Until recently, the Swiss watch shows have been predominantly professional events tailored to the needs of the working watch community. Exceptions were only ever made for the most prolific watch collectors. For anyone else, the doors were pretty much closed. Even in the days of BaselWorld, which was open to the public, the experience involved admiring the latest watches from behind windows. Depending on the brand, venturing onto the stand itself could be a very unwelcoming experience. Luckily, all that is changing, as the world’s watch fairs are becoming increasingly accessible to the general public with both access to try on watches and numerous watch-related activities.
For those of you in Geneva this week, the fifth edition of Geneva Watch Days will be taking place from Thursday 29th August to Monday 2nd September (inclusive) with a host of activities for the general public.
Guided Tours
For anyone interested in gaining an insight into the world of fine watches, free guided tours will be available every afternoon, leaving from the central Pavilion located at Geneva’s Rotonde du Mont-Blanc. These tours will be led by experts certified by the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) and will take visitors around the event, visiting the showrooms of several brands, and conclude at the FHH’s headquarters on the Pont de la Machine where visitors can discover the organization’s latest “Watches and Talents” exhibition. For details and inscriptions, sign up here.
Symposiums
Watch lovers will also be able to enjoy a series of round table discussions on exciting watch industry topics, free of charge. If you are interested in sustainability in the watch industry, the latest updates on the pre-owned watch market, investing in watches, or why chronometry is still important, along with a host of other fascinating topics, reserve your place here.
Watch Reviews
If you love to network with fellow watch lovers, check out the Watch Reviews by the FHH. These sessions will present the latest watches from various brands on Thursday 29th August and Friday 30th August, with coffee breaks for enthusiasts to share their passion for watches with each other. There will also be another networking opportunity on Saturday 31st August with a “Quiz and Brunch” to test your watchmaking knowledge and meet others. For more information, sign up here.
Geneva Watch Days and Phillips Charity Auction
Following the success of the Geneva Watch Days and Phillips Charity Auction last year that raised CHF 110,000 for the Pierre Amstutz Fund, in memory of the former director of the Geneva Watchmaking School. This non-profit organisation supports watchmaking students in financial need so they can complete their training in better conditions. Last year’s lots comprised a number of exclusive experiences that money simply cannot buy, so mark your diary for the Friday 30th August.
WorldTempus and GMT Magazine
If you aren’t in town for all the above events, you can count on us at WorldTempus and GMT Magazine to cover the show in every detail. For all the new watches released in real-time, follow us on worldtempus.com, and for all the fun of the show, be sure to join us on Instagram where all our journalists will be reporting from the event. We will be sharing our own reviews on the new watches, interviewing watch industry movers and shakers, and learning more about what is in store for watch lovers in the future.
So, mark your diaries for a show to remember!
