Five days from now, 66 watch brands will open their booths at Palexpo in Geneva. Watches and Wonders 2026 runs April 14 through 20, and the numbers tell the story of an event that keeps expanding.
Eleven new brands join this year: BEHRENS, Bianchet, B.R.M Chronographes, Charles Girardier, Corum, Credor, Favre Leuba, l'Epée 1839, March LA.B, and Sinn Spezialuhren. The eleventh newcomer, and the one generating the most buzz, is Audemars Piguet, which returns to the salon after six years away.
For the first time in the fair's history, Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet will all exhibit under the same roof.
The newcomers worth watching
Several of the new entrants deserve attention beyond their names on the floor plan.
Credor, Seiko's haute horlogerie line, has never exhibited at a major European watch fair. Its presence at Watches and Wonders signals Grand Seiko parent company's commitment to positioning its most refined work alongside the Swiss establishment. Expect enameled dials and hand-finished movements that most Western collectors have never seen in person.
Corum, once known for its Admiral's Cup and Golden Bridge, has been through multiple ownership changes. Showing up at Watches and Wonders suggests the brand is serious about re-establishing relevance with collectors and retail partners.
Sinn Spezialuhren, the Frankfurt-based tool watch specialist, represents a different kind of newcomer: a brand with devoted following and strong engineering credentials that has traditionally operated outside the luxury fair circuit. Their inclusion broadens the fair's range and acknowledges that collectors care about more than traditional Swiss luxury.
Montreux Jazz on the lake
The most unexpected addition to the program is a partnership with the Montreux Jazz Festival. A new 600-square-meter venue on Quai Général-Guisan will host live concerts, jazz ensembles, and DJ sets every evening from 5 to 11 PM throughout the fair week. It's the first time the festival has curated a music program in Geneva.
The collaboration makes practical sense. Watches and Wonders has been expanding beyond the convention center for several years, with its "In the City" program bringing activities to downtown Geneva. Adding live music from one of Switzerland's most recognized cultural brands gives the evenings a draw that exhibit halls alone can't provide.
Public access
General admission opens April 18, giving the public three full days to visit. Tickets went on sale February 10. For anyone who has followed the fair from afar, this year's public days are the most accessible the event has offered.
Other program highlights include a "Watchmaking Village" at the Pont de la Machine bridge with introductory courses and career information, an exhibition of historical alarm clocks from Geneva's Museum of Art and History, and installations by ECAL master's students exploring the concept of time.
The LAB, a curated area for startups, will feature roughly 15 projects focused on innovation and sustainability in watchmaking.
What to expect
The releases themselves remain under embargo until midnight Geneva time on April 14. But the predictions are loud. A Rolex GMT-Master II "Coke" to replace the discontinued Pepsi. Patek Philippe anniversary pieces for the Nautilus at 50. A possible Milgauss revival. Whatever Audemars Piguet has prepared for its grand return.
We'll be covering it all when the embargo lifts. For now, the fair itself has become the story: bigger, more diverse, and more open than any edition before it.
Sources: Watches and Wonders official site, Fratello Watches, Insight Luxury, WatchPro.
