IAMWATCH 2026 Singapore: Every Independent Watchmaker, the George Daniels 100 Exhibition and More
IAMWATCH 2026, the biggest gathering of independent watchmakers in Asia, is taking place from November 12 to 15, 2026 at The Singapore EDITION. Organised by Singapore retailer The Hour Glass, this second edition brings together around 45 independent makers, with public days from November 13 to 15 (11am to 8pm, free entry with registration at iamwatch.com).
The theme this year is “independence relies on interdependence”. The idea is simple: no one makes a watch alone. Makers, suppliers, collectors and retailers all need each other. And unlike a normal watch fair, IAMWATCH is about meeting the people behind the watches. You can talk to the makers, try their pieces on and compare wrists with other collectors.
The highlight: George Daniels 100
2026 marks 100 years since the birth of George Daniels, the English watchmaker who invented the Co-Axial escapement and made almost every part of his watches by hand. To celebrate, Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo and The Hour Glass present “George Daniels 100: The Genesis of Artisanal Watchmaking”, an exhibition of 22 of his watches.
The star of the show is the first ever pairing of his two Space Traveller pocket watches. Space Traveller II, a chronograph that shows both solar and sidereal time, was Daniels’ own watch for almost 30 years. Daniels made only 24 pocket watches and two wristwatches in his whole life, so seeing 22 of his pieces in one room is extremely rare. A new documentary about his life also premieres at the event on November 14.
Every watchmaker and brand at IAMWATCH 2026
Here are the makers and brands confirmed by The Hour Glass and the event press. Several of them have just come back from Geneva with GPHG 2026 prizes.
- Voutilainen (Kari Voutilainen): The Finnish master is known for his hand-guilloché dials and some of the finest finishing in the world. He also sits on the “Who Actually Invents Anything Anymore?” panel.
- Rexhep Rexhepi / Akrivia (Rexhep Rexhepi): He arrives in Singapore just days after winning the 2026 GPHG Aiguille d’Or for his Chronograph Flyback.
- Roger W. Smith (Roger W. Smith): George Daniels’ only apprentice, working on the Isle of Man. He gives lectures on Daniels and the Co-Axial escapement and joins Aurel Bacs on stage.
- Strehler (Andreas Strehler): The Swiss inventor behind some of the most clever mechanisms of the last 25 years. He lectures on innovation and tradition.
- Vianney Halter (Vianney Halter): One of the founding fathers of modern independent watchmaking, famous for the Antiqua and his retro-futuristic designs.
- Urwerk (Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei): The founders of Urwerk, known for wandering-hour displays and spaceship-like cases.
- MB&F (Maximilian Büsser): The founder of MB&F, who also features in the Man of the Hour film screening and conversation.
- Ferdinand Berthoud (Karl-Fritz Scheufele): Ferdinand Berthoud just took two GPHG 2026 prizes, for Chronometry and Tourbillon.
- Cleguer (Mathieu Cleguer): Winner of the GPHG 2026 Complication Prize with his debut watch, the Inspiration One.
- Petermann Bédat (Gaël Petermann): The young Swiss duo behind the much-praised Reference 1967 deadbeat seconds.
- Rémy Cools (Rémy Cools): A French independent who also lectures on 18th and 19th century French watchmaking.
- Hazemann & Monnin (Alexandre Hazemann and Victor Monnin): Rising French talent from the Morteau watchmaking school.
- Aubert & Ramel (Thomas Aubert and Alexis Ramel-Sartori): Another young French duo, part of the so-called “Morteau Generation”.
- Sylvain Pinaud (Sylvain Pinaud): Known for his chronometers and the Origine, made almost entirely in his own workshop.
- Sarpaneva (Stefan Sarpaneva): The Finnish designer famous for his moon-face dials.
- Ressence (Benoît Mintiens): The Belgian founder of Ressence and its oil-filled, rotating-disc displays.
- Biver (Pierre Biver): Co-founder of the young Biver brand with his father, Jean-Claude Biver.
- Gautier Massonneau (Gautier Massonneau): A young French independent known for clean, architectural designs.
