11 January 2018

SALON INTERNATIONAL DE LA HAUTE HORLOGERIE (SIHH)

VNR

 

THE FIRST HIGH-END LUXURY WATCH SHOW OF 2018 OPENS IN GENEVA

SIHH EXPANDS TO INCLUDE NEW NAMES SUCH AS HERMÉS AND PRESENTS MULTITUDE OF NEW FEATURES BY THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS WATCH BRANDS IN THE WORLD

The positive trend of Swiss watch industry has seen seven months of continuous export growth, +4% as of November 2017 for watches up to CHF 3’000 (Nov2017 vs Nov2016). The total value of Swiss watches exports stood at just under 2.0 billion francs (1.977 million), equivalent to 6.3% growth on the November 2016 figure*.

 

50% of the clients who buy Haute Horlogerie (High Watchmaking watches) are less than 30 years old.

 

The 20,000 visitors who are expected at this 28th edition of the SIHH will be able to discover Fine Watchmaking in even more attractive, exclusive, comfortable, connected, interactive surroundings... confirming the fair as an extraordinary showcase with no equivalent anywhere in the world, as much for its prestigious exhibitors (only 35) as the quality of its structures it provides its visitors.

 

For its 2018 edition, which will run from January 15th to 19th in Geneva (Switzerland), SIHH continues to enjoy successful and carefully managed growth.

 

CARTIER, HERMES (new this year), IWC, MONTBLANC, AUDEMARS-PIGUET, JAEGER-LECOULTRE, PIAGET, VAN CLEEF & ARPELS, PANERAI, RICHARD MILLE, VACHERON CONSTANTIN, GIRARD-PERREGAUX, etc… Total of 35 highly prestigious exhibitors (including no fewer than six new arrivals), a day for the general public (carrying on from last year's success), the launch of a unique networking and content hub at the heart of the fair: the 28th SIHH gains in size and scope.

 

It's the first trade fair of the year, setting the tone for the 12 months to come as it rolls out the latest trends in the high-end luxury industry.

 

First conducted in 1991, Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie has grown to be the world's premier celebration of the high-end luxury watches. Only a small selection of watch brands are invited to appear on the famed alleys of the Geneva fair. Connoisseurs of technics, art and style gather to admire masterpieces and new collections.

 

 

The 2018 edition will be even bigger and better with:

 

· The arrival of six new exhibitors with Hermès. This brings the total number of exhibitors to 35, with 18 historic maisons and 17 independent smaller brands in the “Carré des Horlogers”.

· New spaces, starting with the impressive entrance which has been redesigned to facilitate visitor flow, and private lounges for business clients and VIP guests.

 

· Comfortable and connected, a new Auditorium will host a full and attractive programme including product presentations, CEO interviews, specialist talks, panel discussions and round tables. It will be fully equipped for filming and live streaming.

 

· Bloggers and influencers will have their say thanks to the "White Box" plug-and-play studios that will be dotted around the aisles – perfect for interviews, product shootings and preparing social media posts without being completely cut off from the atmosphere and buzz of the fair.

 

· For a taste of adventure, three virtual reality scenarios will be a chance to use a marine chronometer, a railroad watch or a flyback chronograph in situations where time is of the essence.

 

· Building on last year's popular Open Day, SIHH reaches out to end customers and fans of beautiful timepieces and will open its doors to the general public on Friday 19th January 2018. Tickets are on sale now at www.sihh.org.

 

* Fédération Horlogère Suisse sourcing

 

Historic Maisons

A.Lange & Söhne, Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Cartier, Girard-Perregaux, Greubel Forsey, Hermès, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Montblanc, Panerai, Parmigiani Fleurier, Piaget, Richard Mille, Roger Dubuis, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron Constantin,

Van Cleef & Arpels

 

Carré des Horlogers

Armin Strom, Christophe Claret, Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud, DeWitt, Élégante by F.P.Journe, Grönefeld, H. Moser & Cie, Hautlence, HYT, Kari Voutilainen, Laurent Ferrier, MB&F, Ressence, Romain Gauthier, RJ-Romain Jerome, Speake-Marin, Urwerk

 

 

Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie

Palexpo - Geneva - Switzerland

15th – 19th January 2018 www.sihh.org

Overview

00'00 - 00'30: General shots of Geneva

00'30 - 01'25: General shots SIHH 2018

01'25 - 02'00: Interview: Fabienne Lupo, President and Managing Director Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie

02'00 - 02'50: Interview & General Shots: Hermès

02'50 - 03'50: Interview & General Shots: Audemars Piguet

03'50 - 04'45: Interview & General Shots: Roger Dubuis

04'45 - 05'20: Interview & General Shots: Piaget

05'20 - 06'10: Interview & General Shots: Ulysse Nardin

06'10 - 06'43: Interview & General Shots: Richard Mille

 

SOT Fabienne Lupo, President and Managing Director, Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie

 

It’s really like a summit of fine watchmaking, like a Davos of watchmaking. This is our ambition. And of course we want to keep this glamorous mood and trend because for sure this show is probably one of the most beautiful show in the world.

 

SOT Guillaume de Seynes, Chairman, Hermès Watches

 

For us it’s great to join the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie this year. We think that it matches very well the strategy we have had in watchmaking.

 

We are Hermès, this very well known brand, we are born in Paris but we are also today a true Swiss watchmaker.

 

SOT François-Henry Bennahmias, CEO, Audemars Piguet

 

The SIHH becomes more every day a sort of SIHH meets fashion weeks meets Art Basle. Meaning we are inviting ever more end clients, final consumers, who show up here and spend five or six days. We introduce them the novelties. We have the B2B business, the retailers and then on Friday it’s going to be open to the public, to everybody. They might not be able to afford these watches but we educate them.

 

SOT Jean-Marc Pontroué, CEO, Roger Dubuis

So we are unveiling today our second motorsport partnership. After Pioline 2017 we are unveiling here to the trade for the first time our partnership with Lamborghini with this spectacular new limited edition which is how visionary engineers – Italian from Lamborghini – are partnering with incredible watchmakers, which are our watchmakers in Geneva.

 

Lamborghini is about spectacular designs and we are in the same business, spectacular mechanism. We are in the same industry.

 

SOT Chabi Nouri, CEO, Piaget

 

I would say definitely it’s our feminine watch that we launched – our possession watch – that is probably the key jewelry watch to discover at this SIHH. It combines all what Piaget is at its best, all our savoir faire and at the same time it’s interesting it makes it unique because we designed it the same way how we design our jewelry lines.

 

SOT Patrick Pruniaux, CEO, Ulysse Nardin

 

The watch will have a major purpose in 2020, probably more than it has now. The watch encapsulates a lot of the contemporary modern values. Within one product which could be almost a talisman it brings a lot of value in terms of story about you. It says things about your emotional life, about what you like in your life, and also it’s a product you can carry with you all the time. If you think about it, it’s a highly sustainable product, when it comes to a mechanical watch. So I see a very bright future for mechanical watches in the future.

 

SOT Richard Mille, CEO, Richard Mille

 

It’s important because in the same place you can meet a lot of people. So it’s only once a year we can do that. So we take profit of that.

11 January 2018