SDC Weekly 123; Dubai Watch Week 2025; Succession Planning with Max Büsser and Kari Voutilainen
Baume & Mercier CEO considers management buyout from Richemont, Visiting the Zeitwinkel Manufacture in St. Imier, Saudi Arabia widens alcohol sales for expats, On Holding and Letting Go, and more!
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Estimated reading time: ~33 mins
🎉 Dubai Watch Week 2025
Dubai Watch Week (DWW) just wrapped its 2025 edition, and this might sound bold, but this really is the best watch event in the world right now. I must reiterate, this is not just my opinion; every single brand CEO and executive I spoke to said the same thing. Many flat-out told me they’re reconsidering their Geneva commitments because DWW delivers in a way that the Swiss shows can’t match.
I spent a week in Dubai attending the event, and in many instances I witnessed a notable shift in how the watch industry connects with collectors. The show has doubled in size since 2023, and according to Hind Seddiqi speaking on The Luxury Society Podcast, many brands now find themselves on a waiting list to participate1. More importantly, DWW has begun to figure out what I have been saying since the last edition of DWW; storytelling is more important that sales pitches, experiences beat product launches, and human connection works better in luxury than transactional relationships. Anyway, lets dive into some takeaways from the event…
Three watches
Several people have asked me which watches stood out, so here are my top 3.