Geneva Watch Days 2024
With over 13,800 attendees and 52 of the world’s most esteemed watch brands—from storied Maisons to bold independents— Geneva Watch Days 2024 has firmly established itself as the second-largest watch trade show.
In a year marked by notable shifts in the watch market—spurred by rising demand for sustainable, technologically advanced timepieces—several brands have shown impressive adaptability. Despite challenges such as economic fluctuations affecting luxury spending, supply chain disruptions and evolving regulations, luxury watchmakers continue to balance traditional craftsmanship with modern advancements.
At Geneva Watch Days 2024, we saw how the sector is navigating complexities, strengthening its position as a leader in heritage-meets-forward thinking design and audacious innovation.
H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Passion Fruit and the Studio Underd0g 03SERIES Passi0n Fruit.
Among the standout moments was the surprising collaboration between H. Moser & Cie and British microbrand Studio Underd0g. Together, they unveiled 100 limited-edition timepieces: the 42mm stainless steel Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Passion Fruit by H. Moser and the 38.5mm 03 Series Passion Fruit by Studio Underd0g.
Adorned with vivid purple and yellow hues driven by the fruit itself, these watches were striking in design, yet devoid of visible logos. Of course, it prompted varied responses. Reactions ranged from admiration for the creativity to scepticism about their compatibility.
Engravings on the MB&F LM Split Escapement “Eddy Jaquet” Limited Edition.
On the artistic front, MB&F captured attention with the LM Split Escapement ‘Eddy Jaquet’ Limited Edition. This exclusive series, honouring Jules Verne’s novels, featured detailed engravings by master artisan Eddy Jaquet, bringing pivotal scenes from these literary classics to life.
MB&F HM4 “Thunderbolt”
Never one to shy away from the dramatic, MB&F’s Horological Machine No. 4 also made waves with its aviation-inspired design. Its dual mainspring barrels drive vertical gear trains, all encased in a crystal-clear sapphire shell that exposes the mesmerising choreography of its fine mechanics.
Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing Prototype
The pursuit of the extraordinary was further exemplified by Konstantin Chaykin’s record-breaking ThinKing Prototype. At just 1.65 millimetres thick, this playful timepiece boasts a funky design derived from the Joker. Meanwhile on the retro-futuristic front, HAUTLENCE paid homage to the golden age of radio with the RETROVISION ’47, a timepiece that transports onlookers back to the 1940s.
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And the whimsy continued with Daniel Roth’s iconic double-ellipse case, now refined with a 2mm slimmer profile in the latest Rose Gold Tourbillon. The sapphire case-back reveals an exquisite movement with côtes de Genève and black polish. Similarly, ALTO made a dramatic debut with the ART 01—a daring fusion of art and time. Drawing inspiration from the wedge-shaped concept cars of the 1970s, its angular lines and faceted surfaces evoke brutalist architecture, playing with light and incorporating a reverse-running seconds hand to turn the conventional flow of time into a countdown.
(L-R) Daniel Roth Rose Gold Tourbillon, ALTO ART-01
Transparent mechanics are clearly on the rise, as shown by De Bethune’s DB28XS Steel Wheels, Speake-Marin Ripples Skeleton, and Girard-Perregaux’s Three Flying Bridges. Each presented its inner workings in a distinctive way: the DB28xs with its openworked dial, the Ripples Skeleton put on view a skeletonised design with a wave motif, and the Three Flying Bridges highlighted floating gold bridges. These designs transform mechanical complexity into captivating art.
(L-R) De Bethune’s DB28XS Steel Wheels, Girard-Perregaux’s Three Flying Bridges, Speake-Marin Ripples Skeleton
This year’s horological trends seem to revisit the essence of time itself. Take, a notable instance, the Luna Magna by Arnold & Son—a spherical moon-phase watch that defies convention. This impressive timepiece shows off the largest rotating three-dimensional moon ever crafted for a wristwatch. Gracefully emerging from the calibre’s main plate, the moon not only maintains the watch’s balance but also offers an entrancing view.
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In the same vein of cosmic wonder, Jacob & Co.’s Astronomia Tourbillon took watchmaking to celestial heights. Imagine a miniature planetary system on your wrist: a triple-axis tourbillon, a diamond moon, and a rotating Earth globe set against a starry aventurine backdrop. The Astronomia Tourbillon doesn’t merely tell time—it discloses a stunning 20- minute cycle of planetary motion, where the cosmos is displayed in all its grandeur.
Jacob & Co.’s Astronomia Solar Constellations
Turning our gaze from hyperbole creations, traditional watchmaking’s dedication to understated elegance is exemplified by Laurent Ferrier, a pioneer of quiet luxury long before it became a trend. The Classic Auto Sandstone, with its signature pebble-shaped stainless steel case and warm rose hue, offers a vintage yet balanced look. A gently sloping window directs the eye to the date indicator, which is clearly exposed in slate grey on a white disc.
The Classic Auto Sandstone by Laurent Ferrier
While the timepieces were the focal point of Geneva Watch Days 2024, the event was also marked by a strong humanitarian spirit. In partnership with Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, an auction raised CHF 108,000 for the Pierre Amstutz Fund, benefiting apprentices at the Geneva Watchmaking School. Notable contributions included an abstract painting by Konstantin Chaykin and MB&F’s quirky “Dinosharpener,” both fetching CHF 20,000 under the expert hammer of Aurel Bacs.
