10 Best Watches Of Geneva Watch Days 2024
Geneva Watch Days is definitely not as big an event as Watches & Wonders. You don’t see as much press there, particularly American press. And not as many brands are exhibiting. But, it’s still the second biggest trade show in the watch industry and there is a lot to like about the event. For one, it is decentralized, taking place all around the city of Geneva, including in some of the hotels, and brand boutiques. Plus, there are a lot of smaller, independent brands exhibiting that do not have the resources to exhibit at Watches & Wonders. So for these reasons, Geneva Watch Days is a great event and worth paying attention to. Plus, on top of all of this, many brands will release some exciting new timepieces. So, after attending my first Geneva Watch Days, I wanted to go through 10 of my favorite releases from the event.
Jacob & Co. Oil Pump 44mm
Look, I am a fan of Jacob & Co. Can I afford most of their watches? No. Do I love every single watch the make? Of course not. But in the realm of high horology and jewelry pieces, Jacob & Co. surely has a seat at the table. But, over the years, one criticism I have seen at least a few times is size of some of their pieces. At the end of the day, a 50mm Astronomia Tourbillon or Oil Pump is just not wearable by most. So when following in the footsteps of the Astronomia Solar, Jacob & Co. has released a new Oil Pump, which is a much more wearable 44mm.
Look, 44mm isn’t exactly small, but for all that is being packed into this watch, I think it’s the right size. Like its predecessor, it has a tourbillon (this time it’s a single-axis as opposed to a double-axis tourbillon). And of course, it has an oil derrick automation. By pressing the button on the top right of the case, you can see the oil derrick go for 35 seconds. I just think it’s different and very cool. 88 pieces are being made in rose gold. It retails for $280,000 USD.
H. Moser & Cie & Studio Underd0g Passion Fruit Collaboration
So one of the most surprising releases that came out of Geneva Watch Days was a collaboration between high horology brand H. Moser & Cie and affordable microbrand Studio Underd0g. Yes, you heard that correctly. But it makes a lot more sense when you go beyond the surface level of these two brands. Yes, Moser is pretty expensive and Underd0g very accesible. But these two brands share a design ethos. They never take things too seriously. I mean, Moser made a watch of cheese and Underd0g designed a watch with a dial that looks like a pizza.
The collaboration is a set of two watches to be sold together, a perpetual calendar from Moser and a monopusher chronograph from Studio Underd0g. Both the watches feature a purple and yellow colorway, however, the dial effects are achieved in completely different ways. For example, the Moser uses purple lacquer and grand feu enamel. Obviously the way Studio Underd0g achieves similar effect is a lot more affordable. The collaboration is limited to 100 sets and the watches will only be sold together. I will note that the price of $64,900 USD for the pair has caused some Studio Underd0g collectors to feel frustration. It would have been nice to see 50 pieces sold as part of a set and 50 piece to be sold individually, in order to give Underdog’s clientele the ability to purchase. That being said, I am a big fan of the collaboration, and I know this watch is just the introduction to the Series03, which will be available (hopefully) in the near future. You can learn more about the collaboration here.
Frédérique Constant Classic Tourbillion Manufacture Aventurine Dial
Frédérique Constant has made a name for itself creating complicated watches at relatively affordable prices (at least compared to their Swiss counterparts). One of our favorites that fits into this category is the new Classic Tourbillion Manufacture with an Aventurine Dial. We are seeing a resurgence of precious and rare stone dials, bringing with them a new degree of uniqueness as no dial will ever be the same. The Tourbillion that sits at the 6 o’clock position is a reminder that despite their relative price-range, Frederique Constant can still execute this revered complication just as well as brands who were responsible for pioneering and developing it. This whole ensemble is finished off by their trademark sharpness on the dial and case (which is fittingly made out of white gold), and put on a fabulous alligator leather strap that matches perfectly. The 36 watches available will retail for $39,995 USD.
