The 2024 edition of Geneva Watch Days took place this August with a record 52 brands taking part and almost 1,500 watchmaking professionals, including 650 media representatives and 250 retailers from all over the world, gathering on the shores of Lake Geneva.
Open to the general public for five days, the Pavilion at the “Rotonde du Mont Blanc” welcomed 13,800 visitors. Connoisseurs of fine watchmaking were able to admire over 100 new timepieces free of charge, displayed in 65 showcases around four themes. 650 of them took advantage of guided tours given by experts from the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, and VIP programs were offered to collectors.
“The success of this year’s event is due not only to the participating brands, but also to our partners. I would like to thank the Republic and Canton of Geneva, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Geneva Tourism, the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix, Horopedia, the GenevaWatchmaking School, the Watch Library, Worldtempus, the Horology Society of New York, GMT publishing, Revolution Magazine, Le Temps, WatchPro, Euronews and Europastar for their invaluable support,” said Jean Christophe Babin, President of the Geneva Watch Days Association and CEO of the Bulgari Group.
Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling added: “It’s a source of pride and pleasure to be involved in and witness this initiative, a collaboration that has gone from strength to strength since its inception four years ago. It’s a cultural moment, a unifying gathering and a platform for exchange for the watchmaking industry. This year, the Geneva Watch Dayshave even moved to German-speaking Switzerland for a day in June to raise their profile.”
The show is well on the way to a 6th edition in 2025 and is definitely becoming a not-to-be-missed event in the industry calendar. Turn the page to see some of the novelties that debuted at the event.
Breitling
Breitling is celebrating its 140-year anniversary and has already revealed a number of exciting moments throughout the year. At Geneva Watch Days, the Swiss brand revealed its limited 140th-anniversary editions of its three flagship models—the Premier, Navitimer, and Chronomat. Each is equipped with the revolutionary Caliber B19, which promises a century of precision without major adjustments and an impressive 96-hour power reserve. 140th-anniversary editions of its three flagship models—the Premier, Navitimer, and Chronomat. Each is equipped with the new revolutionary Caliber B19, which promises a century of precision without major adjustments and an impressive 96-hour power reserve.
Premier B19 Datora 42 140th Anniversary: The Premier made its debut in 1943 as the watch that took the chronograph out of the cockpit and into society. It was the gentleman’s chronograph, a symbol of good taste that also happened to be a highly functional tool watch. The anniversary edition in solid 18 k red gold retains the Premier’s distinctive Arabic numerals, contrasting minutes scale, and signature square pushers. The strap is black alligator leather with elegant tone-on-tone topstitching and an 18 k gold folding buckle.
Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary: The Navitimer was the first watch for pilots to combine a chronograph with the brand’s proprietary wrist-worn circular slide rule. Originally developed in 1952 for members of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the Navitimer quickly found favor with a broader audience that included celebrities and astronauts—in 1962 it became the first Swiss wristwatch in space. The anniversary edition features the famous slide rule in black on an attention-grabbing 18 k red-gold dial. The strap is alligator leather with contrasting topstitching and an 18 k gold folding buckle.
Super Chronomat B19 44 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary: The Chronomat first launched in 1983 as the official watch of Italy’s aerobatics team, the Frecce Tricolori. The popularity of its design led to a wider release a year later. This quartz-era timing was significant—the Chronomat was instrumental in restoring the popularity of mechanical chronographs. The anniversary edition features the model’s distinctive design with four raised rider tabs at the 15-minute marks, an “onion” crown, and a rubber version of the model’s classic Rouleaux bracelet. Ceramic inserts give it a supercharged look. Plus, it marks another first for Breitling: a dramatic skeletonised dial.
Bulgari
Bulgari’s 2024 showcase at Geneva Watch Days focused on The Sound of Bulgari with new novelties in the form of Octo Chiming, Bulgari x Fender and Serpenti Pallani.
The Octo Roma Grande Sonnerie is the most complex watch ever created by Bvlgari, it features the queen of complications in watchmaking, the minute repeater: here, four hammers mark time with a tune composed by conductor Lorenzo Viotti. This horological marvel, equipped with an innovative openworked metal dial, reinvents the melody of gongs by adding the ‘tritone,’ a characteristic interval of classical music.
The Octo Roma Carillon Tourbillon stem from two extremely complex mechanisms, visible as a dual ballet on the dial side: the tourbillon and the minute repeater with three hammers, rendering the time at will. Meanwhile, the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater Carbon combines the inimitable Octo Finissimo design with an extraordinarily complex minute repeater calibre that chimes the hours, quarters, and minutes on demand.
The Bvlgari Aluminium GMT x Fender® Limited Edition, like a vibrant anthem transcending time and time zones, is a testament to the universal power of music. As part of an exceptional collaboration between Bvlgari and the Fender Custom Shop, the Bvlgari Aluminium and the Stratocaster, two icons in their respective realms, come together to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the legendary electric guitar.
And finally, the Serpenti Pallini High Jewellery sensuously nestles itself around the wrist. Sliding into yellow, rose, and white gold under a canopy of diamonds, Serpenti Pallini iconic serpent now comes with the Maison’s Piccolissimo calibre – a marvel of miniaturization, it allows Bvlgari to revisit the lines and proportions of its iconic serpent creation.
