Holiday sales growth is expected to slow as consumers grapple with inflation and tariff-related uncertainty.
In Switzerland, a Much Smaller Baselworld Set to Open
The number of exhibitors at the watch and jewelry show is down by half.

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 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 Latest

The red and azure colorway is one of many fun enamel pairings offered, bringing whimsy to the classic style of a monogramed signet ring.

A trade deal with Switzerland seems probable, but reaching an agreement with India remains a challenge, David Bonaparte said.

With their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.

Botswana’s president said his country wants a controlling share, while Angola envisions multiple countries holding minority stakes.


The manufacturer is adding 1,400 chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactors to its growing facility in India.

The jeweler to the stars has worked with Drake, A$AP Rocky, Tyler the Creator, and other celebrities.

Jewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.

The Scarsdale, New York-based jeweler donated a professional-grade watch cleaning machine.

The 50 percent tariffs on diamonds shipped from India to the U.S. have pushed midstream manufacturers to the edge.

De Beers’ refreshed, multipronged approach, which includes generic promotions and retail partnerships, is delivering positive dividends.
They are trying to balance the need to sustain well-established relationships with the pressure higher tariffs have put on margins.

Jewelry manufacturer Jewelex has partnered with JOSH, an industry training center, on a program for people with disabilities.

The collection includes pieces dating back to the Victorian and Art Deco periods as well as mid-century and late 20th-century designs.

He previously served as co-chair of the nonprofit’s beneficiary committee.

Its second collaboration with the conservationist features jewelry with dove and olive branch motifs.

The diamond manufacturer’s new company will provide accessible and affordable high-quality medicines across India.

Emmanuel Raheb shares tips on how a jeweler’s showcases, marketing, and social media presence can whisper, instead of shout.

The private equity firm has a plan to revive the mall staple.

The “Super Book of Gems” dives into the Mohs Hardness Scale, the Four C’s, and designs from jewelers like Cartier and Bulgari.

Claudio Pasta will take the lead at the Italian fine jewelry brand, succeeding company founder Licia Mattioli.

The new lab-grown diamond jewelry offering is the latest expansion of the designer’s “Bliss” collection.

The miner is honoring the end of an era with an offering of 52 lots from the now-closed Argyle and the soon-to-close Diavik mines.

The California-based fine jewelry brand will retain its identity post-acquisition, with new collections launching next year.

The “Untamed” collection centers on carved gemstone jewelry depicting a range of animals embodying one of the four elemental forces.

Founded in 2004, the organization is now called the Community for Ethical Jewelry.

From Coco Gauff’s hoops to Madison Keys’ diamond medallion, these are Senior Editor Lenore Fedow’s standout jewelry looks of the season.