Double the firepower.

Have the stars aligned in some sort of serendipitous way? Or is history merely repeating itself? This morning, we woke up (this side of the world, anyway) to the news that the two major watch fairs—Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) and Baselworld—would be coordinating their dates in 2020, one exhibiting after the other, with SIHH held in Geneva from 26 to 29 April and Baselworld held in Basel from 30 April to 5 May.

President and MD of the SIHH organiser, Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, Fabienne Lupo said: “Our two events have always been different, yet complementary. Resynching with Baselworld will further confirm Switzerland as the foremost destination for watchmaking in the world. This is something we welcome wholeheartedly, as it is in the interests of all.”

Echoing his thoughts, MD of Baselworld Michel Loris-Melikoff said: “This partnership between the two most prominent exhibitions in the industry represents a major breakthrough for the future. Baselworld and the SIHH are working for the industry and its clients.”

Hinting that it was the Baselworld organisers who took the first step in reaching out, Loris-Melikoff added, “We have sought dialogue with the SIHH and, together, have found a solution which benefits visitors, the media, and the entire watchmaking industry enormously.”

The two fairs will synchronise their exhibition dates till 2024, after which it’s anyone’s guess as to what the future holds. For now, we hear a collective sigh of relief from fellow journalists who won’t have to make the trip up there twice.