Swiss Watch Brands Create An Independent Show
A four-day long decentralized and self-managed multi-brand watch event will take place in several Geneva high-end hotels, beginning April, initially planned by Watches & Wonders.
Unveiling the initiative Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bvlgari, said, “Despite the cancellation of the two major watch fairs, the event called Geneva Watch Days. will allow retailers and media, primarily from Europe but not only, to discover, comment and order the novelties of the founding Brands, namely Breitling, Bvlgari, Gerald Genta, Girard-Perregaux, MB&F, Ulysse Nardin, De Bethune and Urwerk.”
This initiative will allow retailers and media to meet with these Swiss watch brands in a few days in the capital of Swiss Watchmaking rather than attending many roadshows in different European cities currently under organization after the Watches & Wonders and Baselworld cancellations, thus saving a lot of time.
“Besides these Brands, we are currently in advanced discussions with several other important names including Chopard and H. Moser & Cie., which we hope will be confirmed very soon. Plus some others which I’m sure will be interested after discovering our initiative,” added Jean-Christophe Babin.
The event will include two multi-brands evenings, including the GMT Magazine party and B2C activities, and will contact media and retailers. The Committee will eventually select additional Brands wishing to join the initiative.
According to a press release the Geneva Watch Days event does not intend to substitute on the historical Geneva Watches & Wonders and Baselworld Fairs but presents an efficient alternative at smaller scale, given the 2020 changing environment. It ensures visibility for the funding brands 2020 novelties and fights against the slow-down and gloominess prevailing in the watch industry in the recent years, reinforced since February by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We fully support this initiative, especially after the cancellation of both the Geneva Motorshow and the Watches & Wonders Fair last week. Even though its scale cannot be compared, it will contribute significantly to the Geneva economy during a period which otherwise would have been very challenging. We will provide the participating Brands with all our possible support and thank them for having elected Geneva as their event venue” commented Pierre Maudet, Geneva State Councillor.
