We have written a lot about the resurgence of a British-based watch industry over the past year and now it is time for us, as a magazine, to make our own contribution to rebooting the industry in the UK.
Since WatchPro became a standalone magazine and website with daily news alerts back in March we’ve worked hard to serve the industry through providing a constant stream of relevant, must-know information. I’m proud to say it’s been a success, with many of you expressing that you’re not quite sure how you kept up with industry news before the aforementioned daily alerts.
Now we’re kicking it up a gear. Much like it was long ago said to us that the watch industry needed its own dedicated B2B magazine, it has similarly been said – and perhaps for even longer – that what is really missing from the UK watch industry is a dedicated trade show, and that gap is exactly what we will fill in July.
You can find the full details of The London Watch Show in our news story here, but the abridged version is that we will host a B2B exhibition for watch brands, and only watch brands, at the Freemasons Hall in London on July 2 and 3, 2013.
For a new event, it has been overwhelmingly well received. Watch brands from all areas of the market and watch retailers have met the idea for The London Watch Show with such a genuine enthusiasm that it has taken us by surprise. We had a strong selection of brands signed up before the announcement was even officially been made and a huge list of others set to join us in the coming weeks. Keep up with the developments at watchpro.com.
And as another nod from us to the achievements of the British watch industry, we are taking the much-loved Hot 100 concept used at WatchPro’s sister magazine Professional Jeweller and replicating it for the UK watch industry. We will compile a list of 100 of the most influential members of the trade working in the UK, photograph them in stunning original portraits and present it all in a book that will be unveiled at a sparkling party on the evening of the first day of The London Watch Show.
With a new magazine, annual project and trade exhibition checked off the list, you can see we are doing our utmost to support growth in the industry. Now it’s your turn to do the same and show your support by turning up to the London Watch Show in July and joining a fresh wave of watch companies and stores ready to innovate and make things happen, right here in the UK.
This column originally appeared in the December 2012 issue of WatchPro magazine. To see a digital version of the magazine click here.
