Watches of the year web

WatchPro announces its Watches of the Year 2012

WatchPro magazine has officially announced it inaugural Watches of the Year today, with a list of 10 winning timepieces across 10 commercially-led categories, and 90 highly commended watches.

The Watches of the Year list is the culmination of several months’ work, following the major watch trade shows in Europe, as well as the smaller UK shows such as Salon QP and International Jewellery London.

This year’s list is concentrated on those watches that WatchPro believes hold commercial success in 2012, as well as timepieces that have wowed retailers and consumers alike. 

The winning timepieces have been revealed in the June issue of WatchPro, which is available to read online here, and are listed below. 

Kathryn Bishop, deputy editor of WatchPro and editor of this year’s Watches of the Year, said: "Watches of the Year is an annual report that is compiled specifically to inform and excite watch retailers; bringing to their attention the greatest designs, technical innovations and commercial ideas that will drive sales in the coming 12 months.

“It is a unique list of watches that are not only exceptional in their own right, but also present stunning business opportunities for retailers that stock them.”

WatchPro‘s Watches of the Year is made up of 10 categories, with one winner and nine highly commended timepieces in each category.

“Of the thousands of models on sale in the UK, any watch that has made it into the WatchPro Watches of the Year is a truly exceptional timepiece, and the category winners are the bastions of the very best of what the watch industry has to offer.” Bishop added.

WATCHPRO’S WATCHES OF THE YEAR 2012

WatchPro Showstopping Watch of the Year
Whether gem-studded or crafted with luxe materials such as fur and lizard skin, the WatchPro Showstopping Watches of the Year celebrate 2012’s finest timepieces from some of the best-known luxury watchmakers.

WINNER: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona

Highly Commended
Piaget Rose Limelight Garden Party G0A37180
Van Cleef & Arpels Bals de Légende
Dior La Mini D De Dior
Chopard Imperial Tourbillon Full Set
March L.A.B. Yeti
Cartier Grand Complication Skeleton Pocket Watch
Breguet Crazy Flower
De Bethune DB25 s Jewellery
Corum Admiral’s Cup Legend 38 Mystery Moon

WatchPro Ladies’ Watch of the Year
The advent of women’s mechanical timepieces coming to the fore has been noted. This year’s WatchPro Ladies’ Watch of the Year celebrates everything from smart complications to classic diamond-set designs and fashion-led models.

WINNER: Patek Philippe Ref. 7140 Ladies First Perpetual Calendar

Highly Commended
TAG Heuer Lady Link Steel and Diamonds
Boss Black Watches 1502279
Dior VIII Grand Bal Plume
Gucci Timeless Bamboo
Meistersinger Ladies’ Neo F
Bulova Ladies Crystal Deco
Bulgari Serpenti Jewellery
Omega Constellation Day date
TW Steel Kelly Rowland CEO Tech

WatchPro Fashion Watch of the Year
These timepieces are bright, trend-led and demand to be noticed. Fashion watches are all about making a statement but offer consumers value for money with ever-more innovative designs.

WINNER: Ice-Watch F*** Me I’m Famous

Highly Commended
Michael Kors Titanium Ceramic MK5679
TW Steel CEO CE1023
Tendence Gulliver Medium Glam
TechnoMarine Night Vision
Swatch New Gent Lacquered
Vivienne Westwood Orb VV006RSSL
Holler Crazies Womack
Bering 11939-228 Men’s Day/Date
Burberry Black Ceramic unisex chrono

WatchPro Sports Watch of the Year
This year’s WatchPro Sports Watch of the Year was as competitive a category as its name suggests. Our 2012 selection covers rugby, golf, cycling, diving and – everyone’s dream hobby – flying.

WINNER: IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Miramar

Highly Commended
Boss Black Regatta 1512501
Louis Vuitton Tambour Americas Cup
Festina ChronoBike
Seiko Sportura
Luminox Deep Dive
Graham Chronofighter Oversize Referee
Oris Artix GT Chronograph
Citizen Eco-Drive Titanium Golf BM7120-01A
Tag Heuer Ladies Formula 1 White Ceramic

WatchPro Luxury Watch of the Year
Sharp details, fine materials and superior complications, this list is defined by the best and most beautiful timepiece in their class, with horological finesse as standard.

