The 2026 edition of the leading watchmaking event of the year will feature the arrival of Audemars Piguet, the renowned manufacturer from Le Brassus, along with ten other brands. The programs of the Salon and In The City are uniting to create a single event. This will offer a true experience and unforgettable highlights for a week of discovery between 14th – 20th April, 2026.
Brand news Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026 will welcome eleven new brands, including Audemars Piguet, the oldest fine watchmaking manufacturer still in the hands of its founding families, and l’Epée 1839, the only manufacture in Switzerland to specialize in the production of high-end clocks. With Behrens, Bianchet, B.R.M Chronographes, Charles Girardier, Corum, Credor, Favre Leuba, March LA. B and Sinn Spezialuhren, the total number of exhibiting brands will increase to 66. Other significant change: H. Moser & Cie. and Frederique Constant are changing locations and expanding their booths.
Redesigning the spaces To support these developments, the Salon is adapting and expanding, while ensuring that visiting comfort and service quality are preserved. All independent artisan-creators will now be spread in two areas, the Carré des Horlogers (increasing from 16 to 23 exhibitors) and the Mezzanine (increasing from 9 to 15 exhibitors), offering greater visibility and consistency in layout.
The LAB, incubator of ideas Dedicated to technologies that will shape the future of watchmaking, the LAB is, for the first time, offering any startup, company, or laboratory the opportunity to submit its high value-added initiative on watchesandwonders.com. Professionals, visitors, and future partners will discover the selected projects during Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026.
A true city-wide cultural program While the format of four professional days followed by three days open to the public remains unchanged, the program itself is evolving so that each day becomes an experience of its own: opening of new spaces, museums, afterwork events, workshops and offerings for younger generations, as well as the unmissable Thursday nocturne, with the support of the City and Canton of Geneva. Transfers between the Salon and In The City will be made easier by a free shuttle service allowing visitors to travel between the two locations.
“The 2026 edition of Watches and Wonders Geneva marks a turning point in our desire to set Geneva as a leading destination. Our ambition is to offer a genuine city-wide cultural program that goes beyond the Salon. We want to provide visitors of all generations with a rewarding, entertaining, and diverse experience”, says Matthieu Humair, CEO of the Watches and Wonders Geneva Foundation.
We go inside amazing venues, good friends, and yes, look at a whole lot of Rolex (and more).
Iremember, not that long ago, when I was just a reader of Hodinkee and being blown away as I stumbled across this amazing photo report of “New York City’s Secret Vintage Rolex Meet-Up.” It was the first “Rolliefest” and I could barely comprehend it. Such a crazy collection of Rolex, all in one place, and in my city? It was impossible to believe, hard to imagine ever being invited, and the kind of thing I was glad to have a glimpse of from the outside.
Today, I’m just over three years into my tenure at the “Big H,” and last weekend, I was lucky enough to attend my second Rolliefest. Yes, the exclusive, invite-only event, run by Geoff Hess (whose day job is Sotheby’s Global Head of Watches), continues to grow stronger than ever. No, it’s not all about Rolex. In fact, an hour into the second event, I realized I had barely taken a picture of a single Rolex.
From a ton of F.P.Journe to two Roger Smiths, some wild Patek Philippes, a bunch of Longines, and (of course) some Universal Genève, everything was on the table (literally). Collectors’ tastes, sentiments, and “what’s hot” have changed over the past year, but the passion and friendship remain the same, and that’s genuinely what Rolliefest (which specifically calls itself brand agnostic) is all about.
Across two days, Rolliefest hosted a dinner around the Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a brunch and gathering on the 102nd floor at One World Observatory, and a farewell cocktail at the Winter Garden in the recently reopened Waldorf Astoria Residences. But more importantly, the event continues to draw more and more collectors from diverse backgrounds, yet it remains a tight-knit community of friends and long-time acquaintances.
This isn’t an exhaustive documentation of every amazing watch at the event—for instance, there’s a Daytona ref. 6270 that I never got a chance to see (and a bunch of amazing watches the owners didn’t want photographed). But it should give you a taste of how incredible the event was. For privacy (and security), I didn’t mention too many names in the story. If you see yourself and your watch in a picture, feel free to drop a comment, and I can update the caption, if you like.
Every year, the group grows, and so if you’re like me and imagining a world where you might some day be one of the people to attend, don’t give up hope. But until then, I hope you find the same excitement and fascination in discovering, learning, and enjoying the pictures from the weekend.
