Is Basilia Jewellery & Watch Fair About to Prove Its Bet?

Announced in June 2026, Basilia marks the return of a watch and jewellery fair to Basel, just a few years after the spectacular collapse and disappearance of Baselworld. Three months after its announcement, Basilia Jewellery & Watch Fair appears to be gaining momentum. Will the new Basel show turn early exhibitor interest into a successful and sustainable industry gathering?

Organised by MCH Group, the former operator of Baselworld and current operator of Art Basel, together with Informa Markets Asia, Basilia aims to leverage the infrastructure of Messe Basel while filling part of the gap left by Baselworld’s absence. The most achievable ambition does not necessarily seem to recreate Baselworld, but rather to primarily re-establish a major annual European meeting point for the jewellery industry. While watch-focused events in Switzerland have continued to evolve, most notably with Watches and Wonders Geneva and Geneva Watch Days, the jewellery sector – including manufacturers, wholesalers, gemstone traders, retailers and sourcing specialists – has lacked a central international gathering since Baselworld ended.

Three months in, the momentum looks positive

According to a press release issued today by the organisers, three months after the announcement, the first signs are encouraging. About 280 exhibitors have already registered for the inaugural edition, which will take place from 8 to 11 April 2027 at Messe Basel (Halle 2). The organisers are targeting more than 400 exhibitors, meaning the show is already well on its way towards that objective (70% of the projected total).

The press release also provides some information about the composition of the exhibitor base. Around 70% of confirmed exhibitors represent the jewellery and gemstone sectors, with the remaining 30% coming from the watchmaking industry. The geographical split states that Asian exhibitors currently represent approximately 65% of the exhibition space, with around 35% for European exhibitors. Basilia claims that “participation from Europe and other Western markets is growing, bringing the geographical mix closer to an even balance.”

For the jewellery and gemstone sector, confirmed exhibitors include AV Globale (Singapore), CHQ GmbH and M. T. Mohr (Germany), Cheng & Cheung and RMC Gems (Hong Kong), Duang Kaew (Thailand), Venus Jewel (India) and Precious Pebbles (United States). As for our main concern at MONOCHROME, the watch side remains to be seen, as no names or details have been disclosed so far. This makes it difficult to assess how significant the watchmaking component will ultimately be. And all things considered, we do not see Basilia as a direct competitor to Watches and Wonders – and that does not appear to be the ambition either.

We will keep you updated as more details and exhibitors – particularly on the watch side – are announced. For more details, please consult www.basiliajwf.com