Watch Design in the Neo-Vintage Era

Watch Design in the Neo-Vintage Era

Back to basics in some ways; bold and daring in others.

Back to basics in some ways; bold and daring in others.

Our first live auctions of fall 2024 season, PHILLIPS RELOADED: The Rebirth of Mechanical Watchmaking, 1980-1999, and the Geneva Watch Auction: XX, take place on November 8, 9, and 10, at the Hotel President, at Quai Wilson 47, in central Geneva. The auctions include more than 195 of the world's finest watches – and though we are loath to boast, we truly think they're some of the best catalogs we've ever put together. We'll be highlighting a number of the most interesting lots and stories featured in the sales over the next month, including the watches highlighted in this article.


– By Logan Baker

This era marked a period of experimentation and creativity, where brands began to realize that the key to survival was not just to maintain the status quo, but to push the boundaries of horology. Several forward-thinking designers and watchmakers stepped up to redefine aesthetics and function in a bid to distinguish themselves from the burgeoning mass-market quartz segment.

One of the early innovators of this period was IWC, which embraced the use of novel materials with its use of PVD coatings and the introduction of ceramic cases. The IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar, launched in 1985, stood out not only for its ingenious perpetual calendar mechanism designed by Kurt Klaus but also for its bold aesthetic that combined traditional watchmaking with a distinctly modern flair. The use of ceramic was a testament to IWC’s willingness to innovate and challenge the norms of the time. This approach would set the stage for a broader trend of material experimentation that would define the era.

Lot 29: A circa 1990 IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar ref. 3755 in white ceramic. Estimate: CHF 8,000 - 16,000

Designers like Gérald Genta pushed the boundaries by playing with unusual metals and groundbreaking case designs. Known as the “Picasso of Watchmaking,” Genta had already revolutionized the industry in the 1970s with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus. In the 1980s and 1990s, he continued to innovate, working under his own name to experiment with exotic materials like tantalum, bronze, and exotic Yttrium, creating unique, complicated, and highly collectible pieces that stood apart from the conventional steel and gold offerings of the time.

Lot 38: A circa 1996 Gérald Genta "Grande and Petite Sonnerie" Number 1 in Yttrium. Estimate: CHF 80,000 - 160,000

Meanwhile, the likes of Daniel Roth, Roger Dubuis, and Vianney Halter, all of whom would go on to be pivotal figures in independent watchmaking, began to establish their distinctive design languages.

Roth, who worked for Breguet in the late 1970s and 1980s, played a significant role in reviving the brand’s classical aesthetics, characterized by the now-iconic Breguet hands, guilloché dials, and fluted cases. His departure from Breguet and subsequent launch of his own brand in 1988 marked a significant shift towards more individualized, artisanal watchmaking – a key theme of the neo-vintage period.

Lot 12: A 1998 Daniel Roth Tourbillon Regulateur Double Face ref. C187 in stainless steel. Estimate: CHF 60,000 - 120,000

Vianney Halter, another innovative mind, began experimenting with avant-garde designs that challenged the conventions of watch aesthetics. His approach combined the mechanical prowess of the past with a visionary futuristic style, paving the way for what would later become his steampunk-inspired pieces, such as the “Antiqua.”

Lot 13: A 1999 Vianney Halter Antiqua. Estimate: CHF 80,000 - 160,000

These were not just watches but bold statements of individuality and craftsmanship that hinted at the direction high-end watchmaking was heading.

You can learn more, place a bid, and view the entire Phillips RELOADED catalog right here.


About Phillips In Association With Bacs & Russo

The team of specialists at PHILLIPS Watches is dedicated to an uncompromised approach to quality, transparency, and client service. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo holds the world record for the most successful watch auction, with its Geneva Watch Auction: XIV having realized $74.5 million in 2021. Over the course of 2021 and 2022, the company sold 100% of the watches offered, a first in the industry, resulting in the highest annual total in history across all the auction houses at $227 million.

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About Logan Baker

Logan has spent the past decade reporting on every aspect of the watch business. He joined Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo at the start of 2023 as the department's Senior Editorial Manager. He splits his time between New York and Geneva.


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