A Tiffany-signed Rolex Explorer ref. 1016
Today, I’m just over three years into my tenure at the “Big H,” and last weekend, I was lucky enough to attend my second Rolliefest. Yes, the exclusive, invite-only event, run by Geoff Hess (whose day job is Sotheby’s Global Head of Watches), continues to grow stronger than ever. No, it’s not all about Rolex. In fact, an hour into the second event, I realized I had barely taken a picture of a single Rolex.
From a ton of F.P.Journe to two Roger Smiths, some wild Patek Philippes, a bunch of Longines, and (of course) some Universal Genève, everything was on the table (literally). Collectors’ tastes, sentiments, and “what’s hot” have changed over the past year, but the passion and friendship remain the same, and that’s genuinely what Rolliefest (which specifically calls itself brand agnostic) is all about.
Across two days, Rolliefest hosted a dinner around the Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a brunch and gathering on the 102nd floor at One World Observatory, and a farewell cocktail at the Winter Garden in the recently reopened Waldorf Astoria Residences. But more importantly, the event continues to draw more and more collectors from diverse backgrounds, yet it remains a tight-knit community of friends and long-time acquaintances.
This isn’t an exhaustive documentation of every amazing watch at the event—for instance, there’s a Daytona ref. 6270 that I never got a chance to see (and a bunch of amazing watches the owners didn’t want photographed). But it should give you a taste of how incredible the event was. For privacy (and security), I didn’t mention too many names in the story. If you see yourself and your watch in a picture, feel free to drop a comment, and I can update the caption, if you like.
Erika, aka WatchMissGMT, with her Patek ref. 3800.Eneuri Acosta with his burl wood Rolex Day-Date.
Every year, the group grows, and so if you’re like me and imagining a world where you might some day be one of the people to attend, don’t give up hope. But until then, I hope you find the same excitement and fascination in discovering, learning, and enjoying the pictures from the weekend.
… and ending on a white gold Rolex Daytona ‘Le Mans.’ Until next time, cheers from Rolliefest 2025!To round out the night, we have the original legend, and the new, starting with a Paul Newman Daytona.Rich Lopez of Sotheby’s wearing Rolex Daytona ref. 6263 nicknamed “Desert Eagle.” The dial features “Quraysh Hawk” with the UAE coat of arms. In a standing position, the hawk’s feet rest on top of the ruler of Dubai’s signature, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Makhtoum.A sodalite and diamond dial white gold Rolex Daytona ref. 116519.Photographer extraordinare Chris Coe with a bit of yellow gold flex.A sodalite and diamond dial white gold Rolex Daytona ref. 116519.Photographer extraordinare Chris Coe with a bit of yellow gold flex.A crazy Rolex Disco Volante. I didn’t catch the reference number but I think it is a ref. 2947.Oh wait, there’s a new argument that just popped up. Amazing ref. 18308.The knowledge? It was about our shared opinion that white metal Day-Dates are the best.Fred Savage wearing a super honest Eterna Kontiki.Bernhard Bulang, winner of the Tudor Black Bay 54 engraved with the Rolliefest logo, wearing his new prize Gianni Agnelli-style.A really nice Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542.A yellow gold Rolex Pre-Daytona ref. 6238.A very tropical Eberhard Contograf.Speaking of amazing views, Adam Victor goes three for three on great watches with his 1970 Breguet complete calendar chronograph with Valjoux 88 movement.A black galvanic gilt dial Rolex ref. 6238 “Pre-Daytona” on the wrist of James Lamdin.A late “Ed White” Omega Speedmaster with blue “soliel” dial, belonging to Roy Davidoff.And last but not least, Robin Mann with a Rolex Explorer ref. 6350 ‘Honeycomb’ dial.Or one from a familiar wrist.How about a Rolex Daytona in yellow gold?Jesse Mack wearing a Patek AquanautAudemars Piguet ref. 14802ST “Jubilee” Royal Oak.An incredible tropical Rolex Day-Date with Eastern Arabic numerals, date, and day discs.You can always recognize Mr. A by the bracelets (and the cool watches).Chris Coe with a Hermés table clock.And a bit more Oysterquartz.Quintessential Ken Jacobs of “Wanna Buy A Watch?” But his has this unusual and cool frosting/spider dial effect.Similar vibes on Raymond Milnarik’s Universal Genève Polerouter.A very fun Rolex ref. 6085 worn by Sotheby’s Jonathon Burford.And a Nautilus, of course.Yes, that’s right, a Patek Cubitus made an