There was no shared jury or cross-event ranking for Geneva Watch Days and Watches and Wonders Shanghai in 2024. The clearest “best” picks from Geneva are three personal favorites named by Phillips specialists; Shanghai coverage identifies noteworthy launches, but does not establish an equivalent best-of list. This selection keeps those categories distinct and focuses on what made each watch stand out in the available coverage.
How to read this 2024 shortlist
Geneva Watch Days and Watches and Wonders Shanghai were separate events with different formats and different evidence behind the watches featured here. Phillips published three specialists’ personal favorites from Geneva Watch Days. For Shanghai, the sources identify specific releases and show coverage, but do not provide a formal ranking comparable to Phillips’ list. The watches below are therefore not presented as winners or as a head-to-head ranking.
The comparison is editorial rather than a technical scorecard: it considers documented design details, complications and functions, and the reasons a watch drew attention. The available information does not support a complete comparison of specifications, prices, or current availability across both events.
Geneva Watch Days 2024: three Phillips specialists’ favorites
Phillips published its picks on September 2, 2024. Each watch was selected by a named specialist, with personal commentary rather than an official event award.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →#1 Best Overall
- STYLE: This Michael Kors Slim Runway mens watch features a black sunray dial, three-hand movement and black stainless steel bracelet
- CASE & DIAL: This watch for men has a round 44mm stainless steel case with a black dial; mineral crystal face resists scratches
- WATCH BAND: A mens wrist watch with a black gray stainless steel bracelet band; 22mm band width; links can be removed for a customized fit
- PRECISION TIMEKEEPING: A men's watch with Quartz movement and three-hand analog display; imported
- SWIM-READY Water Resistant: This wrist watch for men is wearable while swimming in shallow water up to 50m (165ft); 5 ATM
Daniel Roth Tourbillon in 5N pink gold
Phillips specialist Arthur Touchot singled out the richer hue of the 5N pink-gold case and the guilloché en ligne dial. Those are aesthetic judgments, not claims of measurable performance. The appeal here is the combination of warm-colored metal and a detailed dial treatment, as described in Phillips’ Geneva Watch Days favorites.
Bernhard Lederer Triple-Certified Observatory Chronometer
Logan Baker highlighted an updated Central Impulse Chronometer movement in a smaller case. Baker’s Phillips article reports certification at the observatories in Besançon and Glashütte, as well as COSC; those movement and certification details are attributed here to Phillips, rather than independently verified maker documentation. The “Triple-Certified” name points to the watch’s reported credentials, while the article also discusses how the historical use of “chronometer” has changed. That history should not be read as legal advice. See Phillips’ account of the watch.
Frédérique Constant Classic Moonphase Date with malachite dial
Marcello de Marco chose this version for the visual impact of its malachite dial and its connection to hard-stone dials associated with 1960s and 1970s design. That is a stylistic preference, not a technical distinction. Among the Geneva picks, it is the clearest example of a familiar complication—the moonphase and date—paired with a distinctive natural-stone dial, as discussed in Phillips’ selection.
Rank #2
- Mens Wrist Watch: Features a classic big dial and quartz movement with stable quality. High hardness coated glass mirror is wear-resistant, scratch-proof, Butterfly double buckle ensures comfortable wear
- OLEVS Mens Watches: Unique Classic Design Analog Date Calendar Display Watch Window. Easy to Read, Classic Business Style, Stylish Casual Dress Watch, Stylish Gold Indexes and Round Case, finely designed, stand the test of time, handsome and outstanding
- Business Pointer Quartz Watch: Dial diameter is 1.6 inches (41 mm). Case thickness is 0.43 inches (11 mm), steel band width is 0.79 inches (20 mm), length is 8.66 inches (22 cm). The weight of the men's watch is 4.16 ounces (118 g)
- Fashion Gold Green Man Watch: Luminous Hands/Markers and Enlarged Date Window at Three o'clock, Stylish Watch with Roman Scale Bezel, Water Resistance Up to 30M: Usually, Suitable for Swimming, But not Suitable for Deep Diving
- Night-light Function：When Using the Luminous Pointer Function for the First Time, Please illuminate The Watch Under The Light for 30 Seconds to Activate the Luminous Function. Watch Chain Can Be Adjusted in Size
Watches and Wonders Shanghai 2024: releases that stood out in coverage
The Shanghai examples below are named releases, not a verified best-of ranking. A WatchGecko roundup includes the IWC Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 Year of the Snake, alongside watches from Piaget, Vacheron Constantin, Panerai, and Roger Dubuis. Separately, Shanghai municipal-government event coverage says a Panerai Luminor Marina attracted attention. These are two different Panerai references in the available coverage and should not be conflated.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
IWC Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 Year of the Snake
WatchGecko’s roundup reports an automatic IWC 32800 calibre, a five-day power reserve, and a gold-plated snake-shaped oscillating mass for this release. Those are secondary-source specifications and should be treated as claims reported by WatchGecko, not definitive specifications independently confirmed here. Its standout detail in that account is the themed rotor, which links the Year of the Snake edition to its movement architecture. Read the WatchGecko Shanghai 2024 roundup for its coverage of this model and other releases.
