My First Geneva Watch Days – Most Impressive Watches and Their Creators
It was my first time attending Geneva Watch Days, and it was an incredible experience that far exceeded my expectations. I had the pleasure of meeting many key figures behind the watch brands as well as fellow watch enthusiasts. Snapping wrist shots of new releases and taking selfies with renowned watchmakers, I felt like a kid in a candy store.
Here are the most memorable moments that I can’t wait to share with you.
Touring Petermann Bedat’s New Workshop
When I visited Florian and Gaël last year, they were still working out of their old workshop. Now, their new space, still located in Renens near Lausanne, is much bigger and brighter. Florian and Gaël warmly greeted me and introduced the three additional watchmakers on their team.
Their second creation, the Reference 2941, is a monopusher split-seconds chronograph with jumping minute counters. This innovative design won the 2023 GPHG Best Chronograph Prize and was a finalist in the 2023/2024 Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for independent watchmakers.
Due to the extreme complexity involved in its construction, only 10 pieces of the Reference 2941 will be produced. So far, two have been delivered to delighted clients. I was lucky enough to take a close look at the third, which had just been assembled.
Exquisite Krayon Timepieces with Sunrise/Sunset Complication
While I had long admired Krayon, I hadn’t had the chance to see their creations in person before Geneva Watch Days. At the show, not only did I get to explore several Krayon models, but I also had the pleasure of meeting the husband-and-wife team behind the brand, Remi and Fei.
Krayon’s innovation lies in their ability to mechanically calculate sunrise and sunset times for any location on Earth—a highly complex formula based on latitude, longitude, and the day of year.
While sunrise and sunset times are fixed at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the equator, these times shift significantly as you move further north, making the complication both practically useful and symbolically romantic.
Krayon is known for sparing no expense in achieving perfection in both finishing and dial construction. The intricate nature of these dials often results in a high failure rate, which drives up the cost of these exquisite timepieces. When I placed a Krayon watch on my wrist, I could hardly breathe – these are true works of art.
The Caliber C030 inside the "Anywhere" model consists of 432 components, packed into a 35.40 mm diameter and 5.00 mm thickness — a remarkable achievement. The finishing is flawless, with numerous hand-worked inward and outward angles.
Fei shared that the curve of the main bridge was inspired by the contour of Lake Neuchatel, their hometown. After looking up an aerial photo of the lake, I was amazed — sure enough, the contours match perfectly!
The World’s Thinnest Mechanical Watch
Few attendees at Geneva Watch Days expected to witness a world record being broken, especially for the thinnest mechanical watch—and by an independent watchmaker, no less. But that’s exactly what we got to experience.
I visited Konstantin Chaykin’s table and had the privilege of sitting down with the man himself. I examined the "ThinKing" and even had the chance to wear it. What an incredible achievement! I asked Mr. Chaykin how many people were involved in making this possible. He told me it took around 40 people working over several years.
The final product will be officially released at Watches and Wonders next year, and I can't wait to see it.
A Striking Passion Fruit Set
Another pleasant surprise at Geneva Watch Days was the collaboration between H. Moser & Cie. and Studio Underd0g. The vibrant color scheme, inspired by passion fruits, works surprisingly well in the metal. This limited edition set of two watches is being released in just 100 sets.
Laurent Ferrier Classic Auto Sandstone
Laurent Ferrier unveiled a new model at Geneva Watch Days, which quickly became a favorite among attendees. The elegant dial and case, paired with a captivating dial color, immediately drew attention. However, what truly set this timepiece apart was its distinctive date window design. It looked so stunning on the wrist that I didn’t want to take it off.
De Bethune DB28xs Steel Wheels
De Bethune introduced a slimmer version of the DB28xs Steel Wheels, featuring a 39mm case and a mere 8mm thickness. Despite its more compact size, the futuristic design remains as avant-garde as ever, and it looked fantastic on my wrist.
Romain Gauthier C Titanium Edition Six
The popular "C" by Romain Gauthier saw its sixth and final edition of 88 pieces in a 41mm case earlier this year, which sold out swiftly. One lucky collector has already received his piece, and I was fortunate enough to try it on. It looked fantastic on the wrist, offering a sporty, modern feel with its partially openworked dial. The vibrant orange accents truly popped with energy.
Dazzling Fleming Series 1 Models
Fleming, a rising US-based brand, captured the attention of watch enthusiasts with the launch of its Series 1 earlier this year. While I had heard plenty about the project, Geneva Watch Days gave me the opportunity to meet the founders, Thomas and James, and experience their prototypes firsthand. With all allocations already sold out, the young brand now focuses on the task of delivering on its promises in the near future.
James, known on Instagram as @waitlisted, has done photography work for Hodinkee. His passion for watches led him to leave an 11-year career as a corporate lawyer to join Thomas in pursuing their shared dream of watchmaking. Fleming partners with top Swiss suppliers to bring their creations to life. As a dedicated French learner, James and I discussed how he’s been connecting the dots in this exciting journey.
The Xhevdet Rexhepi Minute Inerte
I reached out to Xhevdet Rexhepi on Instagram and arranged a visit to his workshop at 2 p.m. on Sunday. I was fortunate to spend 20 minutes talking with him one-on-one before a crowd of visitors arrived. During our conversation, we discovered we both use Leica Q2 cameras—he has the Green Reporter Special Edition, while I own the Ghost Hodinkee edition.
Xhevdet shared his design inspirations, insights into the Minute Inerte complication, and his ambitious plan to develop 12 watch models. He’s starting with this first creation, and what a debut it is! The Minute Inerte’s unique feature is that the second hand stops at the 58th second, pauses for two seconds, and then moves again at the 0th second—right as the minute hand jumps to the next minute.
This synchronization of the minute and second hands is a groundbreaking achievement in mechanical watchmaking, something never done before. (Please correct me if I’m wrong).
Au revoir, Genève
It has been a wonderful trip, meeting talented watchmakers, designers, engineers, and many passionate fellow watch enthusiasts. It was enlightening to hear the stories of industry insiders like Fei and James. "Connecting the dots" and entrepreneurship are the driving forces behind the state-of-the-art in watchmaking. I will definitely return to Geneva again!
