Editor’s Note
This article explores the pivotal 16th-century origins of Swiss watchmaking, tracing its rise to a Geneva transformed by Reformation-era sumptuary laws. It highlights how the ingenuity of local artisans, redirected from jewelry, laid the foundation for an enduring global industry.
The history of the watch industry in the watch kingdom of Switzerland dates back to the 16th century. Jean Calvin, the Frenchman who promoted the Reformation in Geneva, banned ostentation and restricted the wearing of decorative and jewelry items. Consequently, the jewelry artisans, goldsmiths, and enamelers who were already active in Geneva at the time were forced to shift their focus to watchmaking, a field where they could utilize their exquisite craftsmanship.
Furthermore, many of the Huguenots (Calvinist Protestants) who fled to Geneva from France due to religious wars were also skilled watchmakers. Coupled with the well-established sales and distribution networks, a new “watch industry” flourished in Geneva. At that time, the focus was on the manufacture and sale of pocket watches and table clocks. In 1601, the world’s first watchmakers’ guild was established in Geneva.
With the prosperity of the watch industry, the manufacturing hubs spread to the foothills of the Jura Mountains, located north to northeast of Geneva (known from geology’s “Jurassic” period). Watch and component manufacturing also served as a side job for dexterous and diligent farmers during the off-season and winter. This is why the headquarters of most prestigious watch maisons are still located in Geneva and towns along the Jura Mountains today.
Complex mechanisms such as the “tourbillon,” which compensates for time errors caused by positional differences of the watch; the “minute repeater,” which chimes the time by striking a gong with a hammer; the “perpetual calendar,” which requires minimal manual date correction; the automatic winding mechanism; and the “flyback chronograph,” which instantly resets the hands, were invented one after another. Later applied to wristwatches, these innovations helped Switzerland establish its unparalleled position in watchmaking. Incidentally, electronic and quartz wristwatches also originated in Switzerland.
It is also said that the growth of the watch industry was aided by factors such as the cold, low-humidity climate near Geneva, which prevented parts from rusting easily; clean air and abundant water suitable for cleaning components; and, after modernization, the availability of hydroelectric power. Switzerland’s status as a “permanently neutral country” also made it easier to receive orders for military watches and instruments.
For luxury consumer goods like fashion, watches, and jewelry, trade fairs are crucial venues for business. In Switzerland, two major watch fairs were held for a long time: “Baselworld” (from 1972) and the “SIHH = Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie” (commonly known as the Geneva Salon, from 1991). However, these were discontinued due to factors like the COVID-19 pandemic. The current world’s largest watch fair, which carries on this legacy, is “Watches and Wonders Geneva.” It began as an online event in 2020 and, since 2022, has been held annually in spring at “Palexpo,” adjacent to the airport, similar to the former Geneva Salon.
In 2025, 60 brands/maisons participated. Each expresses its worldview through elaborately designed booth displays and beautiful visuals, conducting new product launches, order-taking, branding, marketing, and media interviews. In addition to retailers and press, the fair also admits general visitors for a fee. In 2025, total attendance over the seven days from April 1st to 7th exceeded 55,000 people.
Furthermore, during the fair period, events, concerts, and guided tours branded as “In the City” are held throughout Geneva. The municipality and companies work together to promote “Geneva, the City of Watches” to visitors and tourists. During the event period, Geneva becomes nothing less than the “world’s largest watch festival,” gathering industry professionals and enthusiasts from around the globe.