SIHH 2019 shake-up sees Van Cleef & Arpels bowing out as Bovet joins the luxury watch fair

Jun 7 , 2018

Digital-friendly facilities have become a greater feature of SIHH in recent years.

Organiser reveals line-up of 35 exhibitors for 2019 edition in Geneva from January

Van Cleef & Arpels, a long-time regular at Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), will be absent from next year’s international luxury watch fair in Geneva. But Bovet, the heritage luxury watchmaker, will take part for the first time.

Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH), the organiser of SIHH, revealed the line-up for the 2019 edition at PalExpo from January 14-17.

The winds of change are blowing through SIHH for the 2019 edition.

The 35 exhibitors – comprising 18 historic maisons and 17 independents as part of the Carre des Horlogers group – has been updated with Bovet for the first time.

Bovet, founded in London in 1822, is known for its lavish decorated dials and high complications.

Van Cleef & Arpels CEO and creative director Nicolas Bos said at SIHH 2018 that the brand was concerned by the evolution of SIHH from a trade fair to more of “a platform for expression, communication, and press”.

“From decades ago, the fair was the only time in the year for the watch brands to meet the distributors, take orders and go into production, but now we meet on a more regular basis,” he said in January. “In the future, SIHH will continue to improve and develop different facets and not only be a trade fair.”

SIHH 2018 featured digital photo booths in the exhibition hall.

SIHH, which was first staged in 1991, is considered as one of the most prestigious international luxury watch fairs. The fair has been supported by Richemont group luxury watch brands Cartier, Piaget, Vacheron Constantin and IWC.