Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) is the first of the world’s major trade fairs for watchmakers, buyers, retailers and journalists. Mint Indulge was there in Geneva earlier this year to track down the latest trends in the world’s finest watches.

What can the business of high-end watchmaking tell us about the state of global economic, political and social affairs? As it turns out, a lot. But, at first glance, it is easy to dismiss SIHH as a playground of the rich and famous. In some ways, of course, it is. The world media does tend to focus a lot on the most extravagant, expensive and complicated watches presented every year at SIHH in Geneva. And many of these watches cost eye-watering sums of money. Brand representatives drop price tags that go up to and even a little beyond €1 million with batting an eyelid.

It can be that kind of trade fair. It can be that kind of industry. But poke and prod a little, scratch through the veneer of high-end and high-price, and you see an industry that, like many other international manufacturing businesses, has an astute finger on the pulse of global trends. This is because, for all its talk of heritage and history and artistry and craftsmanship, the watch industry is also about selling things for cash. This means making things that people want to buy, shipping them to the right stores, stocking them in an alluring fashion, selling, servicing, dealing with complaints, making changes, responding to feedback…and doing all this profitably. (At these prices, you’d assume every watchmaker is raking in the profits. But you’d be surprised at how many global brands barely get by.)

This means watchmakers need to accumulate much the same skills, attitudes and sensitivity to global and local sentiment that makers of any product need. This also means that if you talk to them enough, ask the right questions and read between the lines, you get a good sense of prevailing trends. And not just about watches themselves.

Here are some of the key trends we spotted at SIHH 2014.

Classical is crucial

We probably have to thank the Chinese market for this one. But thanks to their less than enthusiastic demand for the big, chunky watches that the Europeans crave, brands have been forced to modify existing lines, or even launch new ones. Baume and Mercier’s excellent new Clifton collection or Cartier’s new divers watches are cases in point. (Excuse the pun.) Even Roger Dubuis launched the new Hommage line, a surprisingly credible attempt at adapting the RD ethos into a slim, classical silhouette. This is a superb trend. Thanks to the Chinese, we are getting some exceptionally timeless designs.

Women matter

Perhaps it is cyclical. Perhaps it is a one-off thing. But as we observed last year, there has seldom been a better time to be a female watch buyer. The choice today is broad, deep and sophisticated. From elegant little

two-tone numbers to the muscular new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore for women. And many of these come with good quartz movements. These are not miniature men’s watches, but proper women’s pieces made for discerning consumers. We hope this focus stays, and doesn’t get forgotten when economies bounce back.

Subtle variations

A couple of years ago, every brand felt that it had to launch something big every year. A new line. Or a new concept piece. Something that would blow minds and reap copious media column inches. That shock-and-awe approach has slowed a bit. Instead, brands are spending time on existing pieces. They are tweaking designs, sizes and references, or refreshing moribund old collections. IWC’s refreshing of its divers watches has yielded, we think, rich dividends. The new models are not only fresh and young, but also good value. This is a good trend. A lot of brands don’t really need to innovate just for the heck of it. They have excellent portfolios that could do wonders with a bit of spit and polish. An economic slowdown is the perfect time for that kind of housekeeping.

Blue and gold and steel

There were two-tone steel-and-gold watches everywhere this year. For men and women. Many attribute this trend to the Asian markets and their taste for gold. But steel and gold has always been something of a classic colour combination for timepieces. The return of that trend is most welcome. Steel-and-gold pieces make for versatile timepieces. Also, there were a lot of blue faces. Blue and grey-brown appear to be the colours of the season.

Risk-free in 2014

Above all, this was a year in which most brands avoided risk. They released pieces that may not set the watch journalism world on fire, but will keep the tills ticking and make retailers happy. Many brands have launched watches at slightly more affordable prices. Others have started to offer better value at existing price points. Aficionados may find it all a little underwhelming. But really, this is a cause for celebration. Sexy watches need healthy watch brands.

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