Over 55,000 visitors attended this year’s fair (Photo: Watches and Wonders)
Watches and Wonders Geneva (W&W) just gets bigger and bigger every year. The 2025 edition witnessed an unprecedented level of participation and achieved good growth across key metrics. Featuring 60 prestigious watch brands in addition to a comprehensive public engagement programme, the event attracted a record-breaking 55,000 visitors, a 12% increase from last year.
The 5% rise in retailer representatives underscores the fair’s crucial role as a nexus for business transactions and networking while the 7% uptick in journalists — now including digital influencers and content creators — emphasises its importance as a vital source of industry insights and bellwether for trends. On the other hand, the most notable increase, a surge of 21% to more than 23,000 public tickets sold, reflects the burgeoning consumer appetite for fine watchmaking, reinforcing the fact that W&W is no longer solely an industry-focused affair, but a cultural destination for enthusiasts worldwide.
Recognising the vital role of future generations, this year’s W&W made a concerted effort to engage the demographic. Through school outreach programmes, detailed vocational training presentations and the pathway to SwissSkills 2025 qualifications, close to 10,000 young individuals were exposed to the intricate craftsmanship and career opportunities in the industry, fostering a pipeline of talent for the sector.
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There was certainly no shortage of star power at the salon as many celebrity ambassadors — perhaps the most since its inception — graced the event to support their respective maisons. In fact, a couple of days before the fair, former tennis pro Roger Federer soft-launched a new Rolex on Instagram. He shared pictures of a ski trip in the Swiss alps, including one that showed him enjoying a pot of fondue, notably with a now-identified white gold Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller on his wrist.
Equipped with the new Calibre 7135, the Land-Dweller boasts a new proprietary, patented Dynapulse escapement, which transmits energy by rolling rather than sliding, making it more energy-efficient than a traditional escapement. Thinner than the majority of the brand’s movements, Calibre 7135 is designed to operate at a high frequency of 5Hz for exceptional performance. A five-link Flat Jubilee integrated bracelet ensures the watch sits comfortably on the wrist and trust us, the laser-engraved honeycomb pattern on the dial looks much better up close than photos.
Other notable additions from the Crown include a solid gold 1908 on a seven-piece link Settimo bracelet and muted, matt pastels on three Oyster Perpetuals. A lavender dial enhances the Oyster Perpetual 28 while a beige and pistachio face grace the 36 and 41 respectively.
Fans went wild for King of Mandopop Jay Chou when he visited the Tudor booth wearing a Black Bay Chrono Pink. While most brands are sizing down their timepieces, Tudor decided to go against the grain by introducing the Black Bay 68, a 43mm version of the classic with Master Chronometer certification. Moreover, the Pelagos Ultra gets a staggering depth rating of 1,000m while the glossy burgundy shade on the Black Bay 58 is easy on the eyes.
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Many were surprised to see Ashley Simone, best known as Kate Sharma in Bridgerton, at IWC Schaffhausen. The actress is starring alongside Brad Pitt and Damson Idris in the upcoming F1 film directed by Joseph Kosinski (of Top Gun: Maverick). In the show — slated for release in late June — IWC acts as the sponsor of the fictional APX GP team. If you find yourself a fan after the credits roll, a green Ingenieur and trio of Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronographs, including a perpetual calendar, inspired by APX GP, make good mementos.
Speaking of Formula One (in reality), Tag Heuer celebrated its return as Official Timekeeper with the limited-edition Monaco Seconds Chronograph F1, where its two counters display the phrase “lights out & away we go”, famously announced by David Croft, the Sky Sports F1 lead commentator, at the start of every Grand Prix. But it was really the vibrant 1980s-inspired Formula 1 Solargraph that set its turf abuzz. Engineered to harness both sun and artificial light, the quartz movement allegedly takes only two minutes of exposure to power the watch for a day, and less than 40 hours to power it for up to 10 months. A new TH-Polylight composite material is used for the bezel on all nine 38mm models and we have to say, they hit the sweet spot between affordability, nostalgia and fun.
Prior to W&W, the watch community had high hopes of seeing special anniversary timepieces at the fair since a good number of brands were celebrating milestone birthdays this year. Zenith went full cobalt with a trilogy of limited-edition ceramic chronographs and debuted the GFJ series — named after the initials of founder Georges Favre-Jacot — powered by the legendary Calibre 135, to commemorate its 160th. Blue is a well-used colour in horology, but Zenith’s electric and anomalous shade certainly sets it apart. The same can be said of Chanel’s new hue for the J12, which turns 25 this year. It is presented in an intense matt midnight meets Prussian blue that appears to change depending on the light source it is viewed under, a phenomenon called metamerism, one of the inspirations behind its creation.
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Hublot released five models, each commemorating the inventive materials that have defined the watchmaker, for the Big Bang’s 20th bash. From the flamboyant ceramic Red Magic to the scratch-proof Magic Gold (worn by eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt during his visit), the limited-edition timepieces were a nod to the brand’s avant-garde vision, backed by technical and material innovations. By the way, more than 800 people attended Hublot’s star-studded soirée, including Bolt, fellow ambassador French footballer Kylian Mbappé and new LVMH CEO Jean-Christophe Babin. With a combined total of 43 Michelin stars across the restaurants they own, five of gastronomy’s greatest minds — Yannick Alléno, Anne-Sophie Pic, Clare Smyth, Andreas Caminada and Eneko Atxa — teamed up to serve the crowd.
