Audemars Piguet announces they’ll be at Watches and Wonders 2026

Jamie Weiss

Just when we thought Watches and Wonders couldn’t get more manic, Audemars Piguet has just made the surprise announcement that they’ll be returning to the world’s biggest watch fair for 2026. In some ways, this is a long-overdue move: AP previously exhibited at Baselworld and Watches and Wonders’ predecessor, SIHH, pulling out of the latter in 2020. This means AP joins its Holy Trinity rivals, namely Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin, all under one roof, which is very exciting for us watch fans.

AP has also announced they’ll be exhibiting beyond the Palexpo convention centre with a series of public activations throughout Geneva as part of Watches and Wonders’ ever-expanding “In the City” programme, including a pop-up located at the historic Pont de la Machine… Meaning that you don’t need to be a watch journalist or shell out for a ticket in order to experience some AP action.

That said, both the industry and average punters alike will no doubt be very keen to see what an AP Watches and Wonders booth looks like. The Le Brassus brand has confirmed that its booth will be inspired by the historic établissage system on which Audemars Piguet was founded. “In its earliest days, the Manufacture relied on the établissage system—a network of highly specialised artisans and workshops in the Vallée de Joux, each responsible for crafting a specific watch component,” the brand explains.

“As the établisseur, Audemars Piguet coordinated this work, ordering and collecting the various components which it then assembled into unique, hand-finished timepieces… While this way of working naturally evolved over time, the spirit of co-creation endures… The tradition of établissage will serve as the inspiration behind AP’s presence at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026. Bridging past and present, the exhibition will showcase the time-honoured techniques that continue to fuel contemporary creativity, shining a light on both individual expertise and the power of the collective.”

“Watches and Wonders is more than an exhibition – it is a space for meaningful exchange with our peers and a celebration of our shared heritage and craftsmanship. We look forward to welcoming visitors to Audemars Piguet’s world as we shape the future of watchmaking together,” Ilaria Resta, AP’s Chief Executive Officer, elaborates in a press release.

While the full lineup of exhibiting brands for Watches and Wonders 2026 is yet to be announced, the fair has confirmed that alongside AP, there’ll be another 9 new brands at the show: Behrens, Bianchet, B.R.M., Charles Girardier, Corum, Credor, Favre Leuba, L’Epée, March LA.B and Sinn. The fair will take place from the 14th to the 20th of April, with the 14th to the 17th designated the “professional days” and the 18th to the 20th earmarked as “public days”.

With virtually all of the watch industry’s heavy hitters now exhibiting at Watches and Wonders alongside the Richemont Group – Rolex, Patek, Chopard, Grand Seiko, most of LVMH’s watch Maisons (just to name a few) and now AP – I wonder if it’s just a matter of time before we start seeing some Swatch Group brands joining the fold. In my opinion, AP, Richard Mille and Omega were always three of the most glaring omissions from the Watches and Wonders lineup. Will AP’s support of the Geneva fair prompt Omega (or other Swatch Group brands like Breguet or Blancpain) to follow suit? Time will tell…