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Plans Announced for New Trade Show in Basel
Scheduled for April 2027, Basilia will be the first watch and jewelry trade show held in Basel since the collapse of Baselworld in 2020.
Plans for a new trade show in Basel, called Basilia, were announced Thursday at a press conference held in the Swiss city. MCH Group’s Roman Imgrüth and Artur Faria (both pictured at left) were there in person while Margaret Ma Connolly, Dan Ye, and Celine Lau of Informa Markets in Asia appeared virtually.
Basel, Switzerland—Seven years after Baselworld came to an unceremonious end during the pandemic, the Swiss city of Basel is poised to be back on the industry’s map.
At a press conference held last week, MCH Group, the organization behind Baselworld and Art Basel, and Informa Markets, organizer of Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong, announced plans for a new four-day show in Basel called Basilia.
It is set to take place in April 2027—exact dates have not yet been determined— in Hall 2 of Messe Basel, the hall that housed independent watchmakers and jewelry brands during Baselworld.
MCH Group and Informa Markets describe Basilia as “a new international stage where Asia, Europe, and the wider global industry come together.”
When asked who the target market is for Basilia attendees, a show spokesperson said: “Europe has had no dedicated platform for the mid- to upper segment of the watch and jewelry industry.
“At the same time, Asian jewelry manufacturers are structurally underrepresented on European trade fair floors … Basilia closes both gaps by creating a European B2B platform that brings Asian supply and European demand together at scale for the first time.”
MCH Group and Informa Markets said they expect to have more than 400 exhibitors at the inaugural Basilia show and have begun the process of initiating “key contacts,” who have responded positively to the idea of a show returning to Basel.
Exact dates will be announced when Watches & Wonders Geneva announces its 2027 schedule.
Half of the exhibitors at the first edition of Basilia will be jewelry brands, while the other half will be divided between watch brands (25 percent) and gem dealers (25 percent).
Organizers said the show will be organized like a city, with distinct “districts,” including Diamond & Gem Districts and a Swiss District, “neighborhoods,” like the Jewellery Neighbourhoods, as well as a tech hub and “dedicated spaces” inspired by cities key to the gem and jewelry trade, like Bangkok, Jaipur, Antwerp, and Milan.
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At a press conference held last week, MCH Group, the organization behind Baselworld and Art Basel, and Informa Markets, organizer of Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong, announced plans for a new four-day show in Basel called Basilia.
It is set to take place in April 2027—exact dates have not yet been determined— in Hall 2 of Messe Basel, the hall that housed independent watchmakers and jewelry brands during Baselworld.
MCH Group and Informa Markets describe Basilia as “a new international stage where Asia, Europe, and the wider global industry come together.”
When asked who the target market is for Basilia attendees, a show spokesperson said: “Europe has had no dedicated platform for the mid- to upper segment of the watch and jewelry industry.
“At the same time, Asian jewelry manufacturers are structurally underrepresented on European trade fair floors … Basilia closes both gaps by creating a European B2B platform that brings Asian supply and European demand together at scale for the first time.”
MCH Group and Informa Markets said they expect to have more than 400 exhibitors at the inaugural Basilia show and have begun the process of initiating “key contacts,” who have responded positively to the idea of a show returning to Basel.
Exact dates will be announced when Watches & Wonders Geneva announces its 2027 schedule.
Half of the exhibitors at the first edition of Basilia will be jewelry brands, while the other half will be divided between watch brands (25 percent) and gem dealers (25 percent).
Organizers said the show will be organized like a city, with distinct “districts,” including Diamond & Gem Districts and a Swiss District, “neighborhoods,” like the Jewellery Neighbourhoods, as well as a tech hub and “dedicated spaces” inspired by cities key to the gem and jewelry trade, like Bangkok, Jaipur, Antwerp, and Milan.
The last watch and jewelry show held in Basel was Baselworld 2019.
Already grappling with dwindling attendance and disgruntled exhibitors, MCH Group entered 2020 with a turnaround plan for the show.
Then the pandemic hit and Baselworld 2020, like every trade show that year, was canceled.
Show organizers’ controversial refund policy fueled anger among exhibitors already upset with price increases and MCH Group’s disregard for their feedback.
Shortly after the refund policy was announced, five keystone watch and jewelry brands—Rolex, Tudor, Patek Philippe, Chopard, and Chanel—announced they were pulling out of Baselworld to start their own show.
Though MCH Group attempted a 2022 comeback for Baselworld, the show never recovered from the loss of key exhibitors and organizers’ missteps.
The last edition of Baselworld took place in March 2019.
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