It's About Time

Shedding its cloak of exclusivity, Watches and Wonders wants you yes, you to discover how the fair is about so much more than new timepieces

- CHARMIAN LEONG

For almost 30 years since 1991, the halls of the Palexpo convention centre in Geneva were adorned with chronometrythemed opulence each spring. Within these walls, booths helmed by prestigious watchmaking brands served as exclusive portals into their universes, where the latest timepieces were unveiled to a carefully chosen audience.

The atmosphere: one of insular privilege offered only to retailers, journalists, and VIPs flown in from across the globe. This was the annual Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), which boasted some of the world's most esteemed brands, like Cartier and Vacheron Constantin from the Richemont Group as exhibitors.

However, as the Covid pandemic unfolded in 2020 and another Switzerland-based global trade fair, Baselworld, faced closure, the watchmaking sector stood on the brink of transformation.

In response, SIHH underwent a rebranding that same year, emerging as Watches and Wonders. This new iteration began as a digital platform featuring 30 maisons during the worldwide lockdown and finally launched its full physical edition in Geneva in 2022 with a roll call of 39. This year, the number jumped to 54. Exhibitors included former Baselworld stalwarts like Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chanel, and Chopard, as well as several LVMH brands such as Hublot and Tag Heuer, on top of a slew of indie brands.

Beyond its growth in scale, the fair assumed a new responsibility: to demystify haute horlogerie and usher in a never-before level of inclusivity. Last year was the first time Watches and Wonders Geneva was open to the public on its last two days. And it worked.

All 12,000 public tickets were sold out before the event commenced.

This time, with the public days expanded to three, the trend continued as 19,000 tickets were swiftly claimed.