The Best-Dressed People at Watches and Wonders Showed Off Dazzling Timepieces
During Watches and Wonders, the horological industry’s biggest tradeshow, the hallways of Geneva’s Palexpo convention center turn into major thoroughfares for the watch world’s assembled denizens. Walking through them, they run into friends, discover new references, and occasionally get to show off a model from their own collections. So at this year’s fair, we set up a camera in an area of the center we’ve affectionately come to call Rolex Square and asked a few attendees and exhibitors the most important question we could think of: What’s on your wrist? Their answers, and more of their insights on this year’s show, below.
Matt Hranek, Editor of WM Brown Magazine
Tell us about your outfit.
The suit is by the New York tailor J.Mueser. And the shoes are my standard Alden cognac suede loafers, unlined. They are the New Balance of the loafer world. I could do 1,000 miles on these things. And you do 1,000 miles here at Watches and Wonders.
What’s the coolest watch you’ve seen so far?
I was pleasantly just completely in love with Piaget. Like, they’re going back to the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s. Not so much in the men’s space, but in the kind of jewelry and women’s space. I have such a memory of that era of Piaget, which I thought was very, very cool. Big surprise.
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What watch are you wearing today?
So today I’m wearing a Rolex Ref. 5513. It is the first vintage Rolex I ever bought in the early ’90s. It has gone tropical, meaning the dial has gone brown, since I’ve owned it. I bought it on eBay for $1,500 bucks in 1997. And my wife almost didn’t want me to spend that much money. And I’m glad I did.
Tessy Wiseman, Watches and Jewelry Product Coordinator at Cartier
Where are you from?
I’m Swiss-Canadian, so from here [Geneva] and Vancouver.
Tell us about your outfit.
My shirt is Auteur. The brooch is Loewe. The bomber jacket is from Zara, actually. The trousers are House of Dagmar, the boots are Toral, and the purse is Maison L’Oeuvre.
What’s the best watch you’ve seen so far?
My favorite novelty is the new Cartier mini Baignoire with a bangle bracelet, for its endless combinations. And it’s easily stackable and wearable.
Tell us about the watch you’re wearing.
[It’s the] Cartier Ballon Bleu 33mm. It’s a subtle yet feminine addition to my rather minimal outfit.
Wilhelm Straeng, Sales Director of Stockinger Safes
Where are you from?
I’m based in Munich, Germany.
Tell us about your outfit. This is a great jacket.
Thank you. This is a bespoke jacket by Gabriele Corvino. We designed it together [using] Fox Brothers fabric. Super happy with it. Wearing bespoke flannels by Missura and Badouin and Lange strides, which are absolutely phenomenal.
What’s the best watch you’ve seen so far?
That’s a really tough one. My absolute favorite, I’m not allowed to talk about. But my second absolute favorite is the Ingenieur from IWC. I was wearing it a couple of minutes ago. I have to say, it being one of the first models Gerald Genta made, it’s pretty dope how they’ve reiterated it. I think it’s gonna be a hit.
What watch are you wearing today?
It’s the Panerai Luminor Marina, 42mm. I’ve had it for a few months now. What attracted me is the simplicity. It’s a divers’ watch, it has a lot of history, and I think that is why I would go for it again.
Davide Cerrato, Retired Watch Executive
Tell us about your outfit. Who made your suit?
It’s an Italian tailor. The poor guy passed away with Covid, unfortunately. A guy from Sicily. He was an incredibly good guy and an incredible tailor.
What’s your favorite watch so far?
I don’t have a favorite but I saw some incredibly nice watches. I must say the most complete and stunning lineup and very consistent over the last six, seven years is Cartier. Really beautiful. The new Santos Dumont, I found it so Cartier, and perfectly proportioned.
What watch are you wearing today? How long have you had it?
Rolex 1929. Vintage. It’s the same model Mercedes Gleitze wore to swim the English Channel. I’ve had it for about 10 years now.
Mike Nouveau, Vintage Watch Specialist
Tell us about your outfit.
So my jacket is from fine Creek leathers, which is a Japanese company. It’s all horse leather. And I’ve been wearing this since [October 2020] and all this patina is my own. The jeans are the mud-dyed Visvim jeans. I got them in Japan. And literally, you can still see like on the back—like they’re technically raw, but there’s like dirt all over them because they’re mud-died. And the boots are the Stussy x Timberland collaboration with the ostrich leather uppers.
What’s the best watch you’ve seen so far?
Definitely easy question. It’s the Cartier Tank Normale in platinum on the brick bracelet.
What watch are you wearing?
