How dangerous could the coronavirus be for the watch industry?
The situation is similar to 2003's SARS outbreak, which saw a sharp drop in sales in Hong Kong.
The global shipping trade is grinding to a halt as seven of the world's ten major ports are based in China, crude oil prices are at the lowest level in a year, and numerous airlines are severely reducing, if not canceling, flights to and from the Chinese mainland. But how is the Swiss watch industry fairing in the wake of this health crisis?Chinese consumption of watches has plummeted as people have been advised to stay home.
Watchonista's cofounder Marco Gabella added, "With the rescheduled dates of Baselworld and SIHH we knew that 2020 would be a transformative year for the watch industry – but none of us expected a virus to have this kind of effect. Only time will tell if the other trade shows will be canceled or postponed.
"From a business perspective, Panerai has built an international network and one of the brand strength is the diversification of its clientele around the world. China is of course an important market but we have other opportunities that will minimize the impact of the existing crisis such as USA or Europe. Indeed, our local clients and markets represent the majority of our business. We are keeping monitoring the situation regularly and remain confident in the long term.
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