Panerai Luminor Marina
Shanghai municipal-government coverage describes a Panerai Luminor Marina with a black ceramic case and green sunburst dial as attracting attention at the event. This is a show-coverage observation, not an award or a formal “best” designation. It is also not identified as the Luminor Dieci Giorni GMT Ceramica, another Panerai model listed in the WatchGecko roundup. The municipal article’s description appears in Shanghai event coverage.
Rank #3
- STYLISH: This Armani Exchange watch features a gold sunray dial, gold-tone stainess steel bracelet, and chronograph movement
- CASE & MOVEMENT: A men's watch with a 44mm case, 22mm band width, scratch resistant mineral crystal, accurate quartz movement with chronograph analog display, imported
- DIAL: These men's watches feature a stainless steel case with a gold dial
- WATCH BAND: Wrist watches for men with a gold-tone stainless steel bracelet; links can be removed for a customized fit
- WATER RESISTANT MENS WATCH: Up to 50m (165ft); Wearable while swimming in shallow water; 5 ATM
Other named Shanghai releases
WatchGecko’s roundup also lists the IWC Portofino Chronograph 39, Piaget Polo Skeleton Ceramic, Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Self-Winding, Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac, Panerai Luminor Dieci Giorni GMT Ceramica, and several Roger Dubuis models. The roundup establishes that these models were among the releases it covered, but the available information does not provide comparable specifications or a reason to rank them against one another.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the two events tell us—and what they do not
Geneva Watch Days offered a decentralized setting for participating brands. In its 2024 recap, the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry reported 52 participating brands, nearly 1,500 watchmaking professionals, 13,800 public visitors, and more than 100 new timepieces displayed in 65 showcases. These are event-level figures, not measures of the quality or popularity of an individual watch. The official Geneva Watch Days press release describes the event as operating under the aegis of the State and City of Geneva and names six founding brands: Breitling, Bvlgari, De Bethune, Girard-Perregaux, H. Moser & Cie, and MB&F. Jean-Christophe Babin, president of the Geneva Watch Days Association and CEO of Bulgari, called its spirit “supporting the industry” and giving brands an informal, decentralized setting to launch products and meet professionals and the public. See the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry’s 2024 recap and the official Geneva Watch Days 2024 press release.
Watches and Wonders Shanghai ran from August 28 to September 1, 2024, at the West Bund Art Center. Richemont announced nine exhibiting maisons: A. Lange & Söhne, Baume & Mercier, Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, NOMOS Glashütte, Panerai, Piaget, Roger Dubuis, and Vacheron Constantin. The event recap says it held two days for professionals and three for the public; 70% of public-day tickets were sold to visitors under 35. That audience figure describes ticket sales, not the reception of any particular watch. The event dates and format are documented in the Richemont announcement and Watches and Wonders recap.
Rank #4
- Features a classic big dial and quartz movement with stable quality. High hardness coated glass mirror is wear-resistant, scratch-proof, Butterfly double buckle ensures comfortable weara
- Mirror diameter is 1.6 inches (41 mm), case thickness is 0.43 inches (11 mm), and band length is 7 inches (180 mm). The length of the watch can be adjusted, and it weighs 132 g(4.65 ounces). Maximum applicable to about an 8-9" wrist
- Luminous function can be activated by illuminating the watch under strong light for 30-40 seconds, providing a new visual experience at night. Manual includes detailed instructions for adjusting time and calendar
- Fashionable and elegant design for any man who appreciates quality and style. Versatile and stylish men's watches are suitable for any occasion, including parties, work, daily life and dating
- Water resistance for daily life, waterproof to 100 feet (30 m), generally resistant to splashing or brief submersion, but not suitable for swimming or bathing
Which watches deserve the “best” label?
If “best” means the watches with the clearest documented specialist endorsements, the three Phillips favorites from Geneva Watch Days are the strongest answer: the Daniel Roth Tourbillon in 5N pink gold, the Bernhard Lederer Triple-Certified Observatory Chronometer, and the Frédérique Constant Classic Moonphase Date with malachite dial. For Shanghai, the IWC Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 Year of the Snake and the ceramic-and-green-dial Panerai Luminor Marina stand out as named examples in the coverage, but neither is established by these sources as a formal winner.
No shared judging rubric, complete cross-event specifications, current prices, or current retail availability is established for these models. A fair comparison can explain why the Geneva specialists chose their favorites and identify which Shanghai releases drew coverage; it cannot responsibly turn that evidence into an objective overall winner.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
