For three days, from 2 to 4 October 2026, Milano Watch Week turned Palazzo Mezzanotte, the home of the Italian stock exchange on Piazza degli Affari, into one of the most lively rooms of the watch year. Fifty-six brands took part, from historic maisons to independent workshops, and the organisers counted more than 14,000 registrations. WATCHESPEDIA spent the three days on the floor, recorded five interviews with the heads of the houses, and photographed the novelties presented in Milan.
Milano Watch Week 2026 at a glance
- Dates: 2 to 4 October 2026, 10:00 to 19:00 each day
- Venue: Palazzo Mezzanotte, Piazza degli Affari, Milan
- Brands: 56, of which 42 in the main exhibition and 14 in After Time
- Visitors: more than 14,000 registrations, according to the organisers
- Access: free, on registration; no watch is sold on site, visitors are directed to the official boutiques and retail partners in Milan
A fair built around the people who wear the watches
Milano Watch Week does not follow the codes of a trade show. Entry is free, the hall is open to the public, and the stands are arranged so that a visitor can hold a watch, ask a question and speak directly with the people who make it. The decision not to sell on site keeps the conversation on the watches themselves: a visitor who wishes to acquire a piece is sent to the brand’s boutique or its retailer in the city.
The atmosphere matched the venue. Under the vaulted ceiling of the former trading floor, the stands of independent workshops stood next to those of the large houses, and the aisles were full from the first morning. The opening evening, at Terrazza Martini above the city, set the tone for a weekend that was as much about Milan as about watchmaking.
The independents, side by side with the great houses
The exhibitor list read like a survey of contemporary watchmaking. Among the independents were Andersen Genève, De Bethune, Greubel Forsey, Laurent Ferrier, Konstantin Chaykin, Romain Gauthier, Ludovic Ballouard, Lederer, MB&F, Ressence, Urwerk, HYT and Czapek. They shared the hall with Girard-Perregaux, Parmigiani Fleurier, Ulysse Nardin, Zenith, Grand Seiko, Jaquet Droz, Franck Muller and Frédérique Constant.
The second space, After Time, gathered fourteen brands with a more accessible positioning, including DOXA, Oris, Raymond Weil, Louis Erard, Furlan Marri, Favre Leuba, Squale and Venezianico. Together, the two spaces offered a rare range, from pieces at a few thousand francs to grand complications.
The novelties presented in Milan
Parmigiani Fleurier: the TORIC Petite Seconde in Morning Blue
Parmigiani Fleurier unveiled the TORIC Petite Seconde in Morning Blue at Milano Watch Week, where its CEO, Guido Terreni, spoke with WATCHESPEDIA.
Kerbedanz: a fourth dial for the Maxima GR8 39mm Incolor Sapphire
Kerbedanz chose Palazzo Mezzanotte to add an ultraviolet dial to the Maxima GR8 39mm Incolor Sapphire, an edition limited to 50 pieces at CHF 330,000.
Czapek: the Quai des Bergues Midnight in Geneva
Czapek brought the Quai des Bergues Midnight in Geneva, priced from CHF 20,400, carrying to Milan the novelties first shown at Geneva Watch Days.
Chopard: the Mille Miglia Rosso Corsa
Chopard presented the Mille Miglia Rosso Corsa, a tribute to Italian motor racing in its most famous colour, limited to 100 pieces and available exclusively in Italy, according to the organisers. A classic car stood beside the display, a reminder of the link between the house and the Mille Miglia.
Five conversations for the Portraits series
Milan was also a place for long conversations. WATCHESPEDIA recorded five interviews on the floor, to be published in our Portraits series in the coming weeks: Guido Terreni, CEO of Parmigiani Fleurier; Benoît Mintiens, founder and CEO of Ressence; Federico Ziviani, CEO of Gerald Charles; Lucien Vouillamoz, co-founder of HYT; and Antoine Pin, CEO of De Bethune. Each speaks about the place of his house in today’s watchmaking, and about the clients who come to it.
The city itself has its own voice in watchmaking. In Milan, WATCHESPEDIA also met the team of UNIMATIC, the Milanese brand whose co-founder Giovanni Moro opened our 2026 Portraits series.
The autumn counterpart to Geneva
Milano Watch Week now sits in the autumn calendar as a natural continuation of Geneva Watch Days. Several houses carried their September novelties from Geneva to Milan, and the format, open to the public and free, reaches a different audience from the fairs reserved for the trade. For the coming dates, from Riyadh to New York, Geneva and Manama, see our calendar of watch and jewellery fairs.
Frequently asked questions
When and where did Milano Watch Week 2026 take place?
Milano Watch Week 2026 took place from 2 to 4 October 2026 at Palazzo Mezzanotte, on Piazza degli Affari in central Milan, open every day from 10:00 to 19:00.
How many brands exhibited at Milano Watch Week 2026?
Fifty-six brands took part: 42 in the main exhibition, including De Bethune, Greubel Forsey, Parmigiani Fleurier and Zenith, and 14 in the After Time space, including DOXA, Oris and Raymond Weil.
Is Milano Watch Week open to the public?
Yes. Entry is free on registration through the official website. More than 14,000 people registered for the 2026 edition, according to the organisers.
Can you buy a watch at Milano Watch Week?
No watch is sold on site. Visitors who wish to acquire a piece are directed to the official boutiques and retail partners of the brands in Milan.
Sources: Milano Watch Week, official website and exhibitor list (milanowatchweek.com), consulted on 6 October 2026; reporting and photographs by WATCHESPEDIA at Palazzo Mezzanotte, 2–4 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where did Milano Watch Week 2026 take place?
Milano Watch Week 2026 ran from 2 to 4 October 2026 at Palazzo Mezzanotte, the home of the Italian stock exchange on Piazza degli Affari in Milan. The venue was open from 10:00 to 19:00 each day.
How many brands exhibited at Milano Watch Week 2026 and what was the attendance?
Fifty-six brands participated in total, with 42 in the main exhibition and 14 in the After Time section. The organisers counted more than 14,000 registrations across the three days.
What novelties did Parmigiani Fleurier and Chopard present at Milano Watch Week 2026?
Parmigiani Fleurier unveiled the TORIC Petite Seconde in Morning Blue, while Chopard presented the Mille Miglia Rosso Corsa, a tribute to Italian motor racing limited to 100 pieces and available exclusively in Italy.