- Haverlan (Matthieu Haverlan): A young French watchmaker focused on traditional hand craftsmanship.
- Anton Suhanov (Anton Suhanov): A Russian-born independent who builds his own movements.
- Sekiguchi (Yosuke Sekiguchi): One of a new wave of Japanese independents.
- Mickaël Gaspar (Mickaël Gaspar): A French independent watchmaker showing his hand-finished work.
- Trilobe (Trilobe): The Paris brand known for its rotating-ring time display.
- Schoots (Reuben Schoots): A Dutch watchmaker making hand-built pieces in small numbers.
- Fei Hou (Fei Hou): One of China’s leading independent watchmakers.
- Louis Vuitton / La Fabrique du Temps (Michel Navas, Enrico Barbasini and Jean Arnault): The team behind Louis Vuitton’s high complications, fresh from the GPHG Artistic Crafts Prize for the Tambour Taiko Arty Automata.
- Other makers and friends (Alex Rosenfield, Mehmet Korutürk and William Massena): Collectors, designers and makers who round out the line-up.
A special guest: Japanese artist Takashi Murakami also came by IAMWATCH, wearing one of his own watch collaborations. His smiling-flower designs have made him one of the best-known names where contemporary art meets watchmaking, and his visit showed how far the independent scene now reaches beyond the watch world.
Talks, lectures and masterclasses
IAMWATCH is as much about conversation as it is about watches. Highlights of the programme include:
- “I Want to Make My Own Watch. Now What?”, the opening conversation on starting an independent brand.
- “The Morteau Generation”, on the young French makers coming out of the Morteau school.
- “Who Actually Invents Anything Anymore?” with Andreas Strehler, Kari Voutilainen, Rexhep Rexhepi and Roger W. Smith.
- “What Should Watches Made in 2026 and Beyond Look Like?” and “Does Independence Need the Groups?”
- Lectures by Carlos Torres on observatory chronometry competitions (his talk on régleurs, “watchmaking’s invisible masters of precision”, opened the day), Roger W. Smith on George Daniels and the Co-Axial, and Rémy Cools on French horology.
- Masterclasses with Swiss Federal Master Watchmaker Michael Dubs, where you take apart and rebuild a movement and leave with a certificate.
- “The OGs” and “The Young Guns”, relaxed get-togethers with the legends and the new names, plus a nightly Sunset Social on the hotel’s Outdoor Deck.
Moderators include Wei Koh (who also chaired the GPHG 2026 jury), Manuel Emch, Mark Kauzlarich, Constant Kwong, Aymeric Lacroix and Su Jia Xian.
Why IAMWATCH matters
Independent watches are some of the hardest to buy in the world. Many makers produce only a few dozen pieces a year, and waiting lists can run for years. Events like IAMWATCH give collectors a rare chance to meet the makers face to face and see the watches in person. Coming one week after the GPHG, where independents won big, the timing could not be better.
Own an independent piece, or thinking about buying one? Request a free estimate from Watch Pro Academy and get a Certificate of Estimated Value within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
When and where is IAMWATCH 2026?
November 12 to 15, 2026 at The Singapore EDITION. November 12 is a private view; public days are November 13 to 15, from 11am to 8pm.
Is IAMWATCH free?
Yes. Entry is free, but you need to register at iamwatch.com.
Who organises IAMWATCH?
The Hour Glass, the Singapore-based luxury watch retailer. 2026 is the second edition, after the first in 2024.
How many watchmakers attend IAMWATCH 2026?
Around 45 independent watchmakers, including Kari Voutilainen, Rexhep Rexhepi, Roger W. Smith, Vianney Halter, Urwerk and MB&F.
What is the George Daniels 100 exhibition?
An exhibition of 22 watches by George Daniels marking the 100th anniversary of his birth, presented by Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo and The Hour Glass. It includes Space Traveller I and II shown together for the first time.
Images courtesy of The Hour Glass / IAMWATCH. Sources: The Hour Glass, Haute Time, The Peak Singapore, Deployant, Senatus.
