Will pleasant weather be part of the program? Watch enthusiasts certainly will! From September 4 to 7, 2025, the Geneva Watch Days (GWD) return in a new “festival” format. Professionals and the general public will enjoy the Pavilion at the Rotonde du Mont-Blanc, along with presentations, workshops, and exhibitions throughout the city.
The GWD bring together international retailers, media professionals, as well as curious or passionate visitors (250, 600, and 13,800 respectively in 2024). Most participants come from European countries - markets that brands will surely pay special attention to, given the rise in US tariffs.
The lineup blends independents and established houses - such as Breitling, Claude Meylan, de Bethune, Czapek & Cie, MB&F, Trilobe, H. Moser, Perrelet, and Ba111od. On the group side, LVMH stands out with the presence of its leading watch brands: Bulgari, TAG Heuer, Zenith, and La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, all gathered at the Ritz-Carlton Hôtel de la Paix.
Panels, Workshops, and… a Movement Regulation Challenge
Beyond the professional dimension, the festival spirit shines through with a varied “program”: free access to the Pavilion, guided tours, workshops, charity auctions (Phillips x Bacs & Russo), and numerous activities for the general public. The Pavilion itself expands and connects with the “Culture Club” (Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, Horological Society of New York, Horopedia, The Watch Library), offering educational content, debates, meetings, and expert-led tours. Guided visits and the FHH’s “Watch Makers” exhibition extend the experience into the city.
The COSC is organizing and hosting the Calibership, the first competition dedicated to the art of precision adjustment. Throughout the fair, both amateurs and professionals will test their skills in fine regulation, with participants such as Jean-Christophe Babin, President of the Geneva Watch Days and CEO of Bulgari and the LVMH Watch Division, Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Ulysse Nardin, Antoine Pin, CEO of TAG Heuer, and Benoît de Clerck, CEO of Zenith. Visitors can attend the sessions to better understand the stakes of fine-tuning, follow real-time rankings - and even try it themselves.
A Tense Context: 39% US Import Duties Targeting Switzerland
It is hard to ignore the hot topic on everyone’s lips since August 1: the United States is applying a 39% tariff on most Swiss imports, including watches. To put things into perspective, the US market accounts for about 20% of Swiss watch exports. The risk of slowdown is very real, even if watchmakers currently rely on stock built up before the announcement, or attempt to adjust their prices - an exercise more difficult for brands without distribution intermediaries. Will this delicate balancing act be felt at the Geneva Watch Days? One thing is certain: it will be widely discussed, and the GWD will provide the perfect occasion to take the pulse.
Still, true to the spirit of the GWD, the atmosphere promises to remain relaxed. Indeed, this watchmaking gathering is primarily aimed at the European market, positioning itself as an accessible, human-scale event. By way of reminder, in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the GWD went ahead, while Baselworld and Watches and Wonders canceled (the former never to return) or opted for online sessions in the case of the latter.
