Audemars Piguet
"The so-called Royal Oak Jumbo is one of those watches that will never go out of style and will always retain icon status. The new version comes in yellow gold with either a gold or blue dial, essentially bringing back a classic watch that's been out of production for decades." -- Cara Barrett
via panerai
"On paper, offering a dive watch in solid 18k rose gold does not make much sense. Yet, with the new Panerai PAM 684, the contrast between the warm tone of the gold and the utilitarian black dial works extremely well, and the more modest 42mm case size cuts down on all that excessive weight." -- Louis Westphalen
via ressence
"The mad horological scientists at Ressence created a unique way of showing the time with orbital time displays that move within one another. This latest version of the brand's original watch, the Type 1, has a dressier, more traditional case that should get more people interested in what is one of the most unique watchmakers of the modern era." -- Stephen Pulvirent
via A. Lange & Söhne
"A great example of a "ladies" watch done well. It's rose gold case is 36mm in diameter and the watch has a beautiful silvered guilloché dial made of solid gold. It's an interesting complication with Lange's familiar and impressive finishing." -- Cara Barrett
via F. P. Journe
"Technically this one wasn't part of SIHH, but it was unveiled in Geneva this week. This is the world's first watch to show the seconds with a mechanical, digital-style display that jumps instantly from one second to the next. The high contrast between the contemporary time display and very retro case shape sets it apart, and the whole thing works surprisingly well." -- Arthur Touchot
piaget
"The 38mm Altiplano with a bright blue dial might have been an expected play by Piaget for the 60th anniversary of the Altiplano collection, but it did not disappoint one bit. It's thin, elegant, and sexy, all while adding a new shade to the current line-up of ultra-thin dress watches." -- Louis Westphalen
via jaeger lecoultre
"This particular style of vintage-inspired dial is having quite a moment right now, and Jaeger-LeCoultre is capitalizing on this by releasing three well-priced watches with these so-called sector dials and modestly sized steel cases. This time-and-date watch is the best $5,700 you could spend at this year's SIHH, no question." -- Stephen Pulvirent
Audemars Piguet
"The perpetual calendar Royal Oak was reintroduced in 2015, but this is its most interesting form yet. The entire case pure black ceramic, including the integrated bracelet. What this means is that you have traditional fine watchmaking like only Audemars Piguet can do, in a relatively thin case, but that case and bracelet happen to be made out of a space age, scratch-proof material." -- Benjamin Clymer
via vacheron constantin
"This incredible 45mm wristwatch holds 23 complications, and is arguably the most precise and detailed calendar and astronomy wristwatch in the world. What's more, it's actually wearable! This is a marked shift away from complications for complications sake, and tells everyone else the wearability is a must." -- Benjamin Clymer
via cartier
"Everything good about the Drive, Cartier made even better this year. By eliminating the date, trimming the case profile, and presenting it in a gold case (white or rose), the brand has turned this into the ultimate dress watch. Young guys now have a modern Cartier dress watch to which they can truly aspire." -- Arthur Touchot

Editor’s Note: Stephen Pulvirent is managing editor of online specialist watch magazine Hodinkee.

CNN  — 

It’s no secret that 2016 was a rough year for the luxury watch industry. Sales were down in nearly every global market after an already soft 2015, and watchmakers have been reducing production and laying off staff – from watchmakers to executives – to find solutions.

Here are the 10 epic chronographs to invest in

This week, the annual Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) – an exclusive trade show for watch retailers and press, hosted by the Richemont conglomerate – was held in Geneva.

Featuring Richemont’s own portfolio of brands, as well as a number of independent watchmakers, SIHH is where many of the world’s most important watch brands set their agendas and unveil their newest products. It’s also our first opportunity to gauge where the industry will be heading in 2017.

