Watches and Wonders Geneva 2027

What is Watches and Wonders Geneva?

Watches and Wonders Geneva is the world's biggest watch fair, held every spring at Palexpo next to Geneva Airport. It grew out of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), which the Canton of Geneva dates to 1991 and which became Watches and Wonders in 2020. Since September 2022 it has been run by the Watches and Wonders Geneva Foundation, created on the initiative of Rolex, Richemont and Patek Philippe.

The 2026 edition had 65 exhibiting brands. By the organiser's closing figures, it drew nearly 60,000 unique visitors across the week, sold 25,000 tickets for the public days, and welcomed 1,750 journalists and 6,000 retailers, with more than 10,000 people taking part in the city programme. Those are separate counts, so they should not be added together.

What is new for 2027?

The 2027 salon runs from Monday 5 to Sunday 11 April and is bigger again. The organiser's September announcement lists 75 exhibitors, including 13 newcomers: Akhor, Alain Silberstein, Berneron, Breva Genève, Fortis, Kerbedanz, Porsche Design, Singer Reimagined and Stollenwurm, plus Breitling, Damiani, Gallet and Universal Genève, announced in June.

Palexpo gets a completely redesigned setting, inspired by the lakes and mountains around Geneva, with wider aisles to make the halls easier to walk. The In The City programme now runs for all seven days, with the Watchmaking Village, brand events in boutiques, artisan demonstrations, and cultural and musical events. The LAB, a space for innovation businesses and research teams, also returns.

How is it organised?

The week has two parts: the salon at Palexpo and In The City in central Geneva.

Inside Palexpo, the 75 exhibitors are split into three areas:

• Main hall: 32 of the largest watchmaking houses.
• Carré des Horlogers: 27 independent and smaller brands, a number that has tripled in ten years.
• Mezzanine: 16 brands.

The salon week is split by audience. The organiser says it opens with professional days for retailers, press and invited guests, followed by a three-day public weekend from Friday to Sunday. In The City is open to everyone throughout the week, and is separate from salon admission. Some city activities may need a booking, but the 2027 booking terms have not been published yet.

When is it, and what are the hours?

The hours are from Palexpo's 2027 listing. The last-entry time and daily In The City hours have not been published yet.

Where is it held?

The salon is at Palexpo, Route François-Peyrot 30, 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex, beside Geneva Airport. Palexpo says it is a ten-minute walk from the airport's railway station, and the airport has direct flights to more than 140 destinations. That makes this one of the easiest fairs in Europe to fly into: you can land, walk over and be in the halls within the hour.

In The City takes place in central Geneva, about ten minutes by train from the airport station, in boutiques, the Watchmaking Village and other venues around the city.

How do tickets work?

Tickets for the public days go on sale on 9 February 2027, exclusively at watchesandwonders.com. Palexpo's listing gives the day prices:

• Adult, CHF 70: one public day, 9, 10 or 11 April.
• Student, CHF 40: one public day.

The organiser sold 25,000 public-day tickets in 2026, so buy early. Who qualifies for the student rate, child prices and any multi-day or premium packages for 2027 had not been published when this guide was checked.

The professional days from 5 to 8 April are not sold to the public. Access comes through accreditation or an invitation from a brand, and each brand decides who it sees. A public ticket gets you into the salon on the weekend, not into private brand appointments.

How do I get there and get around?

The simplest route is by train to Genève-Aéroport station, then a ten-minute walk to Palexpo. From central Geneva the train takes about ten minutes. Palexpo also lists these bus routes:

• Lines 5, 8, 50, 55, 58 and 59: to the Palexpo stop.
• Lines 28, 54 and 66: to the Palexpo-Halle 7 stop.
• Lines 10, 23 and 57: to Genève-Aéroport, then a ten-minute walk.

If you stay in an approved hotel, hostel or campsite in Geneva, you are entitled to a free Geneva Transport Card for your stay, covering buses, trains and the yellow Mouettes boats that cross the harbour. In past years the organiser ran shuttles between the salon, partner hotels and the airport; 2027 shuttle details have not been announced.

Where can I park?

Palexpo's covered P12 car park is open 24 hours, with 1,500 spaces, several of them reserved for people with reduced mobility, and a 2-metre height limit. When it is full, drivers are directed to other car parks. Spaces cannot be reserved. Palexpo's P12 tariff page currently shows the first 30 minutes free, then CHF 2.50 an hour, up to CHF 22.50 for 8 to 24 hours; an older venue price sheet shows lower rates, so check before you go. With the station a ten-minute walk away, the train is usually easier.

What can I bring, and what should I wear?

The 2027 visitor rules have not been published. In 2026 the organiser's practical information banned liquids on the public days, asked visitors to leave umbrellas in the cloakroom, offered free cloakrooms for luggage and coats after security, and required an e-badge and photo ID to get in. Expect similar rules, but check the 2027 version before you travel, especially if you are coming straight from the airport with a suitcase.

There is no official dress code. Comfortable shoes matter more than anything else in a hall this size, and since 2026 entry required photo ID, carry one.

Children, service animals and accessibility

In 2026, the organiser's terms of sale said visitors under 12 had to be registered and accompanied by an adult. The 2027 rules and any child prices have not been published yet.

Palexpo says the whole site is fully accessible, with lifts and adapted toilets, and that certified assistance dogs are welcome throughout, though identification may be requested. Visitors who need assistance should contact the organiser before buying, as 2027 concessions for companions had not been confirmed.

Who goes, and what do first-timers get wrong?

During the week, retailers and journalists fill the halls: 6,000 and 1,750 of them in 2026. The weekend belongs to the public, and the organiser pitches it at everyone from newcomers to seasoned collectors.

First-timers tend to make the same few mistakes. They book a trip for Monday to Thursday, when the salon is closed to the public; they confuse In The City, which is free and open to all, with the salon ticket; they leave buying until the last minute; and they arrive expecting to try on any watch they like, when brands decide who they see. Buy on 9 February, pick one public day, and use the rest of the week for the city.