President of the Geneva Watch Fair emphasises the importance of physical events
Keystone-SDA
For the Swiss watch industry, physical events, like the Geneva watch fair, are of great importance after the coronavirus pandemic, despite growing digitalisation.
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Cyrille Vigneron, president of the Watches and Wonders Geneva Foundation (WWGF), said such fairs are special.
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Vigneron, who was head of the Richemont brand Cartier until September 2024, said at the opening of the Geneva watch fair Watches and Wonders that physical events are increasingly making a comeback in all areas of life and that society is longing for them. This is not only true for the watch industry.
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With 65 brands, a record number of exhibitors are also taking part in the most important gathering of the art of watchmaking. The desire for physical contact applies to the watch industry not only for trade fairs, but also in day-to-day business. E-commerce has by no means surpassed in-store sales, said Vigneron.
Record attendance
Despite the uncertain geopolitical situation, the Swiss watch industry has shown remarkable resilience, said Nathalie Fontanet, member of the cantonal government of Geneva. The industry is constantly adapting and developing, she added.
Watches and Wonders 2026 in Geneva started on Tuesday and will run for one week. The first four days are reserved exclusively for trade visitors. The last three days will also be open to the public.
The organisers are expecting around 60,000 visitors, 1,700 journalists and more than 6,000 retailers.
The Watches and Wonders Geneva Foundation (WWGF) was founded in September 2022 on the initiative of Rolex, Richemont and Patek Philippe and is a non-profit foundation based in Geneva.
In 2024, Chanel, Hermès and LVMH also joined the foundation board.
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Watches and Wonders: Geneva watch fair opens to uncertain times
Adapted from German by AI/mga
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