MajorsApr 01, 2026
Foundrae Sues Pandora for Allegedly Copying Its Medallion DesignsFoundrae also accused the jewelry giant of copying its mood board style of marketing.
Events & AwardsMar 21, 2018
In Switzerland, a Much Smaller Baselworld Set to Open
The number of exhibitors at the watch and jewelry show is down by half.
The 2018 edition of the Baselworld Watch & Jewellery Show is set to open Thursday in Switzerland. The show is smaller and two days shorter this year. (Photo courtesy of Baselworld)
Basel--The 2018 edition of Baselworld is set to open Thursday, and it will be shorter and smaller than in years past.
As announced back in November, the number of exhibitors at the show is down by half, from 1,300 to about 650, with many brands put off by the high cost of exhibiting at the show. Baselworld is also two days shorter this year—six days instead of eight.
At the opening press conference held Wednesday morning in Basel, show Managing Director Sylvie Ritter said the watch industry is in a period of change and “unprecedented concentration,” in which the strongest players are getting stronger and weaker brands are being challenged.
Ritter, whose speech was translated live from French to English, said Baselworld was faced with two options, “expansion or concentration,” and noted, “We have opted for concentration.”
She painted the new Baselworld as having a “clear, well-defined profile” that now has only the best and most-sought-after watch and jewelry brands.
In her speech, Ritter also alluded to the overall importance of trade shows in an age when, some might argue, the internet has made them less relevant, particularly those that are large and costly.
She said people still want to touch and feel products in person and to meet face-to-face when making deals, while also noting that the “most important” brands present their novelties only at Baselworld.
Key brands missing from Baselworld this year include pearl giant Mikimoto, Italian jewelry brand Marco Bicego and Movado Group. Movado is holding its own summit in Davos instead of exhibiting in Basel, and the hall where the company once held a prominent position in front is now empty.
Though Baselworld is much smaller, it does open amid an upswing in Swiss watch exports after two down years.
Following four years of post-recession growth from 2010 to 2014, exports dropped 3 percent in 2015 and 10 percent in 2016, according to information presented at the press conference by François Thiébaud, president of the Swiss Exhibitors’ Committee and a Swatch Group executive.
But exports recovered in 2017, growing nearly 3 percent year-over-year, and they were up 13 percent year-over-year in February, though the comparable figures from February 2017 were relatively weak.
Thiébaud attributed the Swiss watch industry’s recent difficulties not to competition from smartwatches or timepieces’ lack of relevancy to younger buyers but to the Swiss National Bank’s January 2015 decision to eliminate its cap on the Swiss franc.
The move sent
the currency soaring past the Euro, and sent industries that rely heavily on exports into a panic. At the time, Swatch Group chief Nick Hayek called the bank’s move a “tsunami” for Swiss exporters.
The franc has since declined in value, easing pressure on exporters.
Following the press conference, show organizers did not take questions from journalists, something they have done in the past.
Baselworld 2018 is scheduled to open Thursday and run through Tuesday, March 27.
The franc has since declined in value, easing pressure on exporters.
Following the press conference, show organizers did not take questions from journalists, something they have done in the past.
Baselworld 2018 is scheduled to open Thursday and run through Tuesday, March 27.
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
AuctionsApr 01, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Heads to AuctionA Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece owned by the American businessman who died on the Titanic will be offered at Freeman's Chicago.
SurveysApr 01, 2026
Consumers’ Outlook Improves Again in MarchThe Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up, with optimism about the present outweighing worries about the future.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
IndependentsApr 01, 2026
Zachary’s Jewelers’ Constance Polamalu to Release Children’s BookThe retailer’s Zach Bear gift comes to life in “Zach Bear and the Window Necklace,” which centers on curiosity, bravery, and helping.
Weekly QuizMar 26, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ CollectionMejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in DallasThe Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
NDC Designates April 8 as 'World Diamond Day'The initiative invites those in the industry to share stories on social media highlighting the meaning and impact of natural diamonds.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
GIA VP Jillian Wolk to Take Over at Tracr Wolk’s first day on the job as CEO of Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform, will be May 1.
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring CatalogThe new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.
SourcingMar 30, 2026
Rio Tinto Hauls Last Load from DiavikProduction has ceased at the Canadian diamond mine, which has yielded more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds in its 23-year run.
MajorsMar 30, 2026
Tanishq Opens First New England LocationThe store opening marks the 10th United States location for the India-based jewelry retailer.
MajorsMar 27, 2026
Saks Global Has Changed Its Mind About Closing These 3 StoresTwo Saks Fifth Avenue locations, one in Florida and one in California, and one Neiman Marcus store are off the chopping block.
IndependentsMar 27, 2026
Jimmy West, Longtime LJG Executive Director, Dies at 72West, who started in the art department at the Leading Jewelers Guild in 1979, is remembered for his patience, kindness, and dedication.
CollectionsMar 27, 2026
Itä’s ‘Yarí Whirl’ Ring Tells Every Side of the StoryIn the “Tesoro” version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, each side of the gold hexagonal nugget has a unique colored gemstone design.
WatchesMar 26, 2026
Q&A: Citizen Watch America President Jeffrey Cohen on Eco-Drive’s 50th AnniversaryCohen discusses the evolution of Citizen’s light-powered technology, the brand’s cross-generational appeal, and tariffs.
IndependentsMar 26, 2026
Peter Smith Pens Book on Human Behavior in Sales“Essentially Human: On Sales and Salespeople" reveals the underlying human traits and behaviors of the most successful sales professionals.
CollectionsMar 26, 2026
Lionheart Celebrates 13 Years of ‘Cassandane’The collection features symbols of love, luck, and light, based on the story of Queen Cassandane and Cyrus the Great of Persia.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
JA Still Accepting Entries for 2026 CASE AwardsThe deadline for entries in the jewelry design competition has been extended to April 3.
SourcingMar 25, 2026
Rob Bates Steps Down as JCK News Director After 28 years with JCK, the veteran industry journalist is launching his own publication on Substack called The Jewelry Wire.
GradingMar 25, 2026
New York’s Natural History Museum, Wiley To Build Minerals DatabaseWiley said the project will give scientists worldwide access to the American Museum of Natural’s History renowned mineral collection.
CollectionsMar 25, 2026
Boochier Turns Flower Friendship Bracelets Into Fine JewelryThe “Flower Puff” collection looks to beaded flower friendship bracelets from childhood, turning the silhouette into nostalgic fine jewelry.
Policies & IssuesMar 25, 2026
Community for Ethical Jewelry to Host Bench Jeweler Shortage WebinarSet for April 2, the webinar will discuss how the jewelry industry can address the workforce gap.
IndependentsMar 24, 2026
Lisa Bayer, Illustrator and Beloved Member of the Muse Family, Dies at 64Bayer, founder of Lisa Bayer Designs, is remembered as “a bright light in every room.”
