MCH Group, the Swiss organiser of Baselworld, has partnered with Informa Markets, the event-organiser behind Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong, to introduce an annual jewellery and watch fair – Basilia in Switzerland. The event will debut at Messe Basel exhibition centre in Basel city, from 8 to 11 April 2027, returning the jewellery industry to the venue that hosted Baselworld, and continues to be the home of the world’s biggest art fair – Art Basel.
Basilia aims to host over 400 traders from the jewellery and watch industries. The venture is positioned to link Asian manufacturing networks with European market demand.
To accommodate the geographic diversity of suppliers, the organisers plan to move beyond the standard booth layouts traditional to European fairs. Instead, Basilia’s floor plan will be divided into distinct geographic and sector zones. These will operate as localised manufacturing quarters, grouping exhibitors into designated districts and zones dedicated to global trading hubs like Bangkok, Jaipur, Antwerp, and Milan.
However, with the gems and jewellery industry currently caught between fluctuating material prices and international trade barriers, can the strategic positioning of this new platform elevate trade? Roman Imgrüth, CEO, exhibitions & events of the century-old MCH Group, discusses Basilia’s vision in an interview with Shilpa Dhamija.
How is Basilia different from Baselworld, and how does it intend to serve the gems and jewellery industry?
Basilia is not Baselworld. It has a completely different positioning. Baselworld’s positioning no longer makes sense, especially now that Watches and Wonders is established and more watch brands are joining it.
For jewellery, while fairs such as Vicenza and Inhorgenta continue to play an important role, we believe Europe needs an international discovery platform where buyers can find products and brands they cannot find at other European fairs. This is the market gap we intend to fill.
Today, many retailers say they travel to Hong Kong to discover products they cannot source in Europe. We want to bring that discovery experience to Europe, not by creating a clone of Hong Kong shows, but through a different exhibition concept, in collaboration with Informa. There will be a carefully selected group of exhibitors, including the dominant players, with a premium look but not a premium price, while offering better ROI and better use of time for customers.
Watches are also part of the concept. Baselworld’s exit left Asian, American and German watchmakers without an exhibition-home in Switzerland, and we see an opportunity to address that.
Basilia intends to host 75% of its exhibitors from the gems and jewellery industry. Which segments and geographies are you targeting to attract European buyers to Basilia?
If you look at the jewellery market, the top-end brands such as Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels have moved on, so they are not our target. We are focused on the mid-market and the segment just below the top end. Around 60% to 70% of that market comes from Asia, particularly India, China, and Southeast Asia.
Current European exhibitions do not reflect that reality. Representation from Southeast Asia, for example, is only around 10% to 12%. Since these platforms were traditionally created by European organisers, the exhibitor mix is not aligned with where the market is today. As a result, European buyers increasingly travel to Asian exhibitions to source products. Our objective is to bring that matchmaking to Europe, so Asian representation on the jewellery and gems side will be stronger than at other European exhibitions.
Why launch Basilia when the jewellery industry is facing so many headwinds – tariffs and high gold, silver prices?
We are launching Basilia at a challenging time because such marketplaces matter most during periods of adversity. Baselworld was also launched during difficult times. When the industry faces challenges, a fair should bring people together to address them and capture new opportunities. In that sense, we almost see it as an obligation to launch now.
Why doesn’t the jewellery industry have a Watches and Wonders equivalent trade show dedicated to luxury and high jewellery?
The market is there, but the marketing strategy has changed. Around 13 to 15 of the world’s top 30 jewellery brands used to exhibit at Baselworld, but after its closure, they did not migrate to other fairs. Many are now owned by groups such as Kering, Richemont and LVMH, and increasingly host their own events in Paris and elsewhere. Their need for trade fairs has evolved. If that changes in the future, Basilia could become a platform for them.