At the Geneva Watch Days the watchmaking world is increasingly open and inclusive - Photos
Now in its sixth year, the format hosted 66 brands and offered experts and enthusiasts the opportunity to meet and get to know them closely. Also to ward off the spectre of the tariffs effect.
3' min read
3' min read
The sixth edition of the Geneva Watch Days (GWD) has just ended in Geneva. The event brought together 66 major players in the watch industry in the Swiss city, 14 more than in 2024, the year that had attracted 13,800 visitors to the main pavilion (+70% on 2023), who were also joined by 1,500 industry professionals.
GWD was born in 2020 at the behest of eight brands (Breitling, Bulgari, De Bethune, Girard-Perregaux, H. Moser & Cie., MB&F, Ulysse Nardin and Urwerk) with a flexible format that envisaged a common space for displaying the watches and other locations (boutiques, showrooms and hotels) around the city, chosen by the companies involved for more targeted presentations and activities. This scheme has not changed, although it has evolved from year to year. Today, the central pavilion, located at the lakeside in the Rotonde du Mont Blanc, on Quai du Mont Blanc, which has been enlarged and renovated, presents an exhibition of around 150 brand timepieces open to the public and in one of its wings, called the Culture Club, has a series of appointments dedicated to culture and trends in the sector.
Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari and President of GWD, emphasises: "Ours is an open and innovative event that aims to resonate with the media, retailers and our customers, while maintaining a spontaneous and relaxed spirit. Today, more than ever, watchmaking needs to be close to the public to help keep the market strong".
Not least because, since August, 39% tariffs have come into force for Switzerland on exports to the United States, a vital market for the Swiss watch industry, which has been the number one export market for years (CHF 4.3 billion in 2024 and CHF 3.1 billion in the first seven months of 2025, according to figures released by the Fédération de l'industrie horlogère suisse - FH).
While we wait to see if there will be any developments in this regard, this year's Geneva event, in addition to almost all the founders, featured Zenith, Frederique Constant, the Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, Gerald Charles, Speake Marin and the major auction house Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, which organised an auction on 6 September, the proceeds of which - 185.900 Swiss francs, or about 200,000 euros - will be donated to an organisation that supports apprentices at the watchmaking school in Geneva.
