Baselworld Watch and Jewellery Show is a trade show of the internationalwatch and jewellery industry, organized each spring in the city ofBasel, Switzerland, at Messe Basel. It comprises about 2,100 exhibitors from over 45 countries, including the leading watch and jewellery brands, as well as companies specializing in precious gems. The show attracts over 94,000 visitors. The latest Baselworld was held March 21-26, 2019. Baselworld belongs to the MCH Group which also organizes Art Basel in Basel, Miami Beach and Hong Kong.
History
The show dates back to 1917 with the opening of the first Schweizer Mustermesse Basel, of which a section was devoted to watches and jewellery. In 1925, muba invited several watch manufacturers to participate. In 1931, the Schweizer Uhrenmesse was first held in a dedicated pavilion. After 1972's Europe's meeting place exhibition, companies from France, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom were also invited. In 1983, the show changed its name to BASEL with two numerals denoting the exhibition year, e.g., BASEL 83. In 1986, companies from outside Europe were included for the first time, reflecting the increased number of visitors from outside Europe. In 1995, the show was renamed to BASEL 95 - The World Watch, Clock and Jewellery ShowIn 1999, a new hall with 36,000 sq m of exhibition space was added. The year 2000 saw an increase of 6% in trade visitors. In 2003 the show was again renamed to Baselworld, The Watch and Jewellery Show. In 2004, with the introduction of a new hall complex, the exhibition area extended to 160,000 square meters, and attracted more than 89,000 visitors. In 2018, Baselworld saw a significant drop in exhibitors to 650, and the duration of the exhibition was shortened by two days, although attendance remained stable. In addition, Baselworld announced that it and SIHH will coordinate their dates from 2020 until 2024. In 2019, with the withdrawal of Swatch Group, the show has been reduced by one day. In 2019, the show management announced a new concept for Baselworld. The show is to be developed from a classic trade fair to an experience platform and will also address consumers. In April 2020Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chopard, Chanel and Tudor announced that they would be pulling out of Baselworld and host their own fair in April 2021.
