The History Of Watch Fairs: Where It All Began

The Windup watch Fair made its way to New York last month and united  a number of watch collectors from across the world which got me wondering…exactly what is it about these watch fairs that gets everyone so wound up? As I went down a rabbit hole to understand the reason why I also decided to dive deep on the how and the when. How did these fairs even begin as a concept and when did the first watch fair actually happen? 

Back to the Beginning 

For that you and I need to travel back to the crusades. Initially the concept of a fair was something around the lines of a medieval wholesale. From traders showcasing their most top of the line goods to merchants buying in bulk for a return trip home. Turns out that during the crusades as the travel routes improved so did the exchange of ideas, creativity and influence. As a result of this the travelling salesmen transitioned into full blown businessmen and people travelled from all across the world in order to view the vast array of goods. The audience multiplied, the transactions increased and the demand for commodities grew. And there you have it: the very first foundation of a modern fair.

So how did our beloved timepieces find their way into this grand bazaar?

Enter the Watchmakers

For that, we have to fast-forward a few centuries to the 1500s, where Geneva had quietly morphed into a bustling hub of micro-mechanical mastery. The catch? The local market was far too small to buy up all the tiny marvels being crafted. If a watchmaker wanted to survive, the watches had to be packed and hit the road, traveling far beyond Swiss borders to major European trading posts and distant capitals to find buyers. By the early 20th century, that nomadic hustle got an official, organized upgrade. 

Baselworld Opens the Door

In 1917, the Schweizer Uhrenmesse, later known to the world as Baselworld, opened its doors. No longer just a random assortment of traveling salesmen knocking on doors, the industry coalesced into a massive, structured trade show where retailers could inspect standardized samples and place heavy bulk orders. For decades, Baselworld sat comfortably on the throne as the undisputed king of watch fairs, operating as a sprawling corporate B2B behemoth where brands, distributors, and journalists rubbed shoulders while the everyday collector watched from the sidelines. But as the decades rolled on, structural shifts began to fracture the foundation. 

Watches and Wonders

By the 1990s, a faction of high-end luxury houses wanted something more exclusive and refined, leading to the creation of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva as an elegant alternative to Basel’s massive circus. What followed was a slow, dramatic unspooling of the old guard. Burdened by soaring costs and a stubborn resistance to change, Baselworld watched in real-time as its biggest titans, from massive conglomerates to legendary independent giants, slammed the door and walked away. Out of that colossal power vacuum rose Watches & Wonders. Today, this modern-day successor has completely rewritten the script. It is no longer just a cold convention for corporate suits; it has evolved into a vibrant cultural festival where independent artisans, legacy giants, media, and passionate everyday collectors all share the same room.

And that brings us right back to where we started. From medieval merchants trading goods along ancient trade routes to grand modern exhibition halls in Geneva and vibrant, community-driven gatherings like the Windup Watch Fair in New York, the reason we get so "wound up" is simple. Whether it's a pocket watch or an independent chronograph, put two watch lovers in a room together, and the spark is immediate. Some things, thankfully, never change.

Seven years after Baselworld's dramatic collapse, Basel is preparing for a comeback with Basilia.

 The Geneva mega-show has just announced its dates for 2027 and with a roster of heavyweight newcomers, next year's edition is shaping up to be one of its biggest yet.