The first big watch exhibition of the year, Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) 2019, just took place in Geneva and it was a highly revealing show. Here we take a look at five of the top trends making their way to wrists around the world later this year.

Complex Complications
While complicated watches may have taken a bit of a backseat this past year or two as many brands were focusing on introducing new collections that are more retail-price friendly, top horological brands are unveiling new complex calibers.

Standouts at the show include Vacheron Constantin’s Twin Beat watch with patents pending and offering the first-ever user-controlled dual frequency system that could endow the watch with more than two months of power reserve.

Armin Strom’s new Dual Time Resonance watch takes high-precision mechanics to new heights as well with its patented resonance clutch spring.

A. Lange & Sohne doesn’t disappoint, either, as this year the German watch brand unveils the Richard Lange Jumping Seconds with midnight black dial and red accents.

Even Hermès surprises us with a unique patented module that enables the viewing of two huge moon phases (as seen from the northern and southern hemispheres) that are stationary on the dial, while the time subdials rotate. These complicated watches are for those who want to wear their success on the wrist.

Vintage Design Flourishes
Vintage inspirations abound this year as so many brands look to their archives for ideas and concepts. These inspirations include retro accents from the mid-20th century such as beige or tan numerals, Arabic rather than Roman numerals, minute tracks and a cleaner dial.

Additionally, the best vintage watches feature dials of incredibly rich colors that are reminiscent of the 1950s, including salmon, silver, and white with blue accents. Montblanc may have the best example with the salmon-colored dial of the Pulsograph watch. Watch collectors with a nostalgic attitude will particularly love the vintage look.

Unconventional Watch Case Shapes
Move over round watches and make way for some intriguing new watch shapes. This year we witnessed the unveiling of intriguing new shapes including elongated ovals, horizontal ovals, tonneau (barrel-shapes), square, and rectangular watches, among others.

Even brands that have never created anything but a round watch (such as Laurent Ferrier) released differently shaped cases this year. These cases are designed for the confident individual who wants to stand out in a crowd.

Vivid Blue Dials
While blue has always been a beloved watch dial color, this year many brands take the hue to new heights. For the first time we are witnessing the emergence of unique shades of blue achieved via guilloche and lacquer, enamel, or proprietary galvanic processes. Today’s vast range of blues—from green-blue to rich royal blue—offers a more alluring look than the next with a romantic and even regal appeal.

Ground-Breaking New Materials
Today’s watchmakers continue the search for new and different materials, offering up surprises in dials and cases. In some instances, brands using proprietary and original alloys, most of which have a carbon component. Among the new materials are Panerai’s high-tech Carbotech (compressed carbon fibers) as seen in the Submersible BMG-Tech whose case is made out of bulk metallic glass. The brand also offers watches made with Eco-Titanium, which is recycled titanium.

Ulysse Nardin unveils its Freak X watch made of Carbonium, a material from the aeronautics industry not yet used in watchcases, and IWC unveils its own ceramic and titanium alloy called Ceratanium. These innovative materials are designed to offer a compelling alternative to the well-known metals and are geared for the adventurous collector or watch lover.

With Baselworld 2018 now behind us, we can take the time to reflect on the top watch trends unveiled at the show that will be making their way to wrists this year. Watch brands have worked long and hard in the research and development stages to create the perfect timepieces – watches they feel address the needs of today’s consumers. These newest timepieces will be making their way to retail throughout the coming months and will set the trends and influence buying for the coming year.

While not everyone needs or wants the newest timepiece to market, reviewing these trends is a great way to keep one’s finger on the pulse. As such, we bring you three top watch trends from Baselworld 2018.

Color/ Interchangeability

Easily one of the most important trends in timepieces across all price points this year revolves around the value of color and versatility. Watch brands are finally recognizing that people want choice when it comes to accessorizing. No longer is it ok to just offer a black strapped/white dialed watch. Especially today, color infuses our lives as a way to make a statement, to lift one’s mood, to be a bit daring. Thankfully, savvy watch brands answer the demand, with colorful watches lighting the path this year.

Blue is the stalwart leader in colors for both men’s and women’s watches, with dials in shades ranging from sky to marine blue making a strong impact. Red is a close runner up to blue this year, with a particular appearance in women’s watches. In fact, because red, moss green and bright yellow are important color statements on the runways in women’s fashion this summer, we are seeing a great pop of those hues in ladies’ timepieces. For men, blue is followed by a special limelight focus on dark green, chocolate brown and slate gray – all tones that offer an elegant attitude with a modern twist – perfect to accompany any young man to work, after-dinner drinks and weekend fun. In all instances, these rich dial colors are paired with color-coordinated straps, or — in the case of the men’s blue or gray dial watches — with contrasting brown straps for stronger impact.

Interchangeability is also an important focus this year, as watch brands recognize that a single watch, a single strap does not cut it with today’s generation of customers who like choice and versatility. As such, many brands are unveiling quick-change strap systems that enable the wearer to change the strap of the watch with a flick of a button (or slide). Sometimes the brands are selling the straps separately, and sometimes they add on an extra strap or two in the sale.

The key message here: Don’t be afraid to don color on the wrist, to make a statement with a bold strap, and even to mix things up a bit. You may turn some heads with your individual style.

Vintage Appeal/Smaller Sizes

Another important trend that has been on going for several years now, and that bodes well for people who love a great retro watch, is the tendency to vintage inspirations. An important by-product of this return to our roots concept is the emergence of smaller watch case sizes and more classic designs.

