GENEVA WATCH DAYS 2004: HERE WE GO!

Geneva, 30 August 2024 – Yesterday saw the official inauguration of the 5th edition of Geneva Watch Days at the Rotonde du Mont Blanc. The 52 participating brands and the 15 official partners of the event gathered alongside Delphine Bachmann, State Councillor of the Canton of Geneva, Department of Economy and Employment, Alfonso Gomez, Administrative Councillor of the City of Geneva and Christiana Kitsos, Mayor of the City. They all kicked off the festivities.

In the Pavilion, there will be 8 free guided tours for the general public, watch reviews of the new products presented by the participating brands, a conference on the theme of “Time and Machine”, and a quiz and brunch to test your watchmaking knowledge. All led by experts from the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH). In addition, Geneva Watch Days, with Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo, will be holding an auction for the second year running on Sunday 1 September to raise funds to support deserving students enrolled at the Geneva School of Watchmaking, via the newly-created Pierre Amstutz Fund.

And of course, the pavilion is open to the public every afternoon, including weekends. More than 100 watches are on display, organised into 4 themes. In addition, a new culture corner has been set up, featuring events organised by the FHH, the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix, the Watch Library, Horopedia, the Geneva Watchmaking School and the New York Watchmaking Society. The pavilion welcomed 8,000 visitors last year, a figure that is sure to soar this year.

Another new feature this year is the Glass Box. This new space, adjacent to the Pavilion in the Rotonde du Mont-Blanc, will host three private breakfasts with the CEOs of the exhibiting brands, eight symposia on watchmaking topics, four forums and eight press conferences given by the participating brands.

“The boldness of the Geneva Watch Days has been proven time and time again. The event has steadily grown in size and prestige, returning each year to the idyllic setting of the harbour. Today, it is the international showcase of Swiss watchmaking excellence, with exports expected to exceed 26.7 billion francs in 2023. Nearly half of these exports come from Geneva, which is extremely pleasing for our canton’s economy,” comments Delphine Bachmann, State Councillor for the Economy and Employment.

“Supporting the industry, offering brands an informal and decentralised setting in which to launch their new products, meeting the key players in the industry – the media and retailers – but above all the general public, that’s the spirit of Geneva Watch Days. Born during the pandemic following the cancellation of the watch fairs, this event has endured, grown dramatically and become more institutionalised. It’s not a trade show, but a major, inclusive and festive event that celebrates watchmaking,” added Jean-Christophe Babin, President of the Geneva Watch Days Association and CEO of Bulgari.

This autumn’s not-to-be-missed watchmaking event is now firmly established on the shores of Lake Geneva. Not to be missed!

ABOUT GENEVA WATCH DAYS

Geneva Watch Days is an event founded in 2020 by six illustrious brands: Breitling, Bvlgari, De Bethune, Girard-Perregaux, H. Moser & Cie, MB&F. The event is part of a modern and original philosophy based on a spirit of cooperation without complexity. It is a self-managed, flexible and impactful organisation that offers brands a common space to exhibit their new products and iconic watches, while giving them the freedom to express themselves in decentralised venues. The event is held under the aegis of the State and City of Geneva, with the support of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services (CCIG), and is aimed at industry professionals – media and retailers – as well as the general public. The Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH), the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix (GPHG) and Geneva Tourism are supporting the project, while GMT is the historic media partner.

The 2024 edition will bring together the following brands: Alpina, Alto, Angelus, Armin Strom, Arnold & Son, Bausele, Beauregard, Behrens, Bianchet, Blancpain, Breguet, Breitling, Bvlgari, Konstantin Chaykin, Claude Meylan, Corum, Cvstos, Czapek & Cie, Daniel Roth, De Bethune, Doxa, Edox, Favre-Leuba, Fortis, Frédérique Constant Group, Genus, Girard-Perregaux, Glashütte Original, Greubel Forsey, Hautlence, HYT, Jacob & Co, Krayon, Laurent Ferrier, Lederer, L’Epée, Louis Erard, Massena Lab, Maurice Lacroix, MB&F, Micromilspec, Ming, H. Moser & Cie., Oris, Perrelet, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, Raketa, Ressence, Singer, Speake Marin, Trilobe, Tutima Glashütte.