With visitor numbers staying at high levels, no problems with international crises, and a significant rise in the number of trade buyers from West, Central and Eastern Europe and from overseas, Inhorgenta Europe is doing very nicely among the European watch, clock and jewellery fairs in 2003. By 2004 the fair is seeking to strengthen its position still further. All of which is reason enough to make a firm date in your diaries for Inhorgenta Europe, which takes place from 20 to 23 February 2004.

When asked about his most important task for the coming year, Armin Wittmann (37), new Exhibition Director of Inhorgenta Europe, is quite clear: “Pushing ahead with the internat-ionalisation of Inhorgenta Europe.” There may be a new person in charge of the trade fair, but the goals and the strategies have remained the same. That, too, is proof that Inhorgenta Europe is on the right path.

Wittmann, who took over the job of Exhibition Director of the two fairs Inhorgenta Europe and Luxury China (Shanghai) from his predecessor Dieter Dohr in March, has considerable experience in trade fairs. Born in 1965, this business graduate has been working in Messe München´s Consumer Goods area since 1994. And now he is dedicating himself to further consolidating Inhorgenta Europe´s position as the biggest and most important trade fair for watches, clocks and jewellery inside the EU.

Inhorgenta goes Europe – Europe goes Inhorgenta. The current figures show that this Munich trade fair has indeed already gone a long way down that road. In 2003, almost 7,300 trade visitors were registered from abroad. Countries like Italy, Spain, Russia, Japan and the US were more strongly represented than ever before. That serves the business interests of the exhibitors – not least those of the Germans, in view of the

fact that sales in the watch, clock and jewel-

lery sector in Germany last year were comparatively low. Wittmann comments: “Inhorgenta Europe is not only the most important fair by far for order-placement by the retail trade in German-speaking countries, but it is also one of the most important interfaces for international business in jewellery and watches.”

Inhorgenta Europe´s excellence in five main areas draws ever more trade visitors to this fair from all over the world:



1. Design: Inhorgenta Europe is now one of

the top fairs for design. And its reputation is climbing. In terms of jewellery, and in particular designer jewellery, Inhorgenta Europe is already the No. 1. Hall C2, with its 300 highly innovative artists, is a key engine for ideas in the whole sector. Many new names and new ideas in the market are launched from this hall.

In the halls of the watch-makers, the range and quality of designs is excellent. Purists like Nomos, classically elegant brands like Chronoswiss, Glashütte, Maurice Lacroix and Junghans, plus a whole host of big fashion designers and fashion labels like Emporio Armani (watches and jewellery), Hugo Boss, Christian Dior, DKNY, Dolce & Gabbana, Joop, Calvin Klein and Nina Ricci presented their collections in 2003. Also showing the flag in Munich were, of course, the major players in the sector, such as Citizen, Casio, Seiko, Swatchgroup, EganaGoldpfeil, and Fossil.



2. Luxury: Luxury at Inhorgenta Europe is

seen not only in the flawless diamonds, gold, precious stones, perfect pearls and expensive mechanical watches. Luxury in Munich is also about platinum. The Platinum Forum in Hall B2 is virtually unmatched in the world of jewellery. In 2003 this forum at Inhorgenta Europe was once again the meeting place for almost all the big international names in platinum jewellery. Among the highlights were the presentations by exhibitors such as Henrich & Denzel, Gebr. Schaffrath, Furrer-Jacôt, Isabelle Fa and H.D. Krieger. No less exclusive was the atmosphere in the Premiums Hall B1, where fascinating brands like Bunz, Chopard, Michel Herbelin, S.T. Dupont, Christian Bauer, Gellner, Herbstrith, Meister and Schoeffel put on their distinctive displays.



3. Innovation: Inhorgenta Europe brings together in one place almost all the exhibitors in the watch, clock and jewellery market and from associated sectors. Regardless of whether those exhibitors pursue brand concepts or not. This makes this trade fair in Munich the most important market place for ideas and innovations. For, like almost nowhere else, Inhorgenta Europe facilitates an intensive interdisciplinary exchange of experience between manufacturers, suppliers, product developers, designers, artists, marketing experts and retailers.



4. Technology: What use are interesting design concepts or product innovations, when the technology is not there to realise them? For years Inhorgenta Europe has also been a trend-setter in the field of new production and processing techniques. From the major gem-cutters to the tool manufacturers, this Munich fair covers the whole spectrum of technology and research in the watch, clock and jewellery sector.



5. Trends: Thanks to the early dates for the fair, Inhorgenta Europe has established itself as the trend forum among European fairs. New and established brands, innovative trendsetters, lifestyle and fashion labels – by coming to Munich all of them are making sure that the visitors to Inhorgenta Europe are the first to find out what´s 'in' for the coming seasons. The deadline for receipt of registrations from exhibitors in Inhorgenta Europe 2004 is 15 July 2003.

For further information, go to:

www.inhorgenta.com