by John Sealander
From September 6-9, 2011, the world’s first International Watch Fair on Facebook took place on the top social network’s website. Participants agreed that this new virtual trade show was an unqualified success. Like any good trade show, the 4-Day International Watch Fair on Facebook provided a forum for buyers, sellers and media representatives to see and evaluate the latest developments in the watch industry.
Hundreds of Industry Leaders Attend
Hundreds of industry leaders attended the Watch Fair. Major luxury and fashion brands like Gevril, Edox, Fortis, Valentino, Versace, Salvatore Ferragamo, Police, Offshore Limited and others showed off their latest timepiece collections.
Race car driver Josh Hurley paid a visit to show off his favorite Volkswagen Design Fortis Spaceleader watch.
Major collector Boris Pjanic showcased items from his collection, including his favorite watchwinder (shown to the right).
Something for Everybody
There was something for everybody at the 4-Day International Watch Fair. Erika Lovisotto Vismara from Valentino used the event to conduct an impromptu survey. Many people commented that the Watch Fair introduced them to some exciting new brands for the very first time. Fred Bekher from Bekher Design showed off a new prototype. Recently relaunched Ingersoll Watches showed off some exciting new mechanical designs.
Newcomer, Artauro, from Spain, introduced a watch with a face made of natural bull horn (shown to the right).
The 4-day event was covered in three languages by Europa Star, the world’s leading online authority for international watch industry news and information.
Great Way for a Brand to Gain Exposure
According to event organizer, Larry Brauner, Social Media Director for the Gevril Group, an online event like this is no substitute for Baselworld, but it could very easily be the next best thing. The fair was completely free to all participants and provided a great way for any watch brand to gain international exposure with a special discussion area where participants could introduce themselves and ask questions. Since the event was held on Facebook, it was easy to upload high quality photos and add links back to company websites.
With the successful conclusion of the first International Watch Fair on Facebook, plans are already underway for an even bigger watch fair next year. According to Larry Brauner, he is using feedback from this year’s participants to design an even better user experience for future online watch fairs. In a tough economy, a virtual trade show like the 4-Day International Watch Fair on Facebook could be one of the most effective ways to reach customers and buyers yet.
Some Timepieces from the Fair
| Ferragamo Mens F62LDT5219 S080 1898 Dual Time Watch |
Fortis Mens 665.13.19 B-42 Stratoliner Limited Edition Chronograph Watch |
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| Edox Ladies 10405 357B NAIN Royal Lady Chronograph Watch |
Valentino Ladies V57MBQ4R01IS001 Lace Collection Watch |
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About Gevril Group
Gevril Group, watchmaker and wholesale watch distributor, is the exclusive U.S. agent for exquisitely designed and crafted European luxury and fashion watch brands, distributing and servicing some of the best affordable luxury and Swiss watches and trendy fashion watches. Gevril Group also operates a full-service watch repair, staffed by master Swiss watchmakers. Contact Gevril Group by email or by calling 845-425-9882.
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