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Looking back at SalonQP 2016 in London

Looking back at SalonQP 2016 in London

SalonQp 2016 was just as interesting as last year. While there were fewer exhibitors than last year, there were also some new ones.

London this year in November was actually quite warm and most of the time even sunny.  It is a vibrant city with a global and international flair and aura which you cannot find elsewhere in Europe.  To me it reminds me more of really big cosmopolitan cities like New York City, like Tokio or like Chicago.  You can feel that London is a player in the global arena, being it business, being it lifestyle.  It is very cosmopolitan, and when you look on the streets, you see cars you do not see elsewhere in Europe aside from Zurich and Geneva.  So no wonder that a wonderful watchfair like SalonQP is taking place in such an environment.  For me, it started with a gettogether in the evening of nearly 100 watchcollectors.  And this was an opportunity I did not expect, I got to see so many watches you never see elsewhere.  A great start, and the Salon only completed this in the days after.

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SalonQP is a watchsalon taking place every year in the Saatchi Gallery in London Mayfair for a couple days. It is an event hosting many of the small watchmakers but also the big names such as Lange & Söhne from Germany, Chopard, Nomos, Montblanc, and many more.

And for the fun of, they had two cool Morgan cars in the showrooms.

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IMG_4006Laurent Ferrier from Geneva presented a limited edition of 5 Worldtime timepiece in whitegold and rosegold.  With a little special thing on the dial: Great Britain was in orange while the rest was in blue on the enamel dial.  This was supposedly made for Williams and Son only.  Laurent Ferrier is a former Patek Philippe watchmaker who started his own business in 2010 and won the GPHG in 2010 with his Tourbillon which was hiding in the back and did not show on the front.  An amazing watchmaker, father and son, they run a very successful company now.

IMG_4169Armin Strom from Biel introduced their latest timepiece: The Resonance Fire in Rosegold.  This watch is incorporating the resonance concept which collectors may know from FP Journe.  In this watch it is different though.  There is a counterclockwise seconds indication and a clockwise seconds indication resonating.

IMG_4143Arnold & Son from La Chaux de Fonds presented the blue guilloche dial steel 8 day powerreserve watch below. In addition, they were showing the “Nebula”, a full skeletonized timepiece indicating time (hours, minutes and seconds) with a very interesting full skeleton dial which was conceived like that from the start.  Interestingly it is very symmetric as well.  For me, possibily the most interesting timepiece in the show.  Very different, yet very interesting and beautiful, made in Rosegold or Steel.  Your choice.

IMG_4099 IMG_4063Garrick, founded by british watchmaker David Brailsford, introduced their latest timepiece which carries an inhouse movement which was created in collaboration with a Swiss designer.

IMG_4026Akrivia, founded by Rexhep Rexhepi in Geneva a few years ago, is one of the small but extremely fine watchmakers.  They already have 5 own calibers.  Below you see their Chronograph and below that their timepiece with a Gong a 12 and a Tourbillon and below that their Tourbillion with a frosted dial.  All of these watches are finished on the highest possible level.

IMG_3970 IMG_3967 IMG_3943MB&F presented Balthazar, a 9 kilogram robot deskclock with 35 days powerreserve.  You are looking for something different?  This is it…

IMG_3915Manufacture Royale, founded originally in 1770 by Voltaire, and currently in the hands of the Gouten Family, presented their double tourbillon.  With an automatic rotor in front.

IMG_3910Kari Voutilainen showed us this wonderful blue guilloche dial time only timepiece and below that you see the elegant and timeless Vingt8 with powerreserve indication and a grey dial.  Always a class act.

IMG_3886 IMG_3867A new kid on the block is Atelier de Chronometrie from Barcelona.  Originally vintage watch traders, they collaborate with masterwatchmaker Moebius Rassmman, a highly talented watchmaker who is able to create these watches in handmade fashion using sofar vintage Omega movements which he finishes finely.  Very lovely timepieces.  Something different, watches are housed in 40mm contemporary cases, with beautiful movements and vintage inspired dials and classic steel or gold cases.  I must admit, I was quite impressed and enjoyed very much talking with the creators.

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Last but not least, I would like to mention “Fears”.  A young man whose family tradition is going back to the early 19th century, was actually able to trace back his family’s watchcompany back to the foundation in 1846.  He found a way to restart, and this is his first watch.  Let’s wish him best of luck in his endeavour. The watch is named after Redcliff street in London.

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Obviously, there were many more watchmanufacturers at the show, but time was very short.  So this is just an impression.

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