Reviving Baselworld will be a heavy lift. One measure of the difficulty is that the erosion of exhibitors that plagued last year’s fair has continued. True, important anchor firms like Rolex, Patek Philippe, and the LVMH Group (TAG Heuer, Hublot, Zenith, Bulgari) are still there. But, in addition to the Swatch Group, numerous other brands exited after the 2018 show (for example, long-time exhibitors Raymond Weil and Maurice Lacroix).
This year’s show has slightly more than 500 exhibitors, down from last year’s shockingly low 650. The figure is “lower than we had hoped,” Loris-Melikoff said in a statement on March 5. Baselworld had 1,500 exhibitors just three years ago, and more than 2,100 in 2007.
As part of the 2019 improvements, the show has rearranged the exhibition areas, resulting in a more compact event. It will take place in two halls, Hall 1, the historic watch building, and Hall 3 behind it. The popular Les Ateliers section for small, independent watch brands, has been moved to the main floor of the watch hall (1.0) for the first time.
The third floor of Hall 1 (1.2), which was closed last year, is a new, redesigned jewelry hall. It features a “Show Plaza,” with a stage and runway where jewelry fashion shows will be held daily. The Show Plaza is a clear message to jewelry companies that jewelry will be a key category going forward. Jewelry firms have abandoned the show in droves, complaining that they were treated like second-class citizens compared to the watch brands.
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