Everything you need to know about Watches and Wonders 2026

Russell Sheldrake

2026 is set to be a blockbuster year for the world’s biggest watch trade show, Watches and Wonders. Not only did we get the exciting news back in September of last year that Audemars Piguet would be joining its Holy Trinity stablemates in Palexpo, but we have 11 new brands joining the mix of 65 total brands, along with a massively expanded city-wide programme that looks set to engulf the entire city of Geneva in the horological madness that is Watches and Wonders.

So, if you are planning to attend this year’s festivities, we wanted to break down everything that you can expect to see and do while there. Whether you are in for the long haul during the professional days or taking your time as a member of the public at the end of the week.

When is Watches and Wonders 2026?

This year, the fair will start on Tuesday 14th of April and will run through to Monday 20th. As mentioned above and as in previous years, the first few days, 14th-17th, are set aside for industry professionals to attend, including us members of the press, retailers, and others who have meetings booked with brands, while the 18th-20th have tickets available for the public to buy and get a taste of the action.

What’s new for Watches and Wonders 2026?

Obviously, the big news is that Audemars Piguet will be exhibiting this year, after taking a break from major trade shows, having previously been at SIHH and Baselworld before that. Adding in a brand of this size is not a common occurrence for the fair, and having them sit alongside Patek Phillipe, Vacheron Constantin, and even Rolex makes this year’s fair feel even more complete. But they are not the only new addition this year, we have 10 more brands taking their place inside the exhibition centre, namely: Behrens, Bianchet, B.R.M., Charles Girardier, Corum, Credor, Favre Leuba, L’Epée, March L.A.B and Sinn.

There is also set to be an expanded city programme this year, as the foundation behind the fair hopes to expand its impact across the Genevan community during this one week in April. The big ticket item here is going to be the new partnership with the Montreux Jazz Festival to create a new concept based around the iconic Montreux jazz club it will be open daily from 5pm-11pm on Quai Général-Guisan.

There will also be the Watchmaking Village taking up residence inside the Pont de la Machine building. This will act as a hub that allows people to discover the core elements of watchmaking, workshops and even professional opportunities through the Swiss Watchmaking Industry Employers’ Association. This will also act as the start of many guided tours that can be booked. While previous years have had public activations around the city of Geneva, the addition of this village feels like a more permanent space for these activities to exist in and a more accessible location for the public to truly engage with them.

Which brands will be at Watches and Wonders 2026?

As mentioned above we have a few big new additions this year, bringing the total to 65 brands that will be exhibiting inside Palexpo. These brands will be: A. Lange & Söhne, Alpina, Angelus, Armin Strom, Arnold & Son, Artya, Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Behrens, Bell & Ross, Bianchet, Bremont, B.R.M., Bulgari, Cartier, Chanel, Charles Girardier, Charriol, Chopard, Christiaan van der Klaauw, Chronoswiss, Corum, Credor, Cyrus Genève, Czapek & Cie, Eberhard & Co, Farve Leuba, Ferdinand Berthoud, Frederique Constant, Genus, Gerald Charles, Grand Seiko, Grönefeld, H. Moser & Cie, Hautlence, Hermès, Hublot, Hysek, HYT, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Kross Studio, Laurent Ferrier, L’Eppe, Louis Moinet, March L.A.B., MeisterSinger, Montblanc, Nomos Glashütte, Norqain, Oris, Panerai, Parmigiani Fleurier, Patek Philippe, Pequignet, Piaget, Raymond Weil, Ressence, Roger Dubuis, Rolex, Rudis Sylva, Sinn, Speake-Marin, TAG Heuer, Trilobe, Tudor, U-Boat, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron Constantin, Van Cleef & Arpels, Zenith.

And as always, we didn’t hesitate to let you know what we loved and what we hated from the fair last year.

Where is Watches and Wonders 2026?

As always, Watches and Wonders 2026 will be based around the main fair inside the Palexpo exhibition centre. It is conveniently located right next to Geneva airport, and you can, in fact, walk from the terminal to the entrance of the fair using a dedicated footpath, a route I have walked many times. But it is not limited to Palexpo with activations, exhibitions, and events happening throughout the centre of the city as the week progresses. A highlight for many is the Thursday headline musical act, which lights up the shore of Lac Leman to celebrate the height of the fair. As mentioned above, there will also be the Montreaux Jazz collaboration at Quai Général-Guisan and the Watchmaking Village at the Pont de la Machine building.