From September 2nd to 6th, 2026, I covered the Geneva Watch Days in Geneva, Switzerland. Following my coverage of the new product fair in April, I will share my experiences of this late summer event, including both joy and sorrow (mostly sadness), in this diary format.
Photographs & Text by Chieko Tsuruoka (Chronos-Japan)
[Article published on January 11, 2026]
Gallet → Bulgari → and once again, I found solace in L'Epée 1839.
Day two of Geneva Watch Days (GWD). This morning, I got out of bed after only three hours of sleep, did some work on my PC, ate breakfast, and took the SBB train from Annemas station to downtown Geneva. On the second day, I already feel heavy. The thought crosses my mind that it might be due to my age, but then I remind myself, "No, I'm eternally 28..."
Dragging my heavy body, I arrived at the Four Seasons Hotel. I met up with my interpreter, Yuko Sakata. Ms. Sakata had also accompanied me on my GWD coverage in 2024. She is a woman who has worked as an interpreter in the watch industry for a long time, and she has a deep understanding of products and technology, so it was very reassuring to have her accompany me again this time (although she is a bit strict).
Anyway, our first stop is Gallet. Gallet is a watch brand that was founded in 1862 and, after a period of dormancy, has been relaunched under the House of Brands as a sister brand of Breitling. As a signal of its revival, it has released a wide variety of new watches at GWD.
Gallet's brand concept is "Wanderlust." Based on themes of adventure and a longing for travel, they have launched new watches that are both functional and reflect Gallet's history, targeting modern adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts. The enthusiasm of media and retailers from various countries for touching and feeling the actual watches after the presentation was very evident.
All of these products boast extremely high exterior quality, and the fact that they are equipped with Sellita movements keeps the price down is a major attraction. Despite the weak yen and strong Swiss franc, the three-hand models start at around 400,000 yen and the chronograph models at around 600,000 yen, which fills a gap in the "affordable price range" that has been neglected in recent years as the prices of luxury watches have been steadily rising. As a watch enthusiast, I am genuinely pleased about this.
After that, I went to interview Bulgari! The location was the Mandarin Oriental.
As one of the brands that launched GWD, Bulgari, despite already having a fruitful lineup at Watches & Wonders Geneva (hereinafter W&W G), annually releases new timepieces at GWD that attract the attention of watch enthusiasts.
Among Bulgari's GWD unveiling models, this new release stands out. It's a collaboration model with independent watchmaker Vianney Halter, and it's based on the "Octo Finissimo."
In this interview, we spoke with Halter himself and Fabrizio Bonamassa Stigliani, Executive Director of Product Creation for Bulgari Watches. This was a very interesting conversation, and we will be writing a full article about it on webChronos, so please stay tuned!
Even so, it's amazing how such a complex design can be achieved with a thin titanium case. In addition to the time display at 2 o'clock, there is a day and night indicator at 4 o'clock, a second time zone at 8 o'clock, and a date display in an arc-shaped window from 10 to 12 o'clock, yet the case thickness is kept to 9.7mm. It can be said that this is a masterpiece that skillfully blends Halter's identity with the character of the Octo Finissimo.
At the same Mandarin Oriental venue, Daniel Roth, Gerald Genta, and L'Epée 1839 were also exhibiting. I had planned to interview Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta on the fourth day, along with Michel Navas, so I headed to the much-anticipated L'Epée 1839 (hereinafter referred to as L'Epée).
The reason why this is "long-awaited" goes back to the W&W G held in April of this year. As someone who covered the W&W G for the first time this year, I was already exhausted by the grueling schedule on the very first day. Amidst all this, my eyes happened to fall on the Repe booth. There, prominently displayed at the entrance, was the gleaming gold "THE GEKKO."
Lepe is a brand that makes high-end clocks, and is characterized by its lineup of clocks that use various motifs such as geckos, grenades, dragons, and supercars. I learned about its existence at the Singapore Watch Fair, which I covered in 2023, but this was my first encounter with the gecko. I was captivated by its cute yet clearly meticulously crafted design, and went into their booth to talk to them, but unfortunately, because I'm not good at English, I couldn't understand everything.
