Ornatus-Mundi
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BREAKING: The ENTIRE Swatch Group will leave Baselworld as of 2019!
While the writing was on the wall, this piece of news somes with a bit of surprise: one of the big three watch groups, Swatch Group, will retract entirely from the prestigious fair already next year.
In an article posted today by the Sunday edition of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (https://nzzas.nzz.ch/wirtschaft/swatch-group-verlaesst-uhren-und-schmuckmesse-basel-ld.1407311?reduced=true) and corrobated by SJX, Swatch Group's CEO Nicolas Hayek cites not only the high costs of participation ('we do not intend to help amortise the costly fair building by Herzog & de Meuron'), but also a changing, more transparent and more dynamic market.
With the increasing adoption of e-commerce, the growing importance of bloggers and social media, but also a much more flexible and spontaneous cylce of new releases, one large, expensive watch fair likely cannot cater to the demands of large watch brands any more. Smaller, regional events, targetted, scheduled according to needs and the desired audience, fully under the control of the brand (or group), this will be the future.
While no other large brand so far indicated to follow suit, I think Swatch Group is a pacemaker here. I am sure this will be only a question of time before other brands follow. This announcement puts a new dynamic in action also for us watch enthusiasts and journalists: there will be not only the one 'high season' for us in Winter, there will be more scattered over the entire year.
Exciting times indeed!
Cheers,
Magnus
P.S.: earlier this year I was driving through Biel accompanied by the CEO of one of the larger watch supply firms. He showed me the new Swatch Group building under construction, and told me: 'look Magnus, this is large enough to host a dedicated event for all Swatch Group brands together, its very close to Basel...they don't need BaselWorld anymore!' ... fast forward a few month - violá!
BREAKING: The ENTIRE Swatch Group will leave Baselworld as of 2019!
While the writing was on the wall, this piece of news somes with a bit of surprise: one of the big three watch groups, Swatch Group, will retract entirely from the prestigious fair already next year. In an article posted today by the Sunday edition of the...
Now that’s quite a piece of news, Magnus!
Going to create a bespoke alternative or leaving the format altogether?
I'm not known by SWATCH but hear that those like Magnus and Jocke
...who are special guests of SWATCH Group receive intravenous infusions of those liquid assets.... MTF
I'm innocent
Jocke, No...I'm not guilty as I have my own suppliers. Regards, MTF Whisky from Famous Grouse Kirin beer Pink Gin Champagne Grape soda Strawberry Margarita ...
I have been listening to a growing frustrations and criticism from large manufacturers, independents, journalists and many visitors around Baselworld with increasing costs of booths, hotels
travel and entertainment and the organizers have failed to respond these concerns. Ignoring change does not stop change - it just makes you irrelevant. Personally I would love to see more, smaller, regional and even specialist events growing as a result o...
... as I have been listening to growing frustration an criticism from customers about increasing costs of watches ...
... so with such clever cost-saving measures, watch industry will reduce their list prices? What good news!! Marcus
Rumors said
Baselworld lowered the cost by 40% when all the first floor buildings in hall 1 would remain throughout the year. They have made some changes in the management so my feeling was there will be no big changes but now it looks like the biggest participant wi...
It was in the air
internet kills the fairs&exhibitions (in other industries too) why to travel if you can see more detailed on the screen.
good and bad
good that they will probably organize more expositions in several big cities or countries. It was unnecessary that the entire world had to visit a small hole in Switzerland Bad cause I live in a country most big brands won't probably consider to be import...
That could be...
An other argument has been that it’s a waste of time and money to have two big separate fairs where dealers, distributors and press have to Pay the the expenses to go twice in a year... is there need for two fairs -probably not (so rumor say Basel is the ...
This fair has been in decline for a few years
as the overall watch market continues its steady decline in sales. There are bright spots, to be sure, Rolex tool and Patek sports watches are some, but it is a struggle for most brands to stay afloat.
