One of the things I will absolutely never tire of when it comes to attending watch shows like Watches & Wonders and Geneva Watch Days is the opportunity to handle watches that would be simply impossible to view at any other time. These events are important for networking purposes and to see and learn about new releases from mass market brands as early as possible so we can share them with our readers, but let?s be honest: even the ?rare? watches from brands that are part of the big luxury groups are relatively easy to see if you?re in New York City and connected to the watch media or collector world. But there are some watches that when they?re brought out, you understand immediately that you?re probably getting your one, last look. That?s the impression I got at my Girard-Perregaux meeting when they showed me the La Esmeralda ?A Secret? Eternity Edition Honey. 
I saw lots of cool stuff over three very busy and sweaty days taking meetings in the Beau Rivage and other hotels that lack American style air conditioning during Geneva Watch Days, but if you asked me to narrow things down and pick just one watch that is simply the most beautiful object I saw during my time there, the Esmerelda gets my vote. Beauty, as we know, is in the eye of the beholder, so I won?t speak in absolute terms here. It would be perfectly reasonable to prefer the Garrick S3 or the Armin Strom Dual Time Resonance, or virtually any number of other great watches. But the Esmerelda won me over a...