A very special day… Not everyday one is invited to visit Baselworld – the biggest and most prestigious watches and jewelry fair in the world. It is the event to go when you are passionate about watches, as most of the most renowned brands introduce their collections and exquisite pieces. A big thank you for the invitation! I enjoyed hugely!
The agenda was full! First, a visit to Bulgari… Then, Tag Heuer… A Free time in between…Followed by Jaquet Droz …ending at Omega…
The journey started very early as we need to get to Basel at 9:45… So, the trip started a 6:30, so that I could get there on time…
I was amazed to see the place… It is spectacular what the biggest brands in the world build to receive their clients… Glasses, holograms, plasma TVs, orchids, carpets… Not to say, champagne, caviar, 5 stars service… All seem very standard luxe…when you expect it to be permanent… But in this place, all this was built to last a week… Yes, you understood right… A week….
Bulgari… The stand was luxurious, designed to remind you of their master piece… The Serpenti… Bulgari has been investing time and effort in the Serpenti watch remodeled a couple of years ago…The newest models were introduced to us by the Group CEO.
I am a big fan… I find the brand modern and contemporary, without losing the classic and elegant touch… The latest watch collection for men is amazingly elegant too… The use of Titanium makes the watch super light…
From Bulgari, the next stop was Tag Heuer… The brand is known for its sportive side… It has been investing heavily in the slogan #dontcrackunderpressure… Also, the main attraction was the connected watch… One of the pioneers in the Swiss industry… an attempt to respond to the Apple watch… The CEO of the group was supposed to come and see us… But we were informed that he was busy and could not come… Well, too bad…
We were then told that we had some time free to wonder around… The place is super mega huge… Not in a million years we would be able to see it all in 2 free hours… It is true that most of the stands are under invitation only; however, it is a joy to look around… The effort put in each stand is Phenomenal! I took pictures and more pictures that time passed at light speed!
No lunch and direct to Jaquet Droz… I confess that I did not know the brand before today and now that I got to know it I cannot stop dreaming about it… It is a relatively small brand of the Swatch group which produces around 3000 pieces an year… All hand made by the artisans… The pieces vary from USD to 10,000 to USD 1,000,000 (you read it right – One million US dollars).
The watches Jaquet Droz make are not simple and for everyone… They exist since 1738… It is not only because of the price… They are unique and completely exclusive! In 2015, they won the prize of the best watch in the world… The complexity of the machine was incredible up to a point to have a bird singing from the inside….
Final stop… OMEGA… We were received by them as royals… The stand is stunning and the presentation of the watches super classy… You could feel that every single detail was well thought through…Every watch was presented in its on wooden board which you could touch and see… One of the designers made a wonderful presentation in which he showed all his passion for the brand… very difficult to resist… The Swiss watch industry is so advanced that they are planning at least 5 years in advance… A new product can take up to 10 years to reach the shops…
I was already passionate about watches but now I felt I need to educate myself more… I have another 365 days… Until the next Baselworld!
XX Valentina
Leave a Comment