Prepare for Watches and Wonders Geneva 2025

Bulgari and half a dozen young independents have joined the impressive line-up of 60 luxury watch brands for this year’s Watches & Wonders Geneva. The pre-eminent industry fair opens on April 1 with four days of talks and intimate encounters with the latest novelties reserved exclusively for collectors, retailers and the media. This is followed by three days for the general public from April 5 to 7 with a new feature where all visitors can personalise their schedules when booking tickets online.

Indulgent at every touch point, brands go all out, orchestrating spectacular booth designs and unique user experiences that speak to both product and associated lifestyles. 

While there is barely enough time for a comfort break between meetings, I am conscious of my footprint in getting there and try to make the most of the time in Geneva. Given the back-to-back schedule, personal time away from the confines of Palexpo exhibition centre is an essential survival strategy.

With the city embracing the vibrancy of spring, evenings are for city sites and a breath of fresh Swiss air, usually taken on evening jogs around the lake. But with the growing number of side events including Time to Watches, the entire city will be busting with an enticing programme of smaller brand gatherings and pop-up exhibitions. Though brief and intense, I do cherish reconnecting with old acquaintances and look forward to making new ones this year like the teams at brands Ming and Furlan Marri.

Luxury is about exclusivity and as the sales of high-volume, more “accessibly priced” brands experience a downturn in demand, it appears that limited high-end luxe is taking the lead, becoming even more exclusive. From the previews so far I’m hopeful that at least the independents will deliver some of the much-needed wonder to stimulate consumer interest and mine, while many of the old guard appear to be stuck on dial updates albeit in exquisite new materials, finishes and colours.

Art Deco is enjoying a resurgence across interior décor and fashion, 100 years since the style’s formal introduction at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris and the exuberance of the movement is sure to have even more influence on watch design and métiers d’art this year. Time will tell. Stay tuned for daily updates from Geneva.

For more information and tickets visit watchesandwonders.com