As Geneva Watch Days 2024 approaches, we bring you the return of Revolution’s Annual Horological Symposiums, a series of discussions that have become a cornerstone of the event, offering deep insights into the evolving world of watchmaking.

On each day of the fair, these discussions will bring together some of the most influential figures in the industry to explore a wide range of topics, from the latest innovations to the enduring legacies of horological craftsmanship. Moderating the panels alongside Revolution Founder Wei Koh include a distinguished panel of industry leaders: Oliver R. Müller, Founder of The Luxe Loupe; Andrew McUtchen, Founder of Time+Tide Watches; Tiffany To, Head of Sale at Phillips Watches; Roy Davidoff,Co-Founder of Roy & Sacha Davidoff S.A.; Dillon Bhatt, Founder & CEO of LuxForte, and Mark Kauzlarich, Editor at Hodinkee.

As the countdown to Geneva Watch Days continues, Wei Koh shares his thoughts on the line-up of discussion topics this year, one that promises to be as diverse as it is thought-provoking.

Ethics and Sustainability: What is the Swiss Watch Industry’s role in all this?

Moderators: Wei Koh, Oliver R. Müller
Panelists: Georges Kern, Jean-Christophe Babin, Patrick Pruniaux, Michel Nydegger

Growing up, one of my favorite films was Oliver Stone’s cautionary tale: Wall Street. Rather than hating the villain Gordon Gecko, played brilliantly by Michael Douglas, I found myself admiring him because I thought he was brilliant and Darwinian. He said, “Greed is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed in all of its forms. Greed for life, for money, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind.” This was the world I was raised in: You were not a good leader in business unless you maximized profit regardless of the cost to people and the environment.

Now cut to 40 years later, I know better. Because greed has almost screwed us out of existence. In the 20th century we polluted the oceans, we cut down the forests, we burned coal, gas and oil polluting the ozone layer. In 2015, the general public became aware of global warming. The belief that an existential could not be averted. Then in 2015 at the Paris Climate Agreement, 195 countries pledged to hold the increase in global temperature to below 2 degrees of pre-industrial levels. Amazingly, we are actually doing better than expected. Instead of the 4 degree rise by 2100, it is believed we are on track for a 2.9 degree increase. But is that enough? 2010-2020 was the warmest decade in human history. The big question is, of course, what is the Swiss Watch Industry’s role in all this?

Ours is an industry of course. Fueled by factories and machinery. But ours is also an innately human culture. After all, the mechanical watch once born into existence endures forever and consumes only the energy given to it by its wearer. What can we contribute to making the world a better place? And more than that, how can we also preserve the innately human crafts that this industry is based on. We talk a lot about the planet, but this industry also comprises extraordinary human skill sets that can easily be lost now in the face of advancements in AI and Robotics. We are going to talk to four leaders from our industry to understand exactly the role of Ethics and Sustainability in the Swiss Watch Industry.

29 August, Thursday
4.30p.m. CET
Glass Box (next to the Pavilion, at Rotonde du Mont-Blanc)

Upstart Brands: The Rising Stars of Watchmaking

Moderators: Wei Koh, Andrew McUtchen
Panelists: Sylvain Berneron, Thomas Fleming and James Kong, Phil Toledano and Alfred Chan, Matteo Violet-Vianello, William Massena, Sohaib Maghnam

Once upon a time, if you wanted to have a watch brand, you’d need to come from Switzerland, work laboriously for many decades and — this is the most important part — ideally have a head of white hair, a long flowing beard so you bore a startling resemblance to Santa Claus, or as they call him in French Switzerland, Papa Noel. Yes, Laurent Ferrier, I’m talking about you. Today, that’s all changed.

