After the news of Swatch Group cancelling its annual “Time To Move” summit last week and Grand Seiko also joining the bandwagon, Bulgari is the latest brand to announce their exit from Baselworld 2020.

“We deeply regret Bulgari's decision to withdraw from the next edition of Baselworld,” says Michel Loris-Melikoff, Managing Director of Baselworld. “We are building Baselworld with a fresh approach in collaboration with our partners. Our Baselworld 2020+ concept of a platform of experiences and the building of a large community active throughout the year is meeting with a very positive response not only from our exhibitors, but also from all the key players in the sector with whom we are implementing it.”

This news was quickly followed with the announcement of LVMH Group's confirmation regarding the presence of its entire watch division with brands like TAG Heuer, Hublot and Zenith gearing up for the fair.

Stéphane Bianchi, President of the Watch Division of the LVMH Group said, “The Watchmaking Division of the LVMH Group with TAG Heuer, Hublot, and Zenith remains committed to Baselworld in 2020. We believe in the importance of a major event for the Swiss watch industry and look forward to a successful fair, both in terms of image and sales, for our three Maisons.”

Also added to the list of exhibitors at Baselworld 2020 is Philips in Assocaition with Bacs & Russo – the world's leading auction house in the watch industry. This is the first time that the fair will be hosting an auction house. The exhibition will feature a selection of the most prestigious watches both vintage and modern that were a part of their spring auctions (some of which have never been seen by the general public). They will also be showcasing a selection of exclusive and extraordinary timepieces lent by private collectors.

Aurel Bacs, Senior Consultant and Alexandre Ghotbi, Head of Watches, Continental Europe and the Middle-East of Phillips commented, “Exhibiting in the heart of the world's largest watchmaking exhibition is a magnificent opportunity to present to collectors and watch aficionados, exceptional pieces that Phillips has assembled for its spring sales, but also watches from private collections never before exhibited together. We believe that our mission is to promote the art and culture of watchmaking, past and present, and we work hand in hand with all manufacturers, large and small, to this end.”

As of now the plans for Baselworld 2020 seem to be on track with the fair monitoring the situation regarding the Coronavirus very closely with the authorities.

Watch this space for more updates.