2018 Expectations

Every year I put together a list of watches I’d like to see.  Being the tastemaker I am, these are the watches you want to see.  I am nothing if not of the people.  Many manufacturers blow it year after year, so I do this post to help them realize the err of their ways and help them plan the next year’s production roadmap.

Swatch Tourbillon

At Baselworld 2013, Swatch announced the Sistem51.  They broke new ground with the 51 part automatic movement with a 40 hour power reserve. The next logistical horological innovation out of the Swiss Superman should be a tourbillon you can lose and not be totally depressed.   Plastic, silicon, gyrocon, unobtanium?  Throw is all in there along with the kitchen sink and make it out of the cheapest, hardest materials. I propose a price of $350.  I’ve submitted this suggestion to Swatch Group every year since 2013, but have yet to hear back.

Grand Seiko with Dirty Snow Dial

Known for their beautiful snowflake dials, Grand Seiko is at the forefront of the textured dial scene. They should ship an extra blank dial with each new watch for you to be able to touch. I’d LOVE to be able to see what those snow dials feel like. There’s no other watch that comes close as far as out-there textures dials.  But some customers out there don’t like white dial watches. I mean, have you seen that horrible White-Dial Rolex GMT?  I don’t care how rare it is or how valuable, it’s a dumpster-fire compared to this dirty-snow Grand Seiko.

Hublot Bottle-Service

Is this a joke? Maybe, maybe not. The technology is there, look at the Breitling references that can summon help anywhere on Earth. (featured in a Too Gear episode s22e6).   Doesn’t LVHM own Hublot?   Think about it, want to celebrate out in the boonies? A town you’re not familiar with and there seven feet of snow on the ground? 50 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico? Activate the bubbly button and drink up.

The first plastic Patek Phillipe wristwatch

Think about it for a minute. They’ve blown through all traditional precious metals: silver, tin, that metal they make pencil ferruls from… so what’s next logically? (Puts arm around your shoulder). PLASTICS. Everyone else can great their smart metals, sapphires, etc. We hear we live in the age of space-age materials. Plastics! Patek can afford to invent new colors and surfaces for endless limited-editions. Plastics are now tough enough to last at l ast one fabled next generation.champ