Peter Jackson

Every year, the most prestigious watchmakers around the globe gather in Geneva to experience the week of Watches and Wonders. The event is more than a trade show, it’s an opportunity to experience the new releases of craftsmanship, innovation and storytelling from luxury brands like Rolex, Cartier and TAG Heuer.  So to sum up, we’ve put together a list of the top 5 most important elements that make Watches and Wonders the Event of the Year!

1. Major Brand Debuts

Watches and Wonders is the go-to event for the most prominent luxury watch brands to unveil their new collections. Think Rolex, TAG Heuer and Cartier. The event sets the tone for the entire year in terms of design trends and materials. What makes the event so important is that these debuts aren’t just about new watches, they’re about shaping the direction of the industry.

 Here are some of our favourite releases at Watches and Wonders 2025:

1. TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph Quartz 38mm Blue Bracelet Watch
2. Bremont Altitude Collection
3. Oris Big Crown Pointer Date 40mm Sunshine Yellow Dial Steel Automatic Bracelet Watch

2. A stage for innovation

Watches and Wonders is the place where cutting-edge creativity comes to life. It’s not just about telling time, it’s about redefining how time is told. The event is a launchpad for the newest movements, materials, and world-first inventions that truly shape the future of watchmaking.

What makes this event so thrilling is that many of the ideas revealed here go on to influence the entire industry of watchmakers and collectors alike. From coloured dials to jewellery-infused timepieces, Watches and Wonders is the place where watches evolve. Here are a few standout innovations from this year’s show that we loved:

Coloured dials: We’ve seen a surge in vibrant dial colours, including burgundy, opaline, and pastel tones, adding a fresh aesthetic to classic models.

Material Innovation: Brands exploring new materials, with titanium and ceramic making significant appearances, offering durability and a modern look.

Functional Complications: There was a notable emphasis on practical complications, such as world-time functions and perpetual calendars, enhancing both utility and sophistication.

Jewellery-infused Timepieces: The fusion of quality jewellery and watchmaking was evident, with timepieces featuring elaborate gemstone settings and artistic designs

3. Exclusive Access & Storytelling

Unlike most trade shows, Watches and Wonders is as much about the experience as it is about the watches. Brands go all out with immersive booths, interactive displays, and hands-on demonstrations, providing visitors with a rich narrative behind each piece. Our personal favourite was the Oris display, showcasing an array of new watches and features to level up your next watch game. Did we mention there was a cool mirrored bear? it was bear-y cool !

Did you know? The design of the ORIS display is more than just an aesthetic, it’s a tribute to the brand’s roots. The pink terracotta mirrors the exterior of their headquarters in Hölstein, nestled in the canton of Basel-Landschaft. Meanwhile, the deep forest green pays homage to the woodland that surrounds the area. Together, these colours reflect the natural beauty surrounding ORIS’s home and symbolize the brand’s deep connection to its heritage and environment.

4. A stage for innovation

Watches and Wonders brings with it all the global media frenzy, from YouTubers, influencers, celebrities and collectors alike to get a first glimpse of these new announcements. This year, legendary Finnish Formula 1 driver Mika Häkkinen, known to fans worldwide as “Flying Finn,” made a stylish and unexpected appearance at this year’s Watches and Wonders. Meanwhile, football icon Kylian Mbappé attended the event, drawing attention not just from watch admirers but fans across the sporting world.  Finally, Roger Federer, the ambassador for Rolex, made an appearance, reinforcing the brand’s legacy of excellence and precision. Their presence highlights how Watches and Wonders continues to impact pop culture and global lifestyle.

Your feed will turn into a watch parade with non-stop content to get you obsessed over the latest drops. What makes this media buzz so important is its reach; it allows watch lovers all around the world to experience the thrill of the show, even if they’re thousands of miles from Geneva. You can discover new pieces, hear expert opinions, and join the conversation, all from the comfort of your couch.

5. It Unites the Global Watch Community

Watches and Wonders is the show where brands pull out all the stops!  Whether it’s a brand new movement, some wild, never-before-seen creation, or a cool breakthrough in sustainable materials, Watches and Wonders is where the future of watchmaking makes its debut. It’s like watching history unfold, only with way more popularity and cool themed booths. If there’s a big idea shaking up the watch world, chances are it’s happening at Watches and Wonders.

