SIHH 2014’s Watch Trends Promise Quality and Affordability

2014 has promised to be an interesting and inventive year for those looking to invest in a watch. One major watch event, called the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie or SIHH, takes place in January every year and debuts the freshest changes in watch-making. Whether you’re looking for a brand new watch for yourself or a loved one as a gift for a birthday, graduation, anniversary, or other special event, these trends should point you in the right direction when you begin your shopping.

Firstly, if you’re tired of paying extra money for imported watches, in 2014 American watches have risen back to the forefront of popularity. As the economy has improved, Chinese watches have fallen out of favor over those made on American soil. Various American-made watches appeared at SIHH from brands like Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak line, Van Cleef & Arples’ Planetarium, Piaget’s Altiplano 900P, and IWC’s Aquatimer watch. These watches are all very interesting as well, with different features. For example, the Planetarium watch allows wearers to watch the world in orbit over time, the Altiplano 900P is extremely slim, and the Aquatimer is waterproof.

While you may think that these watches would be expensive, another trend that any watch-buyer can appreciate is the slashed prices on these luxury pieces. SIHH modeled many watches that cost only between $3,000-$5,000. While this certainly requires some time saving up for a new watch, overall, these are certainly more affordable options than those priced at about $15,000 and up. For those lower prices, you can find watches by brands like Ralph Lauren or Baume & Mercier, so you’re certainly not losing quality for those prices.

Women too will want to get into watches this year. Many watch-making brands have realized that they should appeal to women as well as men and thus are producing versions of their popular watches that are slim enough to fit women’s wrists while still maintaining quality and aesthetics. Baume & Mercier, for example, showcased a unisex version of their watch at SIHH that would look good on men as well as women. However, the brand also produced a Clifton line that’s specifically for females.

Beyond Baume & Mercier, women have even more options. Francois-Paul Journe produced an Elegante line that is specially designed to appeal to women. It features both diamonds encrusted in the watch as well as a variety of colors for ladies to choose from. The watch, according to Journe, also features electro-mechanical functioning with an internal microprocessor to keep it running longer.

With all of these exciting watch trends for 2014, this is certainly an ideal time to invest in a quality timepiece like any of these that appeared at SIHH. You can start your quest for the perfect watch at Raymond Lee Jewelers. Since 1983, Raymond Lee Jewelers has served the South Florida area, carrying items like vintage jewelry, designer jewelry, timepieces, and GIA-certified diamonds. You can visit today to shop top name brands for watches and get your hands on one of these timeless pieces.