The Real Time Show: Geneva Watch Days 2025 — Jan Edöcs, Doxa

Date: September 7, 2025
Host(s): Rob Nudds & Alon Ben Joseph
Guest: Jan Edöcs, CEO of Doxa

Episode Overview

In this richly detailed episode recorded live at Geneva Watch Days 2025, Rob Nudds and Alon Ben Joseph sit down with Jan Edöcs, the unflappable CEO of Doxa. Against the backdrop of the event pavilion and Lac Léman, the trio dive deep into the evolution of Doxa, recent and upcoming releases, the challenges of navigating global volatility, and the unique atmosphere of Geneva Watch Days. Jan shares candid insights, dropping hints about the future and reflecting on Doxa’s past and ongoing strategies in the dynamic world of watchmaking.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Atmosphere at Geneva Watch Days 2025

• Jan Edöcs enjoys the heat and busy fair atmosphere
  • “I feel very comfortable. I rather prefer the heat than the cold, so this is nice.” (00:23, Jan Edöcs)
• Event mix remains strong: media, customers, consumers, friends of the brand
  • "It's a very nice mix and very interesting." (00:31, Jan Edöcs)
• Scale of the event is increasing
  • Visitor numbers projected at 15,000, up fivefold since 2020 (11:08).
  • 66 brands are exhibiting this year.

Doxa’s 2025 & 2026 Outlook

• Upcoming Events and Anniversaries
  • Highly anticipates Dubai Watch Week and a special collaboration with the Seddiqi family for Doxa’s 75th anniversary (01:14).
• 2026 is Fully Planned
  • Edöcs affirms Doxa’s forward planning:
    • “The 2026 is completely planned already.” (02:09, Jan Edöcs)
    • “You can't catch him off guard.” (02:14, Rob Nudds)
• Hints at Significant Releases
  • “It will be a tribute to the one most significant timepiece of Doxa since ever.” (02:28, Jan Edöcs)

Product Philosophy & Design Evolution

• Staying True to DNA
  • Doxa resists chasing mass market trends, focusing on the water/diving segment.
  • “Doxa stays in the water or around the water... not looking to please pilots or the car industry.” (03:38, Jan Edöcs)
• Case Shape & Materials
  • Highly recognizable even from afar:
    • “You can recognize an end consumer wearing a Doxa over 10 meters just by the case shape.” (03:25, Jan Edöcs)
  • New launches play with size and materials while maintaining wearability:
    • “We launched now the engineer watch today, the 45 millimeter 750t historical timepiece... we brought it down to 11.9 [mm thick]... the reaction is, ‘put it on your wrist, it feels like a 43.’” (03:56, Jan Edöcs)
• Colorful Heritage
  • Not about fashion, but function and fun:
    • “The colors were not meant to be fashionable... when Doxa uses aquamarine, it has a functioning behind.” (05:44, Jan Edöcs)
    • “It can't be too stiff. You can play, follow the sun, follow the water.” (06:09, Jan Edöcs)

Business Strategy & the Challenge of Volatility

• Being Prepared for Uncertainty
  • Doxa adopts worst-case scenario planning, similar to the practices of major banks.
  • “When you run a business... you need to be prepared in plans... have a worst case scenario.” (06:55, Jan Edöcs)
• US Market Response & Tariffs
  • No panic during changing US tariffs:
    • “We had no price increase, not cut off of margins to retailers... a light price increase of 9% only in the US as of September 2nd. The reason was even not the tariffs, it was off the US dollar.” (07:32, Jan Edöcs)
• Marketing Investments
  • Doxa maintains measured but steady marketing even as costs rise:
    • “The marketing expense, whatever we just said, we just follow through... it's not on those moments as long as you can afford. But you need to stay in the market.” (08:21, Jan Edöcs)

Geneva Watch Days: Evolution & Special Character

• Growth and Community
  • “It gets bigger and bigger. I see also a number of visitors which is increasing... not only about quantity but also about quality.” (09:22, Jan Edöcs)
  • Event timing is optimal for media exposure and kicks off the last quarter with energy.
• Event Value and the Importance of Atmosphere
  • “If I relate my investment of Geneva Watch Days... I get all this PR value out, then the show becomes not so expensive... and you can hear, you learn, you get opinions.” (09:59, Jan Edöcs)
  • Doxa has participated since the show’s second edition and plans to continue.
• On Limits and Maintaining Uniqueness
  • Edöcs cautions that while growth is good, there must be limits to preserve the original spirit:
    • “You need to keep the original idea and not to become a big exhibition at the end...” (13:08, Jan Edöcs)

