“Zürich went incredibly, well, the Swatch directors are in my opinion to be applauded for their vision and implementation in their bold move,” Harry Brown, managing director of Chisholm Hunter, told WatchPro today.
He was speaking after returning from an event where Swatch Group’s luxury watch brands presented their 2019 collections and strategies.
Press were not invited to the retailers’ presentations, and it is understood that news of watches unveiled is embargoed until May.
Mr Brown would not comment on the new collections, but praised Swatch Group for its approach after withdrawing from Baselworld, which ran concurrently to the summit.
“The whole Zürich event was welcoming and efficient and allowed for more focus and quality consideration of the year ahead,” he says.
Baselworld will need to adapt in the face of major brands and groups staging their own events, but Mr Brown hopes it will find a fresh approach.
“Basel has clearly been affected by this years events and it remains to be seen how Basel world will respond to the watch businesses reassessment of its place in their calendar, we all wish them well,” he suggests.
“In today’s business environment the worst thing any of us can do is attempt to stand still, I’m really excited seeing the changes in our industry, we see them as opportunities rather than threats,” he concludes.