You can be a collector and a photographer like Thomas Fleming and James Kong, who have created one of the most charming acts of neo-classical watchmaking. You could have worked with Georges Kern for five exciting years before creating a fantastically original asymmetric timepiece expressing your vision for “derestricted time keeping“, replete with an asymmetric movement as with Sylvain Berneron and his Mirage. You could be an auto enthusiast and a freelance designer who, through a shared love for Brutalism, created one of the more daring creations of the year as Phil Toledano and Alfred Chang have with their B/1. You could have been inspired by ancient warrior helmets but then be so obsessed with minutia that you went on to create your own wandering hour and jump retrograde module as Sohaib Magham has with his Mohareb. You can be a gentleman collector, the head of Time Zone and Antiquorum, with a unique take on horology and bloodhound’s like capacity to detect excellence like William Massena of Massena Lab. Or you could have worked at A Collected Man for four years before becoming a force in the return of shaped watches as Matteo Violet Vianello has with his brand Anoma. As so named, join us as we hear from these rising stars.

30 August, Friday
4.45p.m. CET
Glass Box (next to the Pavilion, at Rotonde du Mont-Blanc)

Women Leaders in the Swiss Watch Industry

Moderators: Wei Koh, Tiffany To
Panelists: Carine Maillard, Carole Forestier-Kasapi, Catherine Eberlé-Devaux, Marine Lemonnier-Brennan

Sometimes people ask me, “Wei, is there a secret cabal in the Swiss Watch Industry that, quietly and behind the scenes, pretty much runs everything?” My answer is yes. And all this group is essentially composed of the people that you will see onstage. While their names may not be the most immediately recognizable, I can assure you these are the people that are “running things and getting shit done” in the watch industry.

The individuals arrayed on this stage have been friends, mentors and inspirations to me. When I first met Catherine Eberlé-Devaux, she had become the Heritage Director at TAG Heuer and I was blown away by my first conversation with her. I had never met someone who had come from outside the industry and in such a short period knew everything about her brand and more than that demonstrated such passion for it. It was at that moment I knew she was destined for great things. Today, she runs not just the communications for Bulgari watches but also is the key organizer of Geneva Watch Days. That’s right, this entire fair is in large part thanks to her.

Marine Lemonnier-Brennan is what I like to think of in political movies as the “fixer” — the person, with a seeming effortlessness that belies an incredible work ethic and real love for our industry, who resolves complex issues and always ensures her clients land on top. Carine Maillard has been behind the scenes for the last 23 years tirelessly championing the values of the watch industry as the person behind the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie Geneve (GPHG). Today, as its director, she works with immense determination to broaden awareness of its importance and connect its values with the next generation. Finally, Carole Forestier-Kasapi is a legend in the watch world and one of the most accomplished technical directors of all time who’s behind the creation of some of the most game changing inventions in modern watchmaking.

31 August, Saturday
2.45p.m. CET
Glass Box (next to the Pavilion, at Rotonde du Mont-Blanc)

Chronometric Certifications

Moderator: Oliver R. Müller
Panelists: Andreas Felsl, Bernhard Lederer, Claude Greislier, Olivier Kuffer

Do certification standards established in 1976 still hold relevance in an era dominated by atomic time precision? And what is more relevant in achieving chronometric precision — materials, concepts, or both? The panel will explore various innovative approaches, each one representing a unique path toward enhancing chronometric excellence from Armin Strom’s resonance technology to Horage’s MicroReg technology, and Bernhard Lederer’s detent escapement. Moderator Oliver R. Müller will lead a compelling discussion featuring a distinguished panel: Andi Felsl of Horage, Andreas Wyss, CEO of COSC, Bernhard Lederer of Lederer Timepieces, Claude Greislier of Armin Strom, and Olivier Kuffer, the President of Société Suisse de Chronométrie.

The discussion will also assess the contributions of major brands like Omega, Rolex, and Tudor compared to those of niche players in advancing the field. This session promises to offer valuable insights into the future of watchmaking and the factors that will define precision in the years to come.

