Countdown to Baselworld 2014

A week from now Baselworld doors fling open unto an eager crowd of watch and jewelry enthusiasts, buyers, boutique owners, journalists and seekers. From March 27th to April 3rd, show goers will venture from hall to hall and event to event gathering information about new styles, prices and brands. Old friends will meet, new ones made, contacts forged, orders arranged and signed upon the dotted line. Seven informative Baselword Daily News issues ,available online and at the show itself,  keeps visitors abreast of "must-see", news and current trends. A Baselword App on your i-phone, i-pad, blackberry and android provides useful interactive information.

I have outlined a brief Pre-Baselworld Virtual Walk to Navigate the halls. Keep in mind, this is just a hint of what awaits you at the show.


Hall 1.0 is a given to go with highly popular prolific top notch brands such as Rolex, Breitling, Omega, Patek Phillipe, Tissot, Hublot, Tag Heuer - you get the gist.

Breitling for Bentley 6.75 Midnight carbon

Hall 1.1 houses a bejeweled assortment of high end brands - famous for gem encrusted watches and jewelry  such as House of Graff, Boucheron, Jacob &; Co. and of course de Grisigono.  Great Sporty brands such as Edox, U-Boat and Clerc are displayed among high end accessory brands such as Hermès, Dior and Chanel. Seiko holds a prominent place being in a category of its own.
Quite a few lessor known brands are within these walls, but favorites are found all around.  Europa Star spans one wall - an excellent watch news source.
 Hall 1.3 showcases affordable brands such as Invicta, Follie Follie, Guess and Casio.

Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24

International Brands
Hall 2.0, 2.1, 2.2 is abundant with jewelry - each booth displaying originality in design and expertise.
Eterna, Ball Watch USA holds command of Hall 5.0.
The Palace is by far my favorite Baselworld local, housing unparallelled watch making expertise.  HYT renowned for its hydro mechanical timepiece is at P03, while at P06, the edgy and daring Artya brand  rubs shoulders with the elusive Haldimann Horology.

HYT H2 Forged from Titanium & White Gold with Blue Fluid

 The Palace is abundant with complex complications perfected by MB &F, Konstantin Chaykin (genius in watch design) and Christophe Claret.  Badollet - keeper of my favorite design and De Bethune- creator of the finest blue  are found at P01 and P02 respectively.

Badollet Ivresse like a Painters Pallet

Hall 3.0 and 3.1 is abundant with jewelry and gem.
Hall 4U holds necessary tools for the trade and Hall 4.0 and 4.1 are National Pavilions.



Unlike the exclusive SIHH , where visitors must receive an invitation to attend, Baselworld is open to the public without prior registration.  Simply show up and purchase your ticket "on-the-spot" or online at www.baselworld.com. Prices are quite affordable at CHF   60.-for the day or CHF 150.-for the week.

Coming from far and away without a place to stay? Enjoy some Swiss Hospitality at the Mövenpick Hotel Egerkingen. If you wish to be a bit closer to the action, a room at the Hotel Alexander Basel is a stones throw away. Zürich is  a 90 minute train ride away with hotels galore ready to welcome a Baselword traveller. But whether you come by land or air, it is on the water you can stay.  Book a floating room on the "Hotel Ship" for the duration of your trip. A free shuttle bus will transport you to the show - just 15 minutes away. 

The show does not end at closing time, Baselworld Village is open from 6pm until 2am.  Restaurants and Bars provide prime places to seal a deal over some fine wine and delectable dine.  

For the best and most productive Baselworld experience planning is crucial, but  the most memorable moment may just be chance. Make a memory, a deal, a contract, a sale, a moment.  Come to Baselworld.

Edox unveils its new Edox Grand Ocean Collection

Edox is celebrating its 125th birthday this year. It is one of the few existing watch companies that remain independent to this day. In 1961, Edox introduced the world's first wristwatch with a double case back and protective gaskets and seals, raising the global bar for shock protection and water resistance. The watch was aptly named the Delfin as it could weather the seas like a Dolphin. To commemorate the Delfin, Edox has introduced the Edox Grand Ocean Collection. The watches are all mechanical with a distinctly maritime theme.

The Edox Chronograph Grand Ocean Automatic is powered by the automatic rewind calibre Edox No. 012 movement with a power reserve of 42 hours. On the watches back ,like a sea vessels porthole, is a small round opening exactly above the balance wheel.
The name Edox, chosen by the talented watchmaker and founder of Edox, Christian Ruefli-Flury in 1884, signifying "the hour" in ancient Greece., is emblazoned at the 12 'o clock position. Above Edox is Edox's symbol, "the hourglass", which was chosen in 1900.
Another watch in Edox's Grand Collection is the the Grand Ocean Decentrique Date Automatic.If you wondering about the term "Decentrique" check out the off centered dial. This watch is a grand 45mm in diameter with a popular fusion of rubber, PVD, and rose gold coating. This watch as with all in the Grand Ocean Collection is water resistant up to 100mm. The waxing and waning of the Roman Numerals portray a marvelous sweeping look, giving the timepiece a sense of space greater than its 45mm. I have a couple of misgivings about the date indicator as I feel the +1 and -2 are unnecessary, unless of course they portray a maritime meaning completely above my head. A handsome sporty watch for a reasonable $2,800.
This Grand Ocean is the most balanced of the collection, although I am not to thrilled by the three day window. Most people have learned the days of the week by the time they have reached the Edox wearing stage; however, it does add to the charm. Enclosed within its 45mm rose gold coated case is the small highly reliable ETA calibre 2836. Now we know ETA ,owned by Swatch Group, stands for Elegance, Technology and Accuracy which sums up the movement of this Edox Grand Ocean.

A fine collection.