After the LVMH Watch Week in Dubai last January, where Bulgari unveiled part of its 2020 new releases, the Jeweller of Time will be presenting a new set of major creations to its clients and the media in Geneva from April 26 to 29. A new World Record will be presented on this occasion.
At the initiative of Bulgari, the Geneva Watch Days will bring together several important brands including Girard-Perregaux, Gerald Genta, Ulysse Nardin, Breitling, MB&F, De Bethune and Urwerk as well as other independent brands. The event will primarily target European retailers and media. Bulgari will cover the other world markets with a succession of roadshows from the beginning of April.
The international situation which unfortunately led to the cancellation of the Watches & Wonders show in Geneva as well as Baselworld should not however penalise our clients, many of whom want to meet the brands and plan their purchases according to the most interesting watch innovations. Aware of the professional difficulties they are facing and wishing to avoid succumbing to gloom, Bulgari has decided to present its second wave of 2020 new releases over four days in Geneva, including - in addition to a new world record - strong creations from its iconic Octo Finissimo and Serpenti collections. A particularly daring new collection will also be unveiled.
In announcing its withdrawal from Baselworld 2020 in February, Bulgari was the first watchmaking company to envisage alternative approaches to traditional exhibitions, which were clearly at risk. Bulgari hopes that its initiative will encourage the presence of numerous watch brands in Geneva’s many luxury hotels during this period. The absence of an overarching structure such as Watches & Wonders or Baselworld in no way prevents innovative and audacious brands from strengthening Geneva in its role as the world watchmaking capital, by grouping their European roadshows during the dates left vacant by Watches & Wonders in a city located at the heart of Europe and renowned for its very high level of security.
This event will be held in strict compliance with the Federal Council's decisions of February 28, 2020 regarding public gatherings, as well as any future recommendations from the WHO and the Federal Council relating to the evolution of the Covid-19 epidemic currently affecting many countries. The State of Geneva, which is following the health situation as closely as possible, has given its full support to this initiative.
Geneva Watch Days - Official Press Release
Several major Swiss luxury watch brands, including Bulgari, Breitling, Ulysse Nardin, Girard-Perregaux and MB&F unite to create the independent Geneva Watch Days 2020 late April with the full support of the State of Geneva.
A decentralized and self-managed Multibrand Watch Event will take place in several Geneva high-end hotels from April 26 to April 29, at the dates initially planned by Watches & Wonders.
The initiative has been unveiled Monday evening by Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari, during the RTS (Swiss National Television) TTC broadcast. “Despite the cancellation of the two major Watch Fairs, it will allow retailers and media, primarily from Europe but not only, to discover, comment and order the novelties of the founding Brands, namely Breitling, Bulgari, Gerald Genta, Girard-Perregaux, MB&F, Ulysse Nardin, De Bethune and Urwerk” commented Jean-Christophe Babin. This initiative will allow retailers and media to meet with these Swiss Watch Brands in a few days in the capital of Swiss Watchmaking rather than attending many roadshows in different European cities currently under organization after the Watches & Wonders and Baselworld cancellations, thus saving a lot of time.
“Besides these Brands, we are currently in advanced discussions with several other important names including Chopard and H. Moser & Cie., which we hope will be confirmed very soon. Plus some others which I’m sure will be interested after discovering our initiative” added Jean-Christophe Babin.
The Brands will create a Steering Committee responsible for negotiating the best potential showrooms and hotels’ rates. The Committee will liaise and work closely with the State and City of Geneva and relevant institutions to guarantee the maximum safety and sanitary protection for participants. It will also organize two multi-brands evenings, including the GMT Magazine party and B2C activities, and will contact media and retailers. The Committee will eventually select additional Brands wishing to join the initiative.
The Geneva Watch Days event does not intend to substitute on the long term the historical Geneva Watches & Wonders and Baselworld Fairs but presents an efficient alternative at smaller scale, given the 2020 changing environment. It ensures visibility for the funding Brands 2020 novelties and fights against the slow-down and gloominess prevailing in the watch industry in the recent years, reinforced since February by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We fully support this initiative, especially after the cancellation of both the Geneva Motorshow and the Watches & Wonders Fair last week. Even though its scale cannot be compared, it will contribute significantly to the Geneva economy during a period which otherwise would have been very challenging. We will provide the participating Brands with all our possible support and thank them for having elected Geneva as their event venue” commented Pierre Maudet, Geneva State Councillor.
