iW Magazine Fall 2018 | Page 6

FROM THE EDITORS Letters + Events From Guangzhou Onlyou Watch Industry Co, seen at the Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair. WATCHES AND CLOCKS IN HONG KONG his past September 4-8 marked my first visit to the Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair, and it was indeed a new adventure for me. From the stunning fairgrounds over- looking Victoria Harbor to the breadth of exhibitors (numbering about 830), it was an experience I’m grateful to add to my decades-long career as a timepiece journalist. T One of my favorite presentations was that given by Vincent Calabrese, independent watchmaker and co-founder of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants, who discussed the differ- ence between a tourbillon and carrousel. As a fan of Mr. Calabrese, I enjoyed his talk (via a translator) and visual presentation immensely. After three days perusing the show, as well as THE METICULOUSLY MANAGED ENDEAVOR, THIS YEAR CELEBRATING ITS 37TH EDITION, welcomed a bit of sightseeing during my off hours, it was 21,000 international visitors to its web of exhibition halls, and it was also open to the public on September time to head home. I was sorry to leave before the 8. Interestingly, more than ninety brands sold watches on that final day, allowing visitors to not only enjoy “public day,” since I think, from my experience at the overall experience of the fair, but also to leave with a favorite timepiece.  other trade shows, this can be a reasonable gauge Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Hong Kong Watch Manu- of general consumer interest. Nevertheless, I left facturers Association Ltd. and the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades and Industries, the show secure in the fact that watches—one-of-a-kind, highlighted everything from complete watches and clocks to components and trade services. The concur- hybrid, mechanical or quartz—are here to stay. rent Salon de TE, now in its sixth year, included more than 140 brands and designer collections. A number of panel discussions, seminars and networking opportunities were held throughout the days of the fair, many with a focus on trends within the watch and clock business. Smart watches and their effect Have fun reading, on the industry was a hot topic at the Asian Watch Conference and, according to Jorge Martin, head of Fashion Research at Euromonitor International (EI), there has been a wide variety of responses from watch manufacturers to their introduction. His conclusion? “My opinion, based on the numbers, is that there is no such thing as cannibalization in most cases between smart pieces and traditional watches.” He even suggested that smart watches might Nancy Olson create a new market for traditional watches. Managing Editor | [email protected] 6 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | FALL 2018