Once again we have visited the watch exhibition "Basel-2008". This year Switzerland has met us in comparison with the last year’s hot weather with an unusual cold and rainy weather for spring.

It has to be mentioned that the watch salon has expanded and occupied a part of the 2 pavilion, that is the "Jewelry" one.

In pavilion No. 1 fashion – brands were observed. They have occupied more than 50 % of surface, mostly by Italians. At the exhibition was even posted a stand – ITALIAN DESIGN. If you have a brand (and respectively money for advertisement) — this means that there must be watches also. What kinds of new brands I haven’t seen!!! LOTTO, DUKATTI, and many, many others - mostly Italian. Well, in general you don’t have even to have a brand — if you have a name and strong ambitions — you may organize a very trendy watch brand. Such watches as for example – JLo (Jennifer Lopez) watches or Paris Hilton watches. That is why in the fashion – pavilion watches appear and disappear like mushrooms after the rain.

There have been roomers at the exhibition about the insolvency of some fashion-brands. Parttialy I understand the desire of the head of the SWATCH GROUP not to sell its mechanisms to other brands, thus limiting the appearance of the new watch brands. Watches must have a history and traditions, and only after this after marketing and advertisement. And not the opposite as the new ones propose.

The DUKATTI stand is decorated with an expensive motorcycle, but the main idea is that — the watches placed on the motorcycle chain moved on the elliptical trajectory. However you’ll surprise no one with a motorcycle at the stands of watch companies. I have counted more then ten of them.

In my opinion, the old FIAT 500 (presented at the sand of an Italian Company) has attracted more exhibition spectators’ than anything else — the grandpa of our well known Zaporozhets , than the ultra modern concept-car at the TAG-HEUER stand, in one word — people are tired of high-tech, and now there is observed a tendency of the return of the people’s interest to the retro cars, and respectively to the retro-watches. The majority of watch brands have in their collection (REVUE THOMMEN & ATLANTIC for example) retro-models, and this in its turn, means the return to the , start-point and watch traditions, which are highly appreciated nowadays. One Swiss company (ROMAIN JEROME), which has made lots of noise last year with release of the TITANIK DNA watches, has even mastered the technology of metal aging (steal, as they declare, is originating from the hull of the legendary TITANIC and the rust — is identical with the one on the ship which lays on the bottom of the ocean), and the TITANIK DNA watches look as if they’ve been at least for 100 years under water. Further we encounter FORMULA-1 bolides. They are fewer but they will surprise no one. Each new company tries to make its stand unique, in order to attract attention.

One company (DG), in my opinion has been overzealous — it made its stands of dazzlingly shining light emitting diodes, and the floor — plate-glass. And as a consequence of it they received a dazzlingly shining extravaganza but the watches weren’t seen anywhere.

But this is all that concerns the young and trendy fashion-brands. The old and famous one, were present at the exhibition at the same pavilions and on the same places, have only changed a little bit their decor. PATEK PHILLIP has announced on the last Basel exhibition, that it will not apply anymore the brand mark SWISS MADE – because, it has discredit itself, this inscription is applied by everyone who wants. But I have counted only two models on the PATEK PHILLIP stand without this inscription, and on the others was written or SWISS MADE, or SWISS. Could it be possible to be the last collection?!?!

^{By the way according to the roomers, only the participation at the exhibition for PATEK PHILLIP it comes to 1 million of Swiss francs (and the dollar course is one to one)!!!}

About the dimensions of the watches.

This year, also fashionable, is the large dimensions watches. The bigger the watches are – most possible for them are to be noticed on the wrist and the coolest it is. Slowly the edge between the watches for women and the watches form men is erased. Many men whom I saw at the exhibition prefer the watches with rocks on the watchcase and face and women wear big brutal watches. The "Unisex" trends have reached and the watch industry!!!

About the color.

This the watchcase color has become trendy. Almost each watch company has released watches with a black watchcase. If a year ago ZENITH has assured that their black PVD may be removed only by means of a hacksaw, now this technology is mastered by many companies. The HUBLOT and FRANK VILLA Company have even managed to organize a competition among them – whose watches are the blackest. HUBLOT has combined the release of its "Black" watches with an antiracism campaign.

Some companies have managed to cover the steal watchcase and wristlet of PVD steel!!! You will ask – what’s the need in covering the steel with a coating of PVD steel of the same color? It’s proved to be that the steel PVD is practically doesn’t scratch!!! In comparison with the usual watch steel 316L. And it looks better.

Also this year is trendy a combination of black color and pink gilding. Still popular is and the chocolate color – almost in each collection of different watch brands there have been present watches of this color, and not only in the ones for women, as it has been initially thought off, but also in that for men, a fact which looks imposing enough.

About mechanisms.

Some watch brands in a very sophisticated way express time indication of their faces, a fact which makes us to ask — Sorry, but... "what time is it on these watches?" or these watches are needed only in order to attract attention? But for this exist binary watches, which are produced by the Japanese. By the way regarding the Japonese. The world known company CASIO, which missed for 3 years from the Basel exhibition has let know about it.

In one of the beer bars I have watched such a situation. An old Swiss man has with a very high interest studied the catalog ... no, not ROLEX or OMEGA, but the catalog of "our" popular Japanese watches CASIO. It most of been that the Swiss consumer is tired of watches of their own production. That’s why they want something simple, reliable, and nationwide beloved... as for example CASIO watches.

People talk that on Swiss company for the production of electronic watches (with electronic indication), according to the roomers, is on the threshold of insolvency. The main cause of this crisis is due to the fact that the prices for them are up from 2000 Euro.

And now lets return to the watch brands which we represent on the Moldova market

The FREDERIQUE CONSTANT company has presented at the exhibition a new manufactured model in a golden watchcase with a tourbillion, Heart Beat Manufacture Tourbillon Silicium.