Luxury, reduced

Grand Prix d'Hologerie
The Legacy Machine Perpetual by MB&F took out the Calendar Watch Prize for 2016 for its in-house perpetual calendar. Designed in conjunction with Irish watchmaker Stephen McDonnell, the platinum watch sells for around $181,000, and is limited to just 25 editions.
Grand Prix d'Hologerie
The 33 bis Quai des Bergues from Czapek Genève was awarded the prize for the best watch of 2016 as chosen by the general public. The red gold wristwatch has a 'Grand Feu' enamel dial and sells for $24,000.
Grand Prix d'Hologerie
The 2016 HEUER Monza chronograph from TAG took out the Revival Watch Prize. It's a recreation of the iconic Heuer Monza 1976.
Grand Prix d'Hologerie
The Tourbillon Watch Prize 2016 was won by the Esmeralda Tourbillon from Girard-Perregaux. The pink gold time piece is inspired by the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges pocket chronometer that won the gold medal at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1889.
Grand Prix d'Hologerie
Winner of the Aiguille d'Or, the top prize at the 2016 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, was the Chronomètre Ferdinand Berthoud FB 1. The limited edition watch, which sells for $212,000, is made from white gold and titanium, and powered by an original mechanical hand-wound movement comprising more than 1,120 components.
Grand Prix d'Hologerie
The Protocole XXL "Secrets and Lights" Venice watch from Piaget took home the Artistic Crafts Watch Prize for its micro-mosaic illustration of the Santa Maria Della Salute basilica in Venice. Just three of these $250,000 watches were made, with the design on each handcrafted from nearly 5,000 miniscule glass tiles.
Grand Prix d'Hologerie
Set with 50 diamonds on the bezel and featuring a white mother of pearl dial, the Cat's Eye Tourbillon with Gold Bridge from Girard Perregaux was awarded the Ladies' High-mech Watch Prize for 2016.
Grand Prix d'Hologerie
Chanel took home the Jewellery Watch Prize at the 2016 GPHG awards ceremony for its spectacular, single-edition Secret Watch "Signature Grenat". The 18-carat white gold watch sells for more than $750,000, and features a 52.61 carat carmine garnet surrounded by diamonds and orange sapphires.
Grand Prix d'Hologerie
The pink gold Limelight Gala Milanese Bracelet from Piaget took home the Ladies' Watch Prize for 2016. Retailing for more than $35,000, the diamond-set time piece has a quartz movement.
Grand Prix d'Hologerie
The 2016 prize for the Mechanical Exception Watch went to the Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie from Audemars Piguet. The titanium and ceramic, minute repeater wristwatch chimes the hours and quarter hours, and sells for more than $560,000.
Grand Prix d'Hologerie
The red gold, pin buckle, 1941 Remontoire from Grönefeld was awarded the Mens' Watch Prize for 2016. Only 188 pieces have been made.
Grand Prix d'Hologerie
The 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter Limited Edition from Montblanc took home the Chronograph Watch Prize at the 2016 GPHG awards ceremony. Only 100 of the steel and pin buckle watches will be made.
Grand Prix d'Hologerie
Awarded the Travel Time Watch Prize for 2016, the self-winding Fabergé Visionnaire DTZ displays two timezones simultaneously. The pink gold and titanium watch features a self-winding, mechanical movement and has a power reserve of 50 hours.
Grand Prix d'Hologerie
Winner of the Petite Aiguille Prize, the Heritage Black Bay Bronze by Tudor sells for a more accessible $3,800, and features an aluminum bronze alloy case.
Grand Prix d'Hologerie
Awarded the Sports Watch Prize, the steel and rubber Scafograf 300 from Eberhard & Co. is water proof to 300 meters, with a shock-resistant case. It features an engraved starfish on its back.

The world’s most dedicated and passionate collectors are still buying, and watchmakers are doing their best to keep them happy, interested, and engaged. Two trends emerged immediately upon walking the show’s brightly lit halls.

The first was a turn toward the affordable. (All terms are relative of course, but at the SIHH it’s unusual when many of the show’s highlights have four- rather than five-figure price tags.)

Jaeger-LeCoultre focused on affordable pieces like the Master Control collection, which includes a time-and-date model, a chronograph, and a travel-time watch.

Montblanc has made strong moves in watchmaking over the last few years, and has redesigned its best-selling Timewalker collection as a mix of well-priced chronographs inspired by vintage racing.

From kitsch to cool: Cuckoo clocks that will take your picture and talk to you

Cartier also relaunched its famed Panthère de Cartier collection of women’s watches, which start under $5,000, in stainless steel.

These are timepieces that can sell at volume and bring new customers into the world of luxury watches. It’s a bet on the future and on cultivating collectors for the long-term.

Distinctive displays

Keeping top-tier collectors happy and interested is always important for luxury brands, but even more so when those lucrative sales are being relied upon to buoy tougher overall results.

Watchmakers responded strongly by creating halo pieces at prices that, while still stratospheric, are competitive in relation to what else is on offer.

The 23-complication Celestia from Vacheron Constantin is the company’s most complicated wristwatch to date, and – to those in the know – feels like a complete bargain at approximately $1 million.

01:17 - Source: CNN
Why a luxury watch is like a fine automobile

Likewise, German watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne’s Tourbograph Pour le Mérite offers a dizzying mix of a tourbillion with a fusée-and-chain mechanism (a tiny chain, similar to a bike chain, helps drive the watch from inside,) plus a split-seconds chronograph and a perpetual calendar for the sum of 480,000 euros ($511,000).

The watch industry appears to have gotten the message loud and clear from consumers: products need to offer something unique and interesting at a prices that entice rather than intimidate.

So, whether it’s at the entry point or the pinnacle, 2017 is shaping up to be a year of value for watch buyers.