Posts filed under Baselworld

Breaking News: Baselworld is Back in 2022. A Rising Phoenix or a Deadbeat Horse?

Baselworld was held for the last time in 2019. Now it is back in March/April 2022, and it will be very different. Instead of focusing on the spectacular appearance of luxury brands in the watch, jewelry, and gemstone sector, the new Baselworld will primarily be a B2B platform in the mid-range luxury segment. The future concept combines trends in the experience marketing market with the needs of the entire community in the mid and high-end segment of the watch, jewellery and gemstone industry.

Posted on June 23, 2021 and filed under News, Baselworld, Events.

News: HourUniverse Will Take Place on April 8-12, 2021 as Baselworld's Replacement. But Who Will be Part of it?

Announced at the end of July 2020, MCH Group —the company behind Baselworld and Art Basel— is creating a new concept for a global platform for the watch, jewelry, and gemstone industries named HourUniverse. What was unveiled as an innovative platform to meet today's needs, will try to unite and support a whole community that wants to regroup, make a new start, and is receptive to change. Supposedly a concept totally different from the now-defunct Baselworld. We’ll see next year who’s in it and if indeed it happens to be that way.

Posted on October 1, 2020 and filed under Baselworld, News, HourUniverse.

From the Editor: My First and Last Day at Baselworld. The Demise of the World's Largest Watch and Jewelry Fair.

I still remember my first day at Baselworld like it was yesterday. The first time I attended the fair was back in 2013 just weeks after Watch Collecting Lifestyle was launched. Attending Baselworld had been one of my lifelong dreams as a watch collector. At the end of 2012, my spouse gifted me a trip to attend Baselworld in 2013 as a birthday present. Little did I know at the time, that this would give birth to what is today my full-time job. After my spouse planned the whole trip without sparing anything —premium tickets on KLM and a long stay at the Park Hyatt Zürich—, I decided to take advantage of the trip and put my marketing and media expertise to work and that’s how WCL was born.

Breaking News: Baselworld Will Not Take Place in 2021. The Fair is Finally Dead.

The MCH Group has taken the decision not to hold Baselworld 2021 that had been planned for 28 January to 2 February 2021. "Together with the exhibitors and visitors, we are working intensively on clarifying and discussing the requirements and options for new platforms," says Michel Loris-Melikoff, Managing Director of Baselworld. "We will be making a decision on possible follow-up formats by the summer and will then provide information on the new concept and scheduling."

Posted on May 7, 2020 and filed under Baselworld, News.

Breaking News: Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chopard, Chanel, and Tudor Leave Baselworld

Today, April 14, 2020, it was just announced by the Fondation Haute Horlogerie —FHH— that Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chanel, Chopard, and Tudor will no longer participate in Baselworld and will create a new trade show in Geneva in collaboration with the FHH. The new trade show will be somehow linked to Watches & Wonders Geneva and will also take place at the Palexpo in 2021. With this announcement, the demise of Baselworld is right around the corner, especially after the recent decisions MCH Group —Baselworld’s Organizer— has made regarding reimbursement of monies to the exhibitors after Baselworld 2020 was cancelled back in February.

Breaking News: Baselworld 2020 Cancelled Due to Coronavirus and Postponed to January 2021

As expected, Baselworld 2020 has been cancelled and postponed until January 2021. For health safety reasons and in accordance with the precautionary principle following the bans of large-scale public and private events issued today by the Swiss federal and cantonal authorities, Baselworld announces that it has taken the decision to postpone the show to Thursday, January 28th, 2021 thru Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021 —Press Day on Wednesday 27th January—, due to concerns related to the Coronavirus Covid-19.

Breaking News: Phillips Watches to Participate at Baselworld 2020

For the very first time, in over 100 years, Baselworld welcomes an auction house into the fair. During this year’s fair, the world leader in watch sales, Phillips Watches —Phillips in Association with Bacs&Russo— will be at the Messeplatz. Never before has an auction house exhibited in a major watchmaking show.

News: Breitling Pulls Out of Baseworld. Tudor to Have its Own Stand-Alone Booth as Rolex Grows within the Fair.

