At Watches and Wonders, a Celebration of Color, Texture

By Karen Dybis | April 14, 2026

Watches and Wonders kicked off today in Geneva with a flurry of news from major brands, including Rolex with its 100th anniversary of the Oyster, a sculptural beauty from Cartier, and the return of Audemars Piguet’s House of Wonders.

More than 65 brands are exhibiting at this year’s Watches and Wonders, which makes it one of the largest watchmaking gatherings ever organized in Geneva. The event runs through April 20.

Here is a look at news coming out of Geneva for some major brands.

Rolex

All eyes were on Rolex, and it delivered on the promise stated at the top of its press release: “Where a new world begins.” Rolex is celebrating a century of horological accomplishments, especially with its Oyster, the brand’s first waterproof wristwatch. The brand said the watches its presenting in Geneva all pay homage in their own way to the original Rolex, unveiled in 1926, and “embody the unique spirit of innovation, daring, and inventiveness at the heart of the brand.”

Rolex chose the Oyster Perpetual to symbolize the celebration of 100 years of the Oyster. The new Oyster Perpetual 36 showcases a mulicolored lacquer dial decorated with a restyled Jubilee motif, displaying the letters in Rolex in a contrasting interplay of 10 colors.

The Oyster Perpetual 28 and Oyster Perpetual 34, with lacquer dials in green stone and blue stone, respectively, are decked in 18k yellow or Everose gold and adorned with hour markers in natural stone at 3, 6, and 9 oʼclock.

As for the Oyster Perpetual Datejust 41, this new version features a number of aesthetic details evoking the 100-year anniversary, including an ombré dial lacquered in green—a first for an ombré dial since the pattern was reintroduced to the brand’s catalog in 2019.

The new-generation Yacht-Master II is available in Oystersteel or 18k yellow gold. Rolex said the programmable countdown function of this nautical watch—featuring a mechanical memory and on-the-fly synchronization—has been redesigned to more effectively assist sailors during the critical start sequence of races.

Furthermore, the watchmaker has brought the Cosmograph Daytona in a Rolesium version with a white enameled dial to Watches and Wonders. The Cerachrom bezel on this watch sports a restyled tachymetric scale and is crafted in an exclusive anthracite ceramic that gives it a metallic gleam, the brand said.

Cartier

Another name highlighting the fair is Cartier, with its new stunner, the Myst de Cartier. The company also brought back its beloved Roadster after a 14-year break. The watch, which is meant to resemble the tail light on a 1950s car, comes in seven variants in two sizes. Cartier added an obsidian stone dial to its Santos-Dumont collection as well

The brand’s most fun introduction came with its Privé. Let’s talk about the Crash Squelette with its amazing shape and dramatic skeleton look. Another is the Cloche de Cartier, with a bell-shaped face that is turned to the side in a distinctive and attractive way.

But the pièce de résistance is the Myst de Cartier, which looks like a museum piece in the best possible way. It is somehow three dimensional with tons of volume thanks to its lacquered and pavé diamond sections on an elastic strap. Yes, please.

Audemars Piguet

AP watches wonders — *Audemars Piguet’s House of Wonders at the Palexpo convention center in Geneva*

Audemars Piguet said it wanted to be at Watches and Wonders this year after a hiatus to be more public-facing and collaborative within its industry. So in an expansive space it calls the House of Wonders, AP is inviting attendees to explore the artistry behind mechanical timekeeping This experience sets the stage for the debut of the Atelier des Établisseurs, dedicated to exceptional timepieces that honor cocreation and rare craftsmanship.

On Wednesday in Geneva, Audemars will premiere the documentary Inside the Dream, which takes viewers into its workshops. The brand is also extending its presence beyond the fair by holding a series of public events in Geneva, including a dedicated AP Lab at the Pont de la Machine.

“Through hands-on educational experiences, Audemars Piguet opens the doors of horological craftsmanship to a wider audience, inspiring new generations of watch lovers to dream,” the brand said.

Bulgari

Bvlgari 2026 Serpenti Aeterna — *Bulgari said the 2026 Serpenti Aeterna took 225 hours of development with 185 hours devoted to stone selection and preparation and more than 60 hours of setting.*

Bulgari debuted what it called its boldest expression of watchmaking and jewelry design, reaffirming its unique dual identity as both Roman jeweler and Swiss watchmaker.

This year’s novelties are led by the evolution of the iconic Octo Finissimo, introducing a new 37 mm model powered by an ultrathin, high-performance movement with a 72-hour power reserve. Its Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon Platinum also is new with Bulgari calling it the world’s thinnest flying tourbillon, combining engineering with the nobility of platinum in a highly limited edition.

