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Time+Tide
Baselworld looks almost certain to become extinct after Rolex, Patek Philippe and Tudor pull out. A timeline of events here.The post How did Baselworld die? What happened? We created a timeline of events, and it’s basically the plot of ‘Marriage Story’ appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
While already fighting an uphill battle to stay alive, Baselworld's chances for survival just received another striking blow.
Deployant
Commentary on the breaking news of Rolex/Tudor, Patek Philippe, Chopard, Chanel leaving Baselworld and setting up a new show in Geneva in conjunction with Watches & Wonders.
Quill & Pad
Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chanel, Chopard and Tudor have just announced leaving Baselworld to create a new watch show in Geneva with the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie's Watches & Wonders. The show will be held in early April 2021 at Geneva's Palexpo. This is going to be one interesting year full of new thoughts and ideas. Get out the popcorn!
Revolution
Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chopard and Chanel have announced that they will quit Baselworld 2021 for an alternate fair in April 2021 in parternship with FHH
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SJX Watches
The unravelling of what was once the world’s largest watch and jewellery show has finally reached its unsurprising climax as the biggest exhibitors at Baselworld – Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chanel, Chopard, and Tudor – have just announced their withdrawal from the event. Instead the all-important brands – Rolex is the world’s largest luxury watch brand by turnover – will decamp to Geneva to show their new products at a new, as-yet unnamed watch fair that will merge with Watches & Wonders (W&W;). In the announcement signed by representatives of all five brands, the departing brands cited the “unilateral decisions taken by the management of Baselworld, including the postponement of the Fair in January 2021, as well as its inability to meet the expectations and needs of brands” as reasons for their withdrawal. With that, the centre of gravity for watch trade shows will shift definitely to Geneva, and marking the end of Baselworld as a crucial event on the industry’s calendar. Not only does it call into question the viability of Baselworld, it might even be a mortal blow for the watch fair’s parent company, MCH Group, which also owns Art Basel. Hello Geneva What started with the Swatch Group’s shock exit from Baselworld in 2018 accelerated this year, with the show’s exhibitor’s committee, led by a senior Rolex executive, politely demanding a refund of fees paid for the cancelled 2020 show. The negotiations between exhibitors and fair organisers have ob...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
We covered earlier how Baseworld 2020 was set to be postponed to 2021. With that decision Baselworld probably figured they were covered for the rest of 2020 so they could just pick things back up in Jan 2021. Well, unfortunately it isn't that simple.
Revolution
Just when we thought the situation at Baselworld would be returning to a certain normalcy, things took a sharp turn after some official announcements… and apparent ultimatums.
SJX Watches
Writing in a manner graceful yet irate, the president of the exhibitors committee of Baselworld – mostly made up of brands that exhibit that the event – has penned a quietly scathing letter to the organisers of Baselworld. [The fair’s response to the letter can be found in the addendum at the end of the article.] The letter, which I received a copy of, expresses the exhibitors’ dissatisfaction at well, everything, from the new date for the event to the proposed refunds for the “postponed” fair, while asking for a refund of fees paid for the cancelled event. Significantly, the letter ends with: “we fear that this will be the end, pure and simple, of Baselworld…”. While on the surface this might seem to be a group of exhibitors pushing back, it is a more nuanced – and perhaps more uplifting – picture. The president of the exhibitors committee, Hubert J. du Plessix, has a day job: head of investments and logistics at Rolex, in addition to being the president of the watchmaker’s pension fund. If there was ever a sterling example of the philosophy “speak softly and carry a big stick” in watchmaking, this is it. Seen in that light, Mr du Plessix, and by extension his employer, are standing up for the little guy: defending the interests of exhibitors who can ill-afford Baselworld even in the best of times, in an attempt to help the wider watch industry that is now on the edge of the precipice. The central atrium of Messe Basel, the convention hall des...
Quill & Pad
Elizabeth Doerr highlights five new watches by independent watchmakers that we would have seen for the first time at Watches & Wonders or Baselworld 2020, had these fairs run as scheduled in late April.