After two years of uncertainty whether Breitling would continue at Baselworld or not, the Swiss luxury watch brand has finally opted to leave Baselworld as of next year. Breitling now in the reigns of Georges Kern —former CEO for Richemont’s IWC—, has decided that is better to showcase in its own format for 2020. In the words of Michel Loris-Melikoff —Managing Director of Baselworld—: “We very much regret that Breitling will not be exhibiting at Baselworld 2020. However, there have been very constructive and cooperative discussions with the watch manufacturer in recent weeks.” In 2020, Breitling will be relying on its previously launched Summit platform to which dealers, the media and collectors will be invited.

Baselworld 2019: Urwerk UR-T8 Colibri Unique Piece in Collaboration with Emmanuel Esposito. Live Pictures & Price.

Emmanuel Esposito is the creator of extraordinary art knives and the collaborator involved in the release of the new Urwerk UR-T8 Colibri just unveiled at Baselworld 2019. This unique piece that is sold accompanied by an art knife by Esposito is a very elaborate piece of horology with the most unique look. Esposito’s passion for knives started at an early age back home in Italy. He developed his distinctive and unique style over the years, using high-tech materials like carbon fiber and metal alloys along with traditional materials like gold and mother of pearl. When URWERK approached him with an offer to work together, and showed him the UR-T8, he said yes unhesitatingly and decided to create a one-off matching knife for the watch.

Baselworld 2019: Jacob & Co. Epic X Chrono Messi Limited Edition. Live Pictures & Price.

Renowned Argentinean soccer player Leo Messi was Audemars Piguet’s ambassador since 2010 and the brand released three Royal Oak Chronographs in his honor back in 2012. In 2014, Messi was still visiting the Audemars Piguet manufacture around 2014 and who knows what happened since them, but somehow that close friendship and relationship ended. All that we know, is that Messi loves watches and he is now partnering with Jacob & Co. and Jacob Arabo. Right before Baselworld 2019, Jacob & Co. presented the first watch from their relationship with Leo Messi and we were finally able to check it out during Baselworld last week.

Baselworld 2019: Breitling Navitimer ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition. Live Pictures & Price.

The Breitling Navitimer ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition is the fist time that the brand has brought back a reference from the past and do a reissue to the smallest detail possible. In 1952, Breitling developed the Navitimer for air pilots to be able to do flight calculations with an innovative slide rule positioned around the dial. The new Navitimer ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition, celebrates one of the most iconic Navitimers released exactly 60 years ago. A flawless execution that that replicates the early Navitimer ref. 806 to the smallest detail including its acrylic —plexiglas— crystal.

Baselworld 2019: Angelus U51 Diver Tourbillon 5-Day Power Reserve. Live Pictures & Price.

Originally released in 2018, the Angelus U50 Diver Tourbillon was the brand’s first diver’s watch. With a high level of skeletonization of its movement allowing for maximum transparency and an incredible view of all of its components. Now, along with the release of the Angelus U50 Diver Tourbillon Black Edition comes the new Angelus U51 Diver Tourbillon 5-Day Power Reserve in a colorful combination of orange and stormy blue. The U51 Diver Tourbillon maintains the same proportions at 45 mm as its predecessor the U50 Diver, in a titanium case that has been slightly redesigned to differentiate it from its U50 siblings.

Baselworld 2019: Bell & Ross BR-X1 R.S. 19 Chronograph. Live Pictures & Price.

Continuing with their partnership with the F1 Renault team, Bell & Ross presented the BR-X1 R.S. 19 Chronograph along with three other Renault Chronographs during Baselworld 2019 to mark the fourth year of involvement with this racing team. The new Bell & Ross BR-X1 R.S. 19 is an absolute racing inspired machine that brings the magic of an F1 racing car into a timepiece. Available in a limited edition of 250 pieces this skeletonized chronograph charged with the Renault team yellow racing color is for sure going to be a success.

Baselworld 2019: Breitling Superocean 46, 44, 42 and 36. Live Pictures & Price.

The Breitling Superocean collection is one of the most successful and representative watch lines from this brand. Now under the reigns of former IWC President Georges Kern the brand has gone through an interesting transformation, with some good releases and others we don’t like so much. However, the new Superocean Collection unveiled during Baselworld 2019 was a solid home run in our opinion. The new collection not only reflects the brand’s diving DNA very well, but also takes into consideration the so many different wrist sizes around the world and delivers a solid offering with five different sizes to please almost everyone.

