[Quiet Watch Overview] What is a "Quiet Luxury" watch?

Quiet luxury has been a hot topic in the fashion world since the COVID-19 pandemic. While some believe it has already peaked, it is also true that demand for dress watches continues to grow. In contrast to the "luxury sports" watch, which had a clear approach, the "quiet" approach has no set form. First, let's interpret it by applying it to the context of watchmaking.

[Quiet Watch Overview] What is "Quiet Luxury" in various situations?

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What is the "quiet" grammar of watchmaking?

　What would happen if we interpreted the trending keyword "quiet luxury" using the grammar specific to the watch industry? This project, which originated from such an idea, began by identifying the "quiet watches" that we envision. First, Editor-in-Chief Hirota and the author in charge of planning each selected 20 watches. You can get a rough idea of ​​the lineup by looking at the lineup in the feature, which coincidentally overlaps almost entirely with the content of the "Dress Watch Special Feature" (January 2024 issue of this magazine) published about a year ago.

　So, is a "quiet watch" simply another way of saying dress watch? If you ask me, it seems that it is not. For example, I excluded small, ultra-thin two-hand dress watches from this selection. I apologize for speaking from a subjective point of view, but I felt that proper formal dress was far removed from the feeling of the word "quiet." If that's the case, it would seem like it would be better to just make up a new term like "quiet watch" and define it as "this is a quiet watch," but that's not so easy.

While it may be a good fit for those searching for the next trending word after "luxury sports," Quiet has no specific shape, unlike luxury sports. If we were to define luxury sports, it would be easy to disagree if we said it was a relatively thin sporty watch with a certain level of water resistance and an integrated bracelet. What's more, it seems that luxury sports itself is also fully qualified to be quiet.

　So what were the criteria for the original 40 selections? Looking back on them may provide a clue to understanding "quiet grammar."

　The first topic discussed was "no logo, no name." The vanguard of this trend was H. Moser & Cie.'s "Concept" dials, which completely stripped the dial of all display elements. The elimination of counters for the hours, minutes, and seconds, as well as the brand's own logo, was born from H. Moser & Cie.'s distinctive rebellious spirit. However, it also highlights the beauty of the fumé dial, another distinctive feature of the brand. While the mainstream dial-making process has shifted back to plating processes such as galvanic and PVD, the stunning gradations achieved through direct lacquer application are particularly noteworthy. Furthermore, on the company's dials with indexes, the brand logo is often depicted in a thick, clear coating. Whether this is an homage to the old secret signature, the paradoxical recognition that an invisible brand logo means an H. Moser & Cie. watch is noteworthy.

　Similarly, Parmigiani Fleurier changed its full logo to just the applied initials "PF" after Guido Terreni became CEO. The latter is the result of a pure pursuit of minimalism, but it seems to have great significance in that it has become established as the brand's individuality.

　If we were to translate the term "quiet" into high-quality texture, then the "finished dial" would be essential. While the texture of the case is important, the dial—the face of the watch—is undeniably even more so. In this field, the possibilities are endless, with every brand striving to enhance the quality of their dials. While the list of so-called "luxury dials" is endless, if we were to choose a mid-range watch, Longines takes a step further. The Longines Master Collection, featuring Breguet numerals, first introduced in the 190th anniversary model, is engraved with a micromachining machine. Because the roundness inherent to end mill cutting remains at the end of the cut, the edges are not as sharp as those engraved by hand using a burin. However, the sheen of the engraved surface itself closely rivals that of hand engraving. Initially only used on limited edition models, it has now spread to the regular lineup. Longines, in other words, uses this technique on the dials of its mass-produced products.

　Another noteworthy aspect of modern dial making is the "subtle reproduction of neutral colors." While galvanic and other wet-plating techniques are well-known for their salmon pink and ice blue finishes, Parmigiani Fleurier's "Toric" dials offer an even more subtle texture. Since the "Tonda PF," the brand has been creating color assortments inspired by Le Corbusier's "Architectural Polychromy." For the Toric dials, the brand uses two colors evocative of earth and nature. The platinum case shown here features celadon green, while the 18KPG case features sand gold. The sartorial-stitched straps feature the opposite hues. According to CEO Guido Terreni, these two colors are primarily intended to blend in with any outfit without being overbearing. This color choice reflects the brand's view of watches as part of their clothing.

　On the other hand, if you look closely at the case design, you'll notice that they haven't chosen any watches with the so-called "iconic design" of luxury sports. This isn't because they were conscious of moving away from luxury sports or going post-luxury sports. For the "Quiet" concept as perceived through the sensibilities of a watch nerd magazine, a luxury sports design would be too assertive. But that doesn't mean it would be boring if it lacked individuality. A good example is Louis Vuitton's "Escale." This watch is based on an extremely simple cylinder case, but the plate extending from the lugs is reminiscent of the metal fittings used on trunks. Just this little step transforms a simple round watch into a more expressive piece. This watch also has an excellent dial, with an embossed center that mimics the texture of Monogram canvas.

　One measure of a watch's aesthetic purity is whether it is "traditional," but in this case, I would like to emphasize whether it is "authentic." Moritz Grossmann's watchmaking has a background in traditional handcrafting, but in terms of design, they aim for a minimalist, authentic style. The Japan-limited model of the "37 Arabic" is based on the original Benu, but has removed the numerals from the small seconds, emphasizing a sense of openness. This kind of subtraction is not easy to produce.

　Looking at the watches listed here from a bird's-eye view, we notice that the overwhelming majority of them have "ordinary" features. "Do old man watches dream of luxury?" This becomes an important theme when considering quiet luxury in watches.