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WatchTime Launches Los Angeles Event
The decision to add a West Coast consumer-facing show may be a sign of the times as traditional trade shows falter.
The two-day event will feature education sessions and opportunities to connect with other watch enthusiasts.
New York—WatchTime is heading west, adding a second show in Los Angeles this May.
Produced by WatchTime Magazine, the show has been held in New York for the past four years with its fifth show slated for late October.
The new show held in downtown Los Angeles will give West Coast watch enthusiasts the opportunity to interact with other collectors and connect with designer brands in one location.
Participating brands include A. Lange & Söhne, Montblanc, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Grand Seiko, Zenith, and Romain Gauthier.
The two-day event will feature education sessions, including a Q&A panel led by WatchTime Editor-in-Chief Roger Ruegger, as well as networking opportunities.
Collector and consultant Jeff Kingston will take registered participants on a guided tour of the show floor.
Admission for both days costs $150. Saturday-only admission, which does not include the opening night cocktail party, is $50.
The event will be produced in partnership with lifestyle platform Watch Anish and retailer Bhindi Jewelers.
WatchTime Los Angeles will be held at Hudson Loft May 3 and 4.
The organizers’ decision to add a West Coast sister show may be a sign of the times.
In the watch world in particular, traditional trade shows have been faltering in recent years as more inclusive, consumer-facing shows capitalize on growing public interest.
A notable newcomer is HorologiCon, a consumer-focused watch show modeled after successful nerd culture convention ComicCon. Led by former Reed Exhibitions executive Dan Read, the show is gearing up to hold its inaugural event this September 6-8 in New York City.
In contrast, Baselworld, once a can’t-miss watch and jewelry trade show with thousands of exhibitors and attendees, has fallen far from its prime amid complaints of rising costs.
Swatch Group announced its exit from the show last July, dealing a devastating blow to the show. Breitling made a similar announcement this week.
In 2019, the number of exhibitors fell 20 percent compared with a year ago while attendance slipped 22 percent year-over-year, marking the sixth year in a row that Baselworld has seen both the number of exhibitors and attendees shrink.
At the end of the 2019 show, Baselworld management outlined the details of a three-year turnaround plan, which includes price cuts
for exhibitors and a wearables section.
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