Baselworld 2019: Greubel Forsey GMT Quadruple Tourbillon. Live Pictures & Price.

When we thought we’ve seen it all when it comes to Greubel Forsey, then they keep rising the bar even higher. What we can only describe as the pinnacle of the art of watchmaking, brings the new Greubel Forsey GMT Quadruple Tourbillon. Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey have chosen to revisit their second invention and to take it even further by combining it with their legendary multiple time zone display GMT. Available in a total limited edition of 66 pieces with 11 in white gold —just released—, the new Greubel Forsey GMT Quadruple Tourbillon features a case measuring 46.5 mm by 17.45 mm in thickness.

Baselworld 2019: Tudor Black Bay P01 ref. M70150. Live Pictures & Price.

A total newcomer and not just another color variation of Tudor’s Black Bay line. The new Tudor Black Bay P01 takes its inspiration from a prototype presented to the U.S. Navy in the late 1960s and that never went into production. The name of said prototype was Montre Plongeur “Commando.” The new Black Bay P01 is equipped with a bezel system that was patented in 1968. This blocking bezel system via the end link at 12 o’clock, allowed for the wearer to lock, turn or disassemble the bezel for cleaning. This watch is an interesting release for Baselworld 2019 and one that is better looking in person than in pictures. A robust and very solid watch with a sporty and somewhat military feel to it.

Baselworld 2019: De Bethune DB21 Maxichrono Re-Edition. Live Pics & Price.

The first Chronograph from De Bethune came out in 2006 and it was an instant sensation with its five central hands. In 2014, the DB29 Maxichrono Tourbillon came out and then in 2017, it was revisited as the DB28 Maxichrono. This year at Baselworld 2019, a new iteration of the Maxichrono made its appearance with the DB21 Maxichrono Re-Edition in a limited edition of 10 pieces. One of our favorite mono-pusher chronographs out there, the De Bethune DB21 Maxichrono features a mono-pusher 24-hour chronograph with five hands on the central pinion and concentric chrono totallizers that go all the way from the center of the dial to the periphery.

Baselworld 2019: Patek Philippe World Time ref. 5231J Cloisonné Dial. Live Pictures & Price.

Joining three other World Time watches available from Patek Philippe comes the new ref. 5231J in yellow gold. in 2016, Patek Philippe presented the new World Time ref. 5230 replacing all previous models. The changes at the time included subtly reworking the case, the dial, and the hand designs. Two years ago, Patek Philippe released the World Time ref. 5131P in platinum with rice bead platinum bracelet and the watch was an absolute success. Now, this year at Baselworld 2019, the 5231J in 5N yellow gold joins its siblings the 5231G and 5231R in 5N white and rose gold respectively.

Baselworld 2019: Patek Philippe Alarm Travel Time ref. 5520P. Live Pictures & Price.

Four years after the polarizing release of the Patek Philippe Travel Time ref. 5524G, the brand has decided to dive into the grand complication waters with the Travel Time model and has now unveiled for Baselworld 2019 a grand complication that adds a 24-hour alarm mechanism while displaying the time to which the alarm is set on a double aperture in a digital manner. The alarm signal is struck by a hammer on a classic gong and to make this possible, Patek has developed a totally new integrated movement with four patent applications filed for the alarm mechanism. The new Patek Philippe Alarm Travel Time ref. 5520P is the result of five years of research and development.

Baselworld 2019: Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 1L.1. and FB 1L.4. Live Pictures & Pricing.

Continuing with the saga of their incredible watches, Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud just hit another home run with their latest release from Baselworld 2019. The new Chronomètre FB 1L is a new experimental collection, combining the in-house tourbillon movement with a new display of the age and phases of the moon in a way in which we have not seen it before. The new Chronomètre FB 1L intertwines the world of astronomy and chronometry, paying tribute to Ferdinand Berthoud’s work on chronometric precision and the calculation of longitude. It was to this end that the master watchmaker designed his famous Marine Chronometers, which inspired the creation of the FB 1L collection.