MCH Group has confirmed that HourUniverse, a jewellery and watch show created in the wake of Baselworld's closure, will not take place in April...

Rather than wait to see how the covid health situation develops over the winter and see how quickly vaccines can be rolled-out on mass, Richemont-backed FHH has decided to nix the physical event, scheduled for April 7 to 13.

Organiser expects to hold a covid-safe mass participation exhibition over five days from April 15 to 19.

HourUniverse will take place from 8 to 12 April, 2021, in the cavernous Hall 1 of the Messe Basel event space.

Neither Rolex nor Watches & Wonders has officially confirmed dates, and the programme of shows next year relies on continuing control of the Covid pandemic, or mass vaccination.

Inhorgenta Trendfactory is billed as a digital knowledge and trend platform for the jewellery, watch and gems industry.

A total of 17 brands are taking part in the event, which runs until Saturday 29 August, and will be exhibiting to press and clients in boutiques and hotels across downtown Geneva on a by-appointment-only basis.

JCK Las Vegas & its sister show Luxury, which would have taken place at the end of May were it not for Covid-19, opens tomorrow, August 11, as a global virtual exhibition and education forum.

Jewellers have reacted with indifference to news that Baselworld's organiser, MCH Group, will launch a new show in Basel called HourUniverse in April next year.

Fabienne Lupo, who has spent 15 years at the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie and been the face of the rebranded Watches & Wonders Geneva, has been replaced with Richemont's Head of Specialist Watchmakers Emmanuel Perrin.