31 August, Saturday
4p.m. CET
Glass Box (next to the Pavilion, at Rotonde du Mont-Blanc)

Wanna Buy a Watch: Emerging Trends in the Secondary Watch Market

Moderators: Wei Koh, Mark Kauzlarich
Panelists: Fred Savage, Geoff Hess, Jack Forster, Roy Davidoff, Tony Traina

As soon as you open your phone or wake up your computer you can’t avoid being bombarded by the same message over and over: “Secondary watch prices are falling.” But here’s my take on it. We’ve seen crazy growth in the watch market in the last three years — yes, partially fueled by speculation a lot of which is gone now. But the net growth and increase in popularity in the watch world has been massive. How do I know? Popular culture. There is not a red carpet event, a major cinematic, musical or sports event today that is not bombarded with horological finery where the world is more focused on what people have on their wrists than what they are wearing. As such, even though we’ve witnessed a market correction in pricing corresponding to the diminishing in wild speculation, we have reached a reset level that will remain. How do I know this? Because unlike NFTS, the mechanical watch has immense intrinsic value. So, if the secondary market is stabilizing, it is also redefining itself. What will be the shape of what is to come?

Fred Savage is a beloved actor, producer and director. But early in his watch collecting he ended up purchasing a Frankenwatch. He was initially upset but then realized that there has to be a way to provide assurance to potential buyers. This motivated him to create TSG, an independent certification and rating company that he feels will become a key part of empowering the growth of watch collecting. Geoff Hess is the head of watches at Sotheby’s and he is shaking up the watch auction world in a big way. Coming off the success of selling Sylvester Stallone’s watch collection, we want to hear from him what the future of the auction world holds and also how to get invited to Rollie Fest 2025. Roy Davidoff is much more than a watch dealer, he’s served as a jury member of the GPHG and has been a key educator and even provided key guidance to brands such Furlan Marri and even Raymond Weil. Tony Traina is one of those guys that doesn’t say very much at first because he’s clearly aware he is the smartest guy in the room. For those of you like me that have followed the advancement of Rescapement and his work at Hodinkee, we will recognize his perspectives are some of the most insightful around. Jack Forster is the elder statesman of American watch journalism. One of the greatest writers to ever wield a keyboard, Jack is considered by most of us to be the greatest repository of technical knowledge and this planet and potentially the universe.

31 August, Saturday
5.15p.m. CET
Glass Box (next to the Pavilion, at Rotonde du Mont-Blanc)

Hands of the Artisans: The Renewed Appeal of Craftsmanship and Metiers d’Art

Moderators: Wei Koh, Dillon Bhatt
Panelists: Joshua Shapiro, Robin Tallendier, Simon Brette, Danièla Dufour, Luca Soprana

The year was April of 2015 and the watch world was reeling. Apple had just released its eponymous watch and the belief that this was the equivalent of setting off a 15 Kiloton Atomic Bomb in the center of the Vallee du Joux. Such was the fear that it would decimate the Swiss watch industry. Basel Fair had been enveloped in a cloud of icy fear as brands, journalists and watchmakers all speculated wildly on what would have to mechanical watchmaking.

Cut to one full decade later and instead of rejecting high watchmaking, Gen Z has embraced haute horlogerie with a passion that may potentially eclipse that of their parents, giving proof positive to Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Marcus Lee Hansen’s adage, “That which the son wishes to forget, the grandson wishes to remember.”

Even more, they have rediscovered and connected with the once dusty and insular realms of craftsmanship and metiers d’art. As is because they’ve grown up in a digital world, their escape is the decidedly analog world of mechanical watchmaking and artisanal crafts. Why is this? We’ve invited some of the watch world’s finest artisans, masters in hand finishing and decorative specialists to share their perspectives with us.

1 September, Sunday
1.15p.m. CET
Glass Box (next to the Pavilion, at Rotonde du Mont-Blanc)

Post Hype Collectability: From Vintage Masterpieces to Modern Grails

Moderators: Wei Koh, Mark Kauzlarich
Panelists: Alexandre Ghotbi, Geoff Hess, Jasper Lijfering, Max Bernardini, Remi Guillemin

Between 1634 and 1637, we saw the first speculative bubble in modern history. This happened in Holland and is popularly known as “Tulip Mania” where the price of a single tulip bulb eventually reached 10 times that of the average skilled artisans annual salary. In the 20th century, we saw stock bubbles, real estate bubbles, tech stock bubbles and eventually NFT and Crypto bubbles, but from 2021 to the beginning of 2023, we saw watches decoupled from the status as that unique object that is the perfect intersection between engineering and art and become the object of vast speculation.

