HourUniverse—the watch and jewelry fair formerly known as Baselworld—will take place this summer in Basel, Switzerland, according to its organizer, the MCH Group.
MCH has not announced official dates or a venue for the show. But it said that it was committed to holding a live show this year in Basel, the Swiss city that has hosted a watch show for over 100 years. Reports last year suggested that MCH was considering a move to Lausanne, Switzerland.
HourUniverse’s statement added that “summer 2021 is currently targeted as the earliest season for the show [to take place] under the best possible conditions.” However, it noted that the show dates might be moved to later in the year if conditions warrant.
MCH said the first edition of the reborn show will offer a “grand festival of networking and experiences” that merges both the physical and digital realms, and will include both indoor and outdoor components.
The group said it will erect “new venues that will facilitate networking,” including the creation of a new large central outdoor square, which will include outdoor catering and entertainment.
“Our ongoing discussions with industry stakeholders have clearly demonstrated that the demand from the wider community for a large annual gathering in Switzerland, in the heart of Europe, is now stronger than ever,” said Michel Loris-Melikoff, managing director of HourUniverse, in a statement.
HourUniverse was born after a number of leading watch brands, including Rolex and Patek Philippe, decided to leave the Baselworld fair in a dispute over cancellation fees. That mass defection led to the cancellation of the 2021 Baselworld, which was originally scheduled for January.
Some of those brands and others are now participating in the upcoming Watches and Wonders Geneva, which will take place virtually this April.
Top: A mock-up of booths in the new HourUniverse show (image courtesy of the MCH Group)
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