Watch enthusiasts will already be looking forward to the most hotly anticipated week in the international calendar: Watches and Wonders 2023 will take place from 27 March to 2 April in Geneva, the historical and cultural heart of watchmaking, and promises an unsurpassed level of immersive wonder for exhibitors, guests, and members of the public.
This year, the Salon will be themed around the concept of Time. Almost 50 houses will explore the fine art of watchmaking as it relates to time-honoured traditions, contemporary developments in the craft, and Maisons that are looking to the future; focusing on new technologies and transformations in the fields of watchmaking and timekeeping.
If you happen to be in Geneva on 1 and 2 April, when the Salon is open to general visitors, don’t forget to diarise the programme of intellectually stimulating talks in the Auditorium at Palexpo. There will be 6 talks and panel discussions organised for each day, covering wide-ranging topics such as NFTs, how to assemble a vintage watch collection, the Metaverse and even Blockchain. These talks are definitely not to be missed.
We are looking forward to photographer Karine Bauzin’s series of ethnographic works that explore the almost universal way of checking the time. Exploring 20 different countries for 10 years, Bauzin asked the same question: “What time is it?” She discovered that the reaction was always the same, and she invites you to make the same discovery as you contemplate the significance of time throughout the globe via her photographs.
If you can’t get enough of watches at Palexpo, both Rue du Rhône and Rues Basses outside of the Salon will also open their boutiques during the week of 27 March to 1 April in a synchronised celebration of all things related to timekeeping, hosting special activations for guests and members of the public. With the ‘In the City’ programme, Watches and Wonders will take over the centre of Geneva with exhibitions in the watch boutiques, guided visits, a rally, and conferences. Take note of the evening of 30 March from 5 to 9 pm, when Rues Basses will reveal a pop-up of concerts, entertainment and invited artists focused on watchmaking.
As if that isn’t enough, Pont de la Machine (the information centre for the week of Watches and Wonders) will host talks on Geneva and Watchmaking for anyone wanting to know more about why this Swiss city has been the focal point of watchmaking since the early 19th Century.
Online ticketing has already opened on Watches and Wonders – Geneva 2023, so get online now to book your spot. Check the website for a full list of exhibiting Maisons.
