For the uninitiated, Time to Move is the event organised by the Swatch Group to replace its presence at Baselworld (cancelled by the Group two years ago). This year, the presentation of new products from the Swiss giant's premium brands (Blancpain, Breguet, Glashuette Original, Harry Winston, Jaquet Droz, Omega) was scheduled to take place from 4 to 6 March in Zurich. It was an invitation-only event, open to the press and customers (chain buyers and shops around the world). Well, it is news today that the Swatch Group has decided to cancel the event, only a month before it was to take place, due to the concern triggered by the Coronavirus epidemic. Reasonably, the expectation of participation from Chinese buyers is very low, if not almost nil, and coupled with the fears of other participants to undertake air travel, this was enough to make the Group desist from maintaining the organisation of Time to Move. This, if it were needed, is another proof of the weight and centrality of the Chinese market in the luxury sector but, above all, it casts a shadow over the forthcoming trade fairs in April and May (even if they are still a long way off). What is worth reflecting on is that alarmism is rampant. The level of fear at times unjustified. But this is not a new situation. Already years ago we experienced a Baselworld in the midst of a Sars epidemic, and apart from having no memory of contagion during the show, the event was held regularly and the sector was not destroyed. Perhaps this will be an opportunity for brands to bring attention back to Western markets, at least during the two fairs. The disastrous drop in Asian tourism at home will bring inevitable consequences, but the reaction should be to work with more energy on all fronts, and not to stop the machine before it has even started. Those who foresee these scenarios should think harder. Let us therefore have faith in the reasonableness of all market players, because epidemics do exist, but in the industrialised world we have not been living in times of the Black Death for centuries.
Dody Giussani
