Tourism is no longer just about beaches or landmarks. For luxury watch collectors, it is more about flying halfway across the world to build the perfect timepiece. Timepiece tourism is booming, and these trips are anything but ordinary.
We are talking five-figure getaways packed with helicopter rides, auction paddles, and access to horological inner circles. The focus? One-of-a-kind watches you can’t buy off the shelf. For high-end collectors, it is a chance to design history.
Exclusivity Is What Makes It Worthwhile
Luxury tourism thrives on what others can’t have. Watch collectors crave the rare, the custom, the bold. Brands like Cyrus Watches get it. They make only 38 of their Klepcys Vertical Tourbillon per year. Each piece costs up to $250,000 and can be personalized in a private workshop only reachable by helicopter.
Forget browsing glass cases. This is hands-on luxury. Clients choose strap materials, dial colors, and movement features. Want a fuchsia alligator band or a double retrograde display? Done. The result: a watch no one else in the world owns.
Patek Philippe / IG / Big names like Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet have pivoted from glitzy boutiques to immersive watchmaking experiences.
These brands now roll out multi-day packages that blend museum access, masterclasses, and VIP treatment.
It is part of a larger shift in tourism, where people want to do something, not just buy something. You might spend a week learning to assemble a tourbillon or browse million-dollar pieces at Phillips auctions, all while staying at five-star resorts nestled in the Swiss Alps.
The Market Is Hot
While other luxury sectors slowed down, the watch world kept ticking strong. From 2023 to 2024, U.S. spending on high-end Swiss watches jumped 18%. France wasn’t far behind at 13%.
However, collectors aren’t chasing resale anymore. They are chasing the story. A bespoke watch tied to a once-in-a-lifetime trip means more than any off-the-rack Rolex.
Some tourism packages cost more than a car, but the payoff is unforgettable. Take the Bürgenstock Resort x Cyrus Watches experience. Starting at $27,700, you get a two-night stay at a mountain resort, a helicopter ride to Le Locle, and your own vertical tourbillon by the time you leave.
Or consider Scott Dunn’s “Watchmaker’s Switzerland.” It is $1,200 per night over nine nights. You hit everything from the Vallée de Joux workshops to Patek Philippe classes and Phillips auctions, where watches go for $8 million.
Audemars Piguet / IG / As Dr. Pablo Richard from Cyrus puts it, these buyers already own the classics. Now they want something personal.
Then there is the GMT Watch Safari at $5,045. You will spend a week hopping between De Bethune and Jaeger-LeCoultre, sleeping at the Audemars Piguet Hôtel des Horlogers. Every day, a new brand. Every night, a story to tell.
Urban Watch Havens
Not all watch tourism means flying to the Swiss Alps. Cities like Paris, Bangkok, and Seoul are building watch-centered experiences too. The Initium Paris Atelier lets you build a tourbillon just steps from Place Vendôme, starting at $2,890 and climbing past $19,000 for deep-dive courses.
In Bangkok, AP House combines Thai design with high horology. There is no pressure to buy. Just lounge, explore, and learn. Breitling Café in Seoul adds another layer. It is a mix of aviation history, high-end retail, and great food, all under one roof.
Watch collectors have changed. It is no longer about showing off a Rolex on your wrist. Today, it is about feeling something when you look at the time. That feeling often starts with the journey.
