By Request: My Basel Predictions

[JToddH]

My predictions?

10. Rolex will have a 56th anniversary edition Submariner. It will contain a green Parachrom hairspring.

9. Hublot will release a limited edition King Power Ramsfjell to commemorate the achievement of Eigel Ramsfjell, the Norwegian who took the Bronze Medal for Curling at the 1998 winter Olympics in Nagano.

8. Roman Jerome will release the Explosive DNA series containing metal from the gas tank of an actual 1971 Ford Pinto. Strap editions are rumored to have bands of denim textured naugahyde.

7. Richard Mille will release "Jackpot," A slot machine styled watch that sucks money directly from your linked bank account. It never actually returns money but upon winning, it prominently displays the name "Richard Mille" across the crystal for all to see.

6. Rolex will now make a clear case back optional on every model. Unfortunately, inside the case back will be a large holographic sticker containing a repeating "Rolex" pattern. None of the movent will be visible. ( Submariner stickers will have and inspection hole in the center to monitor wear on the rotor post of the 3135 movement.)

5. MB&F has cancelled its plans to release its new model this year opting instead to license it to NASA as a prototype Mars rover.

4. In a huge shift in its marketing strategy, Tissot will show inside this year, reversing its previous trend of displaying in parking lot pagodas at Basel.

3. In an attempt to expedite distribution, Rolex will release Stainless Daytonas directly to gray market channels.

2. Aftermarket manufacturer Spin Labels Inc. will be releasing a series of photographic tourbillon stickers that can be placed on the crystal of any watch, instantaneously converting it to a tourbillon. According the the company president, "exhaustive research and testing has proven our product equally effective as actual tourbillons at increasing the accuracy of every movement tested for a fraction of the price." MSRP for these stickers will start at about $65,000.

1. Rolex will release the long anticipated AirBling. A budget minded model that has no markers, no hands or no movement for that matter. It merely has a large Rolex crown in the center of the face. Who needs to tell time anyway, it's a Rolex.