Bell & Ross celebrated two decades of its “circle within a square” icon with three BR-03 skeletons and a range of BR-05 models in 36mm. Roger Dubuis returns to its roots for its 30th anniversary with the Excalibur Grande Complication and Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar, both of which pay tribute to its eponymous co-founder’s signature ecliptic counters. On the back of the latter is an inscribed message from the maison. Translated, it says: “This is a watch of today, inspired but not restricted to the past, projected into a future that belongs to us”.
At A Lange & Söhne (where those in the know go for a German pilsner), two new elegant 1815 references in 34mm commemorate the model’s 30-year milestone. But it was the Minute Repeater Perpetual, combining the two grand complications with flawless finishing, that stole the show. Other phenomenal minute repeaters that come to mind are the Patek Philippe Quadruple Complication — also equipped with a split-second chronograph and instantaneous perpetual calendar — and Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater, both of whose chiming spectacles had everyone at the Touch & Try sessions holding their breath.
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Three world records were shattered at W&W, with Vacheron Constantin leading the way. Apart from a series of new Patrimony and Traditionnelle pieces featuring dials with a specially designed Maltese cross pattern marking its 270th anniversary, Vacheron Constantin also released the Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication, the most complicated wristwatch ever with 41 complications.
Eight years in the making, the timepiece houses a whopping 1,521 components and 13 patents within a case measuring just 45mm in diameter and 15mm in height — a testament to the manufacture’s formidable skill in complex technical miniaturisation. There are five astronomical complications among the 41, four of which relate to the course of the sun in real time (for example, its height and time of culmination). The fifth, a world premiere, tracks constellations using a split-second chronograph, making it possible to calculate the time it takes for a given star to appear in the observer’s field of vision. Now, that’s out of this world.
Over at Ulysse Nardin, the world’s lightest dive watch is introduced in the form of the Diver [Air]. Weighing a scant 52g (or 46g if you take off the fabric strap), it is largely produced using advanced and upcycled materials, such as titanium, silicon and Nylo-Foil sourced from specialised start-ups. The UN-374 calibre making all this possible is a descendant of the skeletonised Diver X, so there is still a 90-hour power reserve and 200m depth rating. More impressively, despite its radical skeletonisation, the brand claims that the calibre can withstand the tremendous impact of 5,000g.
W&W newcomer Bvlgari made a solid first impression by dethroning Piaget’s 2mm Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon for the title of world’s thinnest tourbillon watch. At 1.85mm, the Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon is the maison’s 10th world record to date. From its architecture to its functions, each component had to be reimagined and trimmed down for this superlative skeletonised flat-lay. Inside, the hand-wound BVF900 calibre beating at 4Hz offers a 42-hour power reserve.
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Fellow jeweller Cartier also made waves by reviving the Tank à Guichets, a rare and highly coveted Brutalist model from the 1920s that occupies pride of place on virtually all Tank collectors’ wish lists. Available in yellow gold, rose gold and platinum, the watch is powered by a new hand-wound 9755 MC jump hour calibre with an hour aperture at 12 o’clock and trailing minutes at 6 o’clock. A fourth model, limited to just 200 examples, offers a more slanted approach with the hour window at 10 o’clock and a rotated minutes frame at 4 o’clock. “It kind of looks like it’s making a winky face”, an observer remarked, and we could not help but agree.
There were a number of maisons that leaned into the art of storytelling and imagery, conjuring up scenes and evoking emotions with horological creations that marry beauty and technicality. Van Cleef & Arpels is one great example. Imbued with romance, the Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automate showcases two lovers swept away in a moonlit dance in a Parisian guinguette illuminated by lanterns. The couple share a kiss at noon and midnight, or whenever the automaton is activated.
The debut of Calibre 9RB2 marks a new chapter in Grand Seiko’s ongoing pursuit of precision. The next-generation Spring Drive moment is distinguished by its Ultra Fine Accuracy designation and operates with an annual precision rate of ±20 seconds, making it the most accurate of its kind ever produced by the Japanese manufacture. It makes its first appearance in the Evolution 9 SLGB001 and SLGB003, whose dials draw from the frost-laden forests of the Shinshu region in Honshu during midwinter.
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On the other hand, Parmigiani Fleurier’s novelties harness the power of timeless colours as an invitation to slow down, observe and reconnect. The subtle shades on its new Toric Quantieme Perpetuals, reflecting the serene flow of time in quiet mornings and during golden hour, serve as a reminder of the importance of finding stillness in the midst of chaos. And in an effort to “stop time” altogether, Hermès’ GPHG award-winning Le Temps Suspendu complication returns to the Arceau and Cut collections. Activate the pusher and the hour and minute hands snap to frame 12 o’clock, eclipsing time as long as the wearer needs. They return to normal when the pusher is triggered again.
These pause-and-reflect messages are certainly apt today. It would be remiss of us not to touch on the collective concern that plagued the fair when US President Donald Trump’s administration announced its “Liberation Day” tariffs. Switzerland was slapped with a shocking 31% increase on its exports to the US, turning what was supposed to be a week of merrymaking into days of hushed and sombre after-hours discussions of what could or would be. The contraction is poised to severely challenge the Swiss watch industry, with entry-level and mid-range brands facing acute pressure due to price-sensitive consumers and narrower profit margins. Consequently, the dynamics of selling Swiss timepieces to American consumers will require a more complex and strategic approach by all brands regardless of their size.
What next? Time, as they always say, will tell.
This article first appeared on Apr 14, 2025 in The Edge Malaysia.
