18 September

The day in brief

Watches and Wonders Geneva has confirmed the expansion of its 2027 edition to 75 exhibitors, with 13 new brands, a redesigned setting and an In The City programme running throughout the week of 5–11 April.

Grand Seiko revisits a discreet but important reference from its modern history with the SBGW325, while Ressence turns the Type 9 into a kinetic artwork in collaboration with Jules Wittock.

Blancpain, Arnold & Son and Hamilton complete an unusually varied day, spanning mechanical miniaturisation, métiers d’art and watchmaking’s growing dialogue with video games.

Watches and Wonders Geneva 2027 expands to 75 brands

On 17 September, Watches and Wonders announced the expanded format of its 2027 edition, to be held in Geneva from 5 to 11 April. The Salon will host 75 brands and welcomes 13 new participants: Akhor, Alain Silberstein, Berneron, Breva Genève, Fortis, Kerbedanz, Porsche Design, Singer Reimagined and Stollenwurm, joining Breitling, Damiani, Gallet and Universal Genève, whose participation was announced in June.

The organisers also unveiled a new scenography inspired by the landscapes of Geneva and its surroundings, with wider aisles, while In The City expands to all seven days. The public programme will include the Watchmaking Village, boutique activations, encounters with artisans, demonstrations, immersive experiences and cultural and musical events. The expansion reinforces the Salon’s opening towards independents, niche makers and brands with very different profiles.

Grand Seiko SBGW325 revives the Arabic numerals of 2001

On 17 September, Grand Seiko introduced the SBGW325, a 600-piece limited edition marking 25 years since the SBGW003, the brand’s first watch powered by a hand-wound mechanical 9S movement. The new reference retains a compact 37.3 mm steel case, 44.3 mm lug-to-lug and 11.7 mm thickness, with a box-shaped sapphire crystal and display back.

The deep navy dial revives the raised Arabic numerals of the 2001 watch and is paired with a crocodile strap hand-dyed using the Japanese hon-ai natural indigo technique. The hand-wound calibre 9S64 runs at 4 Hz and offers about 72 hours of power reserve. European availability is scheduled for October 2026, exclusively through Grand Seiko boutiques, at €5,700.

Ressence Type 9 turns a Jules Wittock maze into a dial

On 17 September, Ressence presented the latest Type 9 Art Watch, created with Belgian artist Jules Wittock. His work centres on hand-drawn mazes, and the collaboration transfers that graphic language to the watch’s orbital dial, creating a composition that changes continuously as the indication discs rotate.

The Type 9 retains its polished Grade 5 titanium case measuring 39 mm by 11 mm and the patented ROCS 9 system, driven by a modified and reinforced 2892/2 base calibre. The automatic movement runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offers 36 hours of power reserve. The JWB and JWE variants are listed at €26,200 including VAT, turning the display mechanism itself into part of the artwork.

In brief

Blancpain introduced the Lady B on 17 September to mark 70 years of the Ladybird. Its spherical case measures just 19 mm in diameter and 2.9 cm³ in volume and houses the automatic Manufacture calibre 615. The watch revisits the mechanical miniaturisation of the 1956 Ladybird Bullet and pays tribute to Betty Fiechter, a pioneer among women leading Swiss manufactures.

Arnold & Son unveiled the Perpetual Moon 41.5 Platinum “Horse of the Dunes”, limited to eight pieces. Its 41.5 mm platinum case frames a hand-engraved 18-carat white-gold horse over an aventurine dial with hand-painted dunes. The hand-wound A&S1512 offers 90 hours of power reserve and a moon-phase display whose theoretical one-day deviation accumulates only after 122 years.

Hamilton revealed a new 38 mm Khaki Field Mechanical tied to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. A black-PVD steel case, textured dial and game-inspired graphic codes accompany the hand-wound H-50 calibre with an 80-hour power reserve. The watch is associated with Captain Price and precedes the game’s launch on 23 October.

What deserves attention

The 2027 Watches and Wonders line-up deserves close attention for the diversity of its newcomers: Berneron, Singer Reimagined, Alain Silberstein, Fortis and Porsche Design broaden the Salon beyond the traditional large maisons. Technically, the SBGW325 shows how a limited edition can revive a historic design language without adding a new complication; Ressence takes the opposite route, using the display architecture itself as a moving graphic artwork.