BaselWorld 2014 Review

Hailed as the world’s biggest and most important event in the watch and jewellery sector, this year BaselWorld once again exceeded expectations as the ultimate meeting place and trend- setting scene for all those involved in the industry. With over 150,000 representatives, from exhibiting companies to buyers and journalists from every continent, Michel Herbelin was honoured to be one of the leading brands showcasing the latest innovations, trends and styles.

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Trends

BASELWORLD 2014

Citizen Stand Image Credit

As the conference opened, Mr Rene Kamm, CEO of MCH Switzerland, (the company that owns Baselworld) was confident that this year’s edition would be characterised by new features, innovations and trends, and the eight days of exhibiting which was to follow proved him right. But it wasn’t all “in with the new”. “New vintage” style models popped up from many brands, catering to watch lovers who wish to experience some truly classic and timeless designs combined with modern movements and case construction.

Having spoken with the leading journalists in the industry including WatchPro, a key trend was that the ever popular rose gold is sticking around for the near future, so be prepared to see even more of this style popping up in the windows of luxury brands and high street stores alike.

Exhibitors

BASELWORLD 2014

Graff Stand Image Credit

As always stands were jaw dropping and exquisitely designed to reflect the quality of the watches being showcased inside; beautiful booths the size of small houses were present throughout. Having visited the Citizen stand we were left in awe by its breath-taking night sky look. At first glance you would easily believe that the suspended light reflecting spindles were decorative objects, but upon closer inspection they remarkably turned out to be parts of watch movements.

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Double Strap Watch Edit

Watch trends are bringing double the fun with the popularity of double strap watch styles; your watch band is just as much about fashion as functionality. Watches with longer straps are designed to be worn wrapped round the wrist, using high quality leather straps made to be seen.

Working in harmony with the arm party trend, a double strap watch is the perfect addition for anyone wanting to bring together watches and jewellery for a high fashion look. Alternatively, it can be a worn as a timeless statement piece, versatile enough to work with casual and formal attire alike.

Originally inspired by the Cape Cod Hermes watch, today the double strap watch style is a staple for every self-confessed watch lover. A celebrity favourite, the double strap watch has been spotted on the arms of Princess Beatrice, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Anniston and Reese Witherspoon to name a few.

Michel Herbelin Double Strap Edit

Here are some of the double strap models from the 5th Avenue collection by Michel Herbelin, all currently available at www.michelherbelin.co.uk.

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Why are Clocks and Watches Always Set to 10.10 in Advertisements?

There are certain, small details apparent in everyday life that we never really notice, and we would quite happily carry on living in blissful ignorance of these small, insignificant details. However, there’s always some smart Alec who likes to point them out and the fact that no, we hadn’t noticed before, then plagues our conscious.

Worse still, if there’s an unanswerable question attached – “why is it that round pizzas are served in square boxes?” – we’re left puzzled for days. Such is the case with the following: In advertisements for clocks and watches, why is the time displayed almost always ten past ten? In fact, this is widely the default factory setting display for all clocks, watches and timepieces.

 

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Michel Herbelin around the World

Michel Herbelin is proud of its French heritage, relying heavily on the fine watch making traditions founded by highly skilled, famous watchmakers of the country past and present. An appetite for the expertly made watches transcends further than the brand’s native country, with markets internationally taking a great interest in the products. Michel Herbelin are proud to be expanding geographically on an ongoing basis.

With different cultures comes different tastes and style preferences. We take a look at what is happening with the Michel Herbelin brand around the world.

France

France is famous for its style credentials, and the Michel Herbelin fans are as fashion forward as you would expect. Bloggers choose classic styles which act as the perfect finish to any outfit, making them suitable for the strolling through the charming Parisian streets.

Chic, yet functional, Michel Herbelin is a firm favourite in its native country. For those wishing to experiment with fashion, the French microsite showcasing one of the country’s key styles, the Antarès Interchangeable, lets you choose a style to match your personality traits. Which one will you choose? Don’t forget to press the translate button if French isn’t your strong point.

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Image: The Parisian Hipster

Key Styles: Newport Yacht Club, Antarès Interchangeable

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Men’s Watch Style Guide

Looking for a watch but unsure about what is out there? Choosing the right watch is a process which requires consideration; with watches it is not the case of “one style fits all”.

