CrimeSep 02, 2026
CA Jeweler Gets 5 Years in ‘Phantom Rolex’ Ponzi SchemeNelson Holdo of Newport Beach pleaded guilty to multiple counts of felony grand theft and writing bad checks and was sentenced Monday.
Events & AwardsMar 23, 2017
Baselworld 2017 Opens with 13% Fewer Exhibitors
The message from executives who spoke at the Baselworld opening press conference on Wednesday was clear: We know the situation is bad, and we don’t really want to talk about it.
A shot from the Baselworld opening press conference held on Wednesday in the Swiss city. Pictured from left to right are president of the Swiss Exhibitors’ Committee François Thiébaud; Eric Bertrand, president of the Baselworld Exhibitors’ Committee; show Managing Director Sylvie Ritter; and Rene Kamm, CEO of MCH Group. (Courtesy of Baselworld)
Basel, Switzerland--The message from executives who spoke at the Baselworld opening press conference on Wednesday was clear: We know the situation is bad, and we don’t really want to talk about it.
The annual watch and jewelry trade show kicks off in Switzerland amid a backdrop of lagging watch sales and geopolitical and economic uncertainties.
Swiss watch exports dropped 10 percent in value terms last year following a 3 percent decline in 2015. So far this year, they’re down 8 percent, according to figures from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry.
Baselworld has seen attendance slide for the past three years, and the number of exhibitors at this year’s show is down 13 percent year-over-year, from 1,500 to 1,300.
Bremont and Shinola are among the notable watch companies absent from this year’s fair, as are Kering Group brands Girard-Perregaux and Ulysee Nardin, both of which exhibited at SIHH earlier this year.
But rather than focusing on the struggles the industry is facing, show organizers opted to put a positive spin on the opening of Baselworld 2017 and the changes that have been made to the show.
“There is no need to dwell at length on the past 12 months,” Baselworld Managing Director Sylvie Ritter said at Wednesday’s pre-show press conference.
She said fair organizers are instead looking to the future and recognize that Baselworld “needs to be transformed to reflect the world market.”
Transformations undertaken this year include a new space in Hall 1 for independent watchmakers and a Design Lab to showcase more unique, avant-garde pieces.
Ritter and François Thiébaud, president of the Swiss Exhibitors Committee, also mentioned several times the show’s focus on “quality over quantity” and its rejection of a number of potential exhibitors that were “not in line” with the show’s concept and did not meet its criteria, though they declined to outline specifics when asked by journalists.
Thiébaud said they rejected exhibitors “without legitimacy,” later clarifying his remarks to state that he meant fashion brands that treated watches like an accessory, not companies that produce smartwatches.
“I believe these people did not obtain the (sales) results they had planned and have given up producing such products. It (the show’s rejection of exhibitors) has nothing to do with smartwatches or connected watches,” he said.
Though show organizers acknowledged the need for Baselworld to evolve, the press conference became tense when they were asked about the possibility of
making major changes to the show, such as holding it every other year or moving the dates to align it with SIHH, which takes place every January in Geneva.
“It would be totally absurd to have Baselworld only every two years,” Thiébaud said.
Ritter also rejected both ideas, noting that the purpose of Baselworld is to introduce the “novelties” in watch and jewelry making each year, in the spring in Basel.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the show that gave birth to Baselworld.
The first Basler Mustermesse (sample fair) took place in April 1917 and featured exhibitors from five different Swiss industries: cheese making, clock and watchmaking, textiles, farming, and machine tools.
The show eventually came to include jewelry as well, and in 1984, watches and jewelry split from the broader fair to become their own show.
Ritter said at Wednesday’s press conference that no special events are planned to mark the anniversary because organizers did not want a celebration to “disturb” the business being done at show.
Baselworld 2017 begins today and continues through Thursday, March 30.
“It would be totally absurd to have Baselworld only every two years,” Thiébaud said.
Ritter also rejected both ideas, noting that the purpose of Baselworld is to introduce the “novelties” in watch and jewelry making each year, in the spring in Basel.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the show that gave birth to Baselworld.
The first Basler Mustermesse (sample fair) took place in April 1917 and featured exhibitors from five different Swiss industries: cheese making, clock and watchmaking, textiles, farming, and machine tools.
The show eventually came to include jewelry as well, and in 1984, watches and jewelry split from the broader fair to become their own show.
Ritter said at Wednesday’s press conference that no special events are planned to mark the anniversary because organizers did not want a celebration to “disturb” the business being done at show.
Baselworld 2017 begins today and continues through Thursday, March 30.
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
AuctionsSep 02, 2026
If You Love Cats, This Jewelry Auction Is for YouCat ladies of the jewelry world, unite. Sandy Lerner’s “significant” collection of cat jewelry and other objects is going up for auction.
