By Cynthia Unninayar

BaselWorld continues to reinvent itself, moving ever more into the high-end sector of watches and jewellery. Larger and yet more compact, the show has entered a new era, focused largely on luxury brands.

The imposing metal mesh facade over the three-storey Hall 1 complex.

The changes at BaselWorld have been in the works since 2004, when the fair’s owner, MCH Basel, set in motion the procedure to replace the provisional Hall 6, which housed the national pavilions, and create a new and more compact structure. Phase 1 of construction began in 2010 and continued for 22 months until the redesigned exhibition centre opened its doors on April 25. Larger, with nearly 141,000 square meters of exhibition space, the eightday show had 25 percent less exhibitors than last year (1460 from 40 nations), while visitor numbers were up 17 percent, setting a new record at 122,000.

“With BaselWorld 2013, we have set new standards. This has further reinforced the uniqueness of this event. There is nothing comparable in the luxury goods industry anywhere in the world,” declared Sylvie Ritter, Managing Director of BaselWorld.

The New Spaces

Although larger, the new site is more compact, with the various halls closer together and internally accessible. René Kamm, CEO of the MCH Basel, explained, “One of the principal concerns was to improve the compactness of the exhibition ground, which had previously been divided into six individual buildings. More than half of the total exhibition area at the Messe Basel has now been accommodated in a single complex of halls.”

One of the most striking features of the new complex is the rather imposing mesh metal façade extending along the new three-story Hall 1 complex. It also covers the new extension of Hall 1.1 over the tramlines, which incorporates what used to be the old Hall 3. The gemstone and diamond exhibitors from that hall have been displaced to the new Hall 3 located at the far (very far) end of Hall 1 in place of the old Hall 5.

Although redesigned with spectacular multilevel stands, the home of the large Swiss watch brands remains Halls 1.0 and 1.1. A number of prestigious jewellery brands now occupy Hall 1.1’s new extension, housed in impressive multi-story stands. All three floors of Hall 2 remain largely the same from a structural point of view. The major difference is that the former prestigious “Fifth Avenue” section of 2.2 has disappeared. Half of the hall now accommodates major jewellery brands while the other half has welcomed companies selling packaging, lighting fixtures, watches, and related products, thus drawing criticism from some of the floor’s upscale jewellers, who questioned the wisdom of this new arrangement.

As with any change, there is a period of adjustment and overcoming growing pains. Hopefully next year, signage will be improved, especially in terms of accessing Hall 4 from Hall 1.1. Even the security guards were lost in trying to explain the way, in either direction.

A whimsical gemstone, diamond, and gold brooch by Chinese brand TTF.

The National Pavilions

Hall 4 is the new venue for the national pavilions, which came from Hall 6. The largest international presence was that of Hong Kong with 184 exhibitors. “After the SARS episode in 2013, we are starting a new chapter at Basel- World,” said Fred Lam, Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. “We are pleased to be here and have just committed to another five-year contract with the show.” He added that traffic was good and exhibitors were happy. Since Hall 6 held 239 companies, the selection of the 184 exhibitors, Lam explained, “centred on which companies would most benefit from participation at BaselWorld.” The second largest pavilion was Thailand.

One national group that chose not to participate in Hall 4 was India. The exhibitors, who came to BaselWorld under the umbrella of India’s Gems & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) were spread out in four small pavilions in Halls 2.1 and 2.2. Each grouping was composed of several stands behind large panels enclosing the booths. When asked about being in Hall 2.2 in this type of arrangement, the answers were always the same: “We are very happy to be in 2.2, but very unhappy with the layout of the booths, which gives the feel of being in a bazaar.”

GJEPC representative Sohil Kothari elucidated the situation: “We have been getting mixed feedback from exhibitors about their concerns for booth arrangements, and we are in discussions with the fair to see how we can improve visibility and the layouts for next year.” He added that Indian companies were happy with sales, even if exposure could have been better in some of the pavilions.

Fabergé was among the global luxury brands exhibiting in the extension of Hall 1.1. Shown here is of its remarkable necklaces made in emeralds and diamonds.

A Few Highlights

Since it is impossible here to cover all the jewellery companies in Halls 1.1 and 2, a few examples of the products are shown on these pages, from simple silver pieces to the most sumptuous diamond and gemstone parures.

The multi-story stands in the new Hall 1.1 extension were impressive, among them the circular stand of Swarovski that glittered with thousands of LED lights along its outside perimeter wall, and ceiling videos that played on cards held at certain points on the floor as the visitor walked around the stand.

Gold and rhodium-plated silver bangles from The Fifth Season by Roberto Coin.

Fabergé’s two-story booth was decorated with elegant furniture in keeping with the brand’s history, and served as a fitting backdrop to its spectacular diamond and gemstone pieces. Acquired by Gemfields in late January 2013, Fabergé is making colour a focus of its collections. Roberto Coin had a large multistory stand out of the Arabian Nights, where the Vicenza brand featured a limited edition collection of gold and gemstone pieces, as well as 500 new models. Its youthful brand The Fifth Season had a range of new silver pieces

Bayco’s 206-ct high-quality emerald.

