Watch out for the Watches

Despite hurdles ranging from soaring gold prices, the watch industry is heading for another record year, according to exhibitors at the Baselworld international watch and jewelry show in Switzerland.

The event, which ran from March 8 to March 15, attracted 104,300 visitors, up 1 percent compared with 2011, and a record 3,320 journalists, representing a 9 percent jump.


“The mood is good,” said Nick Hayek, chief executive officer of Swatch Group, the world’s largest watchmaker. “We know that the stock level at retail worldwide is low. Sales are good, so the retailers are enthusiastic.” “There was a sense of newfound prosperity. All of the brands were bringing out fresh product, and the brands were much more forward-looking than they have been in the past three years,” he said, referring to the aftermath of the 2009 global economic crisis that decimated Swiss watch sales.

The $5 million Hublot watch.

Boucheron Cypris Tourbillon sous trois Ponts d'Or Blanc

De Grisogono Tondo By Night