Editor’s Note
Bulgari, a leading brand in LVMH’s Watches & Jewelry division, has announced it will not participate in Baselworld 2020. While other LVMH brands like TAG Heuer, Hublot, and Zenith will maintain their prominent presence at the fair, Bulgari’s departure marks a significant shift for one of the event’s key exhibitors.
Bulgari (BVLGARI), the top-performing brand in the Watches & Jewelry division under LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), has announced its withdrawal from the world’s largest watch and jewelry fair, ‘Baselworld 2020’. Meanwhile, other LVMH-owned brands, TAG Heuer, Hublot, and Zenith, will continue their participation. All four brands occupy prime booth locations near the main hall entrance of Baselworld, making them significant exhibitors for the fair.
The reasons for Bulgari’s withdrawal are threefold. First, the brand had already unveiled its new collections at the ‘LVMH Watch Week 2020’ held in January at the Bulgari Resort & Residences Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Second, the decision considers the unstable social and economic situation for international travelers due to the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Third, the scheduled dates for Baselworld 2020, from April 30 to May 5, are deemed problematic for business.
Stephane Bianchi, President of the Watch Division overseeing the continuing exhibitors TAG Heuer, Hublot, and Zenith, commented:
The split decision within LVMH is likely rooted in the differing positions within the watch industry: Bulgari as a jeweler and watchmaker versus the pure watchmakers TAG Heuer, Hublot, and Zenith.
In related news, the Swatch Group, the world’s largest watch company, has decided to cancel its ‘Time to Move 2020’ new product exhibition scheduled for March 4-6 in Zurich, Switzerland, due to the coronavirus. Notably, the Swatch Group parted ways with Baselworld in 2019.
While the three LVMH brands have stated their intent to continue exhibiting, the future of both ‘Baselworld 2020’ and the preceding ‘Watches & Wonders Geneva’ (scheduled for April 25-29) remains uncertain depending on the evolving situation. Insiders indicate a final decision on whether to cancel or proceed will be made around the end of February.