appearance.The ultra-rare Patek ref. 5271P with rubies.The new Titanium Rolex YachtmasterA Rolex Submariner “Small Crown”Man, I love the Jean-Claude Killy.Raymond Milnarik of Oliver and Clarke with a yellow gold Movado M90 with Breguet numeralsTyler Vanes of Craft + Tailored with a Wyler chronograph he’d been hunting for years.Two Universal Uni-compax chronographs, including the author’s (on the right).Two outstanding chronographs, including a personal favorite reference, the Longines Sommatore Centrale, with a central minute counter.The kicker was this two-tone dialed Vacheron Constantin ref. 4178 with the most amazing patina and oxidation on the case.A tropical Audemars Piguet ref. 5402 “C Series.”Two Roger Smith Series 1.A Tiffany-signed Patek ref. 5170PA Hodinkee-signed Tudor Black Bay 58Tariq Malik had the most incredible piece of history at the event, with the most full of full sets you could ever see. The centerpiece was a Rolex ref. 3548 with a lot of extras, including the custom bracelet.A Longines Wittnauer pilot’s watch.And one for the U.S. Air Force.UAE Air Force-issued with the UAE roundel.This was an amazing collection of military-issued Porsche Design Chronograph 1s.What do you do when you have three Milsubs and one nato? Create the Rolex Milsub Worldtime, tracking three time zones.A Heuer Bundeswehr 3H chronograph.Now for something completely different, a Hamilton Khaki Field with a Land Rover-branded dial.Patek Philippe ref. 565 with salmon dial and Breguet numerals.You know what, let’s get some more time-only Pateks in here.Here’s one of my favorite Calatravas, the ref. 3796SG. The display caseback on the SG was put in because Japanese customers (who loved the small size) wanted to be able to see the movements and the rest is history.The super rare Patek Philippe ref. 5101P 10 Day TourbillonMy buddy Greg Wirtz with my favorite Chronomètre à Résonance of all time, the newest version with salmon dial in rose gold. Don’t believe me? Just ask him. With that, let’s look at some salmon dials.Another Universal, this one with a cloissoné dial for Saudi Arabia.He was wearing this square Universal.At every place setting was a keychain and key. In the corner was a box with a Tudor Black Bay 54 locked inside. The caseback was engraved. I didn’t try my key (it was for a Toyota).A very very tropical Rolex ref. 1016 Explorer.Or really any Daytona.Hard to go wrong with a yellow gold four-digit Daytona.Brynn Wallner with “daddy’s Datejust.”Jason Gong wearing De Bethune.A little Kari Voutilainen action goes really well to complement the rest of the room.The black mother of pearl dial really only comes out under direct light.A little Resonance double wrist from Kirill (aka @LunarOyster) with a Chronomètre à Résonance Boutique edition (left) and one of ten Chronomètre à Resonance with black mother of pearl dial.Andrew Shear with his absolutely incredible, very early Patek Philippe ref. 96 in stainless steel, with long signature, and black bullet indices and hands. If there were a few watches I wish I could have walked away with from the event, this would have been high on the list.Erika, aka WatchMissGMT, again with her Patek ref. 3800.A really cool pair of Rolex Submariners, a 5517 and a 5513 “Explorer Dial.”Adam Victor with an incredible L. Leroy & Cie. chronograph.There were less Paul Newmans this year but still quite a few.A Heuer Autavia with the “wings and wheels” Indianapolis Motor Speedway dial.Speaking of caseback engravings, here’s the Khanjar on Roy Davidoff’s watch.And to remind you to “Pop it” and “Lock it.”He told me the whole point of buying this is just to engrave a goofy drawing of Kermit.The Rolex “Cermit” with ceramic bezel belonging to part-time watch and car lover and full-time amateur customization comedian Drew Coblitz.The previous generation of white gold Rolex Daytona with meteorite dial.A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Dubail ref. 110.049 on the wrist of the Geoff Hess.An F.P.Journe Tourbillon Souverain Ruthenium, in platinum and on bracelet.Wristcheck founder Austen Chu wearing his signature unique neo-vintage Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie.Mr. @alangejourney with his A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar.So I kept skirting the boundaries where I saw a friend wearing an MB&F Legacy Machine 1. Might as well stick to modern watches here for a bit.Always read the caseback.He also had a Patek ref. 514 signed by the retailer Eberhard out of MilanA little double wrist action from @aircooltime with the Rolex GMT-Master and Patek Philippe ref. 