Being knowledgeable about the different styles of watches is a great place to start when looking for your perfect wrist watch. A style classifies the design elements of a particular watch, and with watches ranging from all singing, all dancing to the practical and understated, it is important to classify watches so buyers have a clear picture of what they are getting.

Here’s what you need to know about three of the most popular watch styles.

Dress Watch

Dress imageDress watches are a popular choice of watch, typically worn with formal attire. The height of the case is designed to be thin in order to sit comfortably below a cuff of a shirt, a suit jacket or coat sleeve.

Traditionally complications are not a widely found feature, with a central seconds or second sub dial present if any. Hour markers will be indices, Roman numerals, or Arabic numerals. In order to be a functional and sophisticated choice, the watch will have a leather band instead of a bracelet and come in conservative colours- dials are usually black, silver or white and straps are either black or brown.

In keeping with the recent trend where the size of watches has been growing steadily, dress watches are now mostly 42mm and under, with most between 36-40mm.

 

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Stacking Jewellery: Your Invitation to an Arm Party

Designers, bloggers and the fashion forward have all been partying recently, and it’s not just glamorous, red carpet events we are talking about. Leading the way with the trend of “arm parties”; a collection of bracelets stacked up to create a statement look combined with your favourite wrist watch, it is a trend set to last.

Feeling inspired by styles popping up on catwalks and social media sites of the fashion influential, we’ve created some looks which show you just how easy it is to incorporate stacking into your everyday look.

Whether you’ve got a big event coming up or wish to style up your everyday work wardrobe, we’ve created looks suitable for all tastes using some stunning Michel Herbelin watches.

The Working Woman

Professional arm party PolyvoreThis simple and elegant look for the busy professional matches up refined and sophisticated bracelets with chunkier bangles for a touch of “she means business”. The Michel Herbelin epsilon strap watch set with diamonds is the ideal centre piece for this look.

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Everyday Places with No Concept of Time

Find yourself losing track of time on a regular basis? No matter how brilliant a time keeper you may be, there are instances where all of us find ourselves running a little behind schedule. Before you offer your apologies, you might not always be the one to blame. Clever marketers out there have taken advantage of a captive audience, removing all clocks so you lose sense of time; meaning that you spend more money and more time at their establishment.

Here are some places where unless you’ve brought your trusty wrist watch along for the ride, you’ll have no concept of the time whatsoever.

Las Vegas Casinos

Defrain-starsAs one of their sneaky tricks which aims to keep casino users laying down their money for as long as possible, casinos don’t place clocks on their walls. Combined with the lack of windows, day can quickly turn into night and a full bank account can quickly become an empty one. Don’t expect the dealer to keep track of time either- they aren’t allowed to wear a watch as part of their job.

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How To Estimate Time Using Your Hand

Picture this. You’ve forgotten to wear your watch and you find yourself in a remote location where battery life and an internet connection are completely alien concepts. Time is still very much of the essence; you need to head back before sunset. Luckily sophisticated gadgets don’t need to be your saviour, we all have something which can help us in a situation such as this- our hand.

Get back to basics by using your hand as a time telling device- here’s how.

Estimating remaining daylight with your hand Imgur

* http://imgur.com/onira

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The 3 Most Important Horologists in History

Without horologists there would be no next generation of time pieces, a lack of knowledge on influential milestones and no experts on hand to make and repair time pieces of all shapes and sizes, be it clocks, watches or chronometers.

Requiring a great deal of patience and skill, this line of work is demanding and only for those who are committed to becoming an expert in the field. After all, what would man do without the ability to record time?

Some have managed to push the boundaries to become pioneers in their field, being truly influential in how most timepieces operate today. We take a look at the leading horologists who can be described as the biggest and best in history.

Abraham-Louis Breguet

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* en.wikipedia.org

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Classic Valentine’s Watches for The Loved up Lady and Gentleman

14Th February is the perfect day to show the loved one in your life how much you care, but this doesn’t mean it has to be all about off the shelf chocolates and flowers. Despite being obvious choices, they are options which won’t last the test of time or in some cases, even to the end of the week.

Instead, a more practical and timeless gift such as a watch is something which can be treasured every day of the year. After all, when would an expertly handcrafted watch not be appreciated? Although Valentine’s Day is about showing your love to others, there is no reason why you shouldn’t indulge yourself at the same time.

This is why Michel Herbelin is spoiling you this Valentine’s Day by offering you a 50% discount when you purchase any pair of watches from the specially selected His and Hers collection.

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