It may appear unbelievable to those fretting about the economic outlook of the watch industry in Switzerland, but the SIAR in Mexico once again highlighted the individuality of the local market in many ways. The region is not without its problems, of course, but they are more political than economic in origin and with no decrease in the number of visitors to the show, brands continued to sell.
The only way to understand the unique dynamic of the SIAR is to attend it yourself. Having heard of the show’s excellent reputation and the maturity of the Mexican watch connoisseur, it is a delight to experience it first-hand as a brand representative greets a collector who owns ten of its watches. When the brand in question is MB&F then you immediately have a benchmark for the knowledge and passion of the average visitor to the show.
It probably comes as no surprise, therefore, that there is a considerable appetite for unique pieces and special editions dedicated to Mexico, and the brands are only happy to oblige. Forget about the cliché skulls that decorate shop windows everywhere in Mexico City during the show, ahead of the massive Dia de los Muertes (Day of the Dead) festival on 31st October, since the country offers numerous other sources of historical and cultural inspiration.
One of the most fascinating examples is the Mayan legacy, which was already interpreted horologically by De Bethune in the DB25 Maya in 2012. A unique piece presented at the SIAR in 2015 takes up the theme once again but adds magnificent hand-carved jade sculptures on the front and back of the watch, with an ornate flame-blued snake serving as the hour and minute hands.
Corum teamed up with Pedro Friedeberg, a renowned Mexican surrealist artist, for some original interpretations of the Bubble watch that it relaunched earlier this year. The two watches both have a black PVD-coated stainless-steel case and are limited to 99 pieces each. Pedro Friedeberg has decorated the dials with designs inspired by the work of Italian architect Giovanni Battista Piranesi and Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo in what will undoubtedly be a series of such cooperations around the world (read our interview with Corum CEO Davide Traxler to learn more about his product strategy)
Roger Dubuis and Hublot both capitalized on the motorsport fever gripping the nation, and Mexico City in particular, one week ahead of the return of Formula 1 racing with the Mexican Grand Prix held on the last weekend in October. Roger Dubuis presented a limited edition of 20 pieces of its Excalibur Spider Skeleton Flying Tourbillon with a distinctive white rubber strap alongside the Porsche Boxster Spyder, which was also making its debut in Mexico.
Hublot naturally came with Ferrari-themed models specific to Mexico with an unusual green carbon bezel and red accents to take on the colours of the Mexican flag. Only 25 pieces are available with the King Gold case and 50 in the black ceramic case.
That should be plenty to keep demanding Mexican watch fans satisfied until next year.
