Baselworld 2022 shelved due to Covid-19 and customer ‘uncertainty’
The organisers of the annual Baselworld watch fair, which was cancelled the past two years due to the pandemic, have again postponed the 2022 spring edition.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/sb
Português
pt
Feira de joias e relógios Baselworld suspende edição 2022
The relaunch of Baselworld, the world’s largest and oldest watch and jewellery trade fair “needs more time”, the MCH Group said in a statementExternal link on Friday. It was due to take place in the Swiss city of Basel from March 31 to April 4, physically and online.
The current Covid-19 situation has again played a major role.
“It is particularly difficult to launch a new concept for a new target segment due to the renewed aggravation of the Covid situation and the associated uncertainty among customers,” MCH Group said.
Their decision follows experience gained from a Baselworld pop up event at the Geneva Watch Days fair, which took place from August 30 to September 3, and after intensive discussions with manufacturers and retailers.
MCH Group said that due to the cancellation of Baselworld 2022, Managing Director Michel Loris-Melikoff had decided to leave the company and take on a new challenge. He has been in charge of the fair since 2018.
Before the pandemic, Swiss watchmakers held two big watch fairs annually, the SIHH in Geneva and Baselworld. Both fairs were cancelled in 2021 due to the pandemic, but the SIHH, rebaptised Watches & Wonders, took place online.
In recent months Baselworld lost several major exhibitors to Watches & Wonders, including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chanel, Chopard, Tudor, Hublot, Zenith, TAG Heuer, Grand Seiko and Oris. Watches and Wonders Geneva will take place from March 30 to April 5, 2022.
More
Can Swiss watchmakers survive another century of disruption?
You no longer need a watch to know what time it is. Where does that leave the Swiss watch industry?
New asylum regulations come into effect in Switzerland
This content was published on
Several asylum-related changes come into force in Switzerland on June 1 aimed at improving the employment and housing situations of refugees.
Swiss unions call for CHF5,000 monthly salary for qualified apprentices
This content was published on
All workers who have completed an apprenticeship must earn at least CHF5,000 per month, the Swiss Trade Union Federation said on Friday.
Flooding risks in parts of Switzerland and Germany after heavy rains
This content was published on
There is a significant risk of flooding on the River Rhine from Lake Constance to Basel and on the Thur River in canton Thurgau in eastern Switzerland.
Switzerland to intensify border checks during sporting events
This content was published on
In the context of events including the European Football Championships and the summer Olympics, border security will be increased.
Integration of Credit Suisse into UBS now complete
This content was published on
Credit Suisse AG was formally integrated into UBS AG on Friday, with the former being subsequently deleted from Canton Zurich's commercial register.
This content was published on
The list of cities in the running as well as the requirements they need to meet have not been disclosed. A decision is to be made by the end of August.
Plans for Baselworld 2021 watch fair up in the air
This content was published on
The organisers of the world’s biggest watch and jewellery fair have decided to temporarily shelve the event for 2021 following the exodus of major brands.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.