Fewer exhibitors and more attendees was the contradiction of Baselworld 2013, which ended its eight-day run on May 2. The watch and jewellery trade fair attracted a record 122,000 attendees, a 17 per cent increase over 2012. In addition, 3,610 journalists from around the world covered the international event, a 9 per cent year-over-year increase. However, what the Baselworld organizers did not mention was that the 1,460 exhibitors at the show was a 19.5 per cent drop from the prior year. More exhibitors will be leaving next year to join UBM Asia’s new jewellery trade fair (Jewellery & Gem Fair – Europe) in nearby Freiburg, Germany, with dates that overlap Baselworld. The new trade fair is not the reason for the exhibitor decline. The reason for the decline is the added cost and inconvenience for exhibitors due to the $454.5-million upgrade to Messe Basel complex.
The Swarovski stand at Baselworld The biggest player to exit Baselworld this year was international jewelry brand David Yurman. People from several companies expressed their dissatisfaction to me with their booth placement, the substantial increase in the cost of participating this year, and the pressure to construct newer, larger and more expensive booths for the show. Some companies, particularly new ones, found themselves in isolated areas inside the larger halls.
Jacques J. Duchêne, president of the Baselworld Exhibitors’ Committee, went to great pains to say that all exhibitors expanded their stands on their own. “At no time were we urged to create new stands,” Duchêne said. “Every exhibitor would have been completely free to use the same stand as in previous years if they had wanted to.” However, several company representatives told me that Baselworld did pressure them to build larger and more elaborate stands in exchange for better locations. One company, which was one of the few able to remain in the same space and not expand their booth, told me they still had to pay 30 percent more than the prior year. The centrepiece of the show, Hall 1.0, is now further dominated by luxury conglomerates Swatch and LVMH, pushing several independents and even other conglomerate-owned brands, such as Boucheron (owned by PPR, soon to be Kering) pushed upstairs. The costs of being in the main hall increased to $5 million. Not all exhibitors were unhappy. Some that were moved upstairs and to other places within the complex were pleased with the business they did during the show and the number of people who attended. And while the vendors gave mixed reviews, attendees seemed overwhelmingly pleased with the new show layout. Which leaves me with two questions: Is less actually more when it comes to Baselworld? And is there room for two jewellery trade fairs to coexist. We’ll find out next year.
