Time+Tide’s selection of the “craziest” watches from Geneva Watch Days 2023 is about unusual mechanics and time displays, not just bold styling. The four standouts pair a constant-force escapement with familiar central hands, a fluidic retrograde hour display with an inclined conical tourbillon, two linked escapements, and a thin carbon-and-gold perpetual calendar.
What made Geneva Watch Days 2023 unusual
Geneva Watch Days ran from August 29 to September 2, 2023, with nearly 40 exhibiting brands showing new watches in a central pavilion and brand showrooms, according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. Its lineup ranged from established complications to experimental ways of displaying time. “Craziest” is Time+Tide’s editorial label for its four picks, not an objective ranking of the event.
Four standout watches, compared
| Watch | Mechanism and display | Case and movement | Edition and launch price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Girard-Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement | Constant-force escapement; central hours, minutes and seconds; power-reserve display | 45mm titanium; 14.8mm thick; hand-wound GP09200, COSC-certified; seven-day power reserve | Edition size not stated by Time+Tide; US$99,600 / CHF 95,000 at publication |
| HYT Conical Tourbillon Infinity Sapphires | 30-degree inclined conical tourbillon; rotating sapphires; fluidic retrograde hours and central minutes hand | 48mm diameter, 25.15mm thick, 52.3mm lug-to-lug; 5N gold and black-coated titanium; hand-wound 701-TC, 533 parts; 40-hour reserve | Eight pieces; CHF 390,000 |
| Czapek Place Vendôme Complicité Harmony Blue | Two balance wheels and escapements linked by a differential; the differential averages rate variations | 41.8mm rose gold; 14.8mm thick; 48.2mm lug-to-lug; hand-wound Calibre 8; 72-hour reserve | 50 pieces per color; CHF 85,000 excluding VAT at launch |
| Bulgari Octo Finissimo CarbonGold Perpetual Calendar | Perpetual calendar with retrograde date and leap-year indication | 40mm carbon, rose gold and ceramic case; 7.6mm thick; in-house BVL 305 movement is 2.75mm thick; 60-hour reserve | Edition size not stated by Time+Tide; A$145,000 at publication |
Specifications and launch-era prices in the table are reported by Time+Tide. Phillips describes the Czapek’s collaboration with Bernhard Lederer and its dial-side movement architecture, where sapphire bridges reveal the differential: Phillips’ Geneva Watch Days roundup. These are historical launch figures, not claims about current retail availability or resale value.
Girard-Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement: precision engineering, familiar hands
The Neo Constant Escapement’s distinctive feature is its constant-force escapement, while the time remains easy to read through conventional central hands. Time+Tide describes it as a reworked version with a more legible central display and a smaller case than its predecessor. Its 45mm titanium case houses the hand-wound, COSC-certified GP09200, with a seven-day power reserve and a separate reserve display. That combination makes the watch an example of complex regulating mechanics presented through a relatively straightforward layout.
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HYT Conical Tourbillon Infinity Sapphires: fluid hours around a tilted tourbillon
HYT combines two visually conspicuous systems: an inclined conical tourbillon and a fluidic retrograde hour indication. The tourbillon sits at a 30-degree angle, while sapphires rotate around it. For the hours, two bellows move fluid through a display that progresses and then returns; a central hand indicates minutes. The manually wound 701-TC movement contains 533 parts and runs for 40 hours. Its 48mm gold and black-coated titanium case is substantially thicker than the other watches in this selection, at 25.15mm.
Czapek Place Vendôme Complicité: two escapements, one averaged rate
The Complicité’s core idea is not a tourbillon or a calendar, but two balance wheels and escapements connected by a differential. The differential averages their rate variations. That mechanism is also part of the watch’s display: dial-side architecture and sapphire bridges expose the interaction rather than hiding it under the dial. The rose-gold case measures 41.8mm across and 14.8mm thick. Calibre 8 is manually wound and offers a 72-hour reserve. Time+Tide gives the launch edition as 50 pieces in each color and a price of CHF 85,000 excluding VAT.
Rank #2
- Case Size Diameter 43mm in Two Tone Case
- Two Tone Bracelet with Deployant Closure
- Black Guilloche Dial
- Luxury Fashion Swiss Watch with 2 Hand Quartz Movement
- MSRP: 1795.00
Bulgari Octo Finissimo CarbonGold: a perpetual calendar in a thin package
Bulgari’s CarbonGold concept contrasts anthracite carbon with rose-gold details, with ceramic also listed among the case materials. The perpetual-calendar version pairs that material mix with a 40mm case just 7.6mm thick. Its in-house BVL 305 movement measures 2.75mm thick and provides a 60-hour reserve. Calendar functions include a retrograde date and leap-year indication. The result is the selection’s clearest case of combining a substantial calendar complication with a notably thin profile.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How these picks compare with the wider event
The four watches span different kinds of horological novelty: regulating force, fluid display, paired escapements and calendar engineering. The wider Geneva Watch Days coverage also included watches whose distinction came from materials, design or format rather than an unusual complication. Phillips highlighted the titanium Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto 40, the ten-piece Sylvain Pinaud × Massena LAB Chronograph Monopoussoir, the 25-piece De Bethune DB28XP “Kind of Blue,” Bulgari’s CarbonGold watches, and the Oris Divers Sixty-Five Cotton Candy.
Rank #3
- STYLISH: This Armani Exchange watch features a gold sunray dial, gold-tone stainess steel bracelet, and chronograph movement
- CASE & MOVEMENT: A men's watch with a 44mm case, 22mm band width, scratch resistant mineral crystal, accurate quartz movement with chronograph analog display, imported
- DIAL: These men's watches feature a stainless steel case with a gold dial
- WATCH BAND: Wrist watches for men with a gold-tone stainless steel bracelet; links can be removed for a customized fit
- WATER RESISTANT MENS WATCH: Up to 50m (165ft); Wearable while swimming in shallow water; 5 ATM
The Oris is a useful contrast in scale and price: Phillips described its stainless-steel case as 38mm and its pink, blue or green dial variants as launching at CHF 2,150–2,350. That is a launch-price range from Phillips’ 2023 coverage, not a current price quote. For the four “craziest” selections, the point of comparison is less a single ladder of extravagance than the different problems each watch sets out to solve—and how visibly it puts that solution on the dial.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 35mm IP Yellow Gold Case
- Black Calf Leather Strap
- Black Guilloche Dial
- 5 ATM
- MSRP: 1095.00
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
