Audemars Piguet Will Join Watches & Wonders in 2026

When Watches & Wonders Geneva opens its doors next April, Audemars Piguet will be back on the exhibitor list for the first time since 2019. The return of Le Brassus’s most famous maison is more than just another booth announcement. It marks the moment when Watches & Wonders brings the so-called “holy trinity” of Swiss watchmaking—Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and Audemars Piguet—under the same roof, alongside Rolex.

Why AP Left, and Why They’re Coming Back

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Audemars Piguet’s last appearance at a Geneva trade fair was in 2019, back when the event was still known as SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie). Not long after, SIHH rebranded as Watches & Wonders, while Baselworld collapsed entirely. In 2022, a new Watches & Wonders foundation was formed by Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Richemont to stabilize and grow the fair into the industry’s centerpiece.

AP, under then-CEO François-Henry Bennahmias, chose to walk away from SIHH at the end of 2019. The reasoning was clear: the brand wanted to step back from multi-brand trade shows and wholesale distribution in favor of a boutique-driven, direct-to-consumer model. For years, Audemars Piguet staged launches and collector events entirely on its own terms.

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Now, under the leadership of Ilaria Resta, AP is reversing course. What’s changed isn’t only management—it’s the fair itself. Watches & Wonders has grown far beyond the confines of SIHH. The format now includes multiple public days, a city-wide “In the City” program, and a stronger cultural presence. Having attended the fair several years in a row, I’ve seen that shift firsthand. Each edition feels less like an industry club and more like a global stage.

What AP Is Bringing in 2026

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At Palexpo, Audemars Piguet will spotlight the établissage tradition of the Vallée de Joux, a reminder that fine watchmaking has always been the product of distributed expertise rather than a single workshop. Visitors can expect an interactive, educational space dedicated to that heritage.

The brand will also have a presence downtown at the Pont de la Machine, part of the In the City program that opens the event to the broader Geneva public. For a brand that once dismissed trade fairs altogether, it’s a telling shift in posture.

A Growing Fair

AP won’t be the only new exhibitor in 2026. Other names joining the roster include Corum, Credor, Sinn Spezialuhren, Favre Leuba, March LA.B, L’Epée 1839, Behrens, Bianchet, Charles Girardier, and B.R.M Chronographes. In total, 66 brands will show in Geneva next spring, spread across an expanded Palexpo floor plan and a busier Carré des Horlogers section.

The growth of Watches & Wonders has been steady year to year. For smaller brands, the draw is clear: visibility and credibility on the world’s biggest horological stage. For Audemars Piguet, the decision carries more weight.

What It Means

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With Audemars Piguet’s return, Watches & Wonders now unites the highest tier of Swiss watchmaking. Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Rolex, and AP—the houses that shape both history and modern collecting—will all be inside Palexpo. The notable absence remains Swatch Group, whose portfolio includes Omega, Blancpain, Breguet, and Longines. Whether those brands ever join is an open question, but the gravitational pull of Watches & Wonders has never been stronger.

For collectors, AP’s return doesn’t mean more day-to-day access to the brand. Their boutiques and events already make Audemars Piguet highly visible. The story here is strategic: a once-independent-minded maison deciding it has more to gain by rejoining the show than by staying away.

Seen against the past few years of growth, the move feels like confirmation. Watches & Wonders isn’t just a trade fair anymore. It’s where the watch world gathers, and in 2026, even Audemars Piguet will be there.