Tuesday August 29 saw the official launch of the 4th edition of the Geneva Watch Days at the Rotonde du Mont Blanc.
The CEOs of the 39 participating brands and official partners of the salon gathered alongside Delphine Bachmann, Councilor of State of the Canton of Geneva responsible for the Department of the Economy and Employment, to get the festivities off to a good start.
And these festivities are set to be more numerous than ever: the pavilion will see a series of CEO breakfasts, discussion symposiums, and a range of press conferences. A space curated by Horopedia and the Ecole d’Horlogerie will be devoted to the watchmaking profession. The Geneva Watch Days, with Phillips in association with Bas & Russo, will also be organizing an auction at the official dinner to raise money to support deserving students at the Ecole d’Horlogerie de Genève who have no parental support. A cause dear to the hearts of all members and partners attending the salon.
Naturally, the pavilion is open to the public every afternoon, with a special day on Saturday, September 2 curated by the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie and the Watch Library.
"Geneva Watch Days no longer needs to prove its audacity. The salon was inaugurated in 2020 and has been growing in scale and prestige ever since, meeting each year at the idyllic location of La Rade. Today, it forms the international showcase for excellence in Swiss watchmaking, which accounted for exports worth more than CHF 24 billion in 2022. Almost half of these exports come from Geneva, which is excellent news for the economy of our canton," comments Delphine Bachmann, Councilor of State responsible for the economy and employment.
"Supporting industry, giving brands an informal and decentralized setting to launch their new products, meeting the major players in the business – media and retailers – as well as the general public, that's what Geneva Watch Days are all about. Born during the pandemic after other salons had been canceled, this event is becoming tradition and increasingly rooted in the cradle of watchmaking culture – Geneva," adds Antoine Pin, President of the Geneva Watch Days Association and Director of Bulgari Watches.
At the launch, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève revealed the selection of 90 timepieces chosen by the GPHG Academy – made up of 847 people – to compete in the 15 categories of the 2023 edition. It is from among these that the jury and the GPHG Academy will select the winners of the 20 prizes, including the prestigious Aiguille d'Or, to be revealed on November 9 at the official ceremony in Geneva's Théâtre du Léman. Of these 84 watches and six mechanical clocks, no fewer than 19 are from brands participating in Geneva Watch Days.
The essential fall get-together for the watch industry is set to sprint out of the blocks on the shores of Lake Geneva. Don't miss it!
