The Geneva Watch Days exhibition opened its doors yesterday for its third edition, with about thirty brands present at the show, between independent houses and new emerging generation.
After difficult conditions in 2020 and an encouraging 2021 edition of Geneva Watch Days, this new edition is geared more to the general public than to industry professionals. The show allows visitors to discover new models of timepieces but also to discuss the state of the Swiss and global watchmaking sector.
A growing market
Swiss watch sales rebounded strongly after the 2020 pandemic, with the value of exports increasing by 11.4% in the first seven months of 2022. “For now, people’s mindset remains positive. How long will this last? We don’t know,” explains Jean-Christophe Babin, director of the jewelry and watch brand Bulgari.
The organizers highlight this year the emergence of “a new generation of leaders” by announcing the participation of Jean Arnault, Benjamin Kuffer or Alexandre Mille as “the next generation of watchmakers”. With the exception of the triptych of giants Breitling, Bulgari and Ulysse Nardin, the Geneva show will highlight smaller independent brands such as Oris, Hyt and Jacob & Co.
While the last two years have been complicated for the sector and on the economic level, notably the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and inflation, “watch exports are nevertheless close to historical records” comments Edouard Meylan, head of the independent watch brand H. Moser & Cie.
The market for new timepieces remained robust, with waiting lists for many models, says U.S. retailer Danny Govberg, also co-founder and president of the WatchBox marketplace, echoing comments from retailer Watches of Switzerland this month. “The disparity between retail prices and selling prices for watches has declined from the highs of early spring 2022 and has since stabilized,” he completes.
With the exception of China and Hong Kong, due to repeated confinements, most markets have followed the upward trend over the first six months, the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH) had recently explained. Against the backdrop of inflation, severe supply difficulties, labor shortages and confinements in China, the repercussions on prices will also be at the heart of discussions among specialists during this watchmaking show.
Read also > Geneva Watch Days : Back for a third consecutive year
Featured photo : © DR
