Suddenly announcing its "resurrection" in 2022! Can Baselworld make a comeback?

Watch Journalist Yasuhito Shibuya's Useful Watch Industry Chat

On June 23, 2021 (local time), the Baselworld Secretariat suddenly issued a news release entitled "BASELWORLD is back." The content of the release stated that "it will become a B2B platform primarily for the mid-range segment." The event will be held roughly at the same time as "Watches & Wonders Geneva 2022," scheduled for Geneva. Journalist Yasuhito Shibuya provides an urgent report on this challenging announcement.

Is Baselworld taking on Watches & Wonders Geneva? Announces it will be held in 2022

　At 6:25 a.m. on June 23, 2021, I saw the display and was speechless, thinking, "Wow, are you crazy!?"

　Just a few hours ago, the Swiss MCH Group, the parent company of the Baselworld secretariat, the world's largest watch and jewelry fair, suddenly issued a press release stating, "BASELWORLD is back." Furthermore, it was "discovered" that they had posted a two-minute promotional video on their official YouTube channel, as well as a 40-minute live conference video featuring Baselworld Managing Director Michel Loris-Melikoff.

　As the title of the video suggests, the announcement and live conference content is that "Baselworld will return in 2022," meaning that it will be revived. Melikov stated that the decision to revive the event was made after much consideration between the cancellation of Baselworld 2020 and the present. He asserted that the "Hour Universe" plan was scrapped.

　The first issue with this announcement is the event period. The event is scheduled to run from Thursday, March 31st to Monday, April 4th, 2022. This coincides perfectly with the "Watches & Wonders Geneva (WWG) 2022" event, which will be held in Geneva from Wednesday, March 30th to Tuesday, April 5th.

　At the live conference, Melikoff said, "We're thinking about the convenience of people involved with watches around the world," but at the same time, he said, "Watch brands can exhibit at whichever fair is best for them. We want them to choose." This could be interpreted as a challenge to WWG. The content will be a two-pronged mix of digital and live, meaning virtual and physical. This can be considered similar to WWG.

　To be honest, this period is just a nuisance for us reporters. If it's going to be held again, it should be held on part of the schedule, either before or after WWG.

　I did not receive any notice about the live conference, and I suspect that very few Japanese journalists attended, but the European journalists who did attend asked questions such as, "Have you consulted with FHH (The Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie), the organizers of WWG?" "Have you met and consulted with Nick Hayek of the Swatch Group?" "What has been decided so far?" "Are there any watch brands that have decided to exhibit so far?" "Are you, the secretariat and the city of Basel, willing to fundamentally improve problems such as the excessively high exhibition fees and hotel costs?" and "Are you willing to take care of small brands?"

Melikov's responses were, "We have not consulted with FHH," "We have been in contact with Hayek," "The details of the fair have not yet been finalized as we have only just decided to hold it," "We have spoken with around 80% of the watch brands that have exhibited so far, but at this point we cannot announce that any of them have confirmed that they will be exhibiting," "As for the high exhibition fees, we will be making major changes as we will be changing the structure of the booths themselves. Those involved in Basel are surely well aware that changes need to be made, such as setting hotel fees at five times the usual rate," and "We want to cherish small brands."

　Based on what he has said so far and the various information available, it seems that nothing concrete has been decided yet. It is likely that negotiations will begin with the relevant parties.

　This year, a pop-up exhibition will be held in Geneva from August 30th (Mon) to September 3rd (Fri), 2021, followed by the launch of a digital platform and hybrid event this fall, with the event scheduled to take place on March 31st (Thurs), 2022, but it remains to be seen what will happen depending on the progress of the project.

　What puzzled me about Melikoff's talk was his assertion that "Basel is an iconic location for the watch industry." He acknowledged Geneva, Neuchâtel, Biel/Bienne, and the Jura Mountains, but I think that this was simply because Basel has a history of over 100 years, dating back to the watch section of the Swiss Industrial Exhibition.

　I've been covering the Basel Fair and Baselworld for over 25 years, and I have a strong attachment to them. However, to be honest, at this point in time, even with the greatest optimism, it is impossible for the "Return of Baselworld" to regain its former presence, and I doubt whether it will even be viable as an event.

　Watching the live conference, one thing that I couldn't help but feel uneasy about was the "as arrogant as ever" attitude of the Baselworld Secretariat, which was apparent from the fair's duration and the nuances of Melikov's talk.

　At the moment, the only news item about this incident has been a short one published on the US edition of HODINKEE, but the comments posted about the article have been harsh. The new management structure of the MCH Group doesn't seem to give us much hope when it comes to Baselworld. That's understandable if the management staff remains the same.

　Unlike Japan, where vaccination has been delayed and the vaccination rate is only 19.5% even when counting those who have received one dose, and only 8.7% who have received two doses (as of June 23, 2021), Switzerland has made great progress in vaccination, with the vaccination rate being the third highest after Israel and the United States. As a result, various restrictions on behavior have been lifted, and the economy is gradually returning to normal. This timing of the announcement likely reflects the situation in Switzerland.

　Will Baselworld be able to make a comeback? We'll just have to wait and see.

Shibuya Yasuhito/Shibuya Yasuhito

As an editor of a product information magazine, he began covering Geneva and Basel in 1995. As an editor and writer, he has been there 25 times since then. He is currently planning, covering, editing, and writing about not only smartwatches but also all kinds of things and events other than watches.