BaselWorld Opens, Changes to Fairground Announced

The 35th World Watch and Jewellery Show, Baselworld, opened Thursday morning, and will run until April 19. 2,109 exhibitors from 45 countries are expecting over 90,000 visitors from all over the world to see their diamonds, jewelry, watches and tools at Europe’s most important industry show.

Rendering of the proposed BaselWorld structure

Show organizers announced plans to demolish Hall 6, the Hall of Universe, and make “significant” improvements to the quality and functionality of the show’s infrastructure.

During a press event Wednesday, Rene Kamm, CEO of show organizer MCH Swiss Exhibition, revealed plans to demolish the temporary Hall 6, which hosts the national pavilions.

“We are now noticing an increasing convergence of watch and jewelry brands and are assuming that this development will become even more marked in the future,” Kamm said. Hall 6 will be open until 2011.

Kamm said that plans have been drawn up for a three-storey hall complex, in which Hall 1 will be extended and the new hall complexes 1 and 3 will be linked by a roof over Exhibition Square. The red porch to Hall 1, as well as the present Hall 3, will be demolished to make way for this new building.

The new structure will double the amount of floor space for multi-storey stands from 45,000 to 90,000 m². Upon completion, the site will be more compact, with connected exhibition halls.

The project’s cost is estimated at 350 million Swiss Francs ($287 million).