On October 10, 2026, watchmaking will once again take centre stage around the world as World Watch Day returns for its second edition.

Created to bring together the international watchmaking community, the event celebrates far more than watches themselves. Its programme explores the cultural, artistic, technical and human dimensions of an industry whose knowledge and craftsmanship have been passed down through generations.

Following its first edition in 2025, which reached more than six million people worldwide according to the organisers, World Watch Day returns this year with a central theme: “Time as Living Heritage.” The idea behind the 2026 edition is to look at watchmaking as a living culture: something that continues to evolve through the people who create, collect, study, teach and preserve it.

The programme reflects this approach. Across different countries, World Watch Day 2026 brings together museums, watchmakers, manufactures, schools, cultural institutions, collectors and enthusiasts through exhibitions, talks, workshops, educational initiatives and artistic projects. Rather than focusing on one type of audience, the event aims to make watchmaking culture accessible to a much wider community.

And naturally, Geneva has an important place in the programme.

Geneva at the centre of the 2026 celebration

Geneva's connection with watchmaking makes it one of the most relevant places to experience World Watch Day. On October 10, the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire (MAH) will host one of the key programmes of the day.

The morning begins at 9:30 with a gathering designed to bring together a new generation of watch enthusiasts, accompanied by croissants and a live DJ. The programme then moves into a series of discussions exploring the past, present and future of watchmaking.

At 11:15, the first round table, “Watchmaking today and tomorrow,” will look at the evolution of the industry and its future. At noon, visitors can join a guided tour of the museum, adding a more cultural dimension to the programme.

At 13:00, the focus turns specifically to Geneva and Switzerland with “Watchmaking, Geneva and Switzerland,” led by Pascal Ravessoud, Vice-President of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie. The programme continues at 14:00 with a second round table dedicated to “Time as a Living Heritage,” directly echoing the central theme of this year's edition.

There is also a more artistic element to the Geneva programme. At 10:10, artist Mauro Carraro will unveil Letter to Time, an original work created specifically for World Watch Day 2026. Produced in blue ink and gold leaf, the unique piece will subsequently be offered through an online auction, with proceeds going towards a cause.

The celebration extends beyond the MAH. From October 7 to 10, the Cartier boutique on Rue du Rhône will present 22 historic timepieces from the Cartier Collection, giving visitors another opportunity to explore the heritage behind one of the industry's most recognisable names.

And Geneva is only one part of the Swiss programme. Across the country, World Watch Day brings together museums, watchmaking institutions and cultural organisations. Visitors can discover activities at the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet in Le Brassus, participate in discussions around mechanical arts and crafts in Sainte-Croix, or explore the world of precision at the Musée d'horlogerie du Locle.

What makes the 2026 edition particularly interesting is precisely this diversity. A visitor can approach watchmaking through history, technical expertise, art, education, collecting or contemporary creation. The programme shows that the industry is not frozen in the past. Its heritage continues to evolve through new generations, new ideas and new ways of sharing knowledge.

A global event, experienced locally

Although Geneva is one of its key locations, World Watch Day is designed as a genuinely international celebration.

The 2026 programme includes events across Europe and beyond, with exhibitions, guided tours, workshops, conferences and cultural initiatives taking place in different countries. The organisers also invite the wider watch community to participate digitally, using #WorldWatchDay to share stories, watches and personal connections with the world of horology.

There is even a simple ritual connecting the different participants: October 10 at 10:10. Watch enthusiasts are encouraged to share a photograph of their watch at that precise time, creating a visual connection between participants around the world. The choice of 10:10 also reflects one of the most recognisable visual conventions used in watch advertising, where the hands create a balanced and open composition.

This combination of physical events and digital participation is an important part of what makes World Watch Day different from a traditional trade show or watch exhibition.

There is no single venue, no single audience and no single way to participate.

Someone can attend a round table in Geneva, visit a museum, discover a historic collection, participate in a workshop, follow content online or simply share their own relationship with watches.

For international visitors, this also creates an interesting opportunity to experience Geneva through its watchmaking culture. A visit to the city can extend beyond a single event and include museums, boutiques, restaurants, cultural experiences and meetings with professionals from the industry.

In that context, mobility becomes part of the experience as well.

On a day combining several appointments, exhibitions and events, the ability to move efficiently between locations can make a difference. For international visitors arriving at Geneva Airport, attending meetings or exhibitions and continuing with dinners or private appointments, a well-organised itinerary allows more time to be dedicated to the actual experience.

This is particularly fitting for an event centred on the idea of time.

World Watch Day 2026 is ultimately about looking at time from different perspectives: as a measurement, a craft, a cultural heritage and something passed from one generation to another.

And Geneva provides a particularly strong setting for that conversation.

For one day, museums, watchmakers, artists, collectors, professionals and enthusiasts come together around the same subject.

Time.

Not simply as something measured by a watch, but as something created, preserved, shared and experienced.