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Time+Tide
Editor’s note: As we’re sure most of you reading this are already aware, Baselworld 2020 is officially dead. Yes, despite the perplexing decision from officials to say that the world’s biggest watch fair had been “postponed” to the end of January 2021, it has, like so many other trade shows this year, fallen victim to … ContinuedThe post Coronavirus may have killed Baselworld 2020 … but was it on the way out already? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
It was only a day ago that the watch world was reacting to the cancellation of Watches & Wonders Geneva (formerly SIHH), as a result of the increasing spread of the Coronavirus, and wondering if Baselworld would suffer the same fate in 2020. Overnight, the answer was given, as Baselworld announced that it would be … ContinuedThe post No Baselworld this year, for the first time since World War 1 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
What many have been expecting has now been confirmed: BaselWorld 2020 is officially postponed. Read our take on the situation inside.
Deployant
Baselworld sends out a communique to inform that the 2020 Edition will be postponed to January 2021, effectively canceling this year's show.
![Breaking News: Baselworld 2020 Cancelled, Becomes Baselworld 2021 [Updated]](https://watchesbysjx.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Baselworld-building-messeplatz.jpg)
SJX Watches
On a fast-moving Friday that started with the first case of the COVID-19 coronavirus in the city of Basel being diagnosed according to Swiss newspaper Le Temps, the day culminated in the organisers of Baselworld 2020 announcing its postponement to January 2021, essentially cancelling this year’s trade fair. This comes a day after the organisers of Geneva watch fair Watches & Wonders announced it was cancelled, which wipes out the entire year’s calendar for the major watch industry events. Though the Baselworld organisers had initially planned to meet on Monday, March 2, according to an announcement by Hubert J. du Plessix, the president of the event’s exhibitors committee (and also the director of investments and logistics at Rolex), events got ahead of them. The primary catalyst Baselworld’s cancellation was the Swiss government declaring a ban on all gatherings of over 1,000 people, until at least March 15 – which instantly made the Geneva Motor Show, one of the automotive industry’s most important events, a non-starter. Now Baselworld 2021 will take place from January 28 to February 2, with press day happening on January 27. Baselworld managing director Michel Loris-Melikoff, commenting in the announcement of the event’s cancellation, stated “We have found a solution that enables the industry and all our customers to avoid losing a full year and at the same time reset their calendars for the beginning of the year, a period that is conductive to the...
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Deployant
Followup to the cancellation of Watches & Wonders 2020, we wrote to and reveived communication from Baselworld. Here is what they say.
Quill & Pad
The news broke like a hurricane on the morning of February 27, 2020: Watches & Wonders (formerly SIHH) has been canceled for 2020. In the words of Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe, “The future of the fairs is already in the balance – to cancel them is really bad news for them, and for Baselworld in particular." Read on for more of his opinion.
Time+Tide
Watches & Wonders Geneva (formerly SIHH) has been cancelled in an announcement by the FHH overnight, as a result of the growing concerns around the Coronavirus and its spread throughout the world. This comes off the back of both Citizen and Bulova announcing their withdrawal from Baselworld just days ago, and adds Watches & Wonders … ContinuedThe post Coronavirus cancels Watches & Wonders 2020, is Baselworld next? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Bulgari exits for 2020; TAG Heuer, Hublot and Zenith remain, while Phillips Watches signs in for Baselworld for the first time ever
SJX Watches
Barely a month after the inaugural LVMH Watch Week in Dubai, Bulgari has announced it is out of Baselworld 2020, citing the “Coronavirus pandemic”. Instead, Bulgari will present its products at roadshows in key markets, where amongst other things it will unveil a new record-setting ultra-thin watch. In the Bulgari announcement of its exit, chief executive Jean-Christophe Babin was careful to note that the jeweller might return to the event, stating “we remain open for 2021 onwards to continue with Baselworld”, with a decision due to be made by June 2020. The Roman jeweller is the biggest revenue earner amongst the LVMH watch and jewellery brands, which also includes watchmakers Hublot, TAG Heuer, and Zenith. All four already showed most of their new products for the year in Dubai, though Bulgari is the only one to depart Baselworld. Sunny and free of the flu in Dubai In contrast, the three watch brands of LVMH will be staying put. In a press release swiftly put out by Baselworld after Bulgari’s departure, LVMH watch division president Stéphane Bianchi stated: “We believe in the importance of a major event for the Swiss watch industry and look forward to a successful fair, both in terms of image and sales, for our three Maisons.” The divergence between Bulgari and the LVMH watch division gives credence to talk within the industry that a keen rivalry has developed between Messrs Babin and Bianchi, who joined LVMH in 2018 after a successful stint running Fre...
