The Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix has been criticized in the past for perceived favoritism of certain brands, but its 2011 selection appears to have convinced even the skeptics.
The scion of an old Swiss watchmaking family sells his watches online and markets them through Facebook and Twitter, a novelty in the mostly exclusive world of independent watchmakers.
Swiss watch companies just finished a banner year, but they will offer a number of new inventions to help keep interest high as the global economy remains uncertain.
An easy-to-overlook community of independent watchmakers operates in the shadows of the business, far from the klieg lights that shine on their name-brand competitors.