Glashütte Original has once again given an impressive performance at Baselworld, thanks to a confident brand presence and sensational new products. The Saxon manufactory presented refreshing new design variations of proven product lines to industry experts at the world's largest watch and jewellery fair. A limited edition of the Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar in white gold and annual editions of the Sixties and Sixties Panorama Date models with striking green dials proved the most spectacular of the new entries, as expected, but the other new versions of successful timepieces were equally well received.

Whether imperial for the bracelet or greenery for the dial, green is associated with nature and renewal, a nod to the latest addition to the Anonimo's Epurato collection. This new line, easily recognizable with the main identity elements of the brand, proposes the marriage of bronze and green in a refined version.

Without water, there is no life. Whether it is the drinking water required as the most basic of human needs or the vast oceans that help to regulate Planet Earth’s climate and provide sustenance for its population, water plays a crucial role in our lives. Yet it is something that we so often take for granted, with little thought for the consequences of our actions on the health of our planet.

The Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, of which Longines is the Official Timekeeper, is one of the world’s top global venues of thoroughbred racing. The Dubai World Cup Carnival hosts a dozen race days from January to the end of March. It closes with the Dubai World Cup, which sees nine races take place during that day, culminating with the eponymous race, claimed this year by Thunder Snow led by Christophe Soumillon.

In 2017, Graham made quite a splash with its Nose Art watches, which were original, creative, fun, slightly cheeky, but elegant at the same time. Their dials sported knockout pin-up girls in a spirit of 1940s and 50s Americana. What happened last year was far from ordinary, and the implications were much bigger than a successful limited edition would normally entail. Graham had brought its Chronofighter to the attention of a wider public. Up to that point, the XXL-format watch was largely unknown except to a select audience of extreme watch collectors. The Nose Art range changed all that. It was up to Graham to build on the momentum in 2018.

Happy Easter! You’ll notice that we haven’t put all our eggs in one basket. We have been rationing out the mechanical treasures unveiled since Baselworld’s opening day, which this year happened to be the first day of spring. There was an undercurrent of optimism at this year’s Basel international watch fair (from 21 to 27 March), no doubt as a result of the upswing in watch exports since last summer. This warming climate not only left steam on the windows of the world’s top brands holding court in the entrance to Hall 1 (brands belonging to LVMH and Swatch Group, along with Patek Philippe and Rolex); it also infused the rest of the fair, rising even to the three dozen niche independent watchmakers based in the Les Ateliers space. From a pure watch industry perspective, the majority of brands had a successful fair in terms of selling their latest collections to retailers, who were more enthusiastic than last year. Baselworld has therefore proven itself once again, despite criticisms from exhibitors over poor communication on the part of the organisers.

Winner of the Aiguille d’Or (Best in Show) prize at the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, the L.U.C. Full Strike is adopting a new grey colour. Its original construction, its case in “Fairmined” 18-carat white gold, the excellence of its Poinçon de Genève finishing, and above all its extraordinary sound, contribute to the exceptional nature of a watch in a league of its own.