PodcastsAug 19, 2026
Episode 8: Diamond Industry Update With David Bonaparte & Ronnie VanderLindenThe industry veterans join the podcast to discuss diamond marketing, the FTC Jewelry Guides, and lobbying for lower tariffs.
MajorsMar 20, 2019
Swatch Group Confirms That It Won’t Return to Baselworld
A company spokesperson also backed CEO Nick Hayek’s recent statement regarding watch parts for LVMH and Richemont.
The 2019 edition of the Baselworld Watch & Jewellery Show is set to begin Thursday, showcasing more than 500 exhibitors but missing key players like Swatch Group. The Swiss watch giant announced in July that it was pulling out of the 2019 edition of the show, and then confirmed this week that it doesn’t have plans to ever return.
Biel/Bienne, Switzerland—Swatch Group will not be returning to Baselworld any time soon.
CEO Nick Hayek made that clear at a press conference held last week in Switzerland ahead of the company’s annual report, and a Swatch Group spokesperson confirmed the company’s permanent pullout to National Jeweler via email Tuesday.
“There’s no need for it anymore,” Hayek said of the trade show in an interview with Bloomberg. “The world has changed.”
The confirmation is a blow to Baselworld, which is struggling to remain relevant in the digital age, and comes just as the 2019 edition of the show is set to kick off in Switzerland.
Show organizers did not respond to National Jeweler’s request for comment on Hayek’s announcement but said there will be a press conference held Wednesday at Baselword.
Swatch Group also manufactures movements powering many competitors’ watches, but not for long.
The company will no longer supply parts to LVMH Moёt Hennessy Louis Vuitton and Richemont brands once their contracts expire at the end of the year, the company spokesperson confirmed to National Jeweler.
LVMH’s watch brands are TAG Heuer, Hublot, Bulgari and Zenith while Richemont owns a slew of high-end watch brands, including A. Lange & Sohne, Baume & Mercier, Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, and Van Cleef & Arpels.
Neither LVMH or Richemont responded to National Jeweler’s request for comment on the decision.
The announcements about Baselworld and watch parts came ahead of Swatch Group’s release of its full-year financials for 2018.
The company posted strong results in its annual report, with its prestige and luxury range leading the charge.
Sales rose around 6 percent to 8.48 billion Swiss francs ($8.49 billion) compared with 7.98 billion Swiss francs ($7.99 billion) in 2017.
Sales from its watches and jewelry segment, which includes brands like Tissot and Longines, rose about 11 percent, contributing 8.21 billion francs ($8.22 billion) to the total, compared with sales of 7.73 billion ($7.74 billion) francs a year ago.
Annual net income totaled 867 million francs ($868.28 million), a nearly 15 percent jump compared with 755 million francs ($756.12 million) in 2017.
Swatch Group USA saw double-digit sales growth and market share gains in every segment, according to the annual report.
The strongest sales growth stemmed from the prestige and luxury range, specifically Blancpain, Omega and Longines.
The highlighted brands increased their visibility through events and sponsorships throughout the year.
Blancpain touted its Fifty Fathoms Collection, both a tribute to the marine world and a call for ocean
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
preservation, through lectures and a traveling exhibition.
Omega showcased its watches during sporting events, including the PyeongChang Games and the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The brand was also as an official patron and watch of the PGA Championship.
Longines served as the official timekeeper and watch of the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, presenting an exhibition on the history of the brand in the United States.
Sales from Swatch Group’s electronics segments, which includes batteries and crystal for watch cases, rose about 2 percent to 273 million francs ($273.4 million) compared with 267 million francs ($267.4 million) the previous year.
Looking to the year ahead, Swatch Group is forecasting “healthy growth”, specifically in Japan and the U.S., and expects to resolve the production problems that led to delivery delays for Omega and Longines.
Omega showcased its watches during sporting events, including the PyeongChang Games and the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The brand was also as an official patron and watch of the PGA Championship.
Longines served as the official timekeeper and watch of the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, presenting an exhibition on the history of the brand in the United States.
Sales from Swatch Group’s electronics segments, which includes batteries and crystal for watch cases, rose about 2 percent to 273 million francs ($273.4 million) compared with 267 million francs ($267.4 million) the previous year.
Looking to the year ahead, Swatch Group is forecasting “healthy growth”, specifically in Japan and the U.S., and expects to resolve the production problems that led to delivery delays for Omega and Longines.
More on Majors
The Latest
Policies & IssuesAug 19, 2026
Spinelli Kilcollin Embraces Dupes With Trade-In ProgramThe jeweler is encouraging customers who own lookalike rings to come into the store and trade them for credit towards an authentic piece.
SourcingAug 19, 2026
Vasant Mehta, a Dedicated Diamond Industry Leader, Dies at 81Mehta led India’s GJEPC through the 2008 financial crisis and was respected worldwide for his wisdom, integrity, and knowledge.
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.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
2 California Men Arrested in Fatal Vehicle Smash RobberyOne is the driver who allegedly crashed a car into a Sacramento jewelry store in April, striking a 71-year-old employee who later died.
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
ColumnistsAug 18, 2026
Peter Smith: The IKEA Effect and Bridal Branding In a new column, Peter Smith posits that people actually enjoy putting together IKEA furniture, and the same is true for engagement rings.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
Thieves Snatch $1M in Jewelry From New Jersey Jeweler9lakha Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey, was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery on Aug. 8.
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.
Lab-GrownAug 18, 2026
Ring Concierge, Kendall Jenner’s Tequila Brand Collab on GiveawayThe jeweler has partnered with 818 Tequila to gift lab-grown diamond studs to a bride-to-be and their bridal party.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap SchemeTwo suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
