Time has many faces—watch faces, that is—as abundantly shown at 2005’s international watch fairs held in Switzerland in Basel (BaselWorld) and Geneva (SIHH, WPHH, Time Evolution, F.P. Journe, and several others) in early April. They include more new faces moving into the luxury watch market; vintage faces, emulated in many new models; and exquisite faces of the growing number of affordable mechanical watches, many with complications and many designed specifically—and fashionably—for women watch connoisseurs.

This special watch report (continuing in the August and September editions of JCK with reports on sports and travelers watches, and tourbillons) looks at some of the big watch trends coming this year and next to your hometown market.