Horological Meandering

The Bucherer Blue Editions collection

As chance would have it, the lucky color of Bucherer, the famous Swiss retailer, is the blue that is found on its logo and the coat of arms of the Luzerne canton where the House comes from. It has also been the most trendy color of the watchmaking industry for several years. Bucherer and its brands partners could not miss this opportunity, by celebrating the special link between them through a collection of watches built around this color and exclusively dedicated to the boutiques of the retailer in Switzerland or abroad . It is with great pleasure that I could discover this collection in the Paris boutique, located Boulevard des Capucines.

It is interesting to notice that brands have chosen different paths. Some have opted for the blue dial, others have chosen a more subtle approach but the observation of the watches that make up the collection allows us to realize the potential and the great diversity of this color. The result is globally successful and attractive but at the same time unequal. Some watches offer a great rendering, others appear only as nice evolutions of existing models. Nevertheless, this common will from Bucherer and its brands partners is welcome for giving an opportunity to appreciate the diversity of the Swiss Watch industry gathered around a common theme.

I invite you to discover the models of the Bucherer Blue Editions collection.

1) Audemars Piguet

Audemars Piguet is the brand which is the most involved in the collection with 3 different models. Audemars Piguet takes advantage of this context to confirm a trend rebooted last year: the come-back of two-tone watches. The 3 watches offer the combination of pink gold and steel cases with dials featuring blue accents to distinguish themselves by their personalities, their asserted but not ostentatious characters and their warm and elegant styles.

The Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph is a successful piece thanks to the refined way Audemars Piguet has to propose its two tone approach. The blue dial is beautiful and I love how the bracelet, thanks to its stitching, extends the original atmosphere of the watch. Based on an Offshore 42mm, the size is ideal and the movement (3120 as the basic caliber + chronograph module) is visible through the transparent back. The price is 31,700 euros with taxes in France.

The second watch is the ladies' version of the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph with a diameter of 37mm. It is distinguished by the blue counters, the set bezel and a white strap featuring the white color of "Lady Tapisserie" dial background. This watch didn't convince me at first but I have since changed my mind and finds it charming thanks to the excellent integration of the set bezel into the overall design. Elegant and with a sacred dose of energy, it boldly adorns but without excess the wrist of Masha from the Blog Watch-Her, whom I thank for the picture:

Note that this watch is sold at the same price than the men's version. Its movement is the AP2385 so the caliber Frederic Piguet 1185.

The third watch is the two-tone version of the Royal Oak Tourbillon Ultra-Thin 41mm. Unfortunately, I did not see it but knowing the stainless-steel version, I have no doubt about its aesthetic success.

2) H. Moser

H. Moser has practiced one of its favorite exercises by featuring on the Venturer Small Second 39mm in white gold a blue fumé dial and using small blue accents on the movement with a blued spiral and a blue balance wheel. The watch is nicely made and elegant but I didn't feel the same "crush" like with the Endeavour Funky Blue. The watch is available at a price of 17,700 euros.

3) Chopard

The Chopard Happy Sport 30mm stainless steel model is perhaps the most entertaining watch of the collection since blue sapphires (along with diamonds) move on the dial depending on the movement of the wrist. The watch is priced at 5,820 euros.

4) Jaeger-Lecoultre

Jaeger-LeCoultre offers two versions of the Master Ultra Thin 40mm Date Blue Editions in stainless steel (7,950 euros) or pink gold (15,700 euros). In each case, the date is nicely integrated and the dominant color of the dial reduces the perception of the size what is a good point taking into account the thinness of the bezel. The blue dial is beautiful in both version but the most gorgeous one is for me the pink gold one: the contrast between the case material and the dial color is stunning.

5) IWC

The combination pink gold & blue dial is more and more frequently used by IWC. I'm thinking for example about the recent presentation of the Portugieser split-seconds chronograph released for the Milan store. The Blue Editions version of the Portugieser Chronograph features a slate blue dial with white counters. The rendering of the dial is quite surprising and I think the white counters are not necessarily a good idea here even if this Portugieser gives a positive feeling. The watch is sold at a price of 17,200 euros.

6) Piaget

Piaget has used a pink gold handwind Altiplano with a diameter of 40mm as a base for the its offer dedicated to the collection. I generally likes this watch which has a twist thanks to the quirky second hand. The overall rendering is quite surprising and rather feminine because the blue of the strap and of the indexes is not very dark. However, I would emphasize the effort of Piaget which has chosen a little more original approach of the theme of the collectiob. The price of this piece is 18,600 euros.

7) Panerai

Panerai is in a similar configuration than Jaeger-Lecoultre with a watch in two versions: stainless steel or pink gold. And just like with its other colleagues of Richemont, the vertical brushed blue dial is beautiful. Both watches are among my favorites from the Bucherer Blue Editions collection even if I would have preferred them without the "automatic" word on the dial. The watches, which feature a case diameter of 45mm, are sold at a price of 22,500 euros (pink gold) and 10,300 euros ( stainless steel). They are powered by the in-house movement P.4000 with micro-rotor.

8) Longines

The Longines offer features ladies's and men's watches sharing the same type of decoration of the central zone of the dial. The blue dimension is reflected in many details such as the strap or hands but it is the silver dial color which dominates. Given the somewhat sophisticated style of the decoration my vote goes to the ladies' version: its more contained size appeared to me more appropriate and the watch is more consistent. The prices are 1,950 euros (men's version, 40mm) and 2,240 euros (ladies' version, 36mm).

9) Carl F.Bucherer

Given the context, the proposal from Carl F.Bucherer was eagerly awaited. And I'm not disappointed: the Manero Peripheral with petroleum blue dial is one of the most successful watches of the collection. It is even one of the most beautiful blue dials that I have ever seen. It comes to almost make me regret the presence of the date window. This stainless steel watch with a diameter of 40,6mm, uses the new automatic movement CFB A2000 (A2050 to be more precise with this specific piece) featuring a peripheral rotor. A successul watch on both dial and movement sides sold at a price of 6,000 euros.

I hope you enjoyed to browse this collection the same way when I discovered it. I suggest you go to the closest Bucherer boutique if you are in Europe to see and try the different models which make it and the creative approaches of the brands partners. This collection, built around an unique theme, is worth a visit at the boutique!

Fr.Xavier