Every type of watch you can imagine is on show at Baselworld, held annually in Switzerland, and when asked to pick a favorite, choosing between them is an almost impossible task. However, we know what’s cool, and we know which ones we’d pick up to wear on a regular basis if we had the funds to purchase one of each.
After spending hours walking the show and trying on the latest models (yes, it was such a chore), we’ve picked six that had enough of a cool factor that we would happily wear each again and again.
Our Favorite Watches from Baselworld 2019
Zodiac Aerospace GMT
Zodiac displayed its gorgeous Aerospace GMT limited edition at Baselworld in both black and grey and the eye-catching blue and orange color scheme. The case measures 40mm and is made from polished stainless steel, while the automatic Swiss movement has a GMT hand, ready to track a second time zone on the watch face. Simple, yet incredibly stylish, this looked very smart on our wrist, despite the smaller than expected size. We’d go for the blue and orange model which costs $1,695, but sadly are all out of stock on Zodiac’s site at the time of writing.
Oris Aquis GMT Date
Oris had a hard job getting us to take off the Aquis GMT Date. There are two models, a black version and the beautiful blue version seen above. Perfectly sized at 43mm, and made from stainless steel, with a comfortable rubber strap. The GMT hand shows a second time zone on the face and then a third is shown using the central hour hand and the rotating bezel — which for the first time on an Oris watch has a ceramic insert. Yours for around $2,500 in April.
Edox Skydiver
We love a watch with a story. The 42mm 2019 Skydiver is based on an Edox watch from the 70s, the existence of which was only discovered by the company recently. It didn’t have an example in its archives and sought collectors willing to sell one of the rare models. Eventually one was acquired, and the 2019 Skydiver was created as an homage. Limited to 555 piece, it has a Swiss automatic movement, is water-resistant to 300 meters, and comes in a leather pouch with a second strap included. The price is around $1,300.
Tag Heuer Autavia Isograph
Newly launched at Baselworld 2019, the Autavia collection is inspired by Tag Heuer Autavia watches of the 60s, which in turn were inspired by aircraft and automotive instruments. There are five stainless steel models, but we fell for the bronze model with a smoked green leather strap. The case measures 42mm and contains an automatic Calibre 5 movement (the carbon composite hairspring inside is the reason for the isograph name), while there is a date window at 6 o’clock, and all the hands are covered in SuperLuminova for nighttime viewing. Prices start at $3,500.
Casio G Shock MRG-G2000GA Gassan
Japanese swordsmith Sadanobu Gassan places his name and mark on the new MRG-G2000GA watch. On the metal link band, each link has the Yasuri-me mark, used to prevent swords from slipping out of someone’s hands, plus the Gassan family motto inscribed by hand on the second band link. The specially processed titanium case has a deep violet color, the bezel is made from a cobalt chrome alloy, and the watch even has a Bluetooth connection to link with your phone. All this, plus the usual G Shock toughness. Just 300 will be made for the global market, and each is numbered and inscribed. It will be released in July and should retail for $7,400.
Zenith El Primero Revival A386
Made to honor the 1969 El Primero watch, this stunning El Primero Revival automatic chronograph will come in three different versions, and each will be limited to 50 pieces. The 38mm case is made from either yellow, pink, or white gold and contains the high frequency El Primero movement with a 50-hour power reserve. Zenith includes a 50-year guarantee, which can be passed on to future owners too. Classy, technical, and packed with watchmaking history, this was one of the most memorable pieces we saw at the show. Each model will cost a whopping $20,000.
If these timepieces are a bit too out of reach (or style) for you, check out these great time-tellers under $500.
