Rolex, Patek Philippe, Hublot, Tudor Chopard These watchmakers are celebrating their anniversary at the Watches & Wonders 2026 fair.

At Watches & Wonders 2026, several watchmaking houses celebrated the anniversary of one of their iconic models, Discover what surprises were in store to kick off the festivities!

The Geneva show provided an ideal platform to bring back to the forefront creations that have marked the history of watchmaking, balancing fidelity to the original design with new, more contemporary interpretations. In a market where thePrestigious watchmaking draws as much from heritage as from innovation. These anniversaries have given the brands thesecond-hand of to tell their legend from a fresh perspective. 

Rolex: Centenary of the Oyster Perpetual

At Rolex, the year 2026 is dedicated to the centenary of theOyster, a founding date for the Maison who built a large part of his identity centered around waterproofing and robustness. At Watches & Wonders 2026, this milestone translated into revisited Oyster Perpetuals, with a very direct reading of the Rolex heritage and a desire to celebrate the original without falling into reconstruction.

The brand has notably highlighted deliberate anniversary details, such as a two-tone version and dial elements explicitly emphasizing the 100 years of the Oyster. 

In 2026, Rolex therefore opted for a clear yet technically flawless tribute, retaining the codes that make the Oyster Perpetual so strong, namely readability, versatility and sporty simplicity.

Patek Philippe: 50 years of the Nautilus

Patek Philippe, for its part, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Nautilus, a watch that has become over the decades one of the most desirable sports models in haute horlogerie. Launched in 1976 and designed by Gerald GentaThe Nautilus established an immediately recognizable aesthetic language, with its porthole-inspired case and its lines that were both elegant and sporty.second-hand At Watches & Wonders 2026, the Geneva-based manufacturer highlighted anniversary editions that extend this aura without betraying the DNA of the line. 

The challenge for Patek Philippe was clear: to celebrate half a century of success without reducing the Nautilus to a mere collector's item. The message sent in Geneva was that of a watch that continues to be a cultural icon as much as a horological one, supported by rare prestige and consistently strong demand. 

Hublot: 20 Years of the Big Bang

Hublot marked Watches & Wonders 2026 by celebrating 20 years of its Big Bang, the disruptive icon launched in 2005 which revolutionized watchmaking with its concept ofArt of Fusion". The Nyon factory unveiled the Big Bang ReloadedA reinterpretation centered on the Unico manufacture flyback chronograph caliber, with an openworked dial highlighting the column wheel and iconic mechanical components. Available in five materials: ceramic, titanium, and osmium, this limited collection anchors the Big Bang as a mature technical platform while retaining its bold DNA.

Tudor: 70 years of Pelagos

Tudor, too, took advantage of Watches & Wonders 2026 to highlight one of its sporting pillars, the Pelagosby linking it to a broader anniversary narrative centered on the brand's heritage. The year 2026 marks a symbolic moment for Tudor, which is capitalizing on its history that began in 1926 and on the rise to prominence of its tool watch lines, of which the Pelagos is one of the strongest expressions. With this in mind, the brand has strengthened its presence with technical variations that confirm the Pelagos' place in the world of contemporary diving watches. 

The Tudor speech works particularly well because it combines performance, robustness and aesthetic consistencyThe Pelagos embodies high-end utilitarian watchmaking, designed for action but distinctive enough to appeal beyond the marine environment. In 2026, Tudor thus gave its anniversary story a very contemporary dimension, where Style is never opposed to function.

Chopard 150 years of Swiss watchmaking

There Maison fully deserves its place in this panorama of watchmaking anniversaries at Watches & Wonders 2026, as the brand highlights a long-standing heritage and haute horlogerie expertise that is particularly consistent with the spirit of the fair. In 2026, Chopard In particular, it celebrated the heritage of its manufacturing and presented new LUC creations, confirming a strategy that combines technical excellence and heritage roots. 

The choice of Chopard illustrates a broader trend in luxury watchmaking in 2026: anniversaries are not just for commemoration, but to reignite desire for iconic lines. highlighting its complexities, its finishes and the rigor of its manufacture, Chopard transforms its heritage into a contemporary argument. It is precisely this type of storytelling that makes Watches & Wonders launches so successful, where The history of houses becomes a lever for visibility and desirability. 

2026, a year of legends

What's striking at Watches & Wonders 2026 is how brands used their anniversaries as powerful communication tools, but also as opportunities to subtly reinterpret their heritage. 

For the public, these celebrations offer a very concrete interpretation of watchmaking history, as they make visible and desirable once again models that have become almost mythical. Watches & Wonders 2026 thus establishes itself as an event where the anniversary of an iconic model becomes a major watchmaking eventcapable of to showcase the past, present and future of the great houses. 

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