Organized on October 10, 2025, a nod to the famous “10-10,” the legendary numerical association of watchmakers, the first “World Watch Day” (International Watchmaking Day) will feature a host of initiatives aimed at making it a popular event that brings together watch lovers from around the world.
There are several explanations for the watchmaking tradition of displaying watches set at 10:10 in stores or advertisements: this symmetrical V shape is not only balanced and open, but also symbolizes an engaging smile…
These two “magic” numbers were bound to inspire the organizers and partners of the first World Watch Day. These include major institutions and players in the watchmaking world, such as Arc Horloger, the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, The Watch Library, Horopedia, Le Figaro, the Horological Society of New York, Europa Star, Hantang Culture, etc. UNESCO is also naturally involved, as the watchmaking and mechanical art crafts of the Franco-Swiss Jura Arc were added to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2020.
Photos at 10:10 a.m.
And everyone agreed to choose October 10 (10-10) 2025 as the date for this very first edition, as well as for all those that will take place in the years to come.
In another nod to the double 10, all enthusiasts and aficionados were invited to take a photo of their favorite watch at precisely 10:10 a.m. and post it, tagged with the hashtag #WorldWatchDay, on social media, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or other platforms.
With this simple and fun gesture, the initiators of International Watch Day hope to give the event a popular and international aura by mobilizing watch enthusiasts around the world and showcasing the immense range of existing creations.
Officially announced on April 7 at the Watches & Wonders exhibition during a panel discussion on watchmaking and intangible heritage, this celebration aims to be as open and inclusive as possible.
Streamed worldwide, taking into account time zones from East to West, the day invited all enthusiasts, media, brands, collectors’ clubs, and other content creators to participate and submit content through local or online initiatives. The aim was to showcase the countless facets of the world of watchmaking, whether from a cultural, scientific, economic, artistic, artisanal, or sporting perspective, to name but a few.
Ask for the program in France…
Today (and sometimes for longer), the day offers a rich program of conferences and exhibitions.
In Franche-Comté (France) and Switzerland, the cradles of watchmaking, there are many initiatives.
In the former, while the bells of the Saint-Maurice church in Besançon rang, of course… at 10:10 a.m., the general public can enjoy various guided tours on October 10 (collections and presentation of the future Cité des Horlogers at the Musée de la Montre in Villers-le-Lac, exhibition “Avant la pince, l’outil d’horlogerie ! !!“ at the Musée de la Pince de Montécherou, ”Enter the manufacturing adventure” in Beaucourt). From a more practical perspective, the premises of the Association pour la Formation Professionnelle des adultes (AFPA) in Besançon are open to the general public, as are the premises dedicated to watchmaking apprenticeships at the Lycée Edgar Faure in Morteau.
For latecomers, the Musée du Temps in Besançon is offering a guided tour of the exhibition on the measurement of time and a (re)discovery of the permanent collections on Sunday, October 12.
And in Switzerland…
In Switzerland, there will be a guided tour of the collections with a focus on international watchmaking at the International Watchmaking Museum (MIH) in La-Chaux-de-Fonds on October 10 (starting at 10:10 a.m.), or at the Espace Horloger in the Vallée de Joux, participants can take part in discussions with manufacturers from the Vallée de Joux (at 10:10 a.m.), a round table on “The role of manufacturers in spreading watchmaking culture,” and a raffle to win 20 signed copies of the book “La Montre. Histoires et savoir-faire“ at 10:30 a.m., or a guided tour of the temporary exhibition ”Comix Mécanix” at 12:10 p.m.
The exhibition “Even a broken clock is right three times a day” at the Geneva Museum of Art and History (MAH) offers a chance to extend the festivities: starting on October 10 at 10:10 a.m., it will run until the 31st of the month.
Elsewhere in the world
In addition to France and Switzerland, other events (exhibitions, conferences, etc.) are being held elsewhere in the world, whether in Europe (Great Britain, Portugal, Sweden), Asia (Turkey) or the United States.
In Lisbon, for example, an independent watchmaking fair and conferences are being organized, while in New York, the Horological Society is opening its doors.
Enough to bring together all watch lovers, across time zones…
Read also > [Luxus Magazine] Our favorite watches spotted at Watches & Wonders
Featured photo: © Unsplash
