It feels like the mere blink of an eye since Geneva Watch Days first emerged on the watch scene in 2020. My dear WorldTempus family, it’s been four years. An event that started off quietly enough, debuting a new decentralised format with 14 participating brands and around 300 guests, is now a large-scale summertime essential on the horological calendar. This year, 37 watch brands are exhibiting at Geneva Watch Days, with an additional exhibitor in the form of premium auction house Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo.
WorldTempus and its parent company GMT Publishing are proud to have been an integral part of Geneva Watch Days since its very inception, being the only multi-platform watch media group based in Geneva. The evening hosted by GMT Publishing is the original after-hours event in the world of watch shows, and the long days and fine weather of August make for the perfect setting as the industry and its community gather to relax, mingle and form those all-important networking connections.
The reputation of Geneva Watch Days (GWD) has been built around the concept of inclusion and collaboration, consciously stepping away from the politically intricate image and Byzantine governance associated with some historical trade shows. In a recent conversation I had with Catherine Eberlé-Devaux, who helms the GWD organising committee and is also Watch Communications Director at Bulgari (a GWD founding brand), she described how GWD committee meetings always begin with a reading of the GWD charter. The charter emphasises the values of unity, mutual support and openness, which is completely in line with the things we hold dear at WorldTempus.
That said, we do also believe in a bit of friendly competition, especially in context of advancing the watch world as a whole. At Geneva Watch Days, I’m pleased to announce that your beloved WorldTempus editorial team will be launching a special activity to kick off the festivities at the GMT evening party.
Those of us who followed us on Instagram during previous editions of WorldTempus On Tour might have an idea what’s coming… It’s the full-scale version of our pub quiz! We’ve worked long and hard with our friends at the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) to put together something fun — but still informative! — for the watch geek in all of us. Clearly, we take our role as GWD’s education department very seriously.
Recto/Verso is a two-mode quiz, with two sets of horological trivia questions. The questions allocated for the WorldTempus-led round on Thursday evening have been crafted to challenge the advanced watch enthusiast, while the FHH-led session on Saturday afternoon is friendlier towards those with a more casual interest in horology. I like to think of it as playing in hardcore or normal mode — all you gamers out there will know exactly what I mean. Choose which mode you think you can play at, and sign up now! As in any good pub quiz, participants will be well plied with food and drink, which I’m sure will only augment their mental acuity and prowess.
Those of you for whom the word “quiz” dredges up barely repressed high-school trauma may prefer to receive their dose of horological information in a rather less hectic form. Good news, our daily video recaps are back, jam-packed with CEO Q&As, hands-on explanations of new launches, street interviews and more. Bookmark our dedicated GWD website section and our YouTube channel to follow along as we embark on each new day of discovery. After all, this isn’t 2020 anymore, and it’s not the easiest thing in the world to keep up with 37 watch brands all launching new pieces at once. If you need someone to guide you through the overwhelming cacophony of horological news, we’re here for you. There’s inspiration to be had from the motto of our home city, Geneva — Post Tenebras Lux (After Darkness, Light). Take our hand, and let us put the Lux in Luxe for you.
