Baselworld Owner Creates New Industry Show

RAPAPORT... Baselworld owner MCH Group has established Houruniverse, a new trade fair for the watch, jewelry and gemstone industries that will run virtually throughout the year and feature an annual live event.Buyers and sellers can use the show's website to network and exchange information during the year. The live event, which will replace the canceled Baselworld show, will take place in April in Basel, Switzerland. It will be aligned with watch events in Geneva, so members of the trade can travel once for all shows, MCH said last week.The company took "two months to listen, analyze, identify and create [the event]," the company noted. They believe they have fashioned "an innovative platform to meet today's needs, and unite and support a whole community that wants to regroup, make a new start, and is receptive to change."The reorganization follows a falling-out with exhibitors earlier this year that led to a decision in May to cancel the January 2021 Baselworld event and change the show's name and format. A number of high-profile watch and jewelry groups had already pulled out of the January show, including LVMH, Bulgari, Tag Heuer, Hublot, Rolex and Patek Philippe.The company will reveal further details in August.Image: A vendor showing watches at Baselworld 2017. (Shutterstock)