Watch show in Hong Kong, interview with Fabienne Lupo
The crème de la crème of watch brands are heading to Asia for the third time to take part in the Watches & Wonders trade fair on September 30, 2015.Twelve brands will be present, 16,000 visitors are expected, and nearly 900 accredited journalists.
By Joel Grandjean
Editor-in-Chief
In contrast to the SIHH from which it stems, the Watches & Wonders exhibition, which was conceived by some exhibitors who are clearly all members of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, is open to the end customer.
Watchonista.com in situ
The main pillar of our team, Vincent Daveau, himself a watchmaker, will be perambulating through Hong Kong's Convention and Exhibition Centre from Wednesday, September 30, to Saturday October 3, 2015. He will be reporting his discoveries and analyses in real time.The Watches & Wonders fair is becoming increasingly one of the musts on the sector's timetable.And there is one question everyone is asking:Will this particular show already attract new exhibitors this years in light of the creation of the "Carré des Horlogers" show?"Let's not jump the gun," says Fabienne Lupo, CEO of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, in reference the new space the SIHH will be inaugurating in January 2016 with the arrival of nine independent creators and workshops.In the meantime, let us head to Asia with seven questions.
Is the Watches & Wonders a dress rehearsal for the SIHH?
The Watches & Wonders fair is indeed an initiative of the SIHH's Exhibitors' Committee, but it has nothing to do with the SIHH in terms of audience and content.In contrast to the SIHH, which is a private and professional show, Watches & Wonders is a fair aimed at the end customer. It was conceived for the Asian-Pacific region, one of the top watch markets.As a result, the companies exhibiting there consider it an entirely separate engagement. They prepare it with the same care as the SIHH and it is part and parcel of their annual schedule.
Can one exhibit there even if one is not a member of the SIHH or of the Fondation?
The Watches & Wonders exhibition owes its existence to the companies exposing at the SIHH. So it's perfectly natural that, with a few exceptions, the same manufactureswill go to Hong Kong to show their wares. That said, as you know, the next SIHH will feature two major events: a new decor for the Cité des Temps and the integration of the Carré des Horlogers, which will welcome nine independent creators and workshops. It's a sign that the shows are doing things, evolving. Hong Kong will continue to grow and open itself to new prospects.
How do you see this exhibition evolving?
The two first editions of Watches & Wonders drew about 16,000 visitors, including 850 journalists. These figures have only varied slightly from one show to the next and they represent a genuine success for such a "young" fair.This abundance confirms the solidity of the event as a top-notch show for haute horlogeriein Asia.Having said that, it is difficult to make any forecasts for this coming edition due to the socio-economic context in China and Hong Kong since the beginning of the year.
What might the influence of the geopolitical context be in Asia?
Whether it be Watches & Wonders or the SIHH, obviously the geopolitical context will have a serious influence on the success of the fairs. The idea in both cases is to present the year's novelties to the media, to retailers and to the end customer.So, obviously, the economic situation of the region will have an impact.But we are taking a long-term approach and Asia remains the most important export market, with grown interest for collectors and other fans of haute horlogerie.
Some exhibitors occasionally use Watches & Wonders to launch pre-SIHH novelties.Doesn't this weaken the SIHH?
The exhibiting companies consider Watches & Wonders to be an entirely separate fair that is part of their schedule for presentations and product introductions.So they come to Hong Kong with novelties specifically developed for the fair.Some brands do take advantage of the opportunity to launch "preview" products. Certainly, some manufactures have been in the habit of unveiling some of their timepieces prior to the Geneva fair, as a prequel to the SIHH. But they have nothing to do with the objects presented in Hong Kong that one can discover there.
The SIHH 2016 will welcome some newcomers from the "Carré des Horlogers."How are these brands positioned at the Watches & Wonders?
The "Carré des Horlogers" is a leading event of the SIHH 2016. It offers new space for independent creators and workshops. Right now, though, we are talking about the Watches & Wonders fair, which will be opening on September 30, 2015. So let us not jump the gun, please give us some time to organize this premiere at the Geneva fair.
Will the watch you'll be wearing at the fair leave you some time to take advantage of the stay in Hong Kong?
Obviously, Watches & Wonders does give me the opportunity to meet with the exhibiting companies. They are among others, partners of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, which is in turn the organizer of the fair. My teams and I ensure that the exhibition will run smoothly to make sure it provides the best possible conditions.As for the watch, well, it will most certainly be an haute horlogeriepiece.
Watches & Wonders fair, September 30 to October 3, 2015 - Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC)1 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Exhibiting watch brands:A. Lange & Söhne, Baume & Mercier, Cartier, IWC, Jaeger LeCoultre, Montblanc, Panerai, Piaget, Richard Mille, Roger Dubuis, Vacheron Constantin, Van Cleef & Arpels