The Unique Appeal of Geneva Watch Days
Geneva Watch Days 2024
The fifth edition of Geneva Watch Days took place from August 29 to September 2, 2024. The 52 participating brands presented up to 100 novelties along the lakeside of Lac Léman. While some invited visitors to their flagship stores, others welcomed them in hotel suites to present their newest collection and discuss the latest trends. Its decentralised approach and the freedom it offers to the brands to interact with the visitors create an inclusive space for all participants. We had the chance to meet with some of the watch industry's leaders to discover how Geneva Watch Days has captured the hearts of so many.
"I love the idea of an encounter and collaboration. When things are too thought over, they lose their original energy and ingenuity and see the beauty in this innocence. We should keep it protected"
Geneva Watch Days allows personal interactions with journalists, retailers and even private collectors, as anyone can book an appointment to discover new and existing collections. In our talks, everyone agreed that the fair was unique due to the freedom the brands have in how they interact with visitors.
Or as Edouard Meylan, co-owner and CEO of H. Moser & Cie., would say:
" The event is highly collaborative, with each participant contributing their ideas, putting resources in common, and sharing the organizational responsibilities. The brands enjoy a great deal of freedom, with no imposed standards, allowing them to express themselves as they wish. We appreciate this flexibility, as it enables us to engage at our desired level."
"The fair allows us to interact differently with customers in a relaxed and caring atmosphere. It is a time when you can talk, explain, and interact with art and watch collectors. Customers are finally getting centre stage and attention"
Innovation & Hertige - an Inseparable Pairing
Using this visitor-centric approach, the brands we talked to focused on specific messages they wanted to share with their audience. It was all about craftsmanship and their take on innovation. The novelties they unveiled were as unique as their approach to innovative watchmaking. For Ressence, renowned for their extraordinary designs, the essence of innovation lies very in the precision of their manufacture. "We use this craftsmanship that is very, very high-end, technically speaking. So, we use the craft of making components in a very different way than traditional watchmaking.
We apply technology in the way we build our watches. Our watches are three-dimensional, so you need machines to make precise three-dimensional parts", Benoît Mintiens, CEO and Founder of Ressence, explains, unlike other brands that use modern technology to push the barriers of existing technology invented a long time ago.
Girard-Perregaux, for example, revealed novelties that are new interpretations of their Bridges collection, with the Bridge being an element introduced 157 years ago by Constant Girard.
The Esmeralda "A Seret" Eternity Editions are a celebration of craftsmanship and special Métiers d'Arts that "play with different shapes and different materials to create a contrast, for example, to the three flying gold bridges that are coated with a black PVD.
But the angles of the bridges are revealed through the beveling to highlight their shape", says Clémence Dubois, Chief Marketing and Product Officer of Girard-Perregaux.
For Czapek, their CEO, Xavier de Roquemaurel, craftsmanship can be revolutionised by design: "It's really your mind that makes you old, but you can take a craft that is centuries old and make something completely new with it. It's much more about being adventurous, daring, and trying new things. And I see this craft as fundamental for the expression of beauty. Yet, if it's always to redo the same thing, stay in bed. But if you want to create a new world that is more and more dedicated to beauty and more and more respectful of human values, then that's a great place to be."
At H. Moser & Cie., innovation and tradition go hand in hand. Edouard Meylan explains: "We honor the art of traditional watchmaking by crafting our own components, including the hairspring, while consistently striving for innovation that respects these time-honored principles. We push boundaries on multiple fronts, convinced that innovation can be found in every aspect, from the watch itself to the way we communicate our launches."
The Beauty of Encounters
The collaborative spirit of the event is also reflected in the product strategies and novelties presented by the brands. For most of them, collaborations are part of their DNA. L'Epée, for example, is well known for its open and unique way of collaborating. It is no surprise when Arnaud Nicolas says: "The world is full of talented artists, and I love to work with them. My dream, even if I know it is impossible, is to do something with every single artist on the planet, famous or not".
On H. Moser & Cie. Side, they are "very open and love collaboration to broaden our audience and our perspective", as Edouard Meylan points out. And what they revealed at Geneva Watch Days was, of course, an outstanding collaboration - with Studio Underd0g. Clémence Dubois adds that, for Girard-Perregaux, “it's about sharing the same values and having fun when co-creating timepieces.” There is a strong consensus on the power of partnership as long as both parties contribute something in a meaningful way. " It shouldn't be too strategic. It's all about the beauty of an encounter, the beauty of a sparkle that comes unexpectedly. That's what I think collaborations should be", says Xavier de Roquemaurel.
"I love the idea of an encounter and collaboration. When things are too thought over, they lose their original energy and ingenuity and see the beauty in this innocence. We should keep it protected"
Xavier de Roquemaurel, CEO Czapek
Summed up in the words of Clémence Dubois: "It's a great opportunity to meet retailers, journalists, watch aficionados, and collectors... all with the same passion for watchmaking." The collaborative nature of the event, paired with the freedom to experiment, has turned Geneva Watch Days into a platform for everyone to connect, discover and share their passion for watchmaking.
