“Trade fairs have a vital role to play when the economy is slowing [down] because they are precisely that: for the trade,” says Fabienne Lupo, chairwoman of Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie.

“Trade exhibitors use them to take the temperature of the profession and then adapt production to their order books. Then it’s up to them to adjust their offering to reflect the economic climate and development time, which for watches is generally calculated in years. It’s a tricky but essential exercise.”

Despite a volatile market situation, there’s much to look forward to at SIHH 2017.

New players

Following last year’s successful Carré des Horlogers, SIHH is adding five more “new-wave watchmakers” to its line-up, bringing the total number of exhibitors to 30 – a record for SIHH. The new members include Grönefeld, MCT – Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps, Ressence, RJ – Romain Jerome and Speake-Marin.

Return of founding partner

Luxury market slowdown

Figures coming out of Switzerland do not bode well for the luxury watch sector. Watch sales in mainland China fell about 30 per cent, while watch exports from Switzerland to Hong Kong slumped more than 30 per cent this year, compared to2015. Many brands have been coping with the slow market by launching entry-level collections since last year. The debate on whether it is a smart move will be continued at this year’s watch fair.

Tightening policy of ‘Swiss Made’ label

Opening for the public

The SIHH has always been an industry professional-only fair until this year. For the first time ever, the fair will open its doors to the general public on the last day. Tickets are priced at CHF70 (HK$533) per person and valid only for Friday, January 20, 2017 from 11 am to 6 pm.

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