I arrived in Geneva. Palexpo looked the same as last year. But it never feels the same.
For a few days each year, it transforms into an imaginary horological utopia. You forget your everyday reality and fully dive into the world of watches. Watches on wrists. Watches behind glass. Watches on massive screens. People talking watches. People making pictures of watches. There were more than 55,000 people like that this year.
The brands build impressive decorations that help you forget your normality even faster. I stopped by TAG Heuer. There were two Formula 1 cars just standing there. At IWC, another one—and one completely trashed, from the F1 movie. At the Tudor booth, I saw another one.
I wandered into a fairytale forest at Van Cleef & Arpels. A few steps later, I was in an aquarium world by Panerai.
The brands build these little towns. Some change them every year. Others don’t. Rolex doesn’t. Neither does Patek. The booths are the same. It’s comforting, like old friends who don’t change. And they still give a little Baselworld déjà vu.
There are bars in every town. So at Watches & Wonders. Almost every booth has one. I drank a classy martini at Piaget’s social bar. Later, a vodka espresso at IWC. Great refreshment after a long day of meetings. At A. Lange & Söhne, they served draft beer and warm pretzels. German beer. They import it specially for the event. But coming from Bavaria, I went for the Ruinart instead.
The best espresso? Ulysse Nardin. Thank you, Matthieu Haverlan (Managing Director Ulysse Nardin). You know what’s important at a fair like this. Though from 11 a.m. onward, the espresso cups and champagne flutes start to compete.
By day three, I didn’t remember what real life felt like. There is no easy way back.
At home. I had a Negroni. It helped.
Another one for the books. Next year, I’ll be back. Same place. Different world.
