Despite an economic slowdown, Asia’s affair with high-end timepieces goes on. Watches & Wonders 2015 saw 20,000 visitors, a 25% jump from last year. Sun Yunqing reports. The third edition of Watches & Wonders, Asia’s version of the Geneva haute horlogerie exhibition, came at a challenging time this year, when the Asian market was reporting weak sales for months. But it returned, bringing a momentum, it had generated in the previous two years. Watches & Wonders 2015 opened on Sept 30 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in the presence of leaders of the 12 exhibiting maisons. The brands on display included major names from luxury giant Richemont – Cartier, IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre – as well as independent watchmaker Richard Mille. Despite the economic challenges in the region, the return of Watches & Wonders is testimony to the industry’s confidence in Asia, said Fabienne Lupo, chairwoman and managing director of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, the organizer of the exhibition, at the opening ceremony.