June 27, 2019
The show will be held at the Bulgari Hotel in Dubai. Image credit: Bulgari Hotels & Resorts
Conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton is adding to its watch events for 2020 with the launch of an exhibition in Dubai.
The group will be hosting an event featuring Bulgari, Tag Heuer, Zenith and Hublot timepieces in January at the Bulgari Hotel in the city. LVMH’s move is intended to help members of the media and retailers get a jump on the year by showcasing new designs ahead of the major watch shows.
“In between Geneva in January and Basel in March, we have had in the recent years two major product presentations in the first quarter,” said Jean-Christophe Babin, president of the Bulgari Group, in a statement. “This early discovery of our strategies, news and novelties has allowed our media and retail partners to better plan the year ahead and as such we have decided on this set up for 2020 to balance the scheduling of the other events.”
Watch show
This will be the first LVMH Swiss Watch Manufactures Exhibition. The focus will be on watchmaking news, targeting the press and the brands’ retail partners.
LVMH’s Dubai presentation will be held in addition to the brands’ participation in Baselworld.
For 2020, Baselworld is moving from March to late April. Kicking off on April 30, the show will run until May 5.
The calendar change will place Baselworld and the Geneva-based Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in the same month. SIHH is similarly shifting from January to April to consolidate the watch show timeline.
“We remain very supportive and loyal to Baselworld and the Swiss watchmaking industry,” said Stéphane Bianchi, president of the LVMH watch division, in a statement. “However, it was not possible for us to go 13 months without a global presentation of our products and brands.
“This additional event further confirms the LVMH commitment to the strategic and profitable watch category,” he said.
Baselworld in 2017. Image credit: Baselworld
With the watch industry rethinking the relevance of a trade show concept, the sector’s biggest fair Baselworld is still hosting a lineup of iconic brands while also pivoting in hopes to evolve.
Many luxury watch brands and groups have decided to invest in other outlets and offerings, as they believe the trade show is no longer suited to the modern audience. However, Baselworld is still looking to remain relevant.
The 2019 edition saw the launch of a chatbot to better assist attendees, and timepiece manufacturers such as Gucci, Hublot, Bulgari and Rolex aimed to gain recognition with unique designs unveiled at the event (see story).
Share your thoughts. Click here
