News After Bangkok this summer, the FH travelling exhibition experienced further success in October in Asia, during its first outing in India.
More than 2,000 people visited Think Time - Think Swiss Excellence during the second edition of the International Watch Exhibition held at the World Trade Center in Mumbai from 7 to 10 October this year. This presentation was organised by the Promotional Affairs Department of the FH, with the collaboration of Présence suisse and the Swiss Consulate General in Mumbai.
"I am dumbfounded," said the director of the event, Sunil Karer, gazing open-mouthed at the fascinated crowd jostling for a view of the eight panels of Think Time - Think Swiss Excellence, in the space allocated free of charge to the FH by the Swiss Consulate General in Mumbai. A huge number of positive comments were received and some consumers were surprised to discover the depth of expertise of the Swiss watch industry. Take the enthusiastic reaction of the following visitor for example, who insisted on grabbing a sheet of paper to write: "Seeing this exhibition has been truly edifying".
After the press conference held on 6 October at the end of the afternoon, the inauguration continued in the presence of guests of honour, who included the Governor of the province of Maharashtra and the Swiss General Consul in Mumbai, Joseph Eisele. In our photo, from left to right: Jean-François Meyer, head of the Promotional Affairs Department of the FH, the Governor of the province of Maharashtra, Joseph Koch, Swiss Vice-Consul in Mumbai and Director of Swiss Business Hub India, and Sunil Karer, Director of the International Watch Exhibition.
Concerning the event itself, quality prevailed over quantity, since there were only 32 exhibitors, including the following 18 Swiss watch manufacturers: Audemars Piguet, Bell & Ross, Bulgari, Cartier, Corum, Christian Dior, Dubey & Schaldenbrand, Gérald Genta, Harry Winston, Lancel, Maurice Lacroix, Movado, Reuge Music, Tag Heuer, Technomarine, Ventura Design on Time, Vulcain and Wenger. It should be noted however that the event was reserved exclusively to the watch industry, despite strong pressure from firms requesting that it be open to jewellery.
Finally, as in Brussels last autumn and Bangkok this summer, the FH delegate was again asked by numerous young people for the addresses of schools of watchmaking. This augers very well for the school of watchmaking due to open shortly in Mumbai, with the backing of Swiss patrons.
November 08, 2004
