Basel World 2019 Visit Report

[Mile121]

Hi Guys

Like most of us Basel is a watch nuts holy grail. After many years talking about it, I finally went this year. It was only an hours flight from the UK, so why the heck not.

What was like? Big, Flash and completely unfriendly and a boring to be honest. They are not interested in us "end users". Most of it was out of bounds to mere mortals like me. With lots of security stopping you getting in anywhere, it was borderline intimidating.

So once you have looked in the windows, (which you can do anywhere). There wasn't much else to do. I appreciate it's a trade show, but there were lots of enthusiasts there who were shunned. But without guys like us, they wouldn't be there at all...

Been once wouldn't go again. Thought I would share as I appreciate most of you guys are in the US. That's a long way to come for not a lot.

Cheers

[jeffnnj]

Interesting. I watched Federico’s video where he said much of the same.


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[mrricks]

I hope you at least enjoyed some good food.

Jocke always seems to find good places to eat.

[Yeldraw]

Originally Posted by Mile121

Hi Guys

Like most of us Basel is a watch nuts holy grail. After many years talking about it, I finally went this year. It was only an hours flight from the UK, so why the heck not.

What was like? Big, Flash and completely unfriendly and a boring to be honest. They are not interested in us "end users". Most of it was out of bounds to mere mortals like me. With lots of security stopping you getting in anywhere, it was borderline intimidating.

So once you have looked in the windows, (which you can do anywhere). There wasn't much else to do. I appreciate it's a trade show, but there were lots of enthusiasts there who were shunned. But without guys like us, they wouldn't be there at all...

Been once wouldn't go again. Thought I would share as I appreciate most of you guys are in the US. That's a long way to come for not a lot.

Cheers

Thanks for the review. I was going to go this year myself but then circumstances changed and I ended up not going. I had my reservations about going in the first place as I heard that you can't really get to see a lot so I'm glad I didn't go now.

Ive got my invite to my ADs Baselworld event so I'm looking forward to that as at-least you can actually try on the pieces even if they are dummy models.

Oh and the free champagne also helps

[Etschell]

This is why I would never go. Much like visiting the Rolex AD for most of us now a days it is simply a colossal waste of time.

[Jocke]

Originally Posted by mrricks

I hope you at least enjoyed the some good food.

Jocke always seems to find good places to eat.

I can smell a good schnitzel several miles away, not only in Basel.

[mrricks]

Schnitzel, ummmmm, good.

[strafer_kid]

It strikes me that the event itself is way overrated particularly as regards what it produces for the average watch enthusiast, as is all the hype and anticipation about new releases etc in the weeks and months before. From a Rolex standpoint, little seems to get released that fires up the enthusiast, and what does eventually emerge seems to result in huge anxiety, negativity and disappointment over lists and general non availability.

[Fallranger]

Thanks for the perspective. I thought about going but when I found out you can’t try on any of the watches it kind of put me off. Can’t imagine why they wouldn’t use it as a huge opportunity for sales like any other trade show.


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[faz]

Originally Posted by Mile121

Hi Guys

Like most of us Basel is a watch nuts holy grail. After many years talking about it, I finally went this year. It was only an hours flight from the UK, so why the heck not.

What was like? Big, Flash and completely unfriendly and a boring to be honest. They are not interested in us "end users". Most of it was out of bounds to mere mortals like me. With lots of security stopping you getting in anywhere, it was borderline intimidating.

So once you have looked in the windows, (which you can do anywhere). There wasn't much else to do. I appreciate it's a trade show, but there were lots of enthusiasts there who were shunned. But without guys like us, they wouldn't be there at all...

Been once wouldn't go again. Thought I would share as I appreciate most of you guys are in the US. That's a long way to come for not a lot.

Cheers

Thanks for your overview and sharing. Interesting! As a kind of a newbie to the WIS world myself , I was hoping to go there at least once sometime in future. I assumed it would be heaven for an end user, watch enthusiast like us. Your experience (and those of some others as mentioned here in this thread) makes me think twice.