Geneva Watch Days 2024 Gets Bigger with 51 Participating Brands

After the grand success of Geneva Watch Days (GWD) 2023, the annual horological summer gala is set to return to the City on August 29 and continue till September 2. This year, a raft of brands will be participating for the first time. Therefore, Geneva Watch Days 2024 promises to be the biggest edition ever with 51 participating Maisons in total. 

Geneva Watch Days: Participating Brands

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Beauregard, Cvstos, Daniel Roth, Edox, Favre Leuba, Fortis, Genus, Lederer, L’Epée, Micromilspec, Ming, and Speake-Marin will be part of the gala for the first time. In addition, Breguet, Blancpain, and Glashütte Original are supporting the joint efforts to make the belle horlogerie shine, with special animations in their boutiques. With the 36 returning brands, the total number of participating watchmakers goes up to a whopping 51. 

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Geneva Watch Days was born out of a temporary need for a horological gathering during the pandemic; in just four years, it has become an institution and a celebration of fine watchmaking. With six Founding Members — Breitling, Bvlgari, De Bethune, Girard Perregaux, H. Moser & Cie., and MB&F — the event launched in 2020 has now become an essential part of the watchmaking calendar. 

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Geneva Watch Days: The Concept

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The original idea was to have a common pavilion to showcase the brands’ timepieces to the public, while discussing current topics and celebrating haute horlogerie. The concept of decentralised locations — boutiques or hotels — for each Maison to welcome watch enthusiasts also became a quick hit. All in all, Geneva Watch Days offers a relaxed and festive atmosphere, and a simple yet efficient organisation, all with the Jet d’Eau (Geneva Water Fountain) in sight in the late summer heat. 

“The increasing success of Geneva Watch Days must be attributed to the participating brands as well as the constant support from our partners, especially the State and the City of Geneva. The 2024 edition looks very promising,” says Antoine Pin, President of the Geneva Watch Days Association and Director of Bvlgari Watches. 

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Geneva Watch Days: 24 Hours in Zurich Event

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The last edition attracted over 8,000 visitors, 600 media representatives, and 300 retailers from all over the world. The 2024 dates will also offer a full weekend with a special programme for the public. The gathering is expected to set new records this year. There is a teaser event that will take place on June 4 in Zurich, providing a sneak peek at the forthcoming celebrations. During this “Geneva Watch Days, 24 hours in Zurich” event, the final list of participating brands will be revealed. This will also offer media representatives and watch enthusiasts with a chance to interact with the representatives from both established and new brands, conduct interviews with CEOs, and experience the warm and energetic atmosphere that sets the tone for the event. 

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The Auction

Last year,  a sum of CHF 110,000 was raised, thanks to a charity auction organised jointly by Geneva Watch Days and Phillips in collaboration with Bacs & Russo on August 30. This was used to set up the “Pierre Amstutz Fund” in memory of the former Director of the Geneva Watchmaking School, a non-profit organisation that offers support to students in need, enabling them to complete their training in better conditions. It underlines the watchmaking sector’s solidarity and determination to protect its expertise. A new auction in 2024 is possible.

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