Storage Wars: The Best USB Keys From Baselworld 2018, And Why We Love Them

As mentioned when we reviewed the best  and worst USB keys of SIHH 2018 earlier this year, we are in our sixth year of reviewing the storage devices that watch brands use to pass their precious information and images on to journalists and bloggers. This much-loved story has sparked a lot of attention over the years, and we have had some amazing response even from brands, who sometimes hand me the USB stick with great anticipation to see my reaction. It is a lot of fun and is a great respite from the true items we all love the most — the watches.  So, here we bring you a look at the best USB Keys from Baselworld 2018.

The Four Best USB Keys from Baselworld 2018

Younger readers may not have as much affinity for the selected top winning key from Baselworld 2018 as we do … simply because it is historic in nature – a part of pop culture. Graham Watches, which has a unique perspective on watches inspired by the fighter planes of World War II, distributed compact audio cassettes, or a cassette tape shaped USB key.  A retrospective throw back to the 1960’s ands ’70s when cassettes were the mode of pre-recorded music — with about 45 minutes on each side pf play time, the Graham Watches Cassette USB key consists of the outer case, the inner cassette and a usb keys that emerges from where the “tape” portion of the cassette would  be. Nice vibe.

Also historic in nature, and tantalizingly colorful, the new USB key from Louis Moinet is a winner as well this year. With a retrospective story of the first man in space –complete with a timepiece that boasts elements from the space craft and the glove of that first man (story coming soon) — Louis Moinet offers a weighty, beautifully finished space craft USB key that is a definite keeper.

MB&F is a  regular winner here on ATimelyPerspective with its USB keys. We are not playing favorites  here (even though Max Busser and I have a friendship that spans more than two decades), but rather are honoring what this brand does best: creativity.  At Baselworld 2018, MB&F unveiled its newest clock, created in cooperation with L’Epee’ that does a lot more than tell time (story coming soon).  In addition to the many indications the clock displays, it also has a tiny alien rotating at the base  — just to remind us that time, space and alien life offer a different dimension to our world. The martian USB key that MB&F offers to portray its sense of humor and innovation is a winner.

Fourth on the win list is Artya — a brand we have known and loved for years. This year,  the company unveils its newest guitar-shaped watch that is a masterpiece in art and technology. As such, its guitar USB key makes perfect sense.

Runners Up for Best USB Keys of Baselworld 2018

We don’t usually get this many fun USB keys, but this year was an exception. There were a few brands that deserve recognition for their efforts. Among them: Claude Meylan, which introduced a very Swiss keychain USB that replicates the etching the brand has achieved in its newest watches.

Other runners up: Manufacture Royal, whose game-like “Rubik’s Cube” USB key only opens if you turn the right cube; Harry Winston with faceted crystal topped key emulating a diamond; H. Moser & Cie’s adorable St. Bernard rescue dog USB (which was the clear winner earlier in the year in the SIHH 2018 storage wars review).