Thibaud Guittard, the founder of the startup watch company Alto, said he had paid the organizers 20,000 Swiss francs ($23,572) to take part in Geneva Watch Days, where he presented his new watch, the Art A01. “It’s a key event now,” said Mr. Guittard, a former Audemars Piguet employee, adding that he had already sold his 25 debut models at 19,450 Swiss francs each. “Even if it’s expensive, you cannot miss it.”
One sign of renewed interest in large watch events was that some Swatch Group brands showed at Geneva Watch Days for the first time, and have registered for WatchTime New York. Breguet, Blancpain and Glashütte Original had not been seen at a watch fair since the group pulled its 18 brands, including Omega, Longines and Tissot, from the 2019 Baselworld fair (then a dominant fair, but now defunct). At the time, it was widely reported the move would save the group $50 million a year.
In July, Swatch Group reported a 14.3 percent drop in its net sales during the first half of the year. The group declined to comment on why it would return to watch events, but Mr. Haagen, the watch industry commentator, said that the company had no choice.
“Swatch Group has to battle with Rolex and so they’re trying something new,” he said. “I could definitely see Swatch Group becoming more visible when it comes to future watch shows.”
A Sign of the Future?
Industry insiders are now asking whether the current environment will inspire brands that have not previously participated in Watches and Wonders Geneva to exhibit in April 2025.
In June, the fair’s foundation announced that Hermès, Chanel and LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the French giant that owns Bulgari, had joined its board, a move Mr. Humair described as “a long-term commitment to support the industry together.”
