Sneak preview: The first trends of Watches & Wonders

Sneak preview: The first trends of Watches & Wonders

The Watches & Wonders Geneva has emerged as a worthy successor to Baselworld, which took place for the last time in 2019, at the latest since its opening to the end consumer in 2023.

This is all the more true when you consider the side events. There is Time to Watches, where affordable watches can also be discovered for the masses and which is taking place for the first time this year within walking distance of the pompous Watches & Wonders. Added to this are the numerous luxury watch brands presenting their new products in the city centre of Geneva. To the outside world at least, all of this takes place in peaceful coexistence.

Watch enthusiasts, journalists, bloggers and retailers may as well not care and simply enjoy the ticking variety to be discovered in Geneva from 1 to 7 April. The Watches & Wonders itself will take place on the Palexpo site, with more than 60 exhibitors.

We have already identified the first trends for you. Many timepieces even fulfil the requirements of several trends. Bold colours in particular have long since found their way onto the dials of "serious" watches, including those with major complications.

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The dial as a canvas: Plain-coloured dials will always be in vogue. Increasingly, however, designers are also expressing their creativity and imagination in detail on the dial. Be it to express functions such as the moon phase or second time zone in an attractive way, or to stage a view of the infinite expanse of the universe on the very limited space of a dial or art in enamel. The time sometimes almost fades into the background.

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Colour, structure and pattern: It doesn't always have to be a painting, an entire story or a view of the universe to utilise the design potential of the dial. Colours, textures and patterns offer a cornucopia of possibilities to give a watch an individual face and make it an eye-catcher on the wrist.

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Attractive materials & new techniques: As with the design, when it comes to materials and technology, you might think that there is nothing that has not already made it onto the wrist as part of a timepiece. Far from it. Engineers and designers continue to come up with innovations. Added to this are the creative uses of materials that only found their way into the world of watches a few years ago. Aluminium bronze, carbon, titanium, ceramic, metallic glass - it's a wide field.

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Precious stones: Last year, a micro-trend towards dials made of precious stones could already be recognised. Although this has not become a megatrend, the precious dials have remained and turn a timepiece into a real piece of jewellery.

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Whirlwinds for the wrist: Of course, a Watches & Wonders should not be without the so-called Grand Complications. Whether you really need their functionality or not is of secondary importance. Having the crème de la crème of the art of watchmaking on your wrist always gives you a good feeling. The tourbillon (French for whirlwind) is ahead of the rest and proves to be an indestructible classic of haute horlogerie.

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Inhibitedly revealing: Providing insights - Swiss watch brands in particular find this difficult here and there. Especially when it comes to production techniques or even business figures. On the other hand, it is not at all difficult for them when it comes to showing their technical expertise in terms of movement technology. Here, they are happy to show off their expertise - although here, too, escapements play a role due to the internal mechanics.