Breitling to Exit Baselworld Fair

RAPAPORT... Swiss luxury watchmaker Breitling will not return toBaselworld in 2020, and will instead focus on marketing through its ownplatform.Although the watch and jewelry exhibition proved successfulfor the company this year, the fair's new schedule, which will begin next year,clashed with Breitling's. "The decisive factor is the timing of Baselworld at the endof April, which cannot be reconciled with our scheduling," Breitling CEO GeorgesKern said Sunday. The watchmaker intends to focus on its own event, the BreitlingSummit. The platform enables the company to be more flexible, and to interacton a personal level with its customers, media representatives, sales partners,and collectors, Kern noted. "We very much regret that Bretiling will not be exhibitingat Baselworld 2020," said Michel Loris-Melikoff, managing director ofBaselworld. "That's why we jointly strove to integrate the summit intoBaselworld. In the end, no agreement was reached because the end-of-April dateset for Baselworld 2020...was too late for Breitling." Last year, Baselworld owner MCH Group announced it wouldhold its fair at the end of April rather than in March in 2020, to synchronize dates with the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) show in Geneva. The alignment was an effort to make it cheaper and easierto attend both shows. Breitling left open a possible return to the watch show the following year. The company also noted the changes at this year's fair werepositive. "We will decide whether we will return to Baselworld from2021 onward at a later date, and this will depend on the timing of the eventand the possibility of holding the Breitling Summit," Kern said. "We would liketo emphasize that the extensive innovations developed and implemented byBaselworld's management under Michel Loris-Melikoff in such a short time framehave had a positive impact and can lay the foundations to take Baselworld in anew direction in the future." The positive innovations were also noted by Rolex sisterbrand Tudor, which will expand its presence at Baselworld and showcase at itsown stand, fair organizers said. "This is a strong demonstration of confidence in thesuccessful future of Baselworld," said Loris-Melikoff. "Our strategy has metwith very strong approval from exhibitors, the media and visitors. We willdrive change forward with great energy and passion." Image: A Breitling Navitimer watch. (Shutterstock)