Inside the World's Most Exclusive Watch Show

Montblanc, which added Swiss watches to its diverse luxury portfolio in 1997, used its showroom to display many of the contemporary art pieces that are on permanent display at its headquarters in Hamburg. All of the work includes an interpretation of the iconic Momntblanc star. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

GENEVA — The big news last week in this small country with a mighty economy and far-reaching global influence was the annual World Economic Forum held in Davos. Although overshadowed, another important annual event was being held: the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), arguably the most exclusive watch show in the world. 

By far the youngest and arguably the most innovative of watch brands today, Richard Mille displayed some of this innovation not only in the materials and concepts of its watches, but in its 3D presentation to the press during SIHH. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

The most recent installment of SIHH ended with the 16 watch brands, among the most prestigious in the world, introducing their latest timepieces, often the result of years of intensive research. It’s an invitation only event held each year at the Palexpo exhibition center. This year I was among the more than 13,000 invited guests (which included international retailers, journalists and brand representatives) to attend. 

Roger Dubuis introduced its Excalibur line of watches with a Bird of Prey as the centerpiece of its showroom. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

Twelve of the watch brands exhibiting are owned by Richemont, the Geneva-based luxury holdings company, which is why the event (held Jan. 21 – 25) is often referred to as the Richemont show. 

Decked out for racing the IWC Schaffhausen showroom was one of the most popular during SIHH. the display was used to introduce its Ingenieur Chronograph Racer and Ingenieur Silberpfeil, the second watch dedicated to the famous Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow racing car. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

There’s been talk about a slowdown in the luxury business, (particularly watches). The growth is slower than the astronomical rise in sales of the past few years, led by China. In fact, one could say that the growth in sales is now at a more normal pace. Richemont numbers point to this as the company reported that third quarter sales increased 5 percent, year-over-year, to 2.86 billion Swiss francs. Its “Specialist Watchmakers” group saw even more growth at 9 percent to 784 million Swiss francs. In addition, annual Swiss watch sales, which are expected soon, are expected to surpass 20 billion Swiss francs for the time ever. 

Butterflies were used tomillustrate the delicate intricacies of Van Cleef & Arpels' new watch and jewelry lines. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

There was some caution among the brand officials when talking sales, but overall, life remains good in the Swiss watch industry. 

The main gathering area at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

A giant replica of its new Grand Complication timepiece was the major design element of the A. Lange & Söhne showroom. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

A look inside Baume & Mercier's summer-in-the Hamptons themed showroom. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

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How Many Facets are there on the ‘World’s Smallest Diamond?’

Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

When it comes to diamonds bigger is almost universally accepted as better. However, luxury watch brand, Jaeger-LeCoultre, turned the tables a bit introducing what it claims to be the world’s smallest diamond. Perhaps the worlds smallest manufactured diamond or the world’s smallest faceted diamond may be a better claim.

Each diamond is 0.5mm in size and in an orange tray they are barely visible. However, under a microscope I can clearly see two faceted round diamonds. In fact, what I find more remarkable is that each diamond has 57 facets. No. I didn’t count the facets.

Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

Carlos Carvalheiro, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s master gem setter (pictured above), is the one who made the claim. He was demonstrating the miniature diamonds to guests attending the luxury watch brand’s 180th anniversary celebration, held at the Teatro La Fenice, the famed opera house in the city of Venice.

Carvalheiro’s claim peaked my interest. I have a lot of questions but the event was an inappropriate time for my queries. I will follow up.

My questions include whether these diamonds will appear on a watch? And whether the technique used to create them will be used for their gem-set timepieces or even used for their movements. Maybe the technique has already been applied to some of newer timepieces, such as the La Montre Extraordinaire La Rose (pictured above), which I wrote about just before leaving for Venice. I also would like to know if this is done in house.

For an industry that prides itself on innovations on a micro-level for watch movements, creating miniature gems for the exterior of watches this, in my humble opinion, is a new breakthrough in the use of micro-technology for watchmakers.

But first this claim needs to be clarified and verified.

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World’s Largest Orange Diamond Sells For A World Record $35.5 Million

A 14.82-carat fancy vivid orange diamond set two world records as it sold for more than $35.5 million at Christie’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels sale held Tuesday.

Simply called “The Orange,” the gem set a world record for a fancy vivid orange diamond. And at $2,398,151 per carat, it also set a world record price per carat for any colored diamond sold at auction. It shattered its high estimate of $21 million.

“Time and again, a stone will appear on the market that is truly a miracle of nature,” said François Curiel, International head of Christie's Jewellery Department. “The 14.82-carat orange diamond is one such a stone, a rare gem, which will perhaps only be seen once in a lifetime. In the sale on Tuesday, it soared far above all previous records for any orange diamond ever sold at auction, placing The Orange among the greatest pinks and blues, which are traditionally the most appreciated colored diamonds.”

There was little question that the diamond was going to fetch a record price. It is believed to be easily the world’s largest orange diamond. It is approximately three times larger than the two other known large orange diamonds: The 5.54-carat “Pumpkin Diamond,” which was sold privately, and a 4.19 carat fancy vivid orange diamond sold at auction for a record price of $2.95 million in October 2011.

It was the last of the 286 lots that were up for sale at the auction held at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues. 

The bidding opened at 10 million Swiss francs and quickly reached $20 million francs before the bidding slowed and the increments of bids switched from 1 million francs to a half-million. It appeared on the Christie’s live Internet feed that several bidders were in the room competing with those on the phones. Applause followed the winning bid of 29 million francs ($31.6 million). The final total of $35,531,974 million includes fees and commissions.

Pure orange diamonds are exceptionally rare, the auction house said. It is more common to find orange diamonds with secondary colors. The orange color is the result of the presence of nitrogen during the diamond’s creation.

The Gemological Institute of America, which graded the diamond and issued its report, recently said: “Strongly colored diamonds in the orange hue range rarely exceed three or four carats in size when polished. (This diamond) is almost four times larger than that size range. In GIA’s colored diamond grading system, as the color appearance of strongly colored diamonds transitions from orangy yellow to orange the occurrence becomes progressively more rare—that is—the less yellow present the more rarely they occur.”

In the GIA report, the diamond was graded as VS1 clarity, and classified as a Type IA.

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