SIHH and Baselworld unite behind April 2020 dates – making life easier for visitors
- SIHH will be in Geneva from April 26-29, with Baselworld in Basel from April 30 to May 5
The biggest news at the 29th Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) came days ahead of the show: SIHH and Baselworld will synchronise their dates in April 2020, a decision that means the two shows are lining up again a whole decade after SIHH opted to move its dates to early January.
This move not only means warmer weather for fairgoers – the shows will take place in April – but reflects a new-found sense of unity within the Swiss watch industry.
Cartier’s international marketing and communications director Arnaud Carrez says this is a healthy sign of the times and a considerate effort by the fair organisers to accommodate the needs and demands of journalists and buyers.
“I think it’s a good decision,” he says. “If you look at SIHH and Baselworld, they are different but complementary. It has a lot of positive implications, especially for the visitor.
“They will only have to come once. I think it will simplify the lives of watch retailers and journalists.”
There also were a few ins and outs among the brands. The most noticeable absentee was Van Cleef & Arpels. New to the halls is independent watchmaker Bovet. The brand’s CEO, Pascal Raffy, says Bovet came for the fair’s ability to attract high-level collectors.
“We don’t have the pressure to sell here. We are here to educate collectors and convey a message and our presence here could end up with them becoming a collector [of Bovet].”
Despite the announcement by Audemars Piguet that its 2019 run at SIHH was its last, other brands are showing confidence in the success of the fair’s new format in recent years.