WINNER: Bremont Victory

Highly Commended
Blancpain Villerait Flinqué Lacquered
Fabergé Alexei Pavillon
Frédérique Constant Worldtimer FC-718WM4H6
Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 Tourbillon With Three Gold Bridges
G-Shock Mr G
Hermès Dressage Small Second Rose Gold
Panerai Radiomir 1940 Oro Rosso
Rolex DateJust II
Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionelle 14-day

 
WatchPro Most Innovative Watch of the Year
These are the watches that dared to go where others feared to tread and thus make for a technophobe’s nightmare. But we adore them for their vision and boundary pushing, bringing together traditional watchmaking with futuristic technology.

WINNER: HYT H1 Titanium

Highly Commended
Chopard L.U.C. 8Hz
Greuble Forsey 24 Secondes Tourbillon Titanium
MontBlanc TimeWriter II
Rado Hyperchrome
Ressence Series One 1002
Seiko Astron
Tag Heuer Mikrogirder
Timex Intelligent Quartz World Timer
MB&F Legacy Machine 1

WatchPro Limited Edition Watch of the Year
If a watch is limited it will be in demand, and this year’s line-up of limited edition models showcases some of the watch world’s most talked about releases, covering sports watches, celebratory birthday designs and some that have looked to the stars for inspiration.

WINNER: Rado R-One

Highly Commended
Bell & Ross BR01 Turn Coordinator
Breitling for Bentley Supersports
Chopard L.U.C. Skeletec
Fortis Mysterious planets
Hamilton Khaki Navy Pioneer Limited Edition
Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso Ultra-Thin Tribute to Mad Men
TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 17 Jack Heuer 80th Birthday Limited Edition
Tissot PRS 330 Tony Parker Limited Edition 2012
U-BOAT U-51 Chimera B and B

WatchPro Rising Star of the Year
They might not all be new to the scene but this year’s Rising Stars are watch brands causing a buzz among retailers and aficionados and are our tip for the ones to watch in the coming 12 months.

WINNER: Schofield (Hero timepiece featured: Signalman DLC GMT PR)

Highly Commended
Bering (Hero timepiece featured: 11435-751 Women’s Ceramic)
Braun (Hero timepiece featured: Classic Chronograph)
Certina (Hero timepiece featured: DS1 Automatic)
Girard-Perregaux (Hero timepiece featured: Vintage 1945 Large Date Moon-Phases)
Hip Hop (Hero timepiece featured: Sportsman Collection)
Kennett Watches (Hero timepiece featured: Lady Savro)
Mühle Glashütte (Hero timepiece featured: Terranaut I Trail)
Nomos Glashütte (Hero timepiece featured: Zürich Blaugold)
Vivienne Westwood (Hero timepiece featured: Cube VV008BKBK)

 
WatchPro Mechanical Watch of the Year

With mechanical movements – a first for some of the brands selected – these are the timepieces that have wowed, showing off their complications and bringing to the fore the joys of old-fashioned watchmaking skills.

WINNER: Zenith Pilot Montre D’Aeronef Type 20

Highly Commended
HEBE Arrows of Time HB 23609-5800C
Mondaine Vintage
ToyWatch Toy2Fly Skeleton
Swarovski Piazza Grande Automatic
Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Lune Rétrograde
Gc Skeleton Heartbeat X94103G1S
Breguet Classique Chronométrie 7727
Baume & Mercier Capeland 10068
MontBlanc TimeWalker TwinFly Chronograph GreyTech

WatchPro Classic Watch of the Year
Classic by name, classic by nature. While some of these watches are legacy models updated for 2012, others are striking new designs that are sure to be future classics. Great looking watches that are supremely but subtly handsome.

WINNER: Jaquet Droz Grande Date Ivory Enamel

Highly Commended
A. Lange & Söhne Grand Lange 1
Omega De Ville Chronograph Co-Axial Calibre 9301
Fossil Utility Heather
Audemars Piguet Extra-Thin Royal Oak
Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar
Longines Saint-Imier
Patek Philippe Ref. 5204 Split-Seconds Chronograph with Perpetual Calendar
Tissot Carson Lady Automatic
Van Cleef & Arpels Pierre Arpels

 

 

 

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