Cover World Watch Day is dedicated to celebrating and appreciating the craft of mechanical watchmaking (Photo: iStock)
World Watch Day is dedicated to celebrating and appreciating the craft of mechanical watchmaking (Photo: iStock)
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The watchmaking world establishes its first official global celebration, World Watch Day, marking the elevation of mechanical timekeeping to Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage and uniting enthusiasts across the globe under the symbolic 10:10 display
Mark your calendars for October 10—the date watchmaking finally receives its due. Announced on April 7, 2025, during Watches & Wonders 2025, World Watch Day is the first-ever global celebration dedicated to the craft of watchmaking.
The significance of the date? It mirrors the iconic 10:10 position found on virtually every timepiece advertisement you have encountered.
This isn't mere coincidence. The 10:10 setting—that uplifting "V" configuration that has adorned watch faces since the 1950s—has become horology's universal signature for good reason. The position elegantly frames the manufacture's logo while keeping the dial's complications unobstructed. It's the watchmaking world's equivalent of a smile, a subtle psychological cue that has become so embedded in our visual lexicon that we hardly notice its calculated perfection. When founding members chose 10/10 for World Watch Day, they transformed an industry convention into something far more profound—a global rallying point for the appreciation of mechanical artistry.
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Above World Watch Day was announced at Watches and Wonders 2025 in Geneva (Photo: WWGF/KEYSTONE/Pierre Albouy)
World Watch Day was announced at Watches and Wonders 2025 in Geneva (Photo: WWGF/KEYSTONE/Pierre Albouy)
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Celebrating Micro Mechanical Art
"Now more than ever, it's clear: watchmaking is an art in its own right—the Twelfth Art," states the official announcement. It's a declaration that will resonate with anyone who has ever held a finely crafted mechanical watch and felt that peculiar mixture of awe and desire. The elevation places horology alongside established arts like architecture, cinema, and fashion—a long-overdue recognition of the extraordinary blend of technical precision and artistic expression that defines fine watchmaking.
This recognition didn‘t emerge from thin air. World Watch Day arrives five years after Unesco's landmark decision to include horological and mechanical arts in Intangible Cultural Heritage—a designation that acknowledges centuries of craftsmanship preserved primarily in the Franco-Swiss Jura Arc. For collectors who have long appreciated the cultural significance of their timepieces, this validation merely confirms what they already knew: these mechanical wonders transcend their utilitarian purpose.
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Above The founding members of World Watch Day (Photo: Chris Heeney)
The founding members of World Watch Day (Photo: Chris Heeney)
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The Founding Coalition
Behind this initiative stands an unprecedented coalition of horology's most influential institutions. The founding members—including the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, Foundation of Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), and Horological Society of New York—have created a dedicated non-profit to coordinate what promises to be an annual celebration of considerable magnitude.
"The global watchmaking community has never been more connected," observes Serge Maillard, publisher of Europa Star. "One thing was still missing: a day to celebrate watchmaking worldwide, with no entry barriers."
Raymond Loretan, president of GPHG, puts it succinctly: "GPHG's mission is to honour and highlight the creativity and excellence of contemporary watchmaking each year. We're proud to take part in the creation of World Watch Day—a unifying celebration of the Twelfth Art."
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When October 10 arrives, expect a 24-hour celebration that follows the sun, starting in the East and concluding in the West. The day will explore watchmaking through multiple lenses—cultural, scientific, economic, artistic—with participation from media outlets, associations, collectors' clubs, and content creators worldwide.
"World Watch Day is more than just a date—it's a tribute to everything that makes watchmaking extraordinary," explains Marc André Deschoux, founder of Horopedia Foundation. "It's about the hands that shape each piece, the knowledge passed down from generation to generation, and the urgency we feel to preserve this legacy."
More details at worldwatchday.org.
Brian Cheong leads the watch (Tatler GMT) and jewellery content at Tatler Malaysia, combining sharp editorial insight with years of luxury lifestyle experience. A seasoned journalist in luxury watches based in Kuala Lumpur, Brian had previously helmed World of Watches, Men's Folio and Prestige Malaysia.
