Please excuse diary form. Too much to say to write good English! BaselWorld, so named this year suddenly, yet excluding therefore second venue Zurich. Weather not wonderful, but all general arrangements again much improved as they are year after year. Absence of trams in front of main halls most welcome; easier to buy daily newspapers from shop opposite. Press centre well staffed and plenty of room; computers for filing stories more readily available than ever, and lockers very necessary and welcome. DHL desk most helpful for consigning hundreds of brochures back home.

Press day went well, but dominated by SARS crisis. René Kamm handled difficult situation with aplomb. Recent press release indicates possible legal action against Swiss authorities. Never went to Zurich on account of 383 out of 786 booths empty there. Travellers and exhibitors from China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam greatly affected by ban on 'assembled attendance'. None received closure advice at departure airports. Stanley Lau and Frederick Lam articulated well on difficult subject. We journalists wondered about it, in view of visitors from these countries welcome by themselves at any booth in BaselWorld. Did not see any masks. Only 11 booths affected in Basel halls themselves.

Jasmina Steele, PR for Patek Philippe, reported very few cancelled appointments and business excellent, as most brands have been reporting. Same applied to SIHH in Geneva, and no masks seen there either. Basel city trams as efficient as always, with no. 6 the favourite. For first time hotel rooms available; most hotels boasted evening brand's events. BaselWorld without mobiles is now unimaginable. Most booths inaccessible without appointments, with attractive though untrained local girls barring the way. Champagne available everywhere all day; Miss Universe a welcome sight at Maurice Lacroix reception. Hall of Dreams excellent innovation, but why Vertu mobiles there? Bulgari booth outrageous as ever. Outstanding wine-tasting on Chopard booth after Jacky Ickx and Karl-Friederich Scheufele double-act. The latter and sister Caroline own fine wine dealer La Galerie des Arts du Vin which presented the wines.

Had to miss Forum at BaselWorld on Sunday 6th April to reach Geneva by train for evening press event at opera house. Excellent central hotel. Plentiful free shuttle service from all hotels to Palexpo throughout SIHH event. Just 16 exhibitors, no cancellations, no masks, lots of free wonderful food and wine through every day. You see, no escape from SIHH event during day, as no village etc. nearby! Very crisp and ef-ficient organization from newly styled Press Day, with lunch upstairs in company of brand CEOs welcome. Press centre smoothly run by Anne Biéler, plentiful world papers and journals always there, along with food and wine for private conversations, enjoyment and note-taking. Lockers for battle-worn journalists are promised for next year at last; hourly schedules were relentless but enjoyable and always essential.

Lots of evening events, including huge and impressive Audemars Piguet party outside Geneva. Was not invited to Franck Muller shindig with Ray Charles entertaining apparently. There was After-Dinner Boat on the lake, after 10 o'clock, with plentiful drinks, food and entertainment of all sorts. Excellent for late-night informal contacts, and watching first-time-attending salespersons doing their stuff on the dance floors on various decks. Casino packed every night. Lots of heavy heads at Palexpo each morning, as we press people were handsomely loaded up with gifts and handouts.

Very impressive ranges of new wristwatches were presented and understandably tight security. Will not mention individual brands among the sixteen, as unfair to pick our just a few models. Japanese visitors were photographing everything in all showcases.

Final recollections on way back to London? Aching bones, hundreds of receipts to be sorted, as many visiting cards with incomplete notes on them, huge DHL costs rankling, Swiss veal, welcome simultaneous translations at press conferences, pleasures of renewing contacts and making new ones, appreciation of fair organizations and their hospitality, and sorrow that SARS blighted some people's trade experiences. Oh, and watch trade great place to be.





P.S. Moved from London to Somerset, country life suiting me, but violent hailstorms today.