Baselworld 2015

Each spring there is one particular event in the watch and jewellery industry calendar that retailers, collectors and dreamers await with bated breath - Baselworld. This is the show where the big players in the industry gather to see and be seen, but most importantly to unveil their latest creations.

The first Baselworld fair was held in 1917 - at the time known as the Schweizer Mustermesse Basel (MUBA), meaning "Swiss Design Fair Basel". At the time the show included a small section for watches and jewellery and it was not until 1931 that a dedicated Swiss Watch Fair was established. Things remained relatively constant until 1973 which was the first year the fair invited companies to exhibit from other European countries such as France and Italy. Over a decade later in 1986, companies from outwith Europe were permitted to exhibit at the show now known as Basel 86 (86 to denote the year).

In the years following the show has continued from strength to strength, thanks in part to substantial investment to the exhibition spaces, and, in 2007 attendance broke the 100'000 mark for the first time - marking the show as one of the "must attend" events of the year.

But what exactly makes this show so special? Well, for a start, all of the most important players attend each year including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Breitling, TAG Heuer and Zenith. Secondly, it is where the majority of these exclusive brands choose to unveil their new collections. In preparation for this year's show which opens on the 19th of March, we will take a look back at some of the best watches to be revealed in recent years at Baselworld.

We begin with a recent addition - from 2014, the TAG Heuer Monaco V4 Tourbillon. The importance of this particular watch lies in the fact that it is the first watch to incorporate a micro-belt driven tourbillon complication. It is named after the V shaped main plate of the exposed movement which possesses an automatic winding system. This hand made racing watch is housed in a platinum case and retails for approximately £110'000.

The second is the 1989 Patek Philippe 150th Anniversary Officer's Watch. This was the year that Patek really began to set themselves apart from other high-end brands with the release of The Officer's Watch in commemoration of their 150th anniversary. This marked the first time a company had produced a truly limited (and individually numbered) edition watch, and this marked an important milestone in Patek history.

In 2000 Rolex released its' first in-house chronograph calibre movement, housed in the immaculate Rolex Daytona. This was an important milestone for the brand, and represented their concentrated efforts to bring everything in-house.

These three watches offers just a small taste of some of the most important designs to be released at Baselworld. With the show due to begin this week we can't wait to see what 2015 has in store!