Event Recap: If You Missed Milano Watch Week 2024, Prepare to Kick Yourself
As we strolled out from Terrazza Martini last week, it was hard not to feel that we had witnessed the birth of something special because, for all its casual elegance, Milano Watch Week has left an indelible mark on the international watch scene. Or, as Italians themselves might say, “E stato perfetto.”
By Ash Longet
PR & Business Development
Over the past weekend, beneath the soft autumn sun and a few raindrops, the Terrazza Martini, an iconic perch overlooking the Duomo Cathedral, played host to an event that may well become a future legend in the watchmaking world.
With over 3,000 attendees from more than 30 countries and a host of independent watchmakers, the inaugural Milano Watch Week, organized by four passionate enthusiasts – Edoardo Armentano, Fabrizio Bonvicino, Vittorino Loreto, and Stefano Mantovani – was an utterly exceptional occasion.
Amid the richly curated the richly curated program, we were treated to 8 captivating talks that brought together some of the industry’s influential figures. Notable among them were Michel Navas, Co-Founder of La Fabrique du Temps; Guido Terreni, CEO of Parmigiani Fleurier; and Felix Baumgartner, co-founder of Urwerk, to name just a few.
Strong Italian Vibes
Since the mid-1980s, Italy has quietly yet profoundly shaped the global watch market, influencing trends and setting a cultural tone that reverberates far beyond its borders. It is fitting, then, that an event of this scale should take place in Milan, a city that sits at the confluence of art, history, and high fashion.
According to Luca Bernardini, founder of Bernardini Milano and one of Italy’s most respected voices in the vintage watch community, whose talk I was happy to attend during Milano Watch Week, “Collecting in Italy became embedded in the Italian culture of the post-war classes. Just one example: While the bride received a ring for her wedding, the groom would be gifted a watch by the bride’s family.”
Independent Spirit
At Milano Watch Week, independent watchmakers definitely had their moment in the limelight, with names like De Bethune, Czapek, L’Epée, Ferdinand Berthoud, Greubel Forsey, MB&F, and Urwerk leading the charge.
As Jacopo Corvo, Owner of GMT - Great Masters of Time, noted, “It’s been 20 years that we have been promoting independent watchmaking and the artisans behind it, and thanks to Milano Watch Week, we are finally not alone! The first edition was a success beyond imagination.”
In place of the usual hard-sell atmosphere of a convention, we experienced a collective dive into Italy’s horological heritage (which surprisingly proved to be quite a bit more avant-garde than other markets).
Brands and artisans shared intimate spaces, their booths adorned with the kind of laid-back elegance that feels uniquely Milanese. The participants? A refreshing mix of veteran collectors and younger, wide-eyed enthusiasts eager to dive deep into the intricacies of their shared obsession.
The sheer passion from younger attendees didn’t go unnoticed either. As one exhibitor confided, “It’s not often you meet people in their twenties who not only understand the mechanics of a tourbillon but can also tell you the history behind it.”
The show definitely felt more like a cultural exchange, where knowledge was shared over the tinkling of glasses, set against the soundtrack of Milan’s pulsating energy.
Setting the Scene
Throughout Milano Watch Week, we were immersed in the Italian art de vivre through a series of bespoke experiences that brought the culture to life. Over Daniel Roth or H. Moser & Co. cocktails - naturally, accompanied by an Americano - the conversations flowed freely.
Another tailor-made activation – Design Night – was held in collaboration with Eurostyling and Pisa 1940 at the sleek Bulthaup space. During the evening, guests were entranced, taking in the striking MV Agusta x Daniel Arsham special edition bike, some of Maserati’s finest machines, and an intimate indoor cinema – all unfolding against the backdrop of horological artistry.
Otherwise, we were enjoying some smooth lines of a handcrafted MV Augusta motorbike parked as if it were a piece of kinetic art on the Terrazza Martini.
Final Thoughts
The question now lingering on many lips is whether Milano Watch Week will return annually or follow the biennial model (like Dubai Watch Week). However, regardless of its future cadence, one thing is sure: the relaxed yet enriching atmosphere was a revelation.
Milano Watch Week offered attendees a glimpse into how the worlds of horology and Italian culture can be fused in fresh, unpretentious ways using timepieces as its connective thread. And at the heart of it all was a distinctly Italian approach – celebratory, deeply knowledgeable, and inclusive –without the severity of a formal lesson.
Instead, Milano Watch Week was an education learned over food, drink, and conversation.
(Images © Milano Watch Week)