n 2024, Iamwatch celebrated the independent artisanal watchmaker. In 2026, the focus turns to the networks that allow craftsmanship to flourish, because independence relies on interdependence. The programme looks at the relationships, knowledge and histories that sustain independent artisanal watchmaking, and at the makers who uphold it.

The conversations bring makers together around questions facing independent artisanal watchmaking today, with each led by a moderator. Friday begins with I Want to Make My Own Watch. Now What? bringing together Alex Rosenfield, Mehmet Korutürk, Pierre Biver and William Massena, moderated by Manuel Emch, around what follows the decision to make a watch: capital, suppliers, retailers, pricing, production and the first clients.

The Morteau Generation brings Rémy Cools, Théo Auffret, Thomas Aubert and Victor Monnin together, moderated by Mark Kauzlarich, to discuss their education in Morteau, the relationships that followed and whether the conditions that produced this generation can be taught or repeated.

Saturday turns to invention and inheritance. Who Actually Invents Anything Anymore? with Andreas Strehler, Kari Voutilainen, Rexhep Rexhepi and Roger W. Smith, moderated by Wei Koh, asks whether genuine invention is still possible, where refinement ends and invention begins, and whether collectors would recognise the difference. The George Daniels 100 Screening & Conversation opens with a short film commissioned by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, followed by a conversation, moderated by Su Jia Xian, in which Aurel Bacs and Roger W. Smith consider George Daniels’ life, work and legacy, and whether he was the first of a movement or the last of a kind.

On Sunday, What Should Watches Made in 2026 and Beyond Look Like? with Gautier Massonneau and Ming Thein, moderated by Constant Kwong, asks what it means to design a watch for the present rather than the past. Does Independence Need the Groups? with Antoine Pin, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Matthieu Haverlan and Maximilian Büsser, moderated by Aymeric Lacroix, examines whether independent artisanal makers and larger houses are rivals, patrons of one another, or part of the same ecosystem, and where autonomy needs to be preserved.

The six lectures look more closely at the people, techniques and histories behind independent artisanal watchmaking. Carlos Torres gives two lectures on precision and the systems that established reputations in watchmaking. Régleurs: Watchmaking’s Invisible Masters of Precision examines the specialists who adjusted chronometers for observatory competition and whose names often disappeared behind those on the dial. The Precision Olympics: The Observatory Competitions and the Making of Horological Prestige turns to the competitions themselves, tracing how observatories including Neuchâtel, Geneva, Kew, Hamburg and Besançon measured precision and built reputations. In Standing on Tradition – The Historical Development of Innovation in Watchmaking, Andreas Strehler considers how established methods have been questioned, adapted and developed over time.

Roger W. Smith gives two lectures on his mentor. Life & Times of George Daniels explores his life, ideas and working methods through the watches he made, while The Co-Axial – From Idea to Reality traces the escapement from an experimental idea to a system capable of series production. Rémy Cools looks further back with 18th & 19th Century French Precision Horology, examining the watchmakers and technical advances that shaped French precision watchmaking and how their pursuit of accuracy influenced what followed.

The get-togethers are deliberately simple: no agenda, no formal discussion, just watches and people. Friday opens with The OGs in the Penthouse, bringing together established makers including Andreas Strehler, Felix Baumgartner, Kari Voutilainen, Martin Frei, Maximilian Büsser, Roger W. Smith, Sylvain Pinaud and Vianney Halter. On Saturday, The Young Guns brings together a new generation of makers in the Penthouse, including Alexandre Hazemann, Alexis Ramel-Sartori, Anton Suhanov, Gaël Petermann, Gautier Massonneau, Mathieu Cleguer, Rémy Cools, Reuben Schoots, Théo Auffret, Thomas Aubert, Victor Monnin and Yosuke Sekiguchi. Collectors and enthusiasts are encouraged to bring watches from their own collections to discuss and share.

The film programme runs across the weekend. On Saturday evening, marking the centenary of George Daniels, a screening of The Watchmaker’s Apprentice tells the story of Roger W. Smith’s relationship with George Daniels, with cocktails to follow in the Wonder Room. On Sunday, Man of the Hour traces the journey of Maximilian Büsser and the collaborations that have shaped MB&F, followed by a post-screening conversation between Max and Wei Koh on stage.

Across all three public days, visitors can also take part in watchmaking masterclasses with Swiss Federal Master Watchmaker Michael Dubs, working directly on a mechanical movement under his guidance and leaving with the movement they worked on and a certificate of participation. Each evening, Iamwatch 2026 heads to the Outdoor Deck for the Sunset Social: food, drinks, live music and a few hours with no agenda, and an open invitation to double-wrist and settle in.

Taken together, the programme spans the questions makers are asking today, the histories and techniques they have inherited, and the relationships that allow independent artisanal watchmaking to continue. Iamwatch 2026 takes place from 12–15 November 2026 at The Singapore edition, with public days from 13–15 November. Admission is complimentary. Dress code: Double-wristed. Resort casual.

Registration is now open at iamwatch.com