How Watches and Wonders 2024’s public programme demystified the vast and intimidating world of horology

For almost 30 years since 1991, the halls of the Palexpo convention centre in Geneva were adorned with chronometry-themed 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, including former Baselworld stalwarts like Patek Philippe, Rolex, Chanel, and Chopard, as well as several LVMH brands, including Hublot and Tag Heuer, on top of a slew of independent watchmakers.

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 year, with the public days expanded to three, the trend continued as 19,000 tickets were swiftly claimed. Over the whole week, the fair welcomed over 49,000 unique visitors, up 14 per cent from 2023. The enthusiasm is understandable; even if all one knows of mechanical watchmaking is that they tell time expensively, the sheer spectacle of the exhibiting booths is enough to cause instant social media envy. 

Beyond that, never in history had such luxury watch trade fairs, even public-accessible, dedicated a full programme of educational, discovery and recreational opportunities to the layman. 

And in they come

The shift in atmosphere from trade-only to public days was palpable. The sea of business outfits was replaced with waves of riotous colour as regular folk sauntered in wearing tank tops and jeans. Gone were the perpetually power-walking retailers and journalists darting from one appointment to the next. Instead, the halls are filled with ambling seniors, selfie-taking students, families, and tourists — all united by an interest in horology.

Lines formed outside Van Cleef & Arpels’ violet-lit garden to peek at its two gleaming automatons, dripping with jewels and lore. At the stroke of the hour, A. Lange & Sohne’s booth would dim, casting a spotlight on its immense Datograph Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Honey Gold Lumen clock, glowing luminously in the darkness.

Meanwhile, Jaeger-LeCoultre captivated onlookers with a dazzling display of sparklers erupting from the floor, accompanied by an animated historical narrative featuring founder Antoine LeCoultre at his anvil, projected across the ceiling. Even brands without marketing budgets equivalent to the GDP of a small country had devoted fans eager to see up-close the novelties destined to grace their wish lists in the coming year.

Visitors who needed a crash course on anything ranging from new novelties to signature innovations had a choice of thematic guided booth tours and brand presentations in English and French to register on-site. Unsurprisingly, they were fully booked by the first public day. 

Of course, all this is hugely beneficial to brands looking to tap into wider audiences. The #watchesandwonders2024 hashtag reached an estimated audience of over 600 million individuals on social media. The presence of celebrities such as supermodel Gisele Bundchen, tennis champ Coco Gauff, football sensation Kylian Mbappe, and South Korean actor-singer Lee Jun-Ho (albeit only on trade-only days) undoubtedly contributed to the success.

Something for everyone

An impressive number of experts from the watchmaking, journalism, retail and sporting sectors lent their gravitas to some 15 free-access conferences in the newly built Auditorium. Fondation Haute Horlogerie (FHH) vice president Pascal Ravessoud democratised watch-collecting for newbies, in addition to introducing the origins of Swiss watchmaking and the definition of an iconic timepiece. Former watchmaking artisan and current FHH master trainer Gianfranco Ritschel also delivered comprehensive lectures on the value of human craftsmanship and the main types of complications. 

Prominent figures from the world of high-octane sports, such as the Alinghi Red Bull Racing team and explorer-adventurer Mike Horn, took to the stage as speakers of the Tudor and Panerai conferences respectively. The more experienced enthusiast wasn’t left out either; panels of speakers discussed topics ranging from the evolution of watchmaking to the importance of jewellery arts to current trends. A separate series of small-scale Agora Conversations also tackled industry-focused issues like sustainability, counterfeits, and women in watchmaking.

An entire convention section, known as the LAB, was the fair’s immersive innovation hub. There, startups, educational institutions, and engineers from the industry convened to share insights into what’s shaping the future of watchmaking, from professions to emerging technologies. 

For a respite in the midst of the bustle, many popped into the Timekeepers photography exhibition, which featured shots of watches and clocks taken by Luc Debraine, former director of the Swiss Camera Museum in Vevey. Top Chef finalist Danny Khezzar, who’s now helming Michelin-starred Bayview restaurant in Geneva, entertained the floor with molecular cuisine demos. 

A city in celebration

The essence of the fair transcended the confines of Palexpo with a vibrant "In the City" public programme, which included watchmaking-themed tours of Geneva, presentations and activities at participating boutiques, street performances, and parties.

A popular highlight was the Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts exhibition, featuring over 80 of the maison's most exquisite timepieces, including pocket watches, wristwatches, table clocks, and dome clocks. These timepieces showcased the brand’s mastery in enamelling, guilloche, gem-setting, and wood micro-marquetry.

At the Hermes boutique, guests were treated to a mesmerising showcase of dancers interpreting a signature choreography, while Piaget marked its 150th anniversary with a vibrant evening filled with lively tempos.

Right in the heart of Geneva on the Pont de la Machine was the Watchmaking Village, which hosted a week-long hands-on workshops for children, and interactive sessions for youngsters looking towards a career in watchmaking, microtechnology, and crafts. At the nearby Quai General-Guisan, an evening Nocturne line-up for adults dazzled with lively open houses and an open-air stage concert presenting Belgian DJ Lost Frequencies and other musical acts.

For the horology lover, young and old, the fair no doubt warrants an annual pilgrimage to glimpse the once-exclusive realm of luxury micro-mechanics. However, it also promises to captivate anyone who appreciates savoir-faire, innovation, and craftsmanship. Come for the watches (or don’t), but stay for the wonders.