Horological Meandering

Impressions from the GTE 2013

Impressions from the GTE 2013

(I am reposting in HOME as the report got completely "lost" in the many press releases in the SIHH/Basel 2013 section)

I had the opportunity to visit the GTE 2013 last week. Following a few impressions from the exhibition. There were some 30 plus companies at the show and I visited just a few of them.

General Impressions

This years GTE is at the "Batiment des Forces Motorices", a former power station that is situated literally in the Rhone river in the city center of Geneva. A nice location with an interesting industrial touch.

Some of the equipment dating from the end of the 19^th century has been preserved.

I visited only a few companies so the report will not be a complete overview of the GTE, but it is rather my impressions in alphabetical order.

Antoine Martin

Martin Braun and Bruno Jufer participated the GTE displaying their impressive Tourbillon (see also my report on the visit of the Antoine Martin manufactory in August 2012) as well as a new version of Perpetual Calendar.

AM Tourbillon

New open dial version of the AM Perpetual Calendar in steel. I found this version particularly appealing and matching the "technical" feel and touch of the case and movement.

The watch features the in-house AM 39 caliber with all its interesting features such as silicon pallet lever , silicon escapement wheel and a very large balance wheel. (sorry for the bad picture)

AM will announce a new entry level watch later this year with some interesting and unusual technical features. Stay tuned.

Julien Coudray

I brand I have never heard of before. I was told that it was founded a few years ago by former Zenith staff. The watches all feature handpainted enamel dials.

Solid red gold "grande feu" enamel dial with service indicator at 12 – indicating service every 4 years.

Solid gold movement, hand engraved (sorry, no picture)

Limited edition of 28 pieces

"Competentia Tourbillon" in Platinum. Solid white gold dial with handpainted enamel indexes. The semi-transparent part of the dial is made of "plique a jour" enamel. "Plique-a-jour" is a technique dating from the late middle ages and consists in depositing translucent enamel into the cells of a specially produced framework.

Solid platinum Tourbillon movement. Engraved, limited to 15 pieces.

At the Julien Coudray booth was a display showing the various stages of the making of a "miniature":

Heritage Watch Manufactory

It was the first time for me to see the watches from Heritage Watch Manufactory in metal. I must say that I am fond of the movement design which takes reference to old pocket watch movements.

As you can see, I was most taken by the movements so I forgot to take a picture of the dial side!

Ok, at least we have one…

RGM

Reuge

Not so much about watches, but about beautiful mechanical music boxes that might also find the interest of watch enthusiasts.

Interaction between traditional craft and modern technology. They iPhone is being charged via a cable less induction system. When a phone call or a message arrives, the music box starts playing a tune.