BaselWorld 2017: Come for the watches

BaselWorld 2017 begins tomorrow and runs March 23-30. It’s THE place for watches.

I look forward to the excitement and to meeting with the real geniuses and movers and shakers of the watch industry. The entrance to BaselWorld is like any other entrance to a trade show. From the street there are between six and eight doors allowing people into the main hall.

Those six or eight doors are the smallest part of this show.

Once in the registration area amongst the lines of attendees and visitors it remains just like any other trade show you may have been to. This part is similar to a football game or a large sporting event with lines of people and noise and getting past the entrance points into where the real meat of the show is.

Then, once you finally get past the turnstiles, the actual “BaselWorld” begins and there is a silence at first. Sort of like getting off of a bus in a city you have never been to before. There is that moment of orientation and then you notice that you’re stopping traffic because you’re the only one standing still getting orientated.

Without notice and out of survival instincts you’re running at full speed to find a direction or some navigation, some point, to find out where you are. After this initial bit of confusion you find the logo of a watch company yelling at you from a very large two story building, ROLEX!, BREGUET!, MOVADO!, they are all around you. You find yourself in a city of lights, excitement, buildings and people from all over the world, speaking every language and that’s only the first floor.

Go to the show if you like watches and can get to Basel. It’s full of watch industry impressarios, from Patek Phillippe models to Chinese factory dealers, but the general public is invited to attend too. There is an entrance fee.

Hope to see you there.
The coffee is always good in Basel.

Thanks for watching.