Even before the trade wars began and COVID-19 confined us all to our homes, watchmaking was already confronting multiple crises. BaselWorld is now history, but the world’s biggest and most important trade fair is not simply retiring gracefully. Swatch Group struck a mortal blow when it pulled out, staging its own show last year, then a few other brands pulled the plug. Although the fair plodded along last year, the decision by the world’s largest watchmaking group deserves credit for getting pundits, journalists, and brand executives to ask if we really need BaselWorld.
The answer is yes we do, but we deserve a better fair. That is an answer everyone can get behind. Historically, multiple WOW editors have extolled the virtues of BaselWorld, giving it its due as the biggest and grandest watch fair. I have now done so twice in the span of two scant paragraphs. Since 2013 though, calls for a “better” fair began to gain traction.
Of course, “better” is open to interpretation and there are certainly outliers who feel watch fairs are irrelevant in the digital age. For the purposes of this story, we will focus here on what “better” means, as far as the brands, the Foundation Haute Horlogerie (FHH) and BaselWorld organiser MCH Group are concerned.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Issue 57-Ausgabe von WOW Singapore.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Issue 57-Ausgabe von WOW Singapore.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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BUOYANT HEAVYWEIGHTS
The ubiquitous use of titanium and carbon fibre does not satisfy a growing number of watch lovers; the indisputable rise of quiet design vexes them. The recent release of hefty and heavy timepieces, especially in the dive watch segment, proves that some just like it big
YEN FOR PRECISION
While we typically think of watchmaking as a Swiss matter, this ignores the powerful contributions of Japanese industry and know-how. We begin this deep dive with a look at the biggest names in the game
LEGENDARY DEPTHS
From pioneering chronographs to revolutionizing dive watches, Longines has always been at the forefront of horological advancements. Explore how the Swiss brand's journey through water-resistance shaped the future of dive watches-and made a splash in the process
LEAPING AHEAD
IWC updates the perpetual calendars in its Portugieser range with four new models
HOLDING THE HIGH GROUND
Chanel's 2024 collection represents a rare moment where haute couture and haute horlogerie coexist perfectly
SARTORIAL TIMING
Parmigiani Fleurier encourages us to take a second, and perhaps third, look at the new Toric collection of watches
LEFT HAND DRIVE
The DOXA SUB 300T Aristera is a tribute to the brand's heritage in dive watches, combining the original design with a left-handed twist for 2024, offering the standout features that made DOXA renowned while breaking new ground in functionality
LIVING HISTORY
A. Lange & Söhne has spent the better part of this year celebrating the 25th anniversary of the seminal Datograph. With the Datograph Handwerkskunst, the watch is elevated to the highest level
THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTION
Since its inception, Rolex has never wavered in its pledge to create the world's finest watches for anyone, anywhere
SWEET SPOT
The Longines Legend Diver is just the right amount of watch for a contemporary sports model that could also pull dress watch duties