New Doxa Watches at the Fair

• Launch of the 40mm GMT
  • “So this one is now the launch of the GMT. It's a 40 millimeter which we launched this April, also in the basic colors. And here we also added on a fume color...” (13:58, Jan Edöcs)
  • Warm, sunburst finishes, aged radium lume, and a compact wearability praised by the hosts:
    • “Very legible, very classy, very under the radar. Beautiful size as well. 40 millimeters, a great sweet spot, isn’t it?” (15:00, Rob Nudds)
• Philosophy on Wearability
  • Function first, but with surprising comfort:
    • “When you put it on the wrist, the experience... is surprisingly in a good direction. Better when you just look like a diver’s watch on, on the paper.” (15:28, Jan Edöcs)
  • No need to over-label:
    • “You have diver watches and dollies. Why are you not putting diver watches, diving watch on the, on the, on the dial. But if you drive a Porsche, does it need to say it's a car?” (16:11, Jan Edöcs)

Doxa’s Niche in Dive Watches

• Real vs. Desk Divers
  • Doxa maintains authenticity in the diver segment while acknowledging most buyers are “desk divers.”
• What Sets Doxa Apart
  • Not just wearability, but legitimacy and heritage:
    • “If you want to have a see-through, your watch will be as thick as... So I cannot style of other brands, you know, but if the diving is a part of a category of everything... anyone who is a bit interested of legitimacy in history, where the experience comes from, I think a lot of brands, they fall off the picture very clear.” (16:33, Jan Edöcs)

Watch Community, Events, and Life in Geneva

• Favorite Places during Geneva Watch Days
  • Edöcs shares his must-visit spots:
    • Café de Paris
    • A favorite nearby Korean restaurant for team dinners:
      • “The next day everyone remembers that you were there because it smells, but the quality of food is nice.” (18:37, Jan Edöcs)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Preparation:
  • “You can't catch him off guard.” (02:14, Rob Nudds)
• On Doxa’s DNA:
  • “Doxa stays in the water or around the water... we're not looking in a direction to go in a mass market...” (03:38, Jan Edöcs)
• On Colors:
  • “Everything is colorful. We talk about water, we talk about diving, we talk about beaches. Of course it, it can't be too stiff. You can play, follow the sun, follow the water.” (06:09, Jan Edöcs)
• On the Growth of Geneva Watch Days:
  • “I cannot say less is more, but everything has a limit.” (10:48, Jan Edöcs)
• On Iconic Doxa Features:
  • “The lugs are so forgiving on a Doxa... so much shape and so much form and so much visual interest, but it's in such a compact footprint.” (17:28, Rob Nudds)
• On Community:
  • “It's not only about Doxa, it's also our industry needs to stick together also. So there's also a lot of friendships going around to support, to exchange between brands.” (10:23, Jan Edöcs)
• On after-hours:
  • “Café de Paris... and a Korean space close by here where I invite the team... the food is so good.” (18:37, Jan Edöcs)

Important Timestamps

• 00:31 — Mix of visitors and current event atmosphere
• 01:14 — Upcoming Dubai Watch Week & 75th anniversary plans
• 02:09 — 2026 roadmap is already set
• 03:25 — Doxa's recognizable design DNA
• 05:44 — Philosophy on color and playfulness
• 06:55 — Strategy for global uncertainty and tariffs
• 09:22 — Evolution of Geneva Watch Days as an event
• 13:58 — New 40mm GMT launch and features
• 15:28 — Wearability and design experience
• 16:33 — Doxa’s unique position in dive watches
• 18:37 — Favorite spots in Geneva during the fair

Conclusion

This episode offers a detailed, candid exploration of Doxa’s current strategies, future projects, and the unique spirit of Geneva Watch Days. Jan Edöcs provides a masterclass in preparedness and calm, articulating both the heritage and continual evolution underpinning Doxa’s enduring appeal, while also sharing the secret to enjoying Geneva: good food and good company.