On the jewelry watch front, Serpenti debuted the Serpenti Tubogas Studs capsule, which has a bold gold and steel aesthetic, merging industrial design with high jewelry. Also, it introduced Serpenti Aeterna, which it calls “a masterpiece of goldsmithing.”

Made in rose gold, the watch uses 122 gemstones in a variety of cuts including, round, brilliant, princess, pear, and oval. The gemstones are rubellite, amethyst, topaz, emerald, citrine, sapphire, tanzanite, pink and Paraíba tourmaline, tsavorite, and peridot.

“The Serpenti Aeterna reveals itself as a true canvas; it embodies the very sublimation of the serpent’s sign, woven into each of its elements. It is a serpent of purified essence, where the iconic figure has transformed into a timeless symbol and an inimitable signature. More than a creation, the Serpenti Aeterna is, fundamentally, a concept,” Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Bvlgari’s product creation executive director, said in a statement.

Chopard

Chopard said it is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its Fleurier Manufacture at Watches and Wonders. Among the new products the Maison is introducing, the LUC collection added with five timepieces that honor its three decades of traditional savoir-faire and innovation, the brand said.

One standout is the LUC Quattro Spirit 25 Straw Marquetry Edition. Limited to eight, this edition combines Chopard’s celebrated jumping-hour complication with the in-house artistry of hand-crafted marquetry dials.The dial showcases an intricate honeycomb motif honoring its heritage, Chopard said. Powered by the LUC 98.06-L calibre with Chopard exclusive Quattro technology delivering a 192-hour power reserve, this model bears the Poinçon de Genève, reflecting the highest standards of haute horlogerie.

Jaeger-LeCoultre

The French brand said it was inspired by the maison’s birthplace—the Vallée de Joux—for this year’s theme, The Valley of Inventions. Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates its legacy and the landscape that formed the character of the people whose inventions gave it the nickname “The Watchmaker of Watchmakers.”

It added three new Master Control Chronometres: Date Power Reserve, Perpetual Calendar, and Date. It also added limited editions of the Master Hybris Inventiva Gyrotourbillon À Stratosphère; Master Hybris Mechanica Ultra Thin Minute Repeater; and Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Jumping Date.

Its La Vallée des Merveilles has three new versions: Reverso One Hibiscus Syriacus; Reverso One Hibiscus Rosa; and Reverso One Sakura. And its gorgeous Reverso Tribute Enamel Hokusai Waterfalls Series adds four new watches: Rōben Waterfall at Ōyama in Sagami Province; Kiyotaki Kannon Waterfall at Sakanoshita on the Tōkaidō; Yōrō Waterfall in Mino Province; and The Falls at Aoigaoka in the Eastern Capital.

Panerai

The Italian brand introduced the Luminor 31 Giorni, featuring a 31-day power reserve–a first of its kind for the maison. Also debuting is the Luminor Vintage collection, a series of five vintage-inspired manual tool watches inspired by the era of technical achievements that shaped the identity of the Luminor.

Rounding out the launches is the Submersible Navy SEALs Afniotech Experience, a timepiece built for uncompromising performance, and a companion for the new Panerai Client Special Operations Experience with the Navy SEALs taking place in March 2027.

“Marking our ongoing collaboration with the U.S. Navy SEALs, which began in 2021, this new experience embodies Panerai’s commitment to offering unique opportunities to delve into the brand’s universe while engaging with exceptional individuals. With the Submersible Navy SEALs Afniotech Experience, we are once again elevating our heritage of technical development to new levels of innovation, this time introducing a pioneering material, whose high content of hafnium marks a true first for the watchmaking industry,” Alessandro Ficarelli, chief marketing and product officer of Panerai, said in a statement.

Hafnium is particularly suited to high-performance technical environments. Its resistance to corrosion makes the material particularly reliable as it can withstand environmental conditions that even the best titanium might not survive, Panerai said.

TAG Heuer

In a year dedicated to the chronograph, TAG Heuer introduced both the TAG Heuer Monaco Evergraph and the latest TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph. The Evergraph marks a major milestone in the brand’s history by replacing traditional levers and springs with flexible components, this innovation delivers a chronograph experience that is both highly precise and remarkably consistent over time.

The TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph has a reworked 39 mm Grade 5 titanium case features sharper lines, fluid proportions, and improved ergonomics, the brand said.

Top: Rolex;s Oyster 41 evoking the 100-year anniversary, including an ombré dial lacquered in green. (Photo courtesy of Rolex)