This led to the creation of fast fortunes and every layman jumping in to become resellers of Rolex’s, Patek’s and AP’s. Speculation even took over the once insular and nerdy market of independent watchmaking. But I am pleased to say that with all moments of reckless, unabandoned hype fueled by fast buck-making greed, this era came to an end almost as fast as it began, leaving in its wake a new period of calm and rationalism. But what will be the defining watchmaking trends it will leave in its wake? To me there are two areas that will become the focus of our attention.

The first will be watches that express strong craft and métiers d’art content. Why? Because I feel, in an increasingly and sometimes unbearably digitized world, we seek solace in that which is perennial and innately human. The second are watches that express strong and authentic watchmaking content, such as an independent double wheel escapement or a Reuleux triangle-based remontoire d’égalité. But to have a clearer picture on what the future holds, I’ve invited five guests to tell you from their perspective what lies ahead. Think of them as watch-collecting soothsayers.

1 September, Sunday
2.30p.m. CET
Glass Box (next to the Pavilion, at Rotonde du Mont-Blanc)

Deal Me In: Watch Dealers as Influencers

Moderators: Wei Koh, Roy Davidoff
Panelists: Cameron Barr, Mike Nouveau, Sacha Davidoff, Roman Sharf

I’m old enough – yes, I’m old as hell – to have seen every different medium in watch journalism. First, we had print that allowed the creation of narratives from beginning to end. We had forums that created communities. We had websites that spread and proliferated the message. But today, we exist in a fascinating cross-roads as watch journalism defines itself for tomorrow. What has risen as the most popular form of entertainment is social media: Instagram, TikTok and Youtube. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen the rapid acceleration in the creation of watch social media personalities, many of whom come from one unexpected background — they are watch dealers.

In some ways it makes sense, because dealers can say what they want. They are relatively untethered from direct relationships with brands, they don’t depend on advertising to generate the capital requirements of their businesses and perhaps most important of all, they understand what sells and what doesn’t. To me, the watch industry has to recognize them as a force to be reckoned with. But not all of them are the same. Today, there are influencers that use their platform to tear things down and those that use them to uplift the watches that they love and spread their passion for watchmaking.

This second category, comprising a crew of gentlemen edifiers, are the ones I respect the most and the ones I’ve assembled here. They are Sacha Davidoff, one half of Geneva’s Davidoff brothers and the world’s greatest experts on all things Omega, so much so that they’ve written a book and even organized an exhibition on the Speedmaster. Roman Scharf, with close to half a million YouTube subscribers and a quarter million Instagram followers, was the first dealer to take us behind the scenes of the secondary watch business and introduced terms like “Mazal”. More importantly, he also uses his influence to champion independent watchmaking brands like Urwerk. Anyone who likes watches and is on Instagram will have come across Mike Nouveau’s fun, infective and oftentimes wildly entertaining style of Cinéma vérité watch influence. I would say that he has been a huge force in connecting the new generation with brands such as Cartier (and so I feel the helicopter that they sent to bring him to their manufacture was well deserved). He has also single-handedly created a renewed relevance for what he calls “the Geezer watch”: a woven bracelet shaped watch epitomized by AP’s King Cobra. Anyone that’s seen Cameron Barr at a watch fair knows that he hustles more than the vast majority of watch journalists, taking his video interviews as seriously as me. I also like that he merges his love for watches with style, heritage clothing brands, and a deep passion for air-cooled Porsches. He is everything you would imagine a young cool LA watch dealer should be.

1 September, Sunday
3.45p.m. CET
Glass Box (next to the Pavilion, at Rotonde du Mont-Blanc)

For those unable to attend in person, the symposiums will be accessible through various platforms. Revolution will share the full week of discussions on its social media channels, provide detailed recaps on RevolutionWatch.com, and livestream the talks on YouTube.com/RevolutionWatch.