Net-a-Porter, Mr Porter Give Watch Lovers Exclusive Access to Watches and Wonders

New York—With the digital edition of Watches and Wonders Geneva only accessible to the trade, Net-a-Porter is offering consumer timepiece enthusiasts the earliest opportunity to shop cutting-edge novelties.

For the second year, the e-tailer and watch trade show have partnered, the former offering a selection of timepieces debuted at the show on the day it kicked off, April 7. 

“Following last year’s successful partnership with Watches and Wonders, we are delighted to build upon our unique offering for 2021,” said Alison Loenis, president of Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter (NAP’s menswear counterpart). 

“Our proposition delivers exclusive ‘first-to-market' shopping opportunities and enhanced digital engagement from across our global editorial and social channels, along with new livestreaming functionality on our Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter apps, creating a truly one-of-a-kind and immersive discovery for this year’s event and campaign.” 

To promote its Watches and Wonders selection, editors Charlie Boyd and Chris Hall highlighted special timepieces and talked trends for articles on Net-a-Porter’s content site, “Porter,” and Mr Porter’s content site, “The Journal.” 

Boyd and Hall also led online panels with watch aficionados, while the sites’ respective apps featured a live stream look at timepieces. 

Emphasizing the trade show itself is a smart move for the e-tailer, considering watch heads are an educated bunch who enjoy geeking out on the latest and greatest and being the first to know. NAP’s approach wrangles their interest by taking them behind the scenes.

Most importantly, it’s delivered timepieces just hitting the marketplace, allowing for real-time purchasing during the trade show.

Mr Porter has made available one Watches and Wonders novelty apiece from watchmakers it already stocks—Baume & Mercier, Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger LeCoultre, Montblanc, Panerai, Piaget, Roger Dubuis and Vacheron Constantin—as well as new brands Hermès and H. Moser & Cie.  

Net-a-Porter, meanwhile, is offering one novelty from six brands it already carries: Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget and Vacheron Constantin.

Given the novelties’ hefty price tags, NAP said it has been hosting virtual appointments with some of its best clients to promote the Watches and Wonders selection.

The company is planning a second partnership activation in September 2021. 

Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie President Emmanuel Perrin commented, “We are extremely happy to pursue this strategic partnership with Mr Porter and Net-a-Porter, enabling us to extend even further the Watches and Wonders digital experience. It is a wonderful opportunity to share our passion of watchmaking with a new and knowledgeable clientele, giving them a privileged online access to exceptional timepieces.”