BY TIM STRACKE
Earlier this month I spent a couple of days in Geneva at Watches and Wonders and Wonders, mingling with partners, dealers, media, and friends, and exploring the latest offerings from our favourite industry.
The event was lavish, featuring celebrities like Mbappé and Jackson Yee, top-notch complimentary food and beverages, and exceptional hospitality. Needless to say, the presentations were as impressive as ever.
The two standouts for me were IWC Schaffhausen on the one hand, which fully embraced a moon and water theme, setting the perfect stage for their new Eternal Calendar Portugieser. Hats off to the team for developing a mechanical calendar that “knows” that every 100 years in a leap year the 29th Feb is being skipped (I wonder how many human brains even knew).
On the other hand, over at Ulysse Nardin, the Freak movement was on full display. If ever there was a watch movement deserving of its name, it’s this one. A timepiece powered by that movement is definitely on my “someday when I’m feeling extra bold” list.
The cool kids were hanging out at Cartier, Piaget, and Hermes, who seem to have made the biggest invest into tastemakers. Their booths were heavily frequented by influencers, content creators, and style gurus — clearly, they know their audience.
According to Chrono24 data, younger watch enthusiasts—particularly those who developed a passion during the pandemic often driven by the financial allure of classic steel models —are now diversifying their tastes and taking design seriously.
These brands were meeting them with open arms, cool watches and Instagrammable booths.
Following last year’s colourful showcases and a rather flat 2023, it appears the industry is adopting a more cautious stance, even though many brands seem content with maintaining stagnant revenue growth.
Amidst whispers of Rolex potentially reducing production by 5% — likely balanced by a price uptick — it seems the general sentiment is one of careful optimism, but I’m wagering that we’ll see bolder moves as we roll into the next year.
[Editor’s note: Rolex was asked to comment on reducing production by 5% but has not responded]
As with every year I have attended, Watches & Wonders was great. It’s not just the exceptional watches that make it special, but also reconnecting with the passionate community of people who have turned their love for horology into their careers.
It’s a reminder of why we do what we do, and I’m already looking forward to next year.