As watch brands comb their archives to deliver watches inspired by the past (most often mid-20th century) with a twist of modern added in, we are witnessing the trend in timepieces to Mid-Century Modern. In some instances, watch brands are issuing revivals of key icons of the past with almost exacting precision (most often to honor anniversaries of collections), and in other instances they are inspired by design elements of the past — bringing them forward in new pieces.

Key vintage inspirations include size and shape changes such as smaller case sizes (45mm refines to 42mm, 42mm refines to 40mm, 40mm to 39mm, and so on and so forth); slimmer cases for a watch that fits nicely under a shirt or suit jacket, or that complements a feminine wrist; a return to square and rectangular cases of yesteryear. Other design elements revolve around vintage-inspired typeface fonts for numerals and logos, and retro dial colors such as parchment, silver, salmon, lacquered white for classic looks and in brown or black — often with tan or taupe Super-LumiNova markers – for sportier looks.

The key message in vintage and smaller sizes: Once again, versatility. You don’t have to don a big watch to make a statement. Smaller, thinner, cleaner looks exude a sophisticated air on the wrist – no matter your age. Additionally, the vintage looks suggest two things: an interest in the past made modern again; an insider’s knowledge of something special. Again, we can’t stress enough that what makes this category so wonderful is the fact that there are so many great vintage timepieces on the market that are suddenly incredibly relevant again. Imagine a Cartier Tank watch, a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso from a few decades ago; a smaller sized mini Omega. The list goes on and on.

Useful Functions

While there will always be an emphasis on high complications in watchmaking — let’s face it – this is the benchmark of the craft – today’s brands are once again answering today’s customers and their needs. As our fast-paced lives have us constantly checking the time, running in and out of meetings, traversing the globe and conducting business around the world while staying put, we need useful features that help ease the day.

Those features and functions that are starting to infiltrate the ranks in bigger numbers include annual and perpetual calendars that help track day, date, and more; world-timer watches that display the time in multiple time-zones around the globe; GMT and dual time zone watches that typically indicate time in one or two other zones, complete with day/night displays.

Another useful function is the alarm watch. Granted, alarm watches are a very small category of timepiece due to the complexity inherent in their making, but they can help keep the busy individual on track for important meetings. Often, they even feature a vibrate mode instead of an all-out ring tone. For the active lifestyle that involves trips to the gym, swimming laps, running and more, a good chronograph watch – that measures intervals of time much like a stopwatch – could be your calling.

Many of today’s watches with useful functions take their cue from yesteryear, as well, but are updated in style or mechanics. In the past, great calendar watches were unveiled by brands like IWC and Patek Philippe, while GMT watches that are a benchmark standard include brands like Rolex. Alarm watches often recall the greats of the 1960’s like Vulcain and Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox, and chronographs of the past that are still in demand today include TAG Heuer, Omega and more.

Key message here: Look for a watch that fits your lifestyle. There are clean, simple watches on the market, as well as watches that address your individual needs on a day-to-day or weekend basis.

Your favorite pieces—a tweed blazer, never-fail LBD, or broken-in moto-jacket—say a lot about your style type and offer telling clues as to how you can build and refine your look with the perfect finishing accessory. We decode your personal style to help you pick the next watch or jewelry piece to add to your collection.

If you pride yourself on your vast collection of Converse sneakers…
Then you need a two-tone Rolex Datejust. 

Sporty style types will love the cool and robust look of the Rolex Datejust. The sleek Datejust has an unexpectedly sporty flair to it and lacks all the usual trappings of an overtly sports-inspired watch (think silicon bands and a flashy bezels). Instead, with its steel and yellow gold color combo and clean dial, the Datejust gives the perfect amount of polish to your low-key t-shirt and jeans to elevate your casual looks to fashionable and luxurious new heights.

If Coco Chanel is your spirit animal…
Then you need a Chanel C&C brooch. 

Every fashionable Francophile will love having a Chanel brooch in their jewelry collection. A C&C brooch is a fantastic way to add some coveted Chanel to your wardrobe without breaking the bank. Pin one of these onto your jean jacket or printed blouse to give your ensemble a healthy dose of edge, luxe, and “je ne sais quoi” appeal.

If charcoal grey is the “boldest color” in your minimalist, monochromatic black wardrobe…
Then you need a Bulgari B.Zero1 Ring. 

You are a master of the pared down wardrobe: a closet brimming with black blouses, slacks, skirts and A-line dresses that you can effortlessly mix-and-match and still look immaculately pulled together. To round out your buttoned-up looks, invest in the Bulgari B.Zero1 ring. The architectural shape will seamlessly enhance your wardrobe, giving you the right amount of shine without being flashy.

If your closet is stocked with nautical striped tops…
Then you need stacks of David Yurman Cable Classics. 

The New England prepster style is crisply polished and dashed with a playful touch and spry energy—as if you would feel as calm, cool and collected at a black tie dinner as you would in a game of tag football on the lawn. Therefore, for this kind of assured style, we recommend adding the David Yurman’s Cable Classics to your jewelry wardrobe. The bracelet’s helix motif plays perfectly into your style’s balance of prep and athletic spirit.

If a black leather moto-jacket is your most prized—and well-worn—possession…
Then you need a Cartier Roadster. 

Round out your closet of leather leggings, over-the-knee boots, and perfectly slouchy tees with a Cartier Roadster. Rock-and-roll style types will revel in the Roadster’s bold look and sturdy feel. Moreover, the watch carries a little daredevil flair thanks in large part to the 1950s and 60s car races that inspired its design.