I'd love to visit again if I get the chance...! Just as I was thinking that, I found their booth at GWD, and noticed that Gecko was prominently displayed, so I didn't hesitate to ask for an interview. The booth was quite crowded, but a male staff member kindly explained everything to me, even demonstrating the products. I'm so envious of the dazzling world of clocks.
Geneva is a city where you can enjoy strolling around.
By the time we left Lepe, it was already past 13pm. The Chronos editorial team slurped down ramen at their favorite restaurant, "Yukiguni," and since we had some time before our next interview, we took a stroll around the city.
Interview with Gregory Bourtin at Universal Genève
After strolling around the city of Geneva, our next destination was the Universal Geneva booth.
Like the Gallet, Universal Genève has made a comeback under the House of Brands. Since its revival, a full range of new watches have already been released, and there were no models specially unveiled at GWD. However, the space offered a glimpse of the new models and Universal Genève's archives, along with interiors and exhibits that evoke the brand's long-held ideal of being a "watchmaker."
Now, my main purpose for coming to Universal Genève was to interview Managing Director Gregory Bourtin. Since the brand's relaunch, he has been leading Universal Genève by reviving classic designs from the past. I asked him about the details of the collection, which centers around the "Cabriolet," and the brand's future development. I'll write the article for this interview as soon as possible... (voice trembling).
Zenith interviewed Romain Marietta.
After Universal Genève, we headed to Zenith.
Zenith has released the "Chronomaster Solo Sport" through GWD. Like previous "Chronomaster" models, it is equipped with the El Primero movement, but instead of a chronograph, it features the Cal.3620CS, which displays hours, minutes, and seconds in three hands. Although this movement has been used in the "Defy" series, this is its first appearance in the Chronomaster. Also noteworthy are the ceramic dial and unidirectional rotating bezel, both made of ceramic and adorned with motifs inspired by the "high vibration" of the El Primero movement, which are fresh design elements for the Chronomaster.
Quote:https://www.webchronos.net/features/169973/
The new Chronomaster Solo Sport lineup includes three models with date displays, as well as one model without a date display. I heard that Marietta, herself a watch enthusiast, deliberately added this non-date version for "watch geeks." I interviewed Marietta about the Chronomaster Solo Sport, as well as Zenith's recent brand strategy and product development. I'll write the article soon (for the nth time).
An Automata Journey!? A Look at Jaquet Droz and Their Amazing Lucky Cat Clock
After finishing the interview with Zenith, my appointments for the day were complete. However, since we were already out, we decided to take a stroll around town and, at Mr. Sakata's suggestion, go see a watch that was "doing something interesting."
First, while strolling around town, I popped into Jaquet Droz, which was holding an event at its boutique.
Jaquet Droz now primarily focuses on producing unique pieces, and they no longer have boutiques in Japan. This was a rare event showcasing such unique pieces. I walked in without an appointment, but they kindly welcomed me in and said, "Please, come in and take a look!" So I was able to cover the event. Moreover, they carefully explained each timepiece, and even demonstrated the automatons in operation for some models.
After that, I went to the watchmaker who was doing that "interesting experiment."
Upon entering the booth, a giant beckoning cat catches your eye! Its eyes display the time, and it's an automaton with a gimmick that makes a "come here" gesture with its hands while shaking its head.
The watch is being produced by Philippe Holzer, CEO of a watch dial supplier company. Although the finished product hasn't been seen yet, it's clearly well-made, as expected from someone with expertise in watch dial manufacturing. In particular, the gold-colored triangular plates adorning the lucky cat are uniformly polished, and the slightly rougher texture in the center is also uniform. I'll write my review soon!
Unexpectedly, I was able to hear all sorts of stories about the beckoning cat. I left the booth a little after 18 PM, and this time, my interviews for the day were really over! Since I had a dinner engagement, I headed to Brasserie Lipp Genève, a place that the late Soichiro Matsuzaki had forbidden me from visiting when I was on a business trip to Geneva.
The reason for the ban was apparently "because it was too expensive," but due to the exchange rate, Swiss restaurants were expensive everywhere... In Rip, I enjoyed pleasant conversation, delicious drinks and food, returned to my accommodation feeling tipsy, and of course, did some work before falling asleep like a log.
Continued in "Geneva Diary Summer: Day 3"!
