We’ve just returned from Watches and Wonders 2025, something I’ve been attending in various forms for over two decades. These fairs aren’t exactly what people might expect—for one thing, you can’t actually buy watches at Watches and Wonders. And while it’s an extremely high-end, professionally-run experience, it’s also surprisingly meritocratic. You’re invited because they believe you’ll do the work, understand the product, and know the culture. If you’re a deeply geeky watch person and you make it into this world, it’s an amazing experience. We usually arrive a day before the fair start on Tuesday, sometimes on a Sunday. This year, my luggage decided to show up two days late. Sundays in Geneva are slow unless you’ve set up meetings with friends or decide to hop on the tourist tram. But by the first actual day of the fair, the energy shifts. People converge from different hotels and load into..
