Making Good Time

When word came out that the 2020 Summer Olympics was postponed, nobody thought that it was the absolute end of the games. When Baselworld 2020 was postponed—following the exodus of the fair’s few remaining major exhibitors— nobody thought that it would recover. And they were right.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the watchmaking industry especially hard, but the biggest changes we witnessed throughout 2020 had their roots in pre-crisis times. In short, as traditional as watchmakers are—especially those based in Switzerland—they are very much operating in the modern world. The success of LVMH Watch Week Dubai 2020 showcased how the one-sizefits-all approach can no longer meet the needs of individual brands and large groups. Similarly, the success of the online Watches & Wonders Geneva 2020 highlighted the power of—and the need for—digital platforms.

Most importantly, however, even with limited live events, Zoom calls replacing product launch parties and watch boutiques everywhere being open to the public only a fraction of the time compared to during pre-pandemic years, the industry endures—and in many cases, thrived. The new formats were also promising. The Watches & Wonders online platform did great and its live event in Shanghai kept the flame alive for the offline option.

And then there are the watches. Even with the world turned upside down, new and exciting timepieces have continued to enter the market. On that note, by the time you have this issue of DAMAN Caliber in your hands, the winners of this year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève—the Oscars of the watch world— has been announced. We’ve included an in-depth look into the nuances of this event in our stories along with, of course, in-depth looks into the most exciting timepieces of 2020. Happy reading...

Ronald Liem, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief