Happenings Geneva Watch Days 2026: What To Expect

“The first event in 2020 was really born out of contingency," Babin told me over an initially chaotic Zoom+WhatsApp speaker interview where his big smile and incessant drive shine through the screen. “So, we had to find a very flexible, light and totally innovative concept, one that could adapt to COVID. That is why we decided on a decentralised event, where each brand would choose its own exhibition location. It could be a boutique, it could be the manufacture, it could be an open hotel suite. We had a centre, the Pavilion, which still exists today, three times bigger now than at its origin.”

A certain April event in the vast halls of the Palexpo by Geneva Airport might be the largest, untouchable must-do event of the year. But if I had the choice, the spiritually and physically warm atmosphere of a late Swiss summer makes Geneva Watch Days my never-miss event, where revealing conversations and evenings on the terrace of the Hotel Beau-Rivage, in the GWD Pavilion or around Geneva's city centre show the best side of the watch industry.

This rise and expansion of GWD is visible, yet, unlike the unfathomable lengths of Palexpo's exhibition halls, it still feels more intimate and casual, helped by the ever-present vista of beautiful Lake Geneva and its Jet d’Eau, a one hundred and forty metres high water fountain that seems to symbolise the optimism of the watch industry, visible as you approach Cointrin airport from the air.

“That first year proved to be a success,” said Babin with a smile. “The 17 brands that participated all noted that the cost of operating such a concept is much, much lower than a traditional fair. So we decided to do it again in 2021, with more brands, and again in 2022, 2023, 2024, and last year with 67 brands.”

It seems we are reaching a cap, as making all vital meetings within 4-5 days when the options are close to 70 brands is a challenge. “Last year we had very strong attendance, with more than 250 retailers and over 2,000 collectors. The number of brands was similar to Watches and Wonders, but very different in character. Of our [LVMH] brands, only four or five were also at Watches and Wonders. The other sixty were not.”

This underscores the independent bias at Geneva Watch Days, where even the smallest brands manage to secure a space, whether at a table in a conference room at the Beau-Rivage with standing room only, or a suite in a hotel around the corner.

The vibrant energy at GWD is very different from the Big Fairs of yesteryear and offers media and collectors the opportunity to meet and talk to brand founders, especially independents, from microbrand-chic to insouciant baller brands exhibiting million-dollar watches. And all offering timepieces that you can try on and eventually order without having a dealer history or being a VIP with deep pockets and a personal stylist with influence.

“A lot of the event acts as an incubator for young brands, recently revived brands, and small brands by choice," Babin tells me. "The watchmaking industry has enormous diversity, and Geneva Watch Days really expresses that diversity, with a concept totally different from the classical watch event."

Babin also underlines that the decentralisation and self-management of the event by its own stakeholders, Bulgari being one of them, is key to its success. “GWD is not only about meetings where new products are shown,” he argues. “It is a five-day event with symposia, CEO breakfasts, and contests like the chronometry contest, through which we try to support the Geneva watchmaking school, which is very important for the future of watchmaking. “

It is refreshing to see this aspect coming to the fore, and Babin's enthusiasm shone through in our conversation. “It has acquired a dimension that is no longer that of a watch fair, but of a truly cultural watch gathering, with great brand diversity and a level of approachability and exchange between stakeholders that is totally unique in the industry,” he related proudly.

To me, GWD's most charming factor, the one that has tempted me back each year since 2021, is the different nature of the Swiss watch industry from the fashion and auto industries. There is a feeling, despite the challenges of dropping export numbers, of community within the industry, a collegiality that beats competition - all framed by Geneva, a charming destination in its own right. This very closeness to the City itself and its surrounding Canton is apparent in the event’s success.

“We are the official watch event of the Canton of Geneva, which is an honour, and gives us a real sense of purpose,” Babin explained as we neared the end of our chat. “We are a nonprofit association, and do not make a single cent from this event. We are all volunteers, and the fact that it is recognised at the pinnacle of watchmaking confirms that this is a strong concept with a role to play, one that provides a broader understanding of the wider world of beautiful watches.”

For more information, go to the Geneva Watch Days website, where all locations and events are shown, this year spread between these locations:

• The Pavilion (Rotonde du Mont-Blanc), featuring a selection of independent brands.
• Hotel Beau-Rivage Genève, hosting several exhibiting maisons.
• Rue du Rhône boutiques, including brands such as Bulgari and MARLI New York.
• Various showrooms and manufacture spaces across Geneva, where participating brands welcome journalists by appointment.

All 71 brands participating are listed on the official home page, from Akhor to Zenith. Make sure you stay tuned to HODINKEE ANZ for all the latest releases, on-site reviews, and interviews come September 3rd!