Arnold & Son
Arnold & Son’s Perpetual Moon 38 Red Gold welcomes two limited-edition dials. The radiance of 88 pieces in blue aventurine glass and 28 pieces in a warm, sunray-brushed grey joins that of the largest moon phase. Arnold & Son exhibits its mastery of colour, its sense of texture and its taste for materials, telling a nocturnal narrative that brings together the grey of a cliff, the iridescent white of the moon and the almost black blue of a starry sky.
Blue aventurine glass and cliff grey. Two new themes take hold of the 38 mm diameter red gold (5N) iteration of Perpetual Moon, giving two sophisticated dials befitting of the precise astronomical moon phase of the A&S1612 calibre.
From the outset, Perpetual Moon 38 was destined to become a fully-fledged collection, distinct from its larger 41.5 mm diameter cousin and its more assertive style. Behind the scenes is the unwavering quality with which Arnold & Son creates its movements and selects the elements for their exteriors.
Czapek
As Czapek continues to celebrate the chameleon character of the Antarctique, it presents a new and unexpected twist to the sporty-chich watch: ‘dressing it up for a gala’ with an aventurine dial and a version with diamond indexes. The new Antarctique S uses colour, form and the play of light across different textures and surfaces and the aventurine and diamond dials embody this ethos in a new way. The visual depth and subtle ‘starry sky’ sparkle of the aventurine contrast with the brilliance of the Antarctique-cut index markers which in turn, contrast with the polished surfaces and cool tones of the steel case.
De Bethune
The DB28xs Aérolite is a fusion of art and science. Crafted from a real meteorite, this incredible creation is offered in a limited edition number. This exceptional timepiece sits at the intersection of watchmaking tradition and modern science, pushing the boundaries of creativity and horological engineering. It marks a new milestone in the brand’s history, drawing inspiration from previous masterpieces such as the DB28xs Starry Seas and the DB28XP Météorite, while introducing a unique and contemporary vision. “No other metal is as infused with pure energy and emotion as iron meteorites, which have taken form in the furnace of stars,” says Denis Flageollet.
Girard-Perregaux
Girard Perregaux unveiled an additional version of La Esmeralda Tourbillon ‘A Secret’ Eternity Edition. This latest addition to the Bridges collection is executed in rich honey tones and, along with its widespread use of pink gold, masterfully plays with light.
La Esmeralda Tourbillon ‘A Secret’ Eternity Edition is housed in a 43 mm pink gold case. It features Three Gold Bridges in a matching hue and is endowed with a honey colour Grand Feu dial. The case, lugs, bezel and buckle are intricately engraved and pay homage to the historic pocket watch of 1889. The dial is enlivened with a combination of sunray and circular guilloché, expertly imparted by hand using a traditional rose engine lathe.
At the heart of the watch sits the Signature Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges, the Manufacture calibre GP09600. Equipped with a discreet white gold micro-rotor, located beneath the barrel, the movement offers the convenience of automatic winding and plays host to golden engravings, referencing the patent filed for the Tourbillon with Three Bridges movement in 1884. Enriched with a cornucopia of refined finishes, the Manufacture calibre GP09600 perpetuates the Maison’s reputation for crafting the finest expressions of watchmaking.
As well as the dial, the case is dressed in honey-toned Grand Feu enamel. This artisanal technique is executed at the Maison’s sister company, Donzé Cardrans. Employing a Champlevé technique imbues the surface with a fade-free allure. The rear of case is intricately engraved with a fluted pattern and adorned with three galloping horses found on the historic pocket watch. The significance of the equine scene is a secret never to be revealed.
Louis Erard
Louis Erard has partnered with Stefan Kudoke, one of the best-known indie horologists and the first independent German master watchmaker to win the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2019. The Le Régulateur Louis Erard X Kudoke collection features four watches that are packed with eight distinctive details of KUDOKE’ “HANDWORK” dials. The watches play on geometry, highlighting the Regulator’s “three in-line hands” design through highly recognisable features. These eye-catching colourful timepieces are stylish and feature the highest levels of watchmaking craftsmanship.
Maurice Lacroix
Maurice Lacroix revealed a lineup of AIKON timepieces that offer impressive performance and feature an eye-catching design. The additional versions of its AIKON Automatic and AIKON Automatic Chronograph are housed in titanium and feature highly fashionable colours, making them perfect for day-to-day wear. The AIKON Automatic 42mm is available in two variants, both of which feature a clous-de-Paris dial motif, facetted hour and minute hands, a liberal application of Super-LumiNova to aid readability in dim light, a centre seconds hand and a date indication. While sharing the same genetic makeup, both references evince a different character. An elegant grey dial delivers a monochromatic aesthetic, accentuating the cool tones of the titanium housing. Alternatively, the AIKON Automatic is available in an eye-popping shade of vibrant purple for those wearers who choose to live life above the radar.
The Aikon Automatic 44mm features dials enriched with a lattice-like motif, luminescent treatment, a day-date display and three counters. Packed with functionality, the AIKON Automatic Chronograph is offered in two eye-catching dial colours: purple, with contrasting silver counters, or a golden option set with brooding black subdials.
