Malcolm Lakin, Managing Editor: "Tuesday evening in Basel saw the annual Europa Star bun fight, more reverently called the Europa Star party. It was the mother of all parties and everyone and their mother and son attended, and a great time was had by all. The excellent food had a South African theme and the wine flowed as never before, especially after a few glasses made contact with the floor.

"Before returning to my home territory of Geneva, my last meetings in a now snow-covered Basel were at Tissot, who offered a whole new range of the T-Touch watch and a couple of excellent new chronographs, Scalfaro, who showed a brand new stainless steel watch with retrograde seconds and my old friend Pippo Pierez of Pippo Italia, who showed a superb collection of fun timepieces including some unusually decorative floral designs.

"Today, I'm at the SIHH and I've already enjoyed an hour with Elise Perrot, watch product manager of Piaget, who showed me every model in their new collection. Outstanding is the only word I can use for the new tourbillon, which is set in the minute hand and counterbalanced by a heavier hour hand.

"A. Lange & Söhne have introduced an elegant three hand watch called the Richard Lange which breaks the trend for more complicated timepieces, but at the same time the company has produced the Datograph Perpetual, which has a flyback chronograph, jumping minute counter as well as a perpetual calendar and outsized date.

“At this particular point in time, I'm going to have to break away because I'm having some delicious asparagus. So, 'til later.”



Keith W. Strandberg, contributing writer: "On the second day of the SIHH, the hits just keep on coming. Every company seems to have such beautiful products — larger watches, better designs and incorporating interesting new movements and functions. This year seems to be the year of several trends:

**Bigger watches

**Dressier, elegant watches

**Rose Gold

**Useful complications (new chronographs, dual time or multiple time zones,
etc.)

"I like the pace of SIHH — it's a little more relaxed than Basel, but I love the hustle and bustle of Basel as well. This year was such a great time that, even though I'm a little tired, it's sad to see it end so quickly.
Tomorrow, I have my last two appointments then I have to get to work on the show wrap up stories we will run.

"Today, I got to spend some time with my friend Tom Bolt, designer for Dunhill,and saw their novelties. The one that impressed me the most is their King Arthur inspired watch, the Parody Stone, which comes with a shield-like cover, hands patterned after swords and three English lions engraved on the stone dial.

"I also sat down with Christian Selmoni, product marketing director for Vacheron Constantin, who walked me through all the special new products. The star of this year for Vacheron is the final edition of their Perpetual Calendar with Minute Repeater, the last 30 pieces of the limited movement which was introduced in 1992. It is spectacular.

"Vacheron is also going back to its roots and the use of platinum, which they first used in 1820. The company is introducing an elegantly simple new watch that uses a sandblasted platinum dial in the Platinum Excellence collection. Looked at with a loop, the dial is magnificent.

“New US president of Baume & Mercier Rudy Chavez showed me their new line, which includes some great new pieces which are classically styled and packed with value. One of my favorites is in the new series where the balance wheel is exposed through an aperture in the dial. Very nice, indeed.”