From unusual divers to new claims on the Royal Oak’s crown – and a very different Patek Philippe Calatrava – these are the QP editorial team’s favourite watches from Baselworld 2019

By Chris Hall & James Buttery

Chris Hall
Urban Jurgensen One

I heard about this watch shortly before Baselworld, and it filled me with anticipation. Many is the time that a brand steps into the territory of the Royal Oak/Nautilus/Overseas and rarely does it succeed. Would this be a similar story" Sporty designs are unfamiliar terrain for Urban Jurgensen too; I had no doubt the movement and dial would hold up to close examination, but this watch lives and dies by its case and bracelet. Were I nitpicking, I?d say it?s a bit thick, and maybe the bracelet could benefit from bevelled edges, but overall this didn?t disappoint from its early promise. It?s one of my watches of the fair because a brand tried something new and succeeded, and that?s pretty rare.
De Bethune DB21 MaxiChrono Re-Edition

The Maxichrono has been around in various designs since 2006, most famously in the DB28 case, and appeared on the cover of QP issue 68 in 2014 as the DB29 Maxichrono Tourbillon but hadn?t been heard from in a while. Now it?s back in the collection with a cracking new dial that?s fresh, colourful and rooted in classic chronograph design tropes while remaining utterly modern. Everything else that was always great about the watch remains: five chronograph hands from the centra...