De Bethune DB28 XS Steel Wheels
I have always really loved De Bethune as a brand. Their futuristic design and articulating lugs set the brand apart from everything else on the market. But one of the problems I have always had with the brand is the large size of most of their watches. Apparently, I’m not the only one who thought this way, and De Bethune has been sizing down many of their models in recent years. At this year’s Geneva Watch Days, the brand unveiled a sized down version of the DB28 Steel Wheels, first released in 2018. The new variation is 39mm in diameter, 4mm smaller than the previous version. And you can really tell the difference on the wrist. With the articulating lugs, the watch fits incredibly well (and snug) on my 6.75 inch wrist. Plus, the watch just looks great. The openworked movement has been completely polished, giving the watch a retro-futuristic aesthetic. The new Steel Wheels retails for $90,000 USD and I’m sure it will be very popular among collectors of high-end independents.
Oris Aquis Chronograph
Not all new releases have to be groundbreaking. Sometimes a sensible addition to an existing collection is enough. That’s what Oris did with the new Aquis Chronograph. As you’ll recall, Oris gave the Aquis a makeover, unveiling the new collection at Watches & Wonders just a few months ago. This makeover included higher end finishings, better case design, and revamped bracelet. Overall, it just gave the Aquis a fresh update while still maintaining the Aquis aesthetic. And with their latest release, Oris has taken all those updates, and applied them to the Aquis Chronograph. The 43.5mm watch features a fairly standard three subdial chronograph. But what isn’t standard is the sunray dial. The shade of blue used by Oris on this watch is not your typical navy or baby. It is so well done, but you really need to see it in person to appreciate it. The new Oris Aquis Chronograph retails for $4,900 USD.
M.A.D. Editions M.A.D. 1S
When Max Busser unveiled the M.A.D. 1 back in 2021, it was the talk of the industry. While not technically an MB&F, the $3,000 watch had MB&F’s DNA without MB&F’s price-tag. Employing an inverted Japanese Miyota movement and hours and minutes discs, the watch brought avant-garde to the masses (at least theoretically). The M.A.D. 1 has been so popular in all its iterations, that most people weren’t actually able to purchase them in the raffles (in addition to the bots and flippers snapping them up).
Well, at this year’s Geneva Watch Days, the MAD 1 got its first major overhaul (beyond color change). The new M.A.D. 1S is sleaker and slimmer than the original (and has me wanting to trade up). While the case diameter is still 42mm, the watch has been slimmed down from 18.8mm to 15mm. How was that done? Well, Busser and team replaced the Miyota movement with a bidirectional winding Swiss La Joux-Perret G101 movement. Additionally, the minutes disc has been removed. This makes time-telling a little less accurate, but make a much more wearable watch. The new M.A.D. 1S is available in purple for “friends of the brand” (those who have purchased and MB&F in the past) and blue for those who win the raffle. They both retail for CHF 2,900 (around $3,440 USD).
Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing Prototype
I would say that the biggest surprise to come out of Geneva Watch Days 2024 (even bigger than the Moser and Studio Underdog collaboration), was the release of the ThinKing prototype by independent Russian watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin. Remember, it was just a few months ago at Watches & Wonders where Bulgari retook the crown for world’s thinnest watch from Richard Mille, releasing the 1.7mm thick Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra 10408. Well, the Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing is just 1.65mm thin.
What is so interesting about the watch is the way it works. The watch is wound and set through keys, but there is an option to turn the watch from manual wind to automatic. Chaykin is developing a module with a micro-rotor that, when attached, will allow the wearer to set the watch through a crown and transforms the watch from hand-winding to automatic winding. With the added module, the watch goes from 1.65mm thick to 5.4mm thick, which is still pretty thin. The wearer can then decide whether to wear it without or without the module, depending on the activity. It’s really impressive, and definitely exciting to see the innovation come from a smaller, independent watchmaker. As the ThinKing is currently a prototype, price has not yet been determined.
