The Salon confirms its course as well as its position on the world watchmaking scene, thanks to controlled growth and public opinion.
The innovations were numerous, as were the expectations. Watches and Wonders doubled down on creativity, innovation and publicity. The aim is to keep pace with the fast-growing global watch market (24.8 billion Swiss francs in 2022).
Watches and Wonders Geneva 2023 closed with record numbers. With 43,000 unique visitors (22,000 in 2022) throughout the week. Even with 5,400 retailers, 125 nationalities and 35,000 overnight stays. While the number of end consumers doubled in the first five days.
The number of shares on social networks exceeded all expectations, with 1.8 million posts mentioning #watchesandwonders. With an estimated reach of over 600 million people - over half a billion - an all-time high.
Increase in the number of business visitors
The press recorded an increase of over 50% on the return of the Asian markets. That is a total of 1,400 journalists were in Geneva, with 13,000 registrations for the 1,800 Touch & Feel sessions. So they were able to see and handle the new releases of the year. Not to mention the 2,600 journalists who were able to watch the entire programme online.
Retailers collected more than 8,000 appointments, confirming the watchmaker's unwavering appeal across all its markets. Particularly in Europe, which alone accounted for 70% of visitors.
The general public responded en masse
All 12,000 tickets were sold out before the start of the weekend. In addition to the statistics, Watches and Wonders proved its appeal to the younger generation. As 25% of the tickets sold were purchased by people under 25 years old. The average age of ticket holders was 35 years old.
The visitors were particularly fascinated by the LAB experience, which offered them a vision of the future of watchmaking. The Salon thus brings together and connects two to three generations at the same crossroads of watchmaking.
This hub now extends far beyond Palexpo and offers Salon new horizons. The “In the City” experience is an important turning point in the evolution of Watches and Wonders Geneva. It involves the city and the general public attracted by special events in the boutiques and other points of interest in the watchmaking capital. The Avener concert filled the waterfront. It made both local and international visitors dance to the rhythm of the clock movements.
Watches and Wonders has more than ever cemented its position as the international watchmaking summit.
The next Watches and Wonders in spring 2024.
EXHIBITING BRANDS
A. LANGE & SÖHNE | ALPINA WATCHES | ANGELUS | ARNOLD & SON | BAUME & MERCIER | BEAUREGARD | BELL & ROSS | CARTIER | CHANEL | CHARLES ZUBER | CHARRIOL | CHOPARD | CHRONOSWISS | CYRUS GENÈVE | CZAPEK & CIE | FERDINAND BERTHOUD | FREDERIQUE CONSTANT | GRAND SEIKO | GRÖNEFELD | HAUTLENCE | HERMÈS | HUBLOT | HYSEK | IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN | JAEGER-LECOULTRE | LAURENT FERRIER | LOUIS MOINET | MONTBLANC | ORIS | PANERAI | PARMIGIANI FLEURIER | PATEK PHILIPPE | PEQUIGNET | PIAGET | REBELLION TIMEPIECES | RESSENCE | ROGER DUBUIS | ROLEX | RUDIS SYLVA | SPEAKE-MARIN | TAG HEUER | TRILOBE | TRILOBE | TUDOR | U-BOAT | ULYSSE NARDIN | VACHERON CONSTANTIN | VAN CLEEF & ARPELS | ZENITH
Source: www.europastar.com
