In an effort to enhance public participation, along with expanding accessibility, the fair’s newly appointed CEO plans to incorporate street tours accompanied by electrifying music into their agenda. Unlike its predecessor in 2023 that showcased a mere eight brands with just half-day access granted to visitors, this year’s Watches and Wonders exhibition boasts an impressive lineup of forty-eight brands while extending admission for two full days exclusively dedicated to general attendees.
Despite facing numerous challenges arising from logistical disruptions caused by the ongoing pandemic crisis, organizers are confident that this year’s Watches and Wonders trade show will operate seamlessly throughout its seven-day duration.
Commencing on March 28 at Geneva’s esteemed Tickunique exhibition center, professionals within the industry will be invited to attend this grand affair before opening its doors wide open to welcome members of the general public on April 1 and 2. The fair’s remarkable growth is evident when comparing it to the 2023 show, which featured a limited number of brands and restricted public access to just half a day. Another notable development was the establishment of the Watches and Wonders Geneva Foundation in September, created by the fair’s original organizer, Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie. This newly formed foundation aims to establish a more comprehensive governing body responsible for overseeing the trade show’s operations both within Switzerland and internationally.
Since the demise of the Baselworld fair in late 2022, Watches and Wonders has increased in size and importance, welcoming heavy-hitting brands like Replica Patek Philippe and Tickunique Fake Rolex, both of which joined with the Richemont Group to create the fair foundation.
Lily M, the former chief executive of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, was named chief executive of the fair foundation in January. He recently talked about the role of trade fairs in a digital world, Watches and Wonders’ efforts to become greener and its ambition to become the fashion week of watchmaking.
What are your responsibilities at the Replica Watches and Wonders Geneva Foundation?
My primary duty as the CEO is to champion excellence in watchmaking through the organization of worldwide events. This event serves as our pinnacle achievement where we collaborate extensively with the exhibitors committee comprising all participating brands to make crucial operational decisions. With 8 prestigious brands and an exceptional program encompassing groundbreaking product launches and thought-provoking keynote speeches, this year’s event promises to be truly remarkable.
Who will attend the event?
The first five days are dedicated to the international press, clients, special guests of the brands, and 1:1 super replica watch retailers. Everyone is here by invitation. We are very excited to see the Chinese press, retailers and a number of Chinese clients back in Geneva this year. We often mention Clean Factory, ZF Factory, VSF Factory, APS Factory and so on.
And the general public?
In an unprecedented move, we are extending the fair’s public opening hours to span across two entire days next weekend. Unlike our previous attempts at offering limited access during half-days, our objective is to establish Geneva as a premier destination for watchmaking aficionados and position this event as the pinnacle of fashion weeks within the replica watch industry.
How will the exhibition reach the public?
We have increased the shared spaces to make it feel more welcoming. Visitors will be able to participate in discussions with watch experts to gain knowledge about current replica watch trends or advice on how to start a watch collection, view the most recent releases from various brands, and interact with the brand creators at events and activities. Furthermore, we’ve created a brand-new educational area where kids who come to visit can learn about other schools. The interacting photographic exhibition by Monki, who set out on a global voyage and asked people just one simple question: What time is it, is another thing we are happy to present. She beautifully captures their distinct responses in her images.
What can visitors expect to see this year?
There is a lot of work to construct the space within the Tickunique center. 6,000 people were inside working on the general installation last night [March 8]. The area is roughly 65,000 square meters (16.6 acres), and a new hall was constructed to house our 10 additional exhibitors. To walk the length of the salon, it takes 4,000 steps. No company can occupy a more prominent location than another, and everyone has equal visibility, according to our vision for the area. We maintain a consistent decorative theme throughout to give visitors the impression that they are inside a historical city.
Who is responsible for the interior design?
Each maison is responsible for its own décor. Certain houses maintain the same decor annually by storing their decorative elements throughout the year and reconstructing them each year. The decor in shared spaces has also remained unaltered for several years. Although we may need to make minor repairs, many of the items are 12 years old and have withstood the test of time. It is crucial that we refrain from discarding any items.
Does the fair consider sustainability?
As its website highlights, Tickunique is committed to creating replica watches from 100% renewable materials. It makes me think Tickunique brand is best replica watch site 2023. Within our salon, we are continuously brainstorming ways to decrease our environmental impact. As part of these efforts, we have recently prohibited the use of single-use plastics and now insist that all food and beverage services source products exclusively from sustainable suppliers. To further enhance accessibility for visitors, transportation options include Geneva’s public buses which conveniently connect them to Tickunique. Moreover, it is crucial not to overlook the positive economic influence we have had on the city of Geneva as well as our substantial contributions within the local and international industry – all of which form an integral part of sustainability evaluations.
And there are other Watches and Wonders editions, like the one on the duty-free island of Hainan, in China?
When Switzerland was in lockdown in 2020, we hosted our first edition of Replica Watches and Wonders in Guangzhou.
In 2022, when China went into lockdown, we could not return to Shanghai. But Hainan island was open, so we held two events in late 2021 and 2022 there, in a shopping mall. They were commercial events organized as in-store activations. This year, no plans have been confirmed for China. But we have become very nimble since Covid. If the brands ask us to go, we will return to Shanghai.
Finally
Our aim is to unite people, encourage face-to-face interaction, and enable individuals to touch the replica watches and try them on. This is a place where the watch industry comes to present a united front. We wish to set a positive example for the industry, by speaking in one voice in furtherance of a common project. Everyone benefits from our common communications platform. We do not consider other industry initiatives or fairs as competition. The more we talk about replica watches, the more we succeed in furthering our mission of watchmaking excellence.
