In the watch industry, Baselworld, held in Basel, Switzerland, and SIHH, also held in Geneva, once stood out for their quality and quantity. However, Baselworld was effectively discontinued in 2020, leaving only SIHH, renamed Watches & Wonders Geneva, with its first event in 2020 held online only due to the global spread of COVID-19. Watches & Wonders Geneva, the world's largest and only watch fair, is finally set to open on April 7th. We predict its trends.
"Watches & Wonders Geneva" will be held online from April 7th to 13th!
Watches & Wonders Geneva will be held again in 2021. Moreover, the scale will be further expanded with the addition of manufacturers from the previous Baselworld. The event will run for seven days from Wednesday, April 7th to Tuesday, April 13th. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the event will continue to be held online only, but 19 brands will be exhibiting in person at Watches & Wonders Shanghai, which will be held in Shanghai, China from Wednesday, April 14th to Sunday, April 18th.
The following 38 brands will be participating in the digital edition of "Watches & Wonders Geneva."
Brands scheduled to participate in Watches & Wonders Geneva
A. Lange & Söhne (Richemont Group)
Arnold & Son (Prosser Holdings: Citizen Group)
Baume & Mercier (Richemont Group)
Bvlgari (LVMH Group)
Carl F. Bucherer (Independent)
Cartier (Richemont Group)
Chanel (Independent)
Chopard (Independent)
Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud (independent: Chopard)
Chronoswiss (independent)
Corum (independent)
Greubel Forsey (Independent)
Hermès (independent)
H. Moser & Cie. (Independent: MELB Holdings)
Hublot (LVMH Group)
IWC (Richemont Group)
Jaeger-LeCoultre (Richemont Group)
Louis Moinet (Independent)
Louis Vuitton (LVMH Group)
Maurice Lacroix (Independent: DKSH)
Montblanc (Richemont Group)
NOMOS Glashütte (independent)
Oris (independent)
Panerai (Richemont Group)
Patek Philippe (Independent)
Piaget (Richemont Group)
Parnell (Independent)
Rebellion (independent)
Ressence (independent)
Roger Dubuis (Richemont Group)
Rolex (Independent)
Speake Marine (Independent)
TAG Heuer (LVMH Group)
Trilobe (Independent)
Tudor (Independent: Rolex)
Ulysse Nardin (Kering Group)
Vacheron Constantin (Richemont Group)
Zenith (LVMH Group)
The 19 brands that will be exhibiting in person at Watches & Wonders Shanghai are as follows:
Brands scheduled to participate in Watches & Wonders Shanghai
Cartier
Rolex
Jaeger LeCoultre
Vacheron Constantin
IWC
Piaget
A. Lange & Söhne
Chopard
Panerai
Ulysse Nardin
Roger Dubuis
Montblanc
Tudor
Baume & Mercier
H. Moser
Armin Strom
Arnold & Son
Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud
Parnell
The number of participating brands has increased significantly, but there are still concerns
A major change in 2021 is the joining of the "Big Five" who left Baselworld in 20 at Watches & Wonders Geneva. As of last year, the Big Five - Rolex, Tudor, Patek Philippe, Chanel, and Chopard - had hinted at holding separate trade shows at the same time as Watches & Wonders Geneva. However, in 21, they will join Watches & Wonders Geneva.
Additionally, brands belonging to the LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) group, such as Bulgari, Hublot, Zenith, Tag Heuer, and Louis Vuitton, will also be represented at Watches & Wonders Geneva. Surprisingly, independent manufacturers such as Oris, Nomos, and Maurice Lacroix have also joined the event. This may reflect the organizers' desire to broaden the scope of the fair.
The increased number of participating brands has made Watches & Wonders Geneva more appealing. However, there are concerns. With the disappearance of the booths that once attracted smaller manufacturers, niche, high-end brands have completely lost the opportunity to unveil their new products. While some of these brands remain at the new Watches & Wonders Geneva, the show will likely feel a little less appealing without Urwerk, MB&F, Laurent Ferrier, and others.
What to look for at Watches & Wonders: dials, limited editions, and luxury sports
So what new models will be unveiled in 2021? It's impossible to say for sure until the show opens, but if I had to guess, it would be the "best sellers" that will stand out at a trade fair dominated by major manufacturers. In an effort to escape the COVID-19 pandemic, each company has begun to focus on watches that will sell. However, there is no time to tinker with the movements or cases. So each company has begun to tweak the dials to excite consumers.
This is just a guess, but I expect this trend to become even more pronounced in 21. I also expect companies to release many limited editions to appeal to the "enthusiasts" who continue to buy watches regardless of the economic climate.
Furthermore, this year, companies will likely expand their lineup of so-called luxury sports watches in this mature market. Thanks to advances in manufacturing techniques, even entry-level models can now have thin, three-dimensional waterproof cases. The huge success of the Maurice Lacroix Aicon is sure to further accelerate this trend.
The major trade fair representing the watch industry in 2021 will finally be held from April 7th. webChronos and Chronos Japan will be covering Watches & Wonders Geneva as well as new products announced around the same time as the fair on their website and in their magazines as much as possible.
Keep an eye on this site from tomorrow, April 7th onwards.