What is Jewellery Valuation & why is It important?

A valuation is an in-depth assessment of a piece of jewellery or watch to gain an up-to-date value of the piece, whether this be for insurance, probate or family division. The assessment looks at when the item was first made, details of the materials that make up the item and current condition to create the current value. It also looks at the quality of the materials being used, i.e. if it’s a diamond, the grade or if it’s a gemstone, looking at the quality of the stone and how rare it is. There are lots of different elements that go into the process which is why it takes time and should be undertaken by a qualified specialist.

Why are valuations important?

Valuations should be a high priority in the upkeep of your precious items. If in the unfortunate event they are damaged, lost or even stolen, owning an up-to-date valuation will guarantee you regain the best up to date value should you be required to replace an item.

Insurance companies require in-depth details about your Jewellery and watches to insure them correctly, having an accredited valuation to hand will make this task much easier.

As a business we conduct valuation days a couple times a year where our lovely, trusted registered valuer Georgina Deer visits our store and accesses all our customers Jewellery. We are so lucky to have this as a company, other jewellers outsource their valuations and require sending them far away. This way we can keep your precious jewels safe. When you leave your items in our care they are carefully & safely stored, only accessed when our valuer visits for in store valuation days and monthly visits to H.O.

What is the process? (Jewellery)

1.  Visual Inspection

A visual inspection of the piece of Jewellery takes place as the first step, using an eye glass to have a good look at the item. During this the valuer is looking at the condition for any existing damage, how it’s been made, and any hallmarks, makers marks etc. This helps gather information and history about the item.

• Weighing

The item is simply put on the specialist scales to be weighed. This is then documented in the valuation document.

• Refractometer

For some pieces of Jewellery, a device called the Refractometer Is used, this measures the angle at which light passes through a gemstone. In scientific terminology this is called ‘refractive index’. In simplified terms this is just how much a gemstone bends light.

The valuer will use refraction fluid, a small amount is placed onto the gemstone, then it will be placed on the refractometer’s prism, a light will be shown and the angle at which the light emerges allows the refractometer to do its thing and measure the refractive index (the light bending). This gives the valuer a great first idea in identifying what kind of gem it is. For example, the stone in the picture is a Morganite, part of the Beryl family. The refractive index of a beryl stone is 1.57, and by looking at the stone visually it has the colouring of a Morganite too, this is how we determine what the stone is.

4: Measurements

The item is measured and written down for key information,

The size particularly if it is a diamond or gemstone can be significant in telling the value because as we know as you go up in carat weight this usually means that it goes up in value, depending on other factors.

Measurements of the length, width and depth are taken.

5: Calculating the carat weight

Using the measurements taken the valuer is then able to calculate the carat weight of a gemstone.

6: Photos

Photographs are taken at a couple of different angles to show the item in its true form as it was valued. This is later used as part of the document. Something so simple helps to identify a like for like replacement. Surprisingly, most people don’t have clear images of their jewellery, do you?

What is the process? (Watches)

Valuing a watch has slightly different elements to the process than with jewellery.

Any existing paperwork such as the warranty, receipt, box & papers are also important when it comes to accessing the item. All are considered when accessing.

1: The item much like jewellery is given a physical assessment for the condition and key information, such as the reference / model number and serial number, the movement type and general working order of the watch.

2: Research

Research into the watch online is done, to be able to find out if it’s a currently available watch or if you can buy something similar. It can also tell you how limited or in demand the time piece is. This helps to indicate whether it will be valued of the basis of replacement retail value. Valuers look at auction houses, second-hand and official stockists when gathering information.

3: Photos are taken

Photos are taken as part of the assessment for the same reasoning as Jewellery valuation. To be used in the documentation as part of the final valuation documentation to show what the watch looked like at the date of Valuation, to give a visual that goes with the information.

I hope this has given you a better insight into what happens to your precious jewels once you have left them in our care. If you are interested in booking in for a valuation or would like more information such as about our registered valuer Georgian Deer or our current prices and dates, then check our Valuations info page here:

https://www.peterjackson.co.uk/valuations