We said it plainly in 2024 that Auer's Amandes Princesses are the world's best chocolate-covered almonds. We stand by every word we wrote. But the world has a way of quietly reshuffling its hierarchy when you are not looking, and this year's extended stay in Genève for Watches and Wonders 2026 handed us an experience that demands a revision—or at least an honest addendum. The name is Guillaume Bichet, and his Amandes Princesses are, without qualification, better.
Guillaume Bichet is not a newcomer to the Geneva food scene, though to the watch pilgrim, he may as well be invisible. A trained pastry chef and chocolatier who describes himself as a constant searcher of perfection—both as an artist and a technician—Bichet opened his first shop in Coppet, on the shores of Lac Léman, in 2011, after years of apprenticeship and an obsession with sublimating the classic sweets of his childhood into something entirely contemporary.
Today, the Maison Guillaume Bichet has expanded to nine locations across the Lac Léman corridor, including two Geneva boutiques on Rue du Conseil-Général and Rue du Rhône, the latter of which puts him squarely in the orbit of the same Rive Gauche watch-world geography that has made Auer a ritual stop for collectors for decades. Also, if you are looking for the best chocolate chaud, pan suisse, and ice cream in Geneva, look no further, because he also excels at it.
His Amandes Princesses were born from the same fundamental philosophy: roasted almonds, caramelized for crunch, enrobed in a full-body layer of chocolate. The concept is identical. The execution is not. And what better watch to pair these almonds with than with another Geneva’s staple, a Rolex Datejust 41 ref. 126334 Blue Dial. The packaging follows a different sensibility. There is no iconic orange box here, no legacy branding to lean on. Bichet's Amandes Princesses arrive in a clean white, contemporary presentation that reflects the modernity of the Maison itself—forward-looking rather than heritage-dependent. It is not as immediately recognizable as the Auer box, but it feels like the right container for what is inside. The experience is cohesive from the moment you open it.
Where Auer's almonds—which we love dearly and will continue to bring back by the box whenever we are in Geneva—rely on a legacy recipe unchanged since 1964 and a single signature profile, Bichet approaches the Amandes Princesses the way a great independent watchmaker approaches a complication: with total authorial conviction and zero obligation to historical precedent.
The caramelization on the Bichet almond is more pronounced, the crunch more aggressive, the chocolate coat much darker and more present without crossing into bitterness. There is a depth to each bite that the Auer, for all its charm and elegance, simply does not reach.
The sizing is also markedly different. Bichet's almonds are noticeably larger—each one a more substantial proposition—and the chocolate-to-almond ratio has been calibrated with what can only be described as pastry-chef precision. Where the Auer almond is refined and almost delicate, the Bichet almond is bold. It commands your attention. It is the difference between an everyday dress watch and a grand complication: both have their place, but only one makes you stop talking mid-sentence.
Ordering is straightforward across five size tiers—125 g, 250 g, 500 g, 750 g, and 1 kg—with pricing starting at CHF 26—approx USD 33—for the smallest Princesse N°1 entry, scaling to CHF 156 for the full kilogram. There is also a Princesse Infinity subscription format for the committed. For reference, Auer prices at CHF 130 per kilo; Bichet comes in at CHF 156 per kilo, and every Swiss franc of that premium is earned. The almonds are orderable via the Maison's e-shop at guillaume-bichet.ch, which means for the first time, this particular Geneva ritual does not require you to be standing on Rue du Rhône to participate.
We have been making the Auer stop a non-negotiable part of every Geneva trip since before WCL existed. We will keep doing that. But the honest recommendation—the one that serves you rather than nostalgia—is this: the next time you find yourself at Watches and Wonders, Geneva Watch Days, or on any visit to Geneva that brings you within reach of a Bichet boutique, make it your first stop. Then decide for yourself. We already have.
Sticker Price CHF 156—approx USD 200—per kilogram. More info on Guillaume Bichet here.
