A Quick Hands-On With The Andersen Genève Communication 45

Last month, I had the pleasure of attending various events during London Watch Week. Most of the sessions took place in Mayfair, including a day at a historic house that featured new watches. Andersen Genève, along with the brand’s CEO, Pierre-Alexandre Aeschlimann, occupied a small booth. It was here that we noticed the standout from the day’s festivities. The Communication 45 is a beautifully crafted anniversary piece.

In 1990, Andersen Genève launched the Communication 24 after watchmaker Svend Andersen developed it. Interestingly, there was a lack of worldtimers in the marketplace after the 1966 death of Louis Cottier, who many regard as the father of the complication. Brands such as Patek Philippe stopped producing them, but buyers wanted the functionality. This led Andersen to create the Communication. Now, the new Communication 45 celebrates the 45 years of the brand and 35 years since the original release. As we’ll see, the watch leans into the details.

The Andersen Gèneve Communication 45

Andersen Genève had a small showcase in London displaying the original Communication 24 watch. This small 18K gold piece featured a Hagmann case with horned lugs. While the looks and bright blue crocodile strap felt like a time warp back to the ’80s, the watch was awesome! Thankfully, the new Communication 45 captures the same spirit, albeit in a more modern size.

The new piece has a 38mm diameter, and while we didn’t get the lug-to-lug measurement, let’s just say it fits like a classic dress watch. Its hand-crafted 3N yellow gold case comes courtesy of master craftsman Marco Poluzzi in La Chaux-de-Fonds. There is no CNC machining involved, which makes the requisite horned lugs even more special. The case comes fitted with a brown crocodile strap, which includes an 18K yellow gold pin buckle.

What a dial!

Upon first glance, the Communication 45 dial looks like a typical worldtimer. However, the material used in the decoration of the central portion is special. Andersen Gèneve uses a material known as 21K BlueGold. To create this material, iron is alloyed with gold. Then, the material undergoes a specifically timed and temperature-controlled heating process, all performed in-house, within a kiln to achieve various colors. As the name indicates, the material often turns blue. For this model, the brand worked to create a cognac tone. The result is gorgeous!

From a finishing perspective, the oceans display a wave-pattern tapisserie-guilloché. Then, the land mass sections are created by carefully removing material. Last comes an application of pure gold liquid lacquer to create the subtle distinction between land and sea.

The Communication 45 uses a vintage automatic movement and an in-house complication

While the front of the Communication 45 is lovely, the case back is also worth viewing. Just look at it! The engravings, lug design, and hallmarks all look handmade and of a different era. Andersen Gèneve selected vintage A. Schild automatic movements as the base. Each movement is fully disassembled and refinished with frosted surfaces and polished screws before the in-house worldtimer module is added. The highlight, of course, is the BlueGold rotor with the same tapisserie-guilloché detail.

Functionally, the flush-fit crown at 3 o’clock sets the time and winds the movement. The one on the opposite side is for setting the city ring. The 24-hour ring then rotates during normal wear.

Limited and available in three versions

Andersen Gèneve is producing 15 watches displaying Europe, 15 portraying Asia, and 15 showing the Americas for a total of 45 pieces. Correspondingly, each Communication 45 bears a unique number out of 15 on the case back. The price comes to CHF 49,800, and deliveries will begin during the first quarter of 2026. While the Andersen Genève Communication 45 certainly won’t be for everyone, it’s a fitting release to mark both the brand’s 45th anniversary and the 35th birthday of a special watch.