Another successful Baselworld show has come and gone. While the show was shorter and somewhat smaller than previous years, Baselworld 2018 reported an 8% increased in the number of professional visitors attending the show on the first two days as compared to last year. This year’s show saw exciting new releases from Patek Philippe, Jacob and Co., MB&F, Rolex and also many others. Photographer and watch aficionado Billy Ruvelson attended the show to give us a look inside Baselworld 2018.
Rolex Pearlmaster
The Rolex Pearlmaster may very well be the crowning jewel of the Rolex lineup. The exquisite diamond gem settings make this a favorite from Baselworld this year. The mother of pearl dial on the model pictured above is understated and classic. This trendsetting watch is one of the most sought after, and also most recognizable, watches of all time.
Rolex’s own in-house gemologists hand select only the most beautiful stones then pass them on to the brand’s expert gem setters. The result are stunning watches like those shown at Baselworld this year. You can always distinguish a Pearlmaster bracelet by the concealed Crownclasp. This bracelet is both sensual and sophisticated with the impeccable beauty you have come to expect from Rolex.
RolexGMT-Master II
For the very first time, the bezel with a graduated two-colour Cerachrom insert in red and blue ceramic is available on the GMT-Master II in Oystersteel, with a Jubilee bracelet.
Designed for airline pilots, the original GMT-Master allowed pilots to easily tell the time in the time zones of both their departure and their arrival. The watch became popular with travelers of all kinds, and the emblematic bezel is also instantly recognizable by watch enthusiasts.
At Baselworld, Rolex introduced the Oystersteel GMT-Master. Red and blue ceramic inserts accent the Oystersteel case and bracelet. This marks the first time that the Jubilee bracelet, Oystersteel and the two-colour Cerachrom insert in red and blue ceramic are together.
MB&F Moonmachine 2
MoonMachine 2 is the second collaboration between MB&F and Stepan Sarpaneva: a horological creation that occupies the same elusive space as moonlight, somewhere between illusion and reality. MoonMachine 2 brings us the world’s first projected moonphase display.
Watch lovers who are intrigued by the metaphysical nature of time, will adore MB&F’s stunning MoonMachine 2. The exposed workings of the timepiece are meant to emphasize the “illusory nature of the projected hours and minutes.”
An optical prism vertically refracts the hours, minutes and moon discs to appear as if they are perpendicular to the engine. A pusher on the side also allows quick and easy adjustment of the moonphase display.
MB&F HM7
After pushing the boundaries of horological exploration by blasting into outer space (HM2, HM3, HM6), launching into the sky (HM4), and powering down the road and around the track (HM5, HMX, HM8), MB&F plunges into the water with Horological Machine No.7, aka HM7 Aquapod.
The unique design of the HM7 centers around a 60-second fluing tourbillon located in a dome at the top of the dial. The movement architecture radiates out in concentric circles from this dome. It is also easy to see the influence of the organic shape of jellyfish on the watch design. The watch appears almost extraterrestrial in profile. The in-house 72-hour power reserve HM7 Engine is certainly out of this world.
These are just a few of the highlights from Baselworld 2018. You may also be interested in seeing the highlights of last year’s Baselworld show. So, which of these watches will you purchase this year?
