Baselworld, the biggest watch and jewellery show in the world, once again drew staggering crowds of collectors and trade buyers eager to see the season’s trend-setting watches.



Last year, we were thrilled by the prototype of the HD3 Slyde with its touchscreen display, slide-by vertical and horizon menus and downloadable modules. This year, it was great to get our hands on the real thing and also to have a taste of HD3’s flip-clock module, new for later this year.

One of the undoubted stars of the show was DeWitt’s X-Watch No.3. DeWitt says the reversible mechanism “was initially inspired by a concrete mixer”, and from such humble origins the craftsmen have fashioned a sublime timepiece, with a distinctive opening ‘X’ bonnet. It’s limited to 25 pieces and DeWitt report strong collector interest, with one connoisseur flying in specially to see it.



The Celsius X VI II concept of a finely crafted timepiece attached to a mobile phone is building a steady following, with the latest Le DIX Furtif version sure to enhance its reputation. The watch, with its off-centre flying tourbillon, is a remarkable piece on its own, and the flip case has a satisfying rasp when it’s opened – this is the company’s patented watch-winding system in action.



Hublot is never short of an eye-catching launch and this year it was the Big Bang Ferrari in Magic Gold and Titanium versions, with limits of 500 pieces (Magic Gold) and 1,000 pieces (Titanium), just in time for the new F1 season.



We’ve been following Maîtres du Temps’ Chapter series since it started the same year that we launched in 2008, and the watchmaker’s strategy of collaborating with the most creative craftsmen on the planet is really bearing fruit. With a movement developed by master watchmakers Kari Voutilainen and Andreas Strehler, the Chapter Three Reveal is well named – it’s a watch full of hidden functions and details, including a rolling date-bar that is such a feature of the range.



Watch a video of Andreas Strehler demonstrating the Chapter Three Reveal at Baselworld 2012 – courtesy of www.WatchYouGo.com:

We’ll have a round-up of new season watches in Issue 25 of SuperYacht World.