Breaking News: Rolex, Tudor, Patek Philippe, Chopard and Chanel Quit Baselworld
A number of the most prominent brands in the horology industry have pulled out of Baselworld. The next fair was due to take place in 2021. In the future, Rolex, Tudor, Patek Philippe, Chanel and Chopard will present their products in Geneva. This will be a part of a new watch fair hosted in collaboration with the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH). Although this replacement event is yet to be named, it has been announced that it will merge with Watches and Wonders.
The new show is to take place at Palexpo, Geneva. Responding to the needs articulated by the recently departed brands, it will aim to apply a shared vision of how to overcome future obstacles that arise in the watchmaking industry. First and foremost, the fair will aim to attract retailers, the press, and VIP customers. CEO of the Richemont Group – which exhibits ten brands at W&W – Jérôme Lambert stated: ‘The Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie is delighted to welcome a new salon which will strengthen the historical Watches and Wonders event in Geneva next year in early April‘.
In an unprecedented blow to Baselworld, the brands made the move without consulting the event’s management. Rather, the companies publicly referred to the show’s ‘inability to meet the expectations and needs’ in their explanation for their withdrawal.
Baselworld 2019 – Rolex. Hall 1.0
The departure of watch giant Rolex, the world’s largest luxury watchmaker in terms of total sales, and participant in the event since 1939, is a particularly harrowing loss for Baselworld. Furthermore, the event will not only be losing Rolex, but also its sibling Tudor. Rolex’s Chief Executive Jean-Frédéric Dufour stated that the discussions that led to the en masse departure were initiated by Rolex itself. Speaking about the new fair in Geneva, Dufour added: ‘It will allow us to present our new products according to our needs and expectations, to join forces and to defend the interests of the sector more solidly‘.
Baselworld 2019 – Patek philippe. Hall 1.0
Likewise, Patek Philippe’s president Thierry Stern stated that ‘life evolves, things change and so do people…. We always have to adapt and question ourselves, because what was right yesterday is no longer necessarily true now!‘.
In 2018, Swatch Group also made the decision to leave Baselworld. Following this, Baselworld planned to implement its brand new design for the fair from 2020 onwards. However, it was postponed to 2021 due to the current health crisis. With its existence now in jeopardy, it is unclear how it will respond. Baselworld’s management is yet to comment on the situation.
Update: Since the publication of this article, key brands from the LVMH Watch Division have also left Baselworld in favour of Geneva. This includes Hublot, TAG Heuer, and Zenith.
The MCH Group, organiser of Baselworld, has responded to the news that leading brands Rolex, sibling Tudor, Chanel, Patek Philippe and Chopard have left the international trade show. The companies made the move in favour of a new fair that is to take place alongside Watches & Wonders in Geneva. Baselworld's organiser was neither aware…
The Swiss watch brand Universal Genève is taking its first step towards its planned revival by introducing a new website and its own social media channels. These are intended to give a first taste of where the journey will take the brand in the future in terms of identity and new watch models. For the…
Only a few weeks ago, the Swatch Group announced the cancelation of their new fair “Time To Move” – and now, also the new format “Watches & Wonders Geneva” (formerly SIHH) will not take place from April 25th to 29th 2020. The final decision of Baselworld fair remains to be seen. Due to the latest…
The Rugby World Cup 2019 will take place in Japan from 20th of September to 2nd of November and for the first time in its 9th edition in Asia. It is the world’s third largest sporting event, held every four years. TUDOR is not only partner of the ‘World Rugby’ association, but also official timekeeper of the upcoming…
Following the cancelling of Baselworld and SIHH, retailers and the media alike will be pleased to learn that Geneva Watch Days is hosting the only Swiss watch fair of 2020 to be attended in person. A number of luxury brands will be attending the event, which will take place in downtown Geneva between August 26…
Independent watchmaker Ressence and Sotheby’s Watch Division are joining forces against coronavirus (Covid-19) and launch a competition to design a unique watch. Watch enthusiasts have the chance to create their own interpretation of one of Ressence’s latest models, the Type 1 Slim. A new face for the unique piece of Ressence's Type 1 Slim in…
Despite the socially distanced set-up, this year's Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève 2020 winners amazed us with just as many stunning watchmaking creations as usual. Take a break, pour yourself a drink, and get the lowdown on this year's showstoppers. The Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève 2020 Winners Firstly, the Grand Prix de l'Aiguille d'Or went…
TAG Heuer returns to Formula 1 as the official timekeeper in 2025, coinciding with the league's 75th anniversary and replacing Rolex as sponsor after ten years. The partnership, which began in the 1960s, has seen Heuer and later TAG Heuer involved in various capacities, including sponsorships and timekeeping. With a rich history in motorsport, the…
The organisers of the Watches and Wonders fair present their concept for this year's event. Watches and Wonders 2022 will take place physically, but will also allow for remote participation. For this purpose, a large part of the programme will be available on the W&W platform together with exclusive content for the internet. This year,…
The Grande Maison has strong ties with the film industry and is again supporting filmmaking culture. During the 75th Venice International Film Festival of La Biennale di Venezia, Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates the 13th anniversary of its partnership with the event, and supports the industry’s talents through individual initiatives. Supporting innovation and tradition in filmmaking for 13…
Since November 4, 2019, for each purchase of a new Ulysse Nardin watch from an official reseller network, a free and tamper-proof extended warranty certificate, anchored in the most widely used and robust public blockchain, is generated and digitally signed by Ulysse Nardin. The certificate is then emailed to the customer or sent to their…
As of today, Porsche fans have the opportunity to create a wristwatch that matches their dream car as part of the Porsche Design Custom-Built Timepieces Programme. The base of the designs centre around the Porsche Design Chronotimer Series 1, which uses a new online configurator to allow for the creation of individual designs. There are…
The Swiss watch brand Tudor is celebrating a milestone in Berlin: in partnership with retailer Wempe, the brand unveiled its first monobrand boutique in the German capital on 25 November 2024. Situated at the exclusive address Kurfürstendamm 26a, the boutique becomes the fourth of its kind in Germany and marks the latest addition to Tudor’s…