I have my vintage Rolex GMT Ref. 1675, Mark I dial with the fuchsia insert. I’ve probably had it for about seven years. This is like my first Rolex ever. I knew I wanted a GMT. And I thought, the older the better. The fuchsia bezel is just like, so stunning, so I just had to have this variation of it.
Paul Croughton, Editor-in-Chief, Robb Report
Tell us about your outfit.
The suit is Taillour. I have some Tod’s loafers on, and a Drake’s knit tie and a Drake’s button-down Oxford shirt.
What’s been your favorite booth at the fair so far?
I think Van Cleef & Arpels probably was the winner for me in terms of a holistic expression of what their collection is this year. And the quality of make, with all the glassware from Murano and hand painting on the walls. Everything was just as you would imagine the Van Cleef world to be.
What watch are you wearing today?
This is a 1950s jumbo Vacheron Constantin, 37.5 mm with a honeycomb dial. Funnily enough, I saw another vintage watch with a very similar dial from a different brand and liked that, but wasn’t enamored. But I collect Vacheron, so when I discovered this one I immediately had to have it. It’s a perfect size. It works well with pretty much anything and goes pretty well with what I’m wearing today. I think it’s very slim, unobtrusive, and hopefully elegant and different.
Ines Gharbi, Events and Special Products Coordinator, Chanel
Where are you from?
I’m from Paris, but I live in New York.
Tell us about your outfit.
This is the first Chanel jacket that I ever bought, so I’m really proud of it. I have some French boots from a brand called Cosmoparis. And then I’m wearing a thrifted skirt and a Chanel belt.
And if you’re here for Chanel, you must be wearing a Chanel watch.
Absolutely, yes. I’m wearing the J12 Wanted. It’s a limited edition from last year. And I’m of course wearing my jewelry: my Coco Crush ring with my little diamonds.
Ben Dunn, Dealer, Watch Brothers London
Tell us about your outfit.
I am actually not much of a fashion guy. So I spend a lot of my time copying others. This is actually an outfit that I’ve copied from a French chap that I found on Instagram. I couldn’t tell you his username. I literally just go through his feed, and I think “That looks cool. I’m just going to buy into that.”
What’s the best watch you’ve seen so far?
Oh, many gemset pieces, to be honest. I like the Cartier Bagnoire. For me, that’s just killer. I would rock that all day, just under a jumper, with a t-shirt or whatever.
Speaking of diamonds under a jumper, tell us about your watch.
So this is a find from a small shop in the U.S. It was an old eBay listing that was actually defunct. And we went back and forth on the watch a bit. I’m in London, the watch was in Germany, but they’re in the U.S.—it was a bit complicated. So I left it. A few months later, I couldn’t get it out of my mind. So I was like, let’s make it happen. I got it shipped over and it’s been my baby ever since. It’s a Vacheron Constantin perpetual calendar Ref. 43532 with the diamond bezel, which is very rarely seen.
Falak Noraee, Entrepreneur and Watch Collector
Where are you from?
I’m from Iran, but I live in Dubai. I’ve lived in Dubai for almost 27 years.
If you could buy one of the watches you’ve seen, which one would it be?
Ah, that’s a tough question. Actually, I love some of the Pateks. I like some of the new Rolexes, but it’s very tough to choose.
What watch are you wearing today?
I’m wearing a Rolex Eisenkiesel. This is one of my favorites, and I just love the dial. It’s beautiful. It’s beautiful. With baguettes on the dial and a diamond bezel.
Gregoire Baillod, Commercial Trainer, Rolex
What do you do at Rolex?
We’re training the sales staff in retailers’ boutiques. Rolex does not own any boutiques. So we train the sales staff. I go all over: Portugal, Northern Europe. I go to Africa, the Middle East, Egypt for instance, Nigeria, India. I also deal with some of our affiliates in South America because I speak Spanish.
What watch are you wearing today?
I’m wearing a Rolex Datejust 41, it’s a combination of Oystersteel and Everrose gold. It’s kind of a subdued watch. But, you know, the more you look at it, the more it stands out. And for me this is really the bread and butter of Rolex: It’s got performance, reliability, elegance, you name it.
Pierre Salanitro, Owner, Salanitro
Where are you from?
I’m from Geneva. I have my factory here.
Do you have a favorite watch from the show?
I’m very classic for the watches, you know, and I like the kinds of watches I can wear today and in 10 years and 20 years. And for that, Patek Philippe really is the top, as well as Vacheron Constantin.
Speaking of Patek Philippe, I see you’re wearing one of their models.
Yes, it’s the perpetual calendar en ligne, Ref. 5236P-001
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