New show ‘Basilia’ rises as the phoenix from Baselworld’s ashes
Baselworld, but not as we used to know it and under a different name, is being re-launched in April next year.
The company behind the legendary old watch exhibition, MCH Group, has teamed up with Informa Markets Asia — organiser of Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong — to launch Basilia, a new international jewellery and watch trade fair.
A core reason for the launch, according to a press conference that the joint-organisers gave this morning, is to create an intercontinental hub bridging Asian supply with European demand.
When asked at the press conference, they said that a rough split of exhibitors will be 50% jewellery, 25% gems, and 25% watches.
These will be split into sections in Hall 2, which will have sub-sections within them, including regional pavilions and ‘immersive zones.’
The four-day event — which they say they want to host directly after Watches and Wonders, which is still yet to announce its dates — will also feature a programme of seminars, panel discussions, and expert-led conferences.
“Basilia is a platform designed around the future of the jewellery and watch industries and their evolving needs,” said Andrea Zappia, CEO ad interim of MCH Group. “By combining Informa Markets’ global reach and deep understanding of Asia’s industrial ecosystem with MCH Group’s expertise in creating world-class event platforms, we are establishing in Basel a new kind of international stage — one conceived from the outset to connect supply and demand across continents.”
Operating under a “city-like” architectural concept rather than a traditional uniform trade show layout, the inaugural event will host over 400 exhibitors in Messe Basel’s Hall 2. It’s not clear whether the iconic Hall 1 — which used to host stands from the likes of Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Omega — will be used at all.
Margaret Ma Connolly, president and CEO of Informa Markets Asia, added: “Partnering with MCH Group was a natural choice. Together, we are building a global event that responds to the industry’s evolving needs while celebrating the diversity that makes it so dynamic.”
They are aiming for over 400 exhibitors in the first year, but admitted at the press conference that “selling begins tomorrow,” with no exhibitors confirmed as of yet.
