"The downturn that has been gnawing at Swiss watchmakers for the past two years hasn't fully lifted, and the industry is still finding its footing in a world where Chinese appetite remains muted and a booming secondary market is increasingly the first port of call for buyers discouraged by ever-rising retail prices."
"2026 is a year of anniversaries. Patek Philippe is marking the 50th birthday of the Nautilus. Tudor is celebrating its centenary. Most anticipated is the 100th year of Rolex's Oyster case, which gave rise to the world's first mass-market waterproof wristwatch in 1926."
"The Pilot's Venturer Vertical Drive is IWC's first watch designed from the ground up for human spaceflight. This isn't a modified terrestrial pilot's watch with a few space miles on it; it's a purpose-built instrument engineered in partnership with Vast, the company behind Haven-1, scheduled to be the world's first commercial space station."
The 2026 Watches and Wonders in Geneva is set against a backdrop of challenges for the Swiss watch industry, including a muted Chinese market and rising retail prices. Despite these issues, the event is expected to be the largest ever, featuring the return of Audemars Piguet. Key anniversaries include Patek Philippe's Nautilus at 50 years, Tudor's centenary, and Rolex's Oyster case at 100 years. Notable timepieces include IWC's Pilot's Venturer Vertical Drive, designed specifically for human spaceflight in collaboration with Vast.
Read at WIRED
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