Inhorgenta Munich continues its success story. In 2018, the international trade fair for jewellery, timepieces and gemstones attracted 4% more exhibitors than in 2017. This trend continues: considerably more exhibitors will attend this year’s fair, from February 22 to 25 2019.
Inhorgenta Munich once again sends very encouraging signals to the sector for jewellery, timepieces and gemstones. More than 65 new exhibitors in the jewellery segment alone have already committed to attending the 2019 fair. In addition to the fully booked hall C1, Gemstones, the Munich event has substantially boosted exhibitor numbers in halls B1, Fine Jewellery, and B2, Elegance & Lifestyle.
The strategy of applying continuous, in-house development to attract international brands appears to be working. There are successes in the timepieces segment, as well: Bruno Söhnle of Glashütte, Germany and famous Swiss watchmaker Maurice Lacroix, for example, will be at the 2019 Inhorgenta Munich after absences in recent years. In addition, the Citizen Group will present both its main brand and its subsidiary brands Frédérique Constant, Alpina and Bulova. Garmin, the renowned manufacturer of smartwatches, will attend for the first time.
The new approaches and awards have also impressed international exhibitors. “This success pleases us. We’re very happy that companies worldwide are playing close attention to the truly encouraging growth of Inhorgenta Munich. And we’re thrilled that a lot of new exhibitors are putting their faith in us,” says Stefanie Mändlein, exhibition director of Inhorgenta Munich. Without a doubt, it is the creative approaches in particular that have helped Munich ensure happy headlines once again.
As in years past, the trade fair hopes to enthuse some 27,000 visitors with new ideas in 2019. Just one new idea is the Watch Boutique. In the middle of Timepiece Hall A1, which covers 11,000 square meters, eight exhibitors (Alexander Shorokhoff, Ebel, MeisterSinger, Michel Herbelin, Mühle Glashütte, Sinn Spezialuhren, Staudt Watches and Tutima Glashütte) will showcase their latest models and collections.
The centerpiece of the Watch Boutique will be a roundtable, where members of the industry can get together every day and discuss the latest developments in the timepiece industry. A bar with a lounge-like atmosphere will accentuate the truly trendy boutique approach.
Another likely factor in the trade fair’s success is the Inhorgenta Award. Presented on February 19, 2017 for the first time ever, this honor for the best designs and concepts in the international jewellery and timepiece segment has quickly made a name for itself.
Exhibition director Stefanie Mändlein says: “We couldn’t have imagined when we created the award that it would become so popular. Everybody wants to attend this event. The demand is tremendous.” Two of the 2019 jury members are top model Franziska Knuppe and German actress Bettina Zimmermann, who is well known in Germany thanks to the TV commercials in which she appears with Liverpool FC manager Jürgen Klopp.