Berneron Mirage 34
When I first saw the Berneron Mirage, I immediately fell in love. The asymmetric design was funky yet the watch still stood out as a classy dress watch. During Geneva Watch Days I was able to meet with the brand’s founder Sylvain Berneron and learn more about the development of the Mirage, and the movement in particular. What was most interesting to me was the fact that, unlike most asymmetrical watch designs (and there are plenty of them out there now), the Mirage wasn’t a design-first project. Indeed, the form follows function for the Mirage. In order to provide more power reserve to the manual winding Mirage (and keep the watch incredibly thin), Sylvain had to increase the size of the barrel. And how did he do that without drastically increasing the size of the watch? He elongated the case, giving it the asymmetrical design that everyone loves so much. The result is a watch that is just 7mm thick (including the curved crystal) and has a very respectable 60 hours of power reserve. Indeed the movement is incredibly only 2.3mm thick.
Well, the two variations of the original Mirage are currently sold out. But Berneron did unveil two smaller versions of the watch at Geneva Watch Days. The Mirage 34 keeps the same case design, but sizes it down from 37.5mm to 34mm. Indeed, a whole new movement had to be developed for the smaller case (a very impressive feet from such a young brand). The main difference in the Mirage 34 are the dial choices. Berneron opted to use stone dials on the new pieces, one with Tiger Eye and the other with Lapis Lazuli. The most interesting thing about these two dials is the way the stone was cut. Each dial is a single piece of stone, with the subsidiary seconds scooped out by hand, giving it additional depth. Apparently this was incredibly hard to achieve because the watchmakers working on the dial would never know if the process of cutting out part of the dial would expose flaws (and thus make the dial unusable). The result, however, is stunning and I’m sure Berneron has another winner on their hands with the Mirage 34.
Gerald Charles Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916
Gerald Charles, the last brand founded by the iconic Gerald Genta, has been gaining attention and acclaim since the brand was reinvigorated by CEO Federico Ziviani. It began with the Maestro, a reinterpretation of Genta’s final design. Indeed, the brand’s entire catalog has been an offshoot of this design, including the recently introduced Masterlink, the brand’s first integrated bracelet stainless steel sport watch (see our full review of the Masterlink here). But that’s not to say there isn’t a lot of diversity in the catalog. From sunray dials, to chronograph, to skeleton dials, and even dials mimicking clay and grass tennis courts, Gerald Charles has presented plenty of diversity within a single core collection.
The newest release from the brand continues this ethos. For the 30th anniversary of Ducati’s iconic 916 motorcycle, the two brands teamed up to create a new Maestro. This watch not only includes Ducati’s iconic red on the dial as well as the strap, but also includes a new complication for the brand. This release is Gerald Charles’ first foray into a jumping hour complication. This is impressive since often, when two brands collab, the collaboration ends up just being a change in color scheme to an existing watch. The fact that Gerald Charles created something new is how I think collaborations should be done. The Maestro 4.0 Ducati is a limited edition of 250 pieces and retails for $42,400.
Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges
Beyond the Laureato, Girardo-Perregaux is probably best known for their watches with Three Bridges dialside. Indeed, Girard-Perregaux received a patent for a tourbillon with three bridges visible on the dial all the way back in 1884. So there clearly is a lot of history there. And since 1884, there have been many new variations on the Three Bridges design, including more recent models that have increasingly modern designs. The new Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges released at Geneva Watch Days blends the traditional design with modern aesthetics. The dial is skeletonized, with the tourbillon positioned at the bottom of the dial, where the third bridge is located. The tourbillon’s cage is made from titanium, showcasing GP’s willingness to make update their classics in a modern way. And the best part of this watch? Well, you can see through the entire watch, it is completely openworked, moreso than any previous variation of the Three Bridges. In rose gold, it just blends Girard-Perregaux’s traditional watchmaking with a forward-thinking aesthetic. It retails for $171,000 USD.