Like the famous quote ‒ “time and tide wait for no one,” the horology industry has continued to change drastically over centuries. The events and trends of a particular period had a significant impact on the creation and development of timepieces. The 11th edition of DFS Master of Time exhibition will be emphasising on it with displays of watches and jewellery that highlight the horology industry’s discoveries through different periods ‒ the 19th century, the 1920s, the 1960s, the 2000s, Today and Tomorrow.

In line with the theme, the DFS’ merchant team has curated a selection of timepieces and jewellery that is reminiscent of the past, present and future. There will be 120 unique watches and 20 fine jewellery pieces from more than 25 brands including Blancpain, Bulgari, Cartier, Franck Muller and more.

Embodying the 19th century, the Villeret Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Retrograde by Blancpain reinterprets the brand’s flying tourbillon technique. It includes new features like jump hours and retrograde minutes. Apart from its technical aspects, it is stylised with grand feu enamel dial handcrafted by Blancpain.

Moving on to the 1920s, World War I had a huge impact on the creations in the haute horology industry. This was the time, wrist watches replaced pocket watches. Sports watches and chronographs originated. Representing the 1920s is the Master Gyrotourbillon 1 by Jaeger-Lecoultre. This watch has a calendar on it. While the date is shown on the upper side of the dial using two retrograde hands, the month is shown using a retrograde hand at 8 o’clock.

Four decades later, the 1960s became a very defining period in the watch industry. Minimalism started becoming more fashionable thus leading to the creation of simple and elegant watches by brands like Vacheron Constantin and Piaget. Representing this period is the Serpenti Seduttori by Bvlgari with its stylish drop shaped dial and hexagon shaped bracelet.

Fast forward to the 21st century, maximal fashion became popular with the rise of hip hop. Bigger dials and watches with more details were more in the tastes of the people. Franck Muller’s Rainbow Invisible Setting Tourbillon In White Gold represents the detail orientated aspects of this period with its dial that features 122 baguette-cut diamonds and 21 baguette-cut coloured sapphires. 

On par with the present, there is the Classic Fusion Ferrari GT King Gold by Hublot. This Hublot X Ferrari collaboration gave raise to a watch that takes inspiration from the «Gran Turismo» universe. 

With the endless changes and creations that the haute horology has gone through, the future leaves so much room for imagination and prediction. Zenith‘s Defy Inventor features the brand’s new “Zenith Oscillator” control system. This represents all the new inventions that one can expect in the future.