MajorsSep 02, 2026
Messika Names Former Omega Exec as New President, CEO of AmericasArnaud Michon, the former Omega USA President, will now lead Messika’s Americas region during its international development.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
AuctionsSep 01, 2026
UK Woman Uncovers Rare Patek Philippe Watch in Mom’s Jewelry BoxThe stainless steel Patek Philippe “Calatrava” watch from the 1930s sold for nearly $80,000 at a recent Hansons Cornwall auction.
Weekly QuizAug 27, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
ColumnistsSep 01, 2026
Your Jewelry Marketing Has a Bridal ProblemEngagement rings are important but don’t ignore the customers who are buying jewelry “just because,” Emmanuel Raheb writes.
MajorsSep 01, 2026
Kering Names New Pomellato, DoDo CEOsFormer Pomellato CEO Sabina Belli has been named president of Kering Italia amid a shakeup of Kering's new Jewelry division.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
MajorsSep 01, 2026
Anne Marie Shulman Joins GPA GlobalThe veteran luxury packaging executive was appointed to help the company grow its North American business.
CrimeAug 31, 2026
$4M Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Necklace Snatched From Vienna Museum Once the property of an Egyptian queen, the necklace was part of a larger exhibition of VCA jewelry at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK).
GradingAug 31, 2026
GIA, Gübelin Gem Lab Confirm New Paraíba Tourmaline Deposit in EthiopiaThe labs’ separate investigations each determined that the East African country is producing copper-bearing tourmaline.
CollectionsAug 31, 2026
Catbird Launches First Men’s Jewelry CollectionThe “Worn Well” collection is Catbird's take on classic men's jewelry.
CollectionsAug 28, 2026
Dolly Parton Would Have Loved This Butterfly Necklace This Buddha Mama butterfly is our Piece of the Week honoring the legend, who embraced the beautiful insect as her symbol.
SourcingAug 28, 2026
Gareth Penny to Give Opening Speech at CIBJO Centenary CongressThe former De Beers CEO, and perhaps its next owner, will be a featured speaker at the event, slated for Sept. 4-7 in Italy.
IndependentsAug 28, 2026
Day’s Jewelers Honored With 3 Workplace AwardsThe employee-owned jeweler was named a “Best Place to Work” in Maine, New Hampshire, and for women.
CollectionsAug 27, 2026
Pandora Expands ‘Talisman’ Collection as Lawsuit Continues The second iteration of the jewelry collection was inspired by the zodiac and the four elements: earth, water, air and fire.
SourcingAug 27, 2026
OFAC Renews License Allowing Import of ‘Grandfathered’ Russian Diamonds General License 104B supersedes General License 104A, which was set to expire on Sept. 1.
CrimeAug 27, 2026
Customs Seizes Nearly 900 Pieces of Counterfeit JewelryThe package, intercepted in Indianapolis, contained fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., and Van Cleef and Arpels jewelry.
IndependentsAug 27, 2026
Jessica McCormack to Open First West Coast StoreThe new location in Costa Mesa, California, marks the brand’s second store in the United States and fourth standalone location worldwide.
FinancialsAug 27, 2026
Movado’s Q2 Sales Up As Younger Consumers Take Interest in WatchesThe fashion watch category was once threatened by the Apple Watch, but consumers are now opting for new wearables, said Movado’s CEO.
SurveysAug 26, 2026
5 Jewelry Insights From The RealReal’s Resale ReportThe report delves into trending styles, the most popular jewelry brands by city, and why Belle Époque jewelry could be the next big thing.
Lab-GrownAug 26, 2026
AGTA Now Requiring Members to Call Lab-Grown Gems ‘Synthetic’The association added the requirement to its revised "Code of Ethics" and released the 17th edition of its “Gemstone Information Manual.”
SurveysAug 26, 2026
Consumer Confidence Dips in August Amid Anticipatory Anxieties Respondents were concerned about the future of the labor market and their income as well as the rising prices of gas and groceries.
TrendsAug 26, 2026
Boucheron’s New Campaign Celebrates Its ‘Question Mark’ NecklacesThe campaign highlights the asymmetrical high jewelry necklace style that the jeweler first created in 1879.
Events & AwardsAug 26, 2026
Harry Winston Exhibition to Open in ShanghaiIt will explore the life of “The King of Diamonds” and showcase more than 165 creations from the brand.
CrimeAug 25, 2026
Florida Woman Scammed Out of $1.5M in Jewelry, Precious MetalsTwo suspects have been arrested in connection with the complex phone scam.
ColumnistsAug 25, 2026
Proof Before Purchase: The Gen Z Way to BuyIn her first column for National Jeweler, Jennifer Shaheen asks jewelers if they know how to connect with the next generation of consumers.
