Watches and Wonders Geneva 2021 is on, with lots of new watches promised over a spilt online and offline experience...
With COVID-19 still keeping a tight grip on countries around the world, it was confirmed today that Watches and Wonders Geneva is going ahead. However, for most of the world it will be mainly a digital experience. From April 7th - 13th 2021, 40 of the biggest brands in modern-day watchmaking will virtually meet to share information with the world on their latest releases. A few days later, Watches and Wonders will travel to Shanghai in China where 15 of those brands will be exhibiting their newest creations in person.
In their own words:
"While uncertainty surrounding the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the Watches and Wonders Geneva Exhibitor Committee to rethink the format of the Salon, scheduled April 7-13, 2021, the need remains for a large-scale event that brings watchmaking’s professionals and principal stakeholders together in a single location, both to ensure business continuity and to connect brands, retailers and international media. In the face of an uncertain health situation, Watches and Wonders shows its agility and is initiating a powerful momentum that will take place both online and offline. This gets under way April 7-13 when Watches and Wonders Geneva hosts 38 brands on the new watchesandwonders.com platform. Next, in China, where a few days later, some 15 brands are exhibiting at the second edition of Watches and Wonders Shanghai inside the West Bund Art Center.
To facilitate interaction and enable visitors from around the world to enjoy the full Watches and Wonders experience, the watchesandwonders.com platform – successfully introduced in April 2020 – launches with additional features. More interactive, more functional and focused on services and exchange, this upgraded version is designed to favour synergies, communication and networking. Visitors become actors, not just onlookers, in a robust program that includes multiple opportunities to directly interact with the brands through live chats and streams.
On the agenda: product launches and major partnership announcements by the brands, online press calls, a live Morning Show bringing daily analysis of what’s new at the Salon, plus panels and talks led by key industry figures and influential personalities. Curated by the participating brands and by specialists at the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, the organizer of the Salon, this wealth of content will run throughout the full seven days in a celebration of the creativity and expertise of watchmaking excellence. "
Watches and Wonders 2021 - Image Credit: Watches and Wonders
The brands confirmed to be making an appearance online include:
- A. Lange & Söhne
- Arnold & Son
- Baume & Mercier
- Bvlgari
- Carl F. Bucherer
- Cartier
- Chanel
- Chopard
- Chronoswiss
- Corum
- Ferdinand Berthoud
- Greubel Forsey
- H. Moser & Cie
- Hermès
- Hublot
- IWC Schaffhausen
- Jaeger-LeCoultre
- Louis Moinet
- Louis Vuitton
- Maurice Lacroix
- Montblanc
- Nomos Glashütte
- Oris
- Panerai
- Patek Philippe
- Piaget
- Purnell
- Rebellion Timepieces
- Ressence
- Roger Dubuis
- Rolex
- Speake-Marin
- TAG Heuer
- Trilobe
- Tudor
- Ulysse Nardin
- Vacheron Constantin
- Zenith
With the following brands then heading over to Shanghai for the in person event:
- A. Lange & Söhne
- Baume & Mercier
- Cartier
- Chopard
- IWC Schaffhausen
- Jaeger-LeCoultre
- Montblanc
- Panerai
- Piaget
- Roger Dubuis
- Rolex
- Tudor
- Ulysse Nardin
- Vacheron Constantin
Initial thoughts
Reading through the press release this afternoon regarding the details of the 2021 show, I couldn't help feel a real sense of community from the top of the watch industry. This is something that has felt in turmoil for the past few years thanks to the state of watch shows, but for the first time in some time, seeing a full list of watch brands all confirmed to be together at one event is incredibly exciting. Sure, it's not the full in-person experience with live photos and more accurate reporting on each watch that I'd hoped for, but it's clear we're not out of the woods yet in regards to the pandemic so if this is the only way we can have a sense of community and togetherness in this small but growing industry, I'm all in.
Watches and Wonders 2021 - Image Credit: Watches and Wonders
Noticeably missing parties include Seiko, Breitling & Swatch Group brands (this includes Omega, Tissot, Longines, Glycine, Hamilton, Breguet, Blancpain, Glashütte, RADO, Certina & Swatch) but we have to remember that Watches and Wonders was originally SIHH, which was at its core a Richemont focused event with extra parties such as Rolex and Patek joining just last year after the death of Baselworld.
After the sad news and heartbreak of how Spring 2020 turned out, today feels like a day for watch enthusiasts and collectors to celebrate and new watch season is back. Oh, and it's right around the corner...
