The decision follows Rolex, Tudor, Patek Philippe, Chanel and Chopard’s exit from the Swiss show on 14 April, with an LVMH statement noting the loss of these brands “clearly weakened” Baselworld as a “representation of the Swiss watch industry”.
Industry commentators have also noted that Baselworld’s new January 2021 dates are likely to conflict with the next LVMH Watch Week event.
Stéphane Bianchi, CEO TAG Heuer and LVMH’s watchmaking division, said, “We are sorry to have to leave this over 100-year-old Baselworld event to which our maisons have been consistently loyal.
“It is nonetheless clear that we must respond quickly and make other arrangements. We are facing an opportunity to reinvent the format and content of one of the key moments of our watchmaking year, which represented both a major commercial challenge and a lever of influence for our brands.”
All four LVMH brands will likely join Rolex, Tudor, Patek Philippe, Chanel and Chopard at a new show, to be held in Geneva next April. The event will be organised by the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie and will be synchronised with Watches & Wonders Geneva (formerly the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie).
Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO Bulgari, said, “Grouping the entire Swiss watch industry in a single location, Geneva – the historical capital of watchmaking – and around a single date, is a major opportunity to at last revive a sector that all too many divisions and divergent interests have weakened compared to the rest of the luxury sector.”
Bulgari is also scheduled to take part in Geneva Watch Days alongside Breitling, Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux in August 2020.
At the time of publication, Baselworld organiser MCH Group was yet to respond to LVMH’s withdrawal from the show.
More reading:
The rise and fall of Baselworld: A complete timeline
Baselworld responds as Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chanel and Chopard abandon show; future in doubt