Gearing up For SIHH 2011

The beginning of the New Year hails in one of the most exclusive watch shows, the 21st SIHH. Commencing on January 17th and running until January 21st, the SIHH will be exhibiting 19 brands participating in 30,000 sq miles of tastefully decorated exhibition space. Attendance is by invitation only granted to 12,500 guests such as international retailers, journalists and brand representatives.

SIHH promotes luxury timepieces with exceptional craftsmanship,cutting edge technologically, aesthetic brilliance and the quest for perfection while nurturing the deep tradition of watch making.

Last year, the show was slightly muted due to the global recession; however, this year the atmosphere will be far more positive as spending in the watch industry is picking up.

This year participating brands are Baume & Mercier, Greubel Forsey, Piaget, JeanRichard, Panerai, Van Cleef & Arpels, Audemars Piguet, Roger Dubuis, Jaeger-Lecoultre, Cartier, Girard-Perregaux, IWC, Vacheron Constantin, Panerai, A. Lange & Söhne, Dunhill, Montblanc, Ralph Lauren & Richard Mille.

Piaget has allowed the watch world a glimpse of one of its stars of the show. The Piaget Emperador Coussin Tourbillon Automatic Ultra Thin (46.5mm to be exact), which is equipped with a micro rotor and an incredibly streamlined new manufacture Caliber 1270p. Available in white or pink gold.

Another masterpiece is the Girard Perregaux 1966 small seconds watch. Featuring a new GP03300-50 automatic movement powered by a gold rotor and housed in either a 18k rose gold or white gold case. The Distinctive features are the blued steel hands and sub dial with a red 60 on a pure white enamel dial face. The look is sealed with an alligator strap and matching buckle.

These luxury watches are just a taste of what will be on display at the Salon Internationale de la Haute Horlogerie 2011 in Geneva Switzerland.