Watches and Wonders prepares for record-breaking 2025 edition
There will be 60 brands at the fair, the highest number ever, including the debut of Bulgari. Open days for non-professional visitors confirmed, following last year's exploit
by Paco Guarnaccia
2' min read
2' min read
The cast of the next edition of Watches and Wonders Geneva (announced from 1 to 7 April 2025) is expanding with seven more brands, reaching a total of 60 exhibitors, a number never previously reached.
Of these seven, the most important name is undoubtedly Bulgari, which completes the batch of watch brands owned by LVMH (Hublot, Tag Heuer and Zenith), which have been present at the Geneva event for some years now. An entry that was in the air, also by virtue of the possibilist statements made a few months ago by CEO Jean-Christophe Babin (see the Il Sole 24 Ore Watch Report of 6 June): "The increased involvement and number of visitors to Watches and Wonders is an evolving opportunity that we are looking at," he had said. In addition to Bulgari, independents Christiaan van der Klaauw, Genus, Kross Studio, MeisterSinger, along with Armin Strom and HYT, the latter returning to the fair after a few years' absence, will also be exhibiting at Palexpo in Geneva, the event venue.
In view of the number of tickets issued for the 2024 edition (19,000, a 58% increase on 2023), the three days open to the public (5-7 April) are confirmed, which will follow those with entrance reserved only for industry professionals and the media: in 2023 the total number of unique visitors was 49,000 (+14% on 2023). The organisation has announced that the focus of the 2025 edition will be on youth. For this reason, at the fair, the various brands will also show visitors their emerging talents, while in the city, in the Horloger Village set up for the occasion and in the various boutiques, visits, workshops and talks with watchmaking themes designed for the new generations will be scheduled.
Although still missing a few important names in Swiss haute horlogerie - such as the brands owned by the Swatch Group (Omega, Breguet, Longines and Blancpain, among others), but also Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille and Breitling -, Watches and Wonders Geneva proves to be growing year by year, confirming its role as the most important world fair in the sector: For one week, big names such as Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier, Chopard, Iwc, Panerai, Vacheron Constantin, Hublot, Chanel and Tag Heuer, as well as many other independent brands, will be under one roof alongside the aforementioned newcomers.
