Standing in front of hall 1 and looking right. Modern architecture dominates the new hall 1 for Baselworld. The open elements are the only spots where light from outside can float into the hall.
In Basel the exhibitors are very busy building up their booths for Baselworld 2013. Everything is new, hundreds of millions of Swiss Francs have been invested. Step in and see what I have seen exclusively today.
The MCH Group has invested almost 500 million Swiss Francs to renew the Hall 1 under the guidance of Swiss architecture firm Herzog & De Meuron. Huge efforts have been made to build the new 420-meter-long building with three floors in more or less only one year. Last year Baselworld 2012 was very early and this year the “World Watch and Jewellery Show” starts very, very late. This was due to gain the maximum possible time to accomplish the construction works for the new Hall 1.
Hall 1 will have 141.000 square meters. So everything got bigger than ever before. The brands used the space to enlarge their booths and so many of them had to build new ones. The MCH Group and Baselworld management estimate that the brands together will have invested another 500 million Swiss Francs for their new booths and infrastructure.
So you can imagine how curious everyone is to see the new Hall 1 for Baselworld 2013 and to discover the new booths of the famous watch and jewelry brands.
Today I got access and I am one of the very first journalists to see the new Hall 1 from inside and to discover the new booths. My pictures are definitely a watch-insider.com exclusive, you will find them nowhere else.
Guys please take enough time and please enjoy my exclusive tour!
For a better understanding of the shown locations I do recommend you to have a brief look at the floor plans I posted some days ago … Please click HERE
To enlarge my huge pictures please click on them once and then again …
Welcome to Basel! I look down from the 30th floor of the Ramada Hotel located directly beside the Baselworld halls. What you see is the new built Hall 1.This picture shows you the new (left) and the old (right) Hall 1. Both are connected and together they will host all the important watch and jewelry brands.Hall 1 for Baselworld and the area in front of it with the new built news stand and book shop.The very famous Baselworld clock located at Hall 2The Ramada Hotel … From its 30th floor I took the pictures of the new Hall 1 here in Basel.Today they started the construction of “The Palace” which hosts many independent brands. “The Palace” is located beside the Halls 1, 2 and the Ramada HotelStanding in front of Hall 1 and looking right. Modern architecture dominates the new Hall 1 for Baselworld 2013. The open elements are the only spots where light from outside can float into the hall.Standing in front of Hall 1 and looking left.Underneath the Hall 1 there is a huge tram stop. The big aperture is a dominating design element of the new Hall 1 in Basel.The tram has left … Now you see the main entrance to Baselworld 2013 – the World Watch and Jewellery Show.If you turn around you see the entrance to the hall where Swatch (not Swatch Group!) will expose for the very first time in Basel. Swatch will use a space that has the size of 1500 square metersLooking through the huge aperture of Hall 1Hall 1 seen from the other side. The same modern architecture dominates the scene .Standing beside the Swiss Hotel and Hall 4 (right side) and looking towards Hall 1Where the old Hall 1 and the new Hall 1 meet …A look at the architecture of the old Hall 1 … Not bad at all!But look what a difference in-between the old and the new Hall 1.The display put on the street of a small restaurant beside the hall 1. These prices in CHF for lunch are reasonable. When Baselworld 2013 opens all prices, as always, will artificially rise dramatically … 🙁Busy activities everywhere: The van belongs to a fire prevention company.The main entrance to Hall 1 of Baselworld.Looking back from the entrance area of Hall 1 to the square in-between the Ramada Hotel and Hall 2.This will be the entrance to the Baselworld 2013 press-center. It is located in the basement of the huge, covered car park.Finally inside Hall 1!!! Left you see the new Hublot booth, right the Rolex booth.Left Rolex, thereafter still left Tudor and right Patek Philippe.Patek Philippe is the only company that still uses the booth from last year. Next year in 2014, for the 175 anniversary the manufactory, Patek Philippe will then present its new booth.The entrance to the Patek Philippe booth …A case belonging to ZenithA case belonging to Patek PhilippeA case belonging to HublotLooking down the corridor. Left Rolex and Tudor, right Patek Philippe and Chopard. At the end you see the Swatch Group Plaza and the booth of Omega.The new booth of ZentihStanding at the entrance of Hall 1. Left Bulgari, Hublot, Rolex, Tudor. Right TAG Heuer (covered by the fork-lift truck), Zenith, Patek Philippe and Chopard.A case belonging to TAG HeuerA case belonging to RolexA case belonging to ChopardThe entrance to the brand new Rolex booth. Right Tudor, already covered for protection. For the fhe first time a broader public may now directly access the booth of Rolex and see an exhibition and the new watches.The Swatch Group Plaza. The Swatch Group area is just huge. It hosts all the brands of the group except Swatch. Swatch is located in separate hall with a surface of 1500 square meters.A case belonging to BlancpainBuilding the huge Swatch Group booth …A case belonging to TissotBreitling! In the middle we will again see their huge aquariumA case belonging to Chanel. Taking pictures of their almost ready booth was forbidden. They almost killed me when I took the picture of on of their cases 🙂The backside of the new Omega booth located at the end of the Swatch Group Plaza.Raymond Weil building a brand new three story booth.Standing in-between Raymond Weil (left) and Carl F. Bucherer (right)A case belonging to BreguetHall 1.1 as indicated on the wall. Looking to the booth of de Grisogono (left) and Dior (right)Inside the booth of Dior in Hall 1.1The jewelry brand Gaspari in Hall 1.1Moving on in Hall 1.1… left and right jewelry brandsA case belonging to Swarovski. Inside the case parts of the Watch-VIP roomBuilding famous jewelry booths such as MikimotoThis brand still has a lot of work to do …Looking out of the only windows of hall 1.1 in direction of the square in-between Hall 1, Hall 2 and the Ramada HotelThe booth of Vertu. These windows are just oposide the windows of the picture above.In Hall 1.1 some parts are still very quite. Heavy activities will then start next weekThe stairs connecting Hall 1.0 and hall 1.1 The booth we see right in Hall 1.0 is HublotHall 1.2 … Left Guess jewelry, right Guess watches. Behind at the right side BossBusy activities also in Hall 1.2Looking out of the window in Hall 1.2. Left Hall 2 in front the Ramada Hotel and right the covered car park with the press-center in the basement.There is more to come even here in Hall 1.2. Baselworld opens only in three weeks … :-))Out again and looking back left to the new Hall 1 …… and looking right to Hall 2 and the famous Baselworld clock.
Moo, thanks for the feedback! As soon as Baselworld 2013 opens its doors I will also deliver pictures and films of the entire new building with all the new booths.
Cool pics – thanks for the insight..I’ve never been there and it’s greate to have a ‘behind-teh-scenes’ look.
Moo, thanks for the feedback! As soon as Baselworld 2013 opens its doors I will also deliver pictures and films of the entire new building with all the new booths.
Alexander