Stories & Posts
TