The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Breitling Watch Information Forums, Navitimer, Chronomat
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 1:26 am

All times are UTC - 8 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2011 10:27 am 
Offline
Breitling Enthusiast
Breitling Enthusiast

Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2011 9:51 am
Posts: 64
Likes: 1 post
Liked in: 0 post
Location: Wolverhampton, UK
Hi folks

I've been thinking for a while that I'd like to go to the Basel watch fair (Baselworld) in March (8-15th) next year. After this year's surprising Bretling design announcements, next year will be interesting. Is it an good show with lots to see for the watch enthusiast? I enjoy browsing dealers' windows, so I think I'd enjoy the show! I imagine that for many of you on here, visiting it would be paradise and I guess many of you have been? Did you enjoy it as much as you expected? Are the watches just in display cabinets or is there opportunity to handle them?

Tickets are available online at 60 Swiss Francs for the day, (about £40 or $50) so they are easy to obtain and not ridiculously expensive, here http://www.baselworld.com/en-US.aspx


I guess hotels fill up too, does anyone know their availability, at the reasonably (lower) priced end during the show??

I live in the UK so it's quite easy to get to Basel and it sounds like something I'd enjoy.

Maybe we should chose a specific day and have a 'Breitlingsource meetup and dinner' together after the fair!

Any comments from people who have been would be appreciated.

Thanks

_________________
Martin

--

Breitling E17370 titanium Avenger Seawolf yellow face
Tag Heuer Carrera dad date calibre 16
Omega Speedmaster Tintin
Tissot PRC automatic day-date


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2011 11:21 am 
Offline
Contributing Moderator
Contributing Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 5:09 am
Posts: 36521
Likes: 0 post
Liked in: 489 posts
Location: Ontario, Canada
I would plan to stay outside of Basel and use public transit to get in - Swiss public transit is famously reliable and hotels in Basel fill up quickly and are priced accordingly.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2011 11:42 am 
Offline
Breitling Connoisseur
Breitling Connoisseur

Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:58 am
Posts: 694
Likes: 0 post
Liked in: 0 post
Location: uk
Roffensian wrote:
I would plan to stay outside of Basel and use public transit to get in - Swiss public transit is famously reliable and hotels in Basel fill up quickly and are priced accordingly.


haha yeah, i was going to say! the price of entrey is the cheapist part of going there!

_________________
Pain is only weakness leaving the body.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2011 4:37 pm 
Offline
Breitling Enthusiast
Breitling Enthusiast

Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 3:00 pm
Posts: 12
Likes: 0 post
Liked in: 0 post
I was under the impression it was only open to dealers. Is this true? Or, can anyone get in?

How difficult is it to get by in Switzerland only speaking english?

For the guys that have been. Where did you change your money? Was there money changers at the airporte?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2011 4:40 pm 
Offline
Contributing Moderator
Contributing Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 5:09 am
Posts: 36521
Likes: 0 post
Liked in: 489 posts
Location: Ontario, Canada
bucknutty wrote:
I was under the impression it was only open to dealers. Is this true? Or, can anyone get in?



It's open to the public - they had 100,000+ visitors this year.

bucknutty wrote:
For the guys that have been. Where did you change your money? Was there money changers at the airporte?


I'm guessing that you don't travel much. You can change money at all international airports, high street banks, hotels, many malls have bureau de change, etc. You can also buy currency before you leave home. Plus of course credit cards are universal.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2011 5:31 pm 
Offline
King of Ling
King of Ling
User avatar

Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2009 10:07 am
Posts: 2318
Likes: 0 post
Liked in: 0 post
Location: East Midlands UK
bucknutty wrote:
How difficult is it to get by in Switzerland only speaking english?


In almost every country English is extensively spoken,I have traveled to more countries than I care to remember and have never ever had a problem :lingsrock:

_________________
Image
Image
Image


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2011 11:54 pm 
Offline
Breitling Enthusiast
Breitling Enthusiast

Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2011 9:51 am
Posts: 64
Likes: 1 post
Liked in: 0 post
Location: Wolverhampton, UK
It's definately open to the public, Swiss people can always speak good english, Switzerland is easy to get around and to visit.

Oh, the fair... As a normal public visitor, is it enjoyable, do you get to see the displays and exhibits and feel part of the show? Or do you feel like most of it is the manufacturers' large stands that you can't actually get onto / into unless you're a dealer?

Eg, if you've been to a national car show, some of the stands showing popular cars allow you to look closely at them, get in them, etc. The prestige cars are behind roped off barriers and you can't even get close.

At Basel, can you get onto the breitling, omega, rolex stands for a close look? Or are you peering from behind a rope while just the dealers get onto the stand to see the new watches?

Mart

_________________
Martin

--

Breitling E17370 titanium Avenger Seawolf yellow face
Tag Heuer Carrera dad date calibre 16
Omega Speedmaster Tintin
Tissot PRC automatic day-date


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2011 7:40 am 
Offline
Breitling Fanatic
Breitling Fanatic
User avatar

Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:25 am
Posts: 206
Likes: 0 post
Liked in: 0 post
Great show! I've stayed in Zurich, Freiburg, and Basel. Basel is the way to go if you can swing it... Get a few guys and split the cost of the room. Rather than stay in a hotel, look for an short term apartment rental. That's what I did this year and it was awesome.

The show is open to the public; however,you cannot get into many of the brands booths without being a dealer. Even if you are a dealer for certain brands, there are many booths you can't get into unless you are already an AD for that respective brand (Rolex, Breitling, Patek, Tag Heauer, Hublot, etc).

If you choose to stay outside of Basel Freiburg Germany is a nice train ride away, university town with some fun bars and good food. Zurich is a great city with amazing food, shopping, and sites, however it's not cheap... The train ride is about 1:00 to 1:20 from Basel to Zurich and the commute from the convention center to the train station is about 10 minutes. So if you stay in Zurich, you could theoretically spend three hours out of the day commuting. When I stayed in Basel this year it was 30 minutes a day. I will say the transportation system in Switzerland is amazing, and easy to navigate.

The show is a blast and Basel is beautiful... Soak it all up, see the show, sights, eat at some great places and experience the best watch show in the world!

Good luck!

_________________
BC


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2011 11:37 am 
Offline
Cult of Breitling Leader
Cult of Breitling Leader
User avatar

Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 7:38 am
Posts: 3169
Likes: 10 posts
Liked in: 4 posts
Location: La Tour-de-Peilz, Switzerland
tozzleozzle wrote:
Roffensian wrote:
I would plan to stay outside of Basel and use public transit to get in - Swiss public transit is famously reliable and hotels in Basel fill up quickly and are priced accordingly.


haha yeah, i was going to say! the price of entrey is the cheapist part of going there!


Unless your AD can provide you with an invitation :wink:

_________________
Image

- This is Ghost Rider requesting a fly-by. - Negative Ghost Rider. The pattern is full.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2011 11:39 am 
Offline
Cult of Breitling Leader
Cult of Breitling Leader
User avatar

Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 7:38 am
Posts: 3169
Likes: 10 posts
Liked in: 4 posts
Location: La Tour-de-Peilz, Switzerland
Bere4421 wrote:
I will say the transportation system in Switzerland is amazing, and easy to navigate.


But they cost you an arm and a leg. But it's OK if you use them just once. :wink:

_________________
Image

- This is Ghost Rider requesting a fly-by. - Negative Ghost Rider. The pattern is full.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Jun 01, 2011 5:32 am 
Offline
Breitling Connoisseur
Breitling Connoisseur
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 5:28 am
Posts: 960
Likes: 1 post
Liked in: 2 posts
If You are interested in watches, You should have seen it at least once. It is for sure worth the trip from the UK.
Try to find a hotel just across the border, that saves You a lot of money. Staying in Freiburg in Germany, You can take the ICE, that brings You there in about 45 minutes and costs about 18 Euros. The trainstation is only 5 minutes walk from the fair. You will not get the chance to visit the both itself (as You have to be a dealer or a journalist and need an appointment to do so), but most watch companies have presented most of their new models in outside displaycases as well.

BG
Thomas

_________________
http://www.ellert.at


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  

Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 78 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
 




Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group