Nearby, Bayco displayed the most remarkable gemstone at the fair, a 206.09-carat Colombian emerald of exceptional colour and clarity, dubbed “The Imperial Emerald.” Giacomo Hadjibay, a co-owner of the New York-based family company, said the gem was purchased by his father from a private collector earlier this year. When asked if the stone was for sale, he replied that it would be kept by the family and loaned to museums to travel the world.

Diamond, gold, and pearl pendant in the Clair de Lune line by Utopia (left). Pink and white diamond ring by Messika (center). Ring in silver to celebrate the 10th anniverary of Ti Sento (right).

Italian brand Utopia displayed a large assortment of pearl jewellery including its latest collection, “Claire De Lune,” inspired by the moon and the night sky. A few meters further, Messika offered dazzling diamond jewellery, plus a line of edgy spiked creations. Ti Sento celebrated its 10th anniversary at BaselWorld with a series of ten rhodium-plated sterling silver rings. The European brand has now expanded distribution in the USA.

Emerald and black diamond earrings in the “Fly by Night” line by Stephen Webster.

Moving to Halls 2.1 and 2.2, British brand Stephen Webster, in its 15th year at Basel- World, revisited some of the brand’s most famous collections, reinventing the “Fly by Night” and 20s-inspired “Deco Haze” collections in diamonds and coloured gemstones. Webster said the fair was quite good and he made new contacts in addition to welcoming the brand’s established clients.

Gemstone and gold ring by Vianna (left). Black and white diamond ring by Bapalal Keshavlal (right).

Colour was also on the menu at Brazilian brand Vianna with its remarkable Paraiba tourmaline pieces along with the brand’s other colourful creations. Owner Ricardo Vianna expressed his satisfaction with the fair, saying that he was happy to have so many walk-ins as well as regular clients. Not far away, Mumbaibased Bapalal Keshavlal displayed the brand’s sumptuous diamond and gemstone parures. Owner Romy Mehta was delighted with the fair and the booth location. “We are also developing contacts with new potential clients in addition to our established ones. One of the goals of this show is to meet new people.”

A gold “Lock & Love” pendant by Tournaire

Creativity was definitely in the air at the Joaillerie de France pavilion, comprised of several French brands, among them Mathon Paris, with a new Manhattan line, and Lyon-based Tournaire. The son of founder Philippe Tournaire, known for his remarkable rings evoking houses and monuments, Mathieu Tournaire presented his first collection of “Lock & Love,” comprised of pendants with little padlocks. “In 2010, I discovered hundreds of padlocks on the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris and then later on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. As I researched this phenomenon, I realized it has spread around the world, with lovers everywhere leaving the padlocks as a sign of eternal love, then throwing away the key to seal the union.” Mathieu recreated this romantic gesture with a series of gold pendants based on the Pont des Arts in Paris and the Tree of Life, which became a haven for padlocks in Moscow.

The most elaborate stand was Sicis Jewels. The walls were lined with mosaics depicting Emperor Justinian and Queen Theodora and the royal court, which served as a fitting back-drop for the brand’s amazing micro-mosaic jewels, including a new collection designed by Massimiliano & Doriana Fuksas.

Hammered gold and diamond snake ring by Antonini.

While there was no obvious single major trend, nature-inspired themes were popular, especially snakes. Of the many brands presenting snake jewellery, the Italian Antonini introduced its new “Aurea” line of sinuous snake-inspired gold and diamond rings, earrings and cuffs.

“Flash Set” earrings that change colour as they move back and forth by Miiori.

Among its colourful creations, USA brand Miiori presented an intriguing collection called “Flash Set.” This patented setting technique uses diamonds and Swarovski topaz to give different colours and motifs that change as the piece is moved back and forth.

Earrings in Glam Film and rhodiumplated bronze by Rebecca (left). Black diamond and gold earclip by Nikos Koulis (right).

Italian fashion brand Rebecca introduced new collections of rhodium-plated bronze pieces, decorated with their very original Glam Film, while Greek brand Nikos Koulis featured a selection of exotic rings and pendants based on ancient Greek architecture. One of the more remarkable pieces was an earclip that uses a clever system of magnets to remain closed snugly in place.

Gemstone, diamond, and gold ring by Magerit(left). Amethyst and gold earrings by Nanis (right)

From scintillating silver to dazzling diamonds, with a very strong emphasis on the diamonds, BaselWorld featured a wide range of jewellery. Anecdotally, most exhibitors expressed satisfaction at results, while others admitted disappointment and slow traffic. While the watch halls were, as expected, quite busy, the same was not evident in the jewellery sections. But, as with most fairs, mixed results can be expected, depending on product lines and other factors. One thing was abundantly clear, though, BaselWorld clearly intends to be a showcase for luxury, which will continue in the next edition, to be held March 27 to April 3, 2014.

www.baselworld.com