In 2020, when industry insiders would have flocked to Geneva to view the newest offerings from luxury watchmakers, the Watches and Wonders event was overshadowed by COVID-19. Instead, many brands took a step back and showed quietly at their own pace, speculating about how the industry might be affected by an unprecedented pandemic. With vacations, weddings and graduation parties coming to a shrieking halt, many consumers commemorated personal milestones instead with luxury purchases. Once again, watches drew back attention lost to a generation who seemingly valued experiences over timepieces.
Enter this year's Watches and Wonders. The Geneva-based showcase, running virtually from April 7-13, is basically the fashion week of luxury timepieces—and this year, the timepieces did not come to play. From Hublot's completely transparent sapphire model and Cartier's colorful new take on the Tank to Rolex's ultimate diamond flex, the watchmakers seemed to be having a real time of it (no pun intended).
And with ever-evolving hype around watch-loving women, thanks to Instagram accounts like @dimepiece.co and Net-a-Porter's exclusive Watches and Wonders edit, the watch world is feeling less like an intimidating boys' club than ever. We've rounded up some of our realistic (and some of our far-reaching) favorites to celebrate the exciting strides the watch industry is taking in 2021.
Rolex
Cartier
Chanel
Hublot
Bulgari
Patek Philippe
Gucci
Chopard
Louis Vuitton
Piaget
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Can't wait for these to come out? Us either. In the meantime, check out our favorites from Net-a-Porter's Watches and Wonders selection.
