Watches and Wonders will be back bigger and better than ever in 2025. A record 60 watchmakers will be at the show in Geneva next spring, with seven new brands joining an already stacked lineup.
Bvlgari will be attending the four-day affair for the first time, further cementing its position as a major player in high horology. The Roman jeweler first forayed into watchmaking with the time-only Serpenti in the 1940s but has since expanded into producing more avant-garde timepieces with complicated movements. The Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra, for example, ranks as the world’s thinnest mechanical watch.
Bvlgari has historically unveiled new creations independently around the same time as Watches and Wonders, but will now do so at the annual fair in April. Six new independent watchmakers including Christiaan van der Klaauw, Genus, Kross Studio, and MeisterSinger will also be exhibiting at Watches and Wonders for the first time next year.
The upcoming show will be focused on youth, according to a statement shared Tuesday. Brands will showcase not only their new collections but also their youngest talents. Apprentices, recent graduates, and craftspeople will be at booths sharing their expertise and experiences with visitors. Young professionals will also be presenting projects in Geneva. In addition, the city will host guided tours, events, discovery workshops, conferences, and panel discussions on themes related to the younger generation.
The news comes as the Swiss watch industry grapples with plummeting demand. Swiss watch exports hit a record $31 billion in 2023, but sales have slowed significantly this year. The strong Franc is also putting pressure on manufacturers. In a joint press release shared on Tuesday, the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry and the Confederation of Watch Industry Employers called on the central bank and the government to implement concrete measures to strengthen the watch industry and preserve the economic stability of the export industry. Some watchmakers such as Girard-Perregaux and Ulysse Nardin are already using a state program that allows them to furlough employees and reduce production without permanent job cuts. Some watch suppliers have also taken up government support after manufacturers cut orders.
The current state of the industry means that it is more important than ever for watchmakers to try and excite and entice collectors. Watches and Wonders should help with that. The 2025 edition will take place in Geneva from April 1 to 7.
The full Watches and Wonders lineup includes A. Lange & Söhne, Alpina Watches, Angelus, Armin Strom, Arnold & Son, ArtyA Watches, Baume & Mercier, Bell & Ross, Bremont, Bvlgari, Cartier, Chanel, Charriol, Chopard, Christiaan Van Der Klaauw, Chronoswiss, Cyrus Genève, Czapek & Cie, Eberhard & Co., Ferdinand Berthoud, Frederique Constant, Genus, Gerald Charles, Grand Seiko, Grönefeld, H. Moser & Cie., Hautlence, Hermès, Hublot, Hysek, Hyt, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Kross Studio, Laurent Ferrier, Louis Moinet, MeisterSinger, Montblanc, Nomos Glashütte, Norqain, Oris, Panerai, Parmigiani Fleurier, Patek Philippe, Pequignet, Piaget, Raymond Weil, Ressence, Roger Dubuis, Rolex, Rudis Sylva, Speake Marin, TAG Heuer, Trilobe, Tudor, U-Boat, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron Constantin, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Zenith.
