Hong Kong Hosts Watches&Wonders

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If you’d like to get a sneak peek at the latest in luxury timepieces, the place to be this month is Hong Kong. The Chinese city will be hosting Watches&Wonders, an event featuring some of the world’s top watch brands, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from September 29 through October 2.

More than a dozen makers of fine watches will be on hand to show off their wares, including A. Lange & Söhne, Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Cartier, IWC,
Jaeger-LeCoultre, Montblanc, Officine Panerai, Piaget, Richard Mille, Roger Dubuis, Vacheron Constantin and Van Cleef & Arpels. Each brand will be sharing their history and craftsmanship with the audience of watch connoisseurs as well as showing off their newest designs. Participating companies will be displaying their new lines for a select group of special guests, journalists and retailers.

Attendees will also be treated to workshops by skilled crafters of fine watches including watchmakers, gem-setters, engravers and enamellers. Of special interest to collectors of vintage watches is an exhibit called The Mastery of Time, which traces the history of time management through the centuries using historic timepieces borrowed from private collections and Swiss museums.

Fabienne Lupo, chairwoman and managing Director of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, organized the event. She explained the appeal of the show: “Watches&Wonders provides a rare opportunity to meet the creators and craftsmen behind fine timepieces, and a chance to experience first-hand the cultural heritage of one of Europe’s most exquisite traditions.”

Watches&Wonders also celebrates the strong growth of the luxury watch business in Asian markets. Asia is now the world’s top market for fine Swiss watches, making this a very important event for those who make and market them.

Richard Lepeu, Co-CEO of Richemont, said of his brand’s participation in the event, “Watches&Wonders has become an instant must attend event in Asia for all fans of Haute Horlogerie. We intend Watches&Wonders to be the destination that shouldn’t be missed because there is simply nothing else like it.”

François-Henry Bennahmias CEO Audemars Piguet echoed his sentiments. “This event has everything: an unrivalled selection of fine watch making specialists gathered in one place, coming together to share their universe with an eminently select clientele in a dynamic and spectacular setting.”

Last year, more than 16,000 watch-loving visitors converged on Hong Kong for this event, so Watches&Wonders is definitely the place to be for anyone with an interest in the past, present and future of fine luxury timepieces.

Alas, most of us will not be on the guest list for this exclusive event, but will be carefully observing the action. The pricey pieces making their debut at Watches&Wonders will give us a glimpse of what to expect from the major brands in 2015, and the competition is sure to be fierce. Stay tuned for all the hot news from this fabulous gathering of the watch making elite, because there’s certain to be plenty to drool over and dream about!