Editor’s Note
The ‘Watches and Wonders’ exhibition in Geneva has become a major success story, setting attendance records and expanding its public access since 2023. As the event prepares for another record-breaking year, we spoke with its director about its growth and significance for the Swiss watch industry.
Since first opening to the public in 2023, the ‘Watches and Wonders’ high-end watchmaking exhibition has welcomed over 40,000 visitors. While the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) had to significantly downsize this year, ‘Watches and Wonders’ is poised to set new records in terms of exhibitors and attendance. SWI swissinfo.ch interviewed the exhibition’s Director, Matthieu Humair.
Professional attendance at the 2023 ‘Watches and Wonders’ was massive, setting a record for the event, and tickets for the general public sold out during the pre-sale phase. Over the course of the week-long exhibition, a continuous stream of visitors brought the total to 43,000 people.
The 2024 ‘Watches and Wonders’ exhibition will be held from April 9 to 15 at the Palexpo exhibition center in Geneva, the same venue that hosted the Geneva Motor Show in early March. This year’s watch exhibition is expected to surpass previous editions in both the number of participating brands and visitors.
The event is organized by the Watches and Wonders Geneva Foundation (WWGF), whose CEO, Matthieu Humair, was interviewed by SWI in his Geneva office.
SWI swissinfo.ch: How does the Geneva ‘Watches and Wonders’ exhibition differ from other watch fairs in Switzerland and around the world?
Matthieu Humair: “Additionally, we will arrange a series of personalized experience activities and meetings with watchmakers. In terms of media exposure, our exhibition attracted the attention of nearly 700 million people worldwide last year.
Of course, we also pay attention to other trends and related activities in the watch world, including events held concurrently in Geneva with ‘Watches and Wonders’ (Editor’s note: such as the Time to Watches exhibition). The key is that we believe these events complement each other, reflecting the exciting vitality of our entire industry.”
What are the novelties of this year’s exhibition compared to 2023?
Matthieu Humair: “A new ‘Lab’ will be set up in the core area of the exhibition, where universities, startups, and exhibiting brands will express their vision for the future of the industry.
Finally, we will also hold several events in Geneva city, including conferences, visits, children’s activities, and a ‘Watch Village’; all these events will be free and open to everyone, as our goal is to inspire more people, especially the younger generation, to engage with watchmaking.”
In some industries, like the automotive sector, physical exhibitions are facing significant difficulties. Are physical fairs still necessary?
Geneva is the land of watchmaking. Is hosting the exhibition here a key advantage compared to Basel, which until the last Baselworld in 2019 was the annual gathering place for the world’s watch industry?
Matthieu Humair: “Finally, Geneva has other important advantages, such as its central location in Europe, quality infrastructure and transportation, and a wide choice of hotels.”
Baselworld was criticized for its high hotel prices. What is the situation in Geneva?
Major European auto shows are attracting more and more Chinese exhibitors. What about your exhibition?
Matthieu Humair: “However, no Chinese brands have approached us for discussions yet. Generally, the decision to accept new brands is made collectively by our steering committee. The aim is to ensure a degree of fairness, which is good for all stakeholders.”
Your official website uses French and English. Have you considered languages for China, Japan, or Arabic-speaking countries?
Your foundation has already held exhibitions in Shanghai several times. Do you plan to continue this or expand the practice to other countries?
Now, your exhibition includes not only ‘elite brands’ but also brands like Alpina, whose watches sell for less than a thousand Swiss francs. What is the reasoning behind such a choice?
Matthieu Humair: “Having so many different brands also reflects the diversity and vitality of the watch industry. From niche brands to industry giants, visitors can get a comprehensive overview of the highest quality and most innovative products in watchmaking.”
Do you plan to open a dedicated area for watch suppliers, such as component or machine tool manufacturers?
