World Watch Day returns on October 10, 2026, for its second year, following a debut that, according to organizers, reached over six million people worldwide. This year, the international day dedicated to watchmaking focuses primarily on the transmission of knowledge and the relationship between tradition and innovation, with a program involving museums, schools, artisans, manufacturers, cultural institutions, collectors, and enthusiasts.
The theme chosen for the 2026 edition is "Watchmaking as Living Heritage ." Watchmaking is seen as a living heritage, not just a collection of objects to be preserved, but a system of skills that continues to evolve through the work of artisans, research, training, and contemporary creativity.
The initiative will have an international dimension, but a significant portion of the program will take place in Switzerland, where watchmaking is also a key component of the country's industrial and cultural history. For those who observe the sector from Ticino, the events beyond the Gotthard Pass offer an opportunity to closely observe how the watchmaking heritage is recounted and passed on to new generations.
A day built around 10:10
The choice of October 10th is no coincidence. The date, 10/10, recalls 10:10, the time frequently used in promotional images for watches. This also gives rise to one of the most recognizable elements of the day: at 10:10 on October 10th, enthusiasts, companies, museums, media, specialty shops, clubs, and institutions are invited to post a photograph of their watch on their wrist using the hashtag #WorldWatchDay.
The gesture is simple, but it reflects the initiative's mission, which is not limited to physical events. World Watch Day combines meetings, visits, conferences, and educational activities with a digital component designed to connect communities and enthusiasts across countries.
The official website of the initiative collects information and updates on the program: World Watch Day
Switzerland at the centre of the second edition
Switzerland will play a prominent role on October 10th's calendar. In Geneva, the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire will be among the day's key venues, with a meeting aimed at a new generation of enthusiasts, followed by talks on the theme of watchmaking heritage and its transmission.
Another event is planned in Sainte-Croix, where MuMAPS and Association Mec-Art will address the future of mechanical arts and crafts related to mechanics, with particular attention to the passage of knowledge from one generation to the next.
In Le Brassus , in the Vallée de Joux, the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet will offer a special visit. Also participating in the same region is the Espace Horloger in Le Sentier, which will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on October 10th. The program includes activities related to the museum's thirtieth anniversary and the watchmaking culture of the Vallée de Joux.
The day will also include a visit to the Musée international d'horlogerie in La Chaux-de-Fonds , an international reference for the history of watchmaking. The program includes a guided tour of the temporary exhibition "From Stars to Atoms ," with free admission and a visit, from 10:10 to 11:11.
The museum has therefore chosen to link the event to its own exhibitions, connecting the measurement of time with the history of science. This approach is consistent with the concept of World Watch Day: watchmaking is presented not simply as the production of objects, but as a meeting point between technology, astronomy, physics, craftsmanship, and culture.
From training to the preservation of trades
One of the most interesting aspects of the 2026 edition concerns training. The issue of skills transmission is reflected in several events, from the Finnish watchmaking school to initiatives organized in Switzerland.
At the Finnish School of Horology , for example, the Montandon Horological Society will present the Télémètre Montandon, focusing both on the technical characteristics of the instrument and its significance in the training of future professionals.
This topic is particularly relevant in a sector where some skills cannot be transmitted solely through manuals or digital tools. Understanding the workings of a movement, adjusting a mechanism, or certain manual processes require extensive learning curves and a direct relationship between those who master the craft and those who learn it.
It is precisely this dimension of artisanal work that World Watch Day intends to bring back to the center of international debate.
The appointments between Paris, Florence and Osaka
The program won't be limited to Switzerland. In Paris, during We Love Watches , at the Maison de la Mutualité, there will be conferences dedicated to the history of watchmaking, the role of the past as a source of inspiration, and the evolution of the contemporary sector.
In Florence, the Galileo Museum will offer digital content dedicated to the clocks of the Ruscitti Collection , extending the opportunity to learn about the collection to an international public as well.
In Japan, the event will be held at the Hanshin Department Store in Osaka , where an information space dedicated to World Watch Day will offer content on the relationship between mechanical watchmaking, astronomy, and physics. Pim Koeslag , CEO and master watchmaker of Christiaan van der Klaauw, is also expected to participate .
In Shanghai, Hantang Culture will present Sundial , a work created specifically for the occasion. The project draws on the sundial, one of the oldest instruments used by man to measure time, to develop a contemporary reflection on the relationship between time, craftsmanship, and cultural heritage.
New York opens its doors to watchmaking culture
The United States will also participate in the event. In New York, the Horological Society of New York will open its facilities to the public, including its library and classroom dedicated to horology education.
The initiative will allow visitors to explore a less visible part of the watchmaking world: books, documentation, tools, and training. Librarians will accompany visitors on tours and will be available to provide in-depth information on the history of the collections and the company's activities.
The choice confirms a characteristic of the 2026 edition: the watchmaking heritage is interpreted in a broad sense, including not only the watches preserved in museums, but also the people, institutions and places where knowledge is studied and transmitted.
A heritage that also concerns contemporary Switzerland
The second edition of World Watch Day comes at a time when the watchmaking sector continues to grapple with significant transformations: new technologies, shifts in consumption, evolving professional training, and the need to maintain specialized skills.
The discussion of heritage, in this context, therefore takes on a concrete meaning. Preserving a tradition doesn't necessarily mean keeping it unchanged. The theme chosen for 2026 stems from precisely the opposite idea: heritage remains alive when it can be transmitted, reinterpreted, and used as a basis for new experiences.
For Switzerland, and especially for the regions where watchmaking has been an important part of the local economy and culture for generations, the topic is particularly significant. The events in the Vallée de Joux, Geneva, and La Chaux-de-Fonds showcase different approaches, but they all share the same question: how can we ensure that skills developed over decades can continue to be understood and practiced?
The public can also participate
World Watch Day isn't just for industry insiders. The organization also invites enthusiasts and the curious to participate, either through in-person events or digital channels.
The symbolic moment will once again be 10:10 a.m. on October 10th . The request to share a photograph of your watch through #WorldWatchDay aims to transform an individual gesture into a collective story, connecting people who live in very different countries and realities.
The full schedule of events and participating organizations is available on the official website worldwatchday.org starting September 10, 2026. Organizers are also announcing additional collaborations and events in the weeks leading up to October 10.
The first edition involved over 25 countries and reached, according to data released by the organization, more than six million people. For 2026, the goal is to consolidate that network, focusing not only on the watch object itself, but also on the wealth of knowledge that makes it possible.
In this sense, World Watch Day seeks to shift the focus from time as a simple measurement to time as a cultural element. This perspective involves manufacturing, but also museums, schools, research, and the new generations called upon to gather together knowledge built over centuries.