A novelty from FREDERIQUE CONSTANT in a traditional format Heart Beat. This time with a tourbillion with a greater amplitude Silicium release wheel (over 300 degrees), which confers to the watches a potential of preciseness and reliability that is only to be envied. The second hand is dislocated on the tourbillion and to the hour and minute hand has joined а double shoulder indication hand of daytime. The automatic caliber has received an order no. 980. This model’s price is of - 29 500 eURO.

In collection are present many models for women, covered with pink gold, and there are also models with diamonds on the watchcase and face.

In the evening of the April 6, a company has gathered together all distributors in an old-fashioned restaurant, where it has treated everyone with an exquisite dinner, and in the same time has concluded their activity during the 2007. It must be noted that our country, has for the first time been among the first s-6 countries of the former CIS from the point of view of the sales; After Russia, Ukraine, Byelorussia, Kazakhstan and Armenia, which for us is a pretty good result.

The REVUE THOMMEN company has presented in its flagman line AIRSPEED may new and interesting models. These are first of all models with black PVD-coating, on a caoutchouc wristlet, аnd pink gilding. After this an enlarged, more massive model XLAGE, along with the others (as at BREITLING) presented at Basel, matt treatment of the watchcase and wristlet’s surface, with considerable dimensions makes this model brutal enough. The GROVANA company has presented few interesting models for men – with new mechanismsс новым механизмом, retrograde indication of week days, a big window for the date and a very progressive and trendy design of the watches. Among the models for women are many glamorous models, on wristlets and bracelets, with SWAROWSKI rocks on the watchcase and face. The ATLANTIC company company is celebrating its 120th company’s anniversary. This year their stand has dislocated in the 2nd pavilion a fact that allowed them to expand. This company has prepared for thisevent. On their stand have been presented the new ATLANTIC models, were invited distributors from different countries, were organized competitions, dedicated to the 12th anniversary of the company, prizes were raffled off – of course the ATLANTIC watches. Besides that everyone received memorable souvenirs from ATLANTIC. And the stand-up party was also a real success...
The ATLANTIC company is impetuously developing and now reorganization is realized. We were introduced to the regional manager of PAMELA ARENA, which will supervise our region.

The anniversary automatic chronographer for men is to be mentioned, equipped with the mechanism 7750, on a leather wristlet. It is Limited edition watchcases of 120 pieces.
Also they have presented a quartz chronographer WORLDMASTER with a retrograde indication.
The classic collection SEAMOON is now released and in a bigger watchcase, of enlarged dimensions in accordance with the new watch trend. The APPELLA copmpany has presented lots of new models for men on leather wristlet, watchcase covered with a black PVD covering, which is so trendy this year. Also we have seen lots of new classical models of enlarged watches for women with SWAROWSKI rocks on the watchcase and face.

We saw APPELLA gold watches of 14 karate, which corresponds to our 585 gold standard. Earlier the APPELLA golden collection consisted of only 18 karate gold (equivalent to our 750 gold standard). These new models are a little bit chipper than those of 18 karate, and designated for the «poor», crisis American market, and the watches are not eagerly bought there.

In the evening the APPELLA company has gathered together all its distributors on the board of the ship SWISS DIAMOND, where has been organized a festive dinner, dedicated to the APPELLA brand and all its distributors. The JOVIAL company has presented a very interesting line for women with moving rocks. Nothing like CHOPARD, where the rocks are moving upon the face of the watch, but from the edge of the watchcase. It looks very original. It cannot be described in words – tit must be seen, and even better… no not touch it but have it!!!

On the enlarged version of these watches with nacreous face instead of rocks from the edge of the watchcase — the watch markings – roman figures, looks very stylish. This year the ADRIATICA company has dislocated in its separate pavilion; a fact that signifies that the dynamically developing company is doing pretty well.

ADRIATICA is not stopping pleasing us with the abundance of the new models for women on braslets and with gilded PVD coating. It is possible that from the point of view of the presented at the exhibition number of models this company overpasses all the other Swiss brands in the average price class. швейцарские марки в среднем ценовом классе.

Also it has been presented to us the new models for men with automatic winding mechanism. They are implementing the new Swiss mechanisms SELITA and CLARO. The retail price of these not expensive Swiss watches is approximately varying from 230 up till 330 euro. The POLJOT INTERNATINAL company has presented the new line – BASILIKA, with a the сом от BAIKAL watchcase, new face and new Russian mechanism. Also we were told that strating with this year they will apply sapphire glass on all the models.

In their collection are also present models with black PVD watchcase coating. It also was presented to us the new golden model NICOLAI II in a BAIKAL watchcase, and its reduced golden version — in a СССР watchcase.

The company VOSTOK EUROPE has presented the two new models - ENERGIA and MAXIM GORKII.
The model ENERGIA with the new eccentric mechanism, made on the company’s order at the VOSTOK factory, where the second hand is placed in the upper left corner of the face. The watchcase itself is rather big and equipped with a rotating basel, which has not a tachometric scale, as many other models have but a logarithmic. The watches will be equipped with an instruction, of how to use the logarithmic scale. The model will be released with four different faces – orange, red, green and blue.

The model MAXIM GORKII (no, not in the honor of the proletarial writer, but in honor of the biggest propagandistic plane of those years, named after the writer) doesn’t have a transparent back cover! Instead of it, the face of the watch is made in that way that the rotor of the automatic winding mechanism, is seen through it. The model is released in a massive steel watchcase, with black, trendy PVD – coating, it has a prominent glass of cylindrical form. And, in spite of its dimensions, MAXIM GORKII looks ergonomically enough on the wrist. In general we liked the exhibition — and hope that the novelties presented here, will not let down its creators.