Salon des Grandes Complications opens its doors in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Haute horology exhibition set to wow the capital with Masterpieces

The second edition of the Salon des Grandes Complications in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was officially inaugurated on 16th April 2018. The four-day event sees the return of some of the finest names in haute horology to the Kingdom, along with some newcomers, in a show-stopping display of craftsmanship, technical excellence and awe-inspiring innovation.  

Leading on from the extraordinary success of the watchmaking exhibition debut in Riyadh last year, as well as its premiere in Jeddah last week, the annual event is being held once again at the prestigious Al Faisaliah Hotel from 16th-19th April.

Salon des Grandes Complications showcases mechanical watchmaking savoir-faire and celebrates watch culture in the Middle East, providing a platform for conversation with enthusiasts from across the region. It is held with the support of the Swiss Embassy in Saudi Arabia and Visa International.

Participating maisons are: Armand Nicolet, Armin Strom, Blancpain, Breguet, Breitling, Czapek, Fabergé, Franck Muller, Girard-Perregaux, Greubel Forsey, Harry Winston, Hysek, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Montblanc, Panerai, Quinting, Roger Dubuis, Vacheron Constantin and Zenith, with retailers Alfardan Jewellery, Abdullah Said Binzagr Jewellery & Watches, Paris Gallery and Platinum Sands.

“It is an honour to take part in the second Salon des Grandes Complications in Riyadh again this year; reflective of the blossoming luxury industry in Saudi Arabia, the thirst for such an event has been evident for some time now. We are expecting this year’s Salon to be as – if not more – successful than last year,” said Jamil Matar, President of Alfardan Jewellery - Saudi Arabia.

“With appreciation for and understanding of fine watchmaking growing in Saudi Arabia, Salon des Grandes Complications has become a focal point for the industry. The population is young and enthusiastic, the retail market is one of the fastest growing in the world, and the number of watch devotees is on the rise,” added Jean Sfeir, Watch and Jewellery Division Manager, Abdullah Said Binzagr.

From a brand standpoint, Alexander Schmiedt, Brand Director Middle East & India, Vacheron Constantin commented, “We are happy to return to Saudi Arabia for the Riyadh edition of Salon des Grandes Complications. The event stands to strengthen the Middle East’s positioning as a hub for fine watchmaking. It offers an ideal meeting point, a place to discuss, learn, and to become inspired by the uniqueness that is haute horology.”

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Highlights showcased by each brand include Armand Nicolet’s HS2, it’s new jumping hour collection and one of the company’s most elegant and eye-catching models, Armin Strom’s new Pure Resonance with its most remarkable feature the visible dual balances oscillating in

resonance and Blancpain’s Villeret Carrousel Phases de Lune, which unites two of the brand’s most iconic horological complications, the carrousel and the moon phase whilst expressing the tradition of innovation.

Also displayed is the Tradition 7047 by Breguet, a Grande Complication wristwatch featuring a spectacular tourbillon mechanism coupled to a fusee-and-chain transmission, Breitling’s new pilot’s watch collection: the Navitimer 8, honouring the company’s rich heritage and its pioneering role in building chronographic instruments, and Czapek’s new Place Vendôme Tourbillon Suspendu collection, named “Lumières”, a limited edition featuring a one-minute suspended tourbillon, second time zone, day/night disk, and classic power reserve indicator. 

Fabergé presents a special edition Visionnaire I available exclusively at Alfardan Jewellery that features a flying tourbillon and 14 carat baguette-cut diamond bezel, Franck Muller its Gravity Skeleton, engineered to revolutionize with cutting-edge technology and unique heritage, Girard-Perregaux its new Laureato Chronograph, writing a new chapter in its history with the introduction of an enriched range of versatile chronographs, and Greubel Forsey its GMT Earth, which offers a comprehensive, three-dimensional view of the terrestrial globe, from the North to the South Poles.

Joining these masterpieces is Harry Winston’s Histoire de Tourbillon 8, featuring a two-biaxial tourbillon design, unified by a spherical differential and housed in a large white gold case dedicated entirely to the grand complication, Hysek’s Colossal, of which only eight are being made – a perpetual calendar with over 1,000 components protected by several patent applications, and Jaeger-LeCoultre’s elegant and sporty Polaris collection inspired by the iconic Memovox Polaris watch from 1968.

Montblanc presents its TimeWalker collection which takes a journey back to the glory days of motor racing and focuses on masculine energy, superb technology and a vintage yet contemporary style, Panerai its Luminor Due 3 Days Automatic Oro Rosso 38mm, a contemporary timepiece the smallest and thinnest case ever produced by Panerai from the Luminor Due collection, and Quinting its limited edition Moonlight, the first moon phase timepiece where the moon revolves around the earth, accurately showing its phases.

Also making a noise is Roger Dubuis’ Limited Edition Aventador S model, born out of an association with Lamborghini Squadra Corse and now available in Saudi Arabia, Vacheron Constantin highlights its traveller-dedicated Overseas Dual Time, featuring a new mechanical self-winding movement that enables simultaneous reading of the two time zones by means of coaxial hands, and Zenith its Defy El Primero 21 BLUE, a new elegant true blue version of the celebrated masterpiece with an openworked dial and titanium case.

Salon des Grandes Complications is open to the public every day from 16:00-23:00 hours, 16th-19th April.