If there had to be one, just one trend, one major commercial and design focus for the 2023 edition of Watches & Wonders and beyond, it would have to be the chronograph. Never had the planets been aligned as perfectly as they are now. Anniversaries, bull market, design maturity, brand's ambitions, it's all lining up to be a perfect storm, in a good way.
First off, anniversaries. The Cosmograph Daytona and Carrera are turning 60. 80 for the Premier by Breitling. 30 for the Royal Oak Offshore. 35 for Chopard's Mille Miglia. These are the typical occasions a watch brand is waiting for to revisit a classic, dust up its design and launch massive marketing campaigns that will end up with all eyes on some of the most famous and relevant timepieces there are. Not to mention this might finally be the year when Breguet reveals a successor for the desperately expected Type XX.
Second aspect, a bull market. For years, the dress down, athleisure, sports chic, casual everyday style has been gaining traction, remodeling the luxury industry. Watchmaking is one of the most impacted segments and chronographs have the one and only complication that perfectly fits the bill. What's more, the sector's growth has reached unheard-of historic levels, even when compared to the early 00's boom and especially so where the upper-end of the market is concerned.
Third aspect, design maturity. The way a chronograph looks is very much on the nose, right ? There's nothing really new one can bring to it, right ? When one knows about the behind-the-scenes of watch design, its evergreen ability to create, to come up with 3.0, 4.0 and other .0 versions, nothing could be more inaccurate. Watchmaking renews itself at a pace that amazes even its most seasoned pundits, and chronographs are this year's case in point. The curved dial of a bezel-less Carrera 39 mm. The dramatic advent of the exhibition caseback on the platinum Rolex Daytona ref. 126506. The rejuvenation of the two-sided Reverso Tribute Chronograph. The hidden chronograph nature of both the Odysseus Chronograph and Montblanc Unveiled Timekeeper. The revival of Zenith's Pilot collection that's neither retro nor nostalgic. The monochromatic blue of the IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Oceana. Never before has chronograph design been as ambitious, diverse and exciting as today.
The most profoundly structuring force behind this chronograph wave is the will of the brands. Almost all of them are in the process of moving upmarket, releasing more upscale models and enhancing their prestige. They want a place at the table of the horological business feast that's been going on for two years now. They're buying in with a new generation of their icon, or an upgraded movement, or some kind of design enhancement, or even the complete upheaval of their design language, anything that can justify the current price hikes.
More than anything else, they see it as flex. An occasion to showcase their strength and relevance, to enhance the leadership these best-seller, legendary watches afford them. Since the chronograph has pride of place among the sacred cows of watchmaking, it's flaunting its status like never before.
