Now that the dust has settled, Watches & Wonders 2026 has once again confirmed the show's role as the annual focal point of the watch community. Beyond the main event at Palexpo, Geneva was alive with satellite fairs, brand presentations and informal gatherings, as the entire city once again became the watch world’s center of gravity.

As Aurel Bacs, Senior Consultant at Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, notes: “I remember the fairs of the 1990s and early 2000s, when those attending were almost exclusively retailers, distributors, and the press.

“Gradually, Watches & Wonders and, by extension, Geneva Watch Week, have become the one and only super show in our industry, where the entire ecosystem meets – large luxury groups and small independents, businesspeople and dreamers, makers, press, collectors, dealers and auction house specialists. It feels like one big family.”

He adds: “At times, Geneva’s old town and the lakefront felt like a Phillips auction preview – a constant flow of encounters and conversations with collectors from around the world.”

Against this backdrop, Phillips’ specialists, consultants and editorial team share the watches that stood out over the past week at Watches & Wonders and across Geneva, from headline releases and independent showstoppers to less obvious pieces that may have slipped under the radar.

Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse Ref. 5738G-001 and Piaget Sixtie Cuff Watch Ref. G0A51350.

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Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse Ref. 5738G-001

Aurel Bacs, Senior Consultant

With a few exceptions, this was a rather classic, traditional year, where every brand, small or big, continued doing well what they are already known for. But nothing shook me like a volcano eruption.

I profoundly regret not having handled in person yet the 50th anniversary Patek Philippe Nautilus. The no seconds, no date combination with a slimmer case seems a very appealing proposition to me, a Nautilus buff and lover of all things vintage.

And while something like the Ref. 6105G-001 – a 47mm do-it-all, super-complication – may be great to own and look at, it is not necessarily a watch for daily life.

So, my pick is a watch that I could wear: the newly launched Golden Ellipse with forest green dial and strap, Ref. 5738G-001. It’s legible, harmonious and still an incredibly contemporary watch, despite its 1968 origins – a few years older than I am, and ageing rather better.

Piaget Sixtie Cuff Watch

Livia Russo, Senior Consultant

This Piaget Sixtie Cuff Watch caught my eye for its balance of beauty and craftsmanship. The combination of pink gold, diamonds and opal is striking, but still very soft on the wrist. It stands out without trying too hard and feels as much like a piece of art as it does a watch.

Rexhep Rexhepi RRCHF and David Candaux’s DC1

Alexandre Ghotbi, Deputy Chairman, Head of Watches, Europe and Middle East

Picking favorites is nearly impossible this year. Several watches left me speechless and two of them are still under embargo, so the excitement isn’t over just yet!

But if I had to name two that truly got me excited, the first is a new variation of David Candaux’s DC1 with its inclined tourbillon, this time in platinum with onyx dial and pink gold accents. It’s the kind of watch that stops you mid-sentence. It is like a tuxedo watch reimagined through an avant-garde lens – impeccably dressed and technically fearless.

The second? An easy call and I’ll happily join the chorus: Rexhep Rexhepi’s new Chronograph Flyback (RRCHF) is simply orgasmic. The case proportions are spot-on, the dial is a masterpiece and the in-house chronograph movement is finished to a level that ought to be studied in every watchmaking school. A future classic, no question.

David Candaux’s DC1, the Rexhep Rexhepi Chronograph Flyback (RRCHF) and the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 126502.

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 126502

Paul Boutros, Deputy Chairman, Head of Watches, Americas

What an unexpected surprise the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 126502 was, once again demonstrating that Rolex marches to its own drumbeat.

The Grand Feu, four-piece enamel dial appears exquisite in its quality and beauty – and makes this model an ultimate creation of Rolex. Combined with the new metallic anthracite ceramic bezel and its restyled, vertically-oriented tachymeter scale, the new Ref. 126502 in Rolesium certainly showcases Rolex’s design and manufacturing prowess.

Patek Philippe 50th Anniversary Nautilus

Thomas Perazzi, Deputy Chairman, Head of Watches, Asia

Patek Philippe’s celebration of the Nautilus’ 50th anniversary was a real highlight. The Geneva brand not only met expectations, but exceeded them by returning to the purity of the original design and the simplicity of Gérald Genta’s early sketches.

The new 41mm white-gold models echo the presence of the Ref. 3700, while the 38mm platinum version recalls the more compact Ref. 3800 introduced in the 1980s.

Several design decisions were well judged: the absence of both a date display and a central seconds hand, along with the subtlety of the commemorative engraving on the movement’s micro-rotor. The introduction of a “mid-size” case reflects a broader industry shift but also shows that Patek Philippe is sensitive to evolving collector preferences.

The 38mm platinum Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 5610/1P-001.
and the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points East Ref. 7930V/210T-H074.

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Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points East

Kazuhiko Fujimoto, Senior Consultant, Tokyo

I love the colorful combinations of the new Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points in titanium. Personally, I love orange and blue, so Cardinal Points East Ref. 7930V/210T-H074 is a natural choice, with its mix of blue and orange on the grained dial, hands and strap and stitching. This is a watch that I could wear every day.

Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts Releases

Isabella Proia, Head of Sale, Senior International Specialist, New York

The watches that really took my breath away were the Rare Handcrafts releases from Patek Philippe. I love the boat scenes, the volcano series and the Scottish inspired ones.

The “Whisky Glass” is so three-dimensional and realistic, but at the same time the framing of the glass doesn’t make it seem like you just have a painting of a glass on your watch.

You’re able to envision the craftsmanship that goes into each, balanced against the realism of the subject. I think this year they’ve really outdone themselves – the owl is a favorite for me!

Patek Philippe Ref. 5738/50G-048 White Owl and Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronograph Mystérieux.

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronograph Mystérieux

Sophie Furley, Head of Digital Marketing

This latest addition to Parmigiani Fleurier’s award-winning Tonda line performs a genuine magician’s trick.

At first glance, it looks like any other model from the collection, save for a discreet extra pusher at 8 o’clock. Press it, and a secret chronograph springs out of nowhere. Well, not quite out of nowhere, it is just that the illusion is so fast it is almost imperceptible to the human eye.

Two chronograph hands are hidden under the minute hand and, together with the running seconds hand, they all snap to 12 o’clock on demand and immediately start recording elapsed time. A second push stops the chronograph, then a third push sends them back to their hiding position, while the seconds hand continues on its merry way.

We have already seen dual time watches with a disappearing hand, but concealing a full set of chronograph hands is definitely a world first.

Our Specialists’ Picks: Watches & Wonders 2026 continues with Part Two, where further highlights await.

  • About Steven Rogers

    Steven Rogers is Senior Editorial Manager at Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, with 15 years’ experience in the Swiss watch industry as an editor, copywriter, and communications manager across brands, agencies, and media.