1526.A super honest and well-loved Universal Genève Teal Tri-Compax, on the wrist of the son of the original owner.A Universal Genève A. Cairelli Split-Second chronograph.An interesting Universal Genève with a date window below the small dial. Not a true disco volante nor a jump hour, this is something else entirely.Rolex Chimera Andrea Parmegiani with the absolutely incredible Rolex Champs Elysée ref. 8651 with cloisonné enamel “Chimera” dial. The dial was made by the legendary Marguerite Koch who worked at Fabrique de Cadrans Stern Frères of Geneva.James Lamdin wearing a Movado Datron.Doesn’t get much better than a tropical or salmon dial Royal Oak.Eventually, the demand to share watches had outstripped space, and Geoff Hess suggested we move to the main room, where a large table was set up to lay out watches.A nice little Cartier Baignoire.‘Old Watch Lady’ is back with a more reserved stack of a Jaeger-LeCoultre and a Midas.A Patek 3970 on the wrist of someone who wanted a closer look at another watch.Maybe the most unexpected watch of Rolliefest, an Alain Silberstein Krono Medio Saphir.… and a Heuer for Abercrombie & Fitch SeafarerHow about this for a two watch collection? A First Series Patek Philippe ref. 3940…Rolex Jean-Claude KillyBy the time I returned back to where I left my equipment and the Longines, the crowd had quickly grown.Not your average Omega Seamaster, but a military version.A Lange 1 with a Mother of Pearl dial.Mark Rawlins wearing one of my all-time favorites, an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar “Tuscan” dial in platinum ref. 25820PT.Including a Cartier-signed Patek Philippe Ellipse.Meanwhile, the King of WatchTok, Mike Nouveau with the tools of the trade.King Geezer himself, aka Mister Enthusiast, aka Phil Toledano, wearing a Patek Philippe ref. 3619.And this super interesting pink on pink rectangular Longines.And these two beauties.I was immediately pulled aside by an Instagram friend who wanted to show me some Longines.To get in, you needed one of these. No, not a Rolex, but a necklace made by Katrina Vrakas for the attendees.Of course, you have to end dinner with some sweets and coffee, so how about a handful of mocha?Morgan King did so many sets of card sleight of hand sessions he ran out of cards.A Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain II, Simon Brette Chronomètre Artisan, and Vacheron Constantin Perpetual Calendar.The iconic “Owl” (Old Watch Lady) sextuple-stacking for dinner.Some beautiful cocktail watches from Courtney Bachrach of @tinywristcheck and Taylor WośRolex Paul Newman Daytona ref. 6241.A really nice ref. 6262 Paul Newman Daytona and a yellow gold Le Mans on the wrist of Alex Lubin.Rich Lopez of Sotheby’s wearing a Rolex ref. 6085 “Dragon” cloisonné dial.You never know who might have a Richard Mille 67-02 tucked up their sleeve.Adam Victor with an amazing Patek Philippe ref. 1415HU in pink, with a matching pink Patek Philippe-signed bracelet from the same year.A well-worn ref. 6541 Milgauss.Roy Davidoff took the “Rollie” part of Rolliefest seriously, bringing two Daytonas to the evening, including one with a Khanjar caseback (which we’ll see later).Erika, aka WatchMissGMT, with her Patek ref. 3800.Eneuri Acosta with his burl wood Rolex Day-Date.A Tiffany-signed Rolex Explorer ref. 1016
The Swiss watch industry is facing significant challenges from geopolitics, trade barriers, and inflation, with components makers suffering most, a Deloitte study shows.
Swiss watch buyers and industry executives say physical in-store sales will continue to be the preferred way to buy and sell watches, with brands scaling back expectations for growth in online sales as the sector adopts a defensive stance amid significant economic and geopolitical pressures, according to a report by audit and consulting firm Deloitte Switzerland.
About two-thirds of brands and retailers surveyed by Deloitte said they sell less than 10% of their watches online compared to in stores and don’t expect that to grow significantly in the near future. Almost three-quarters (74%) of industry executives expect offline sales to continue to dominate in the next five years. That marks a notable shift from 2023, when 62% expected brick-and-mortar sales to remain the dominant sales channel.
The Deloitte report, more than 50 pages in length and based on industry and economic data as well as surveys of more than one hundred executives and 6,500 consumers, suggests the Swiss watch industry has shifted from expansion mode in the post-pandemic era to one of resilience, consolidation, and defense.
Armed conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, U.S. tariffs on Swiss goods, and persistently high input prices for materials, including gold, and a strong Swiss franc are taking a toll on consumer sentiment and margins. Brands are raising prices to counter the higher cost of U.S. tariffs at a time when consumers are increasingly price sensitive, the report says.
The report shows that consumers also continue to prefer in-person experiences when buying watches. More than 60% of watch buyers say they are most likely to buy a watch in a brick-and-mortar store. And the survey suggests that consumers prefer multibrand stores to mono-brand stores, with 38% of consumer respondents saying a multibrand store is their top choice, while 23% say mono-brand stores are preferable.
The report suggests that women consumers definitely prefer watch shopping in multi-brand stores.
“Females like multi-brand stores much more because there are more options,” Karine Szegedi, Managing Partner, Consumer Industry and Luxury and Fashion Lead, at Deloitte Switzerland, said in an interview.
The report also suggests that many industry players, particularly components suppliers, are under significant pressure because of the downturn in demand in some markets, particularly in China, where Swiss watch exports have dropped significantly. But the biggest concern is the current 39% tariff on imported goods from Switzerland to the U.S. that has upended the Swiss watchmaking sector.
”The tariffs have big implications. The US has been the most important export market for Swiss watches since 2021, when it replaced China as number one. Exports to the US hit CHF 4.4 billion in 2024, which represents 16.8% of all Swiss watch exports. The tariffs themselves and uncertainty about what may happen subsequently complicates planning and investment decisions and amplifies the strain on the industry. The blow is not only to the industry but also to Switzerland. Watches account for 9.2% of all Swiss exports, second only to pharmaceuticals,” the Deloitte analysts say in the report.
Parts and components suppliers are already feeling the impact. A striking 74% of suppliers to the watch industry said cutting costs is a top priority in the current market conditions. At the same time, 61% said innovation and creating new products is also a priority.
Watchmakers and brands are also adapting and reacting. The survey shows that 70% of industry respondents have slowed investment in the past twelve months and that 63% have used short-term work schemes in Switzerland that allow manufacturers to furlough workers while avoiding full-time layoffs.
The report notes that the industry has worked together amid the slowdown and that several components makers have been acquired by brands amid the economic pressures, including Incabloc, the shock-absorbing system, which was acquired by a consortium that included Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Richemont.
“The watch industry has been going through numerous cycles of disruption. Now these are more frequent with shorter horizons; requiring enhanced agility,” Cyrille Vigneron, the President of Watches & Wonders Foundation and Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030 and the former CEO of Cartier, says in the report.
Swiss watchmakers are facing a challenging outlook despite a 6.9% increase in exports by value in August 2024. The growth is primarily driven by demand for high-end timepieces priced above CHF 3,000, while mid- and entry-level watches experience declining demand. Analysts attribute this to a slowdown in key markets like China and Hong Kong, leading to cautious forecasts for the remainder of the year. Industry leaders, including Rolex CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour, anticipate a difficult year ahead as demand normalizes from previous peaks.
As the demand for smartwatches continues to rise, several luxury watch brands are now exploring hybrid designs that combine traditional mechanical movements with cutting-edge smartwatch technology. Brands like Garmin, TAG Heuer, and Montblanc are leading the charge in creating smartwatches that retain the aesthetic appeal and craftsmanship of classic luxury timepieces, while incorporating modern tech features such as fitness tracking, notifications, and heart rate monitoring.
These hybrid designs allow wearers to experience the best of both worlds—timeless watchmaking alongside the practicality and functionality of modern technology. While some purists argue that smart features detract from the heritage of mechanical timepieces, others see it as a natural evolution that appeals to a younger, tech-savvy generation of watch enthusiasts.
Why it’s important: This growing trend reflects how the watch industry is adapting to the digital age without compromising the values that traditional watchmakers hold dear. These hybrid smartwatches offer an exciting intersection of craftsmanship and innovation, allowing brands to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving market.
The 2025 Watches & Wonders fair in Geneva showcased the resilience and creativity of the luxury watch industry despite economic uncertainties. Highlights included Bvlgari’s record-setting Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon and Vacheron Constantin’s ultra-complicated Les Cabinotiers Solaria with 41 complications. Rolex introduced the new Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller, and Chanel unveiled a new blue ceramic J12, expanding its iconic line. The fair emphasized innovation, design, and heritage, offering optimism amid global challenges.
