Outside the halls at BaselWorld
It happens every year like Swiss clockwork – BaselWorld. It’s the biggest watch exhibition in the world and let me tell you – it is huge, exhausting, exhilarating and wild all at the same time. For me, having attended the fair for 30 years this year, it’s like going home. I get to see so many familiar friends from around the world that I don’t get to see often. I have the chance to have coffee, dinner, drinks with friends not only from the watch brands, but also from the global press corps. We work hard but the reward happens with each new meeting, each new “hello.”
The exhibition spaces at BaselWorld are huge, multi-floor booths.
Each new meeting is like a new adventure. What will I see here, will I like it, will I roll my eyes? BaselWorld is for a watch lover like me — like being a kid in a candy store. But this is candy for the wrist and the mind. From fashion forward really cool looking timepieces, to the ultra technical mind-boggling watches, BaselWorld never ceases to surprise and delight.
Some exhibitors even bring in cars, artwork and, in the case of Breitling, an entire aquarium.
As you have seen here over the past weeks, thousands of watch brands unveil their newest watches at this show. We strive to bring you just a smattering of those watches because, in truth, we see hundreds upon hundreds of new watches a day. Yes, a day.A typical day at BaselWorld begins with the first meeting usually at about 830 am. Meetings are either every hour or every half hour depending on the brand and its complexities. During that time- we are intensely in the moment. BaselWorld is exactly about being in the moment – listening to each brand as they tell this year’s story and show off dozens of new watches. It’s about being focused and on top of your game every minute. It’s hard work to see so many watches and digest it all. Hence, we take lots of notes, lots of pictures and post lots of Instagrams.
The evenings after the show are for enjoying time with friends and taking in the city. (Norman Miller, Roberta Naas)
But fear not, we also have lots of fun. By 6:30 or 7 pm the day and the meetings wind down and the evenings of drinks, dinner and camaraderie unfurl. It is a time to share meaningful moments and indulge in a world that has brought so many of us together as friends and colleagues. It is eight days of mania and magnificence. Somewhere in there, we also try to report back to our faithful readers. So, stay tuned as we try our best to bring you news every day from Basel.