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SJX Watches
Shortly after Seiko announced it was pulling out of Baselworld 2020, fellow Japanese watchmaker Citizen announced it was staying put, along with all of its subsidiary brands, save for Arnold & Son. According to a report in Chronos Japan, the decision was made in the summer, after some internal debate as to whether or not to remain in Baselworld, where Citizen has long boasted one of the most avant-garde booths, year after year. The Citizen booth at Baselworld 2019 Citizen – which launched a record-setting quartz watch at Baselworld 2019 – might have moved to the recently announced Watches & Wonders in Geneva, but that did not happen. So the brand, along with its subsidiaries Bulova, Frederique Constant, Alpina, and Miyota, will continue to exhibit at Baselworld. Only Arnold & Son, a relatively high-end Swiss brand also owned by Citizen, will exhibit at Watches & Wonders. According to an industry source, the remaining major Japanese watchmaker, G-Shock maker Casio, will also continue to show at Baselworld. Source: Chronos Japan
SJX Watches
Switzerland’s biggest watch and jewellery fair will see one of its biggest exhibitors, Seiko, depart next year reports Yasuhito Shibuya of Chronos Japan. A Baselworld exhibitor since 1986, the Japanese watchmaker joins the stream of brands that have been departing the event since industry giant Swatch Group’s shock exit last year. According to Mr Shibuya, Seiko’s official reason for leaving is “because the opening time of Baselworld in 2020 is later than usual”, happening in May instead of the traditional March. Mr Shibuya also adds: “The fair happens a month later, coinciding with the Golden Week in Japan – a period with four consecutive national holidays within seven days. This is a particularly disappointing time for Japanese watchmakers.” “From the location of the booth to the floor plan of the fair [with Seiko’s booth on the second level], I do not think that Seiko has received equal treatment [as compared to Swiss brands]” noted Mr Shibuya. Despite its importance, both commercially and culturally, Seiko, along with fellow Japanese brands Casio and Citizen, has been relegated to the upper floor of the main exhibition hall since the venue’s lavish redesign in 2013. The loss of Seiko is no doubt a major blow to Baselworld, which has historically been a cash cow for exhibition organiser MCH Group, which also owns the Art Basel franchise. Instead of Baselworld, Seiko will launch its new products earlier in the year. However, according to a Seiko...
Time+Tide
Whether you’re an inveterate watch tragic, or just starting on your watch journey, the last year has been dominated by two main conversations. The drought of steel sports models (sorry guys, I got no answers for you on that one), and the future of Baselworld. Now, if you’re coming in cold on the concept of … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: A deep dive into the future of Baselworld appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
One of the top three questions on the lips of watch lovers these days is about the lifespan of Baselworld. Well, hold onto your hats because Hodinkee, in the form of the indomitable Joe Thompson, has put together a pretty clear roadmap as to what the future of the fair looks like. And I’ve got … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: This is what the future of Baselworld looks like appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Baselworld has by now nearly slipped entirely into the ether, yet there’s a small list of watches that I’ve been mulling over ever since leaving the fair. The entry level segment was incredibly strong this year overall (let’s call it the sub-$5K bracket), and though Andrew touched on it during his priceless 3 Under 3k … ContinuedThe post LIST: Justin’s best watches of Baselworld (on a budget) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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