:
I appreciated a lot my visit of the event thanks to the wide range of pieces available. Some brands were missing but you also have to consider the distribution in Luxembourg and when you don't have any AD in the country, it is difficult to accept to participate to such type of salon. Anyway, in my case, I always enjoy to meet the teams and I will be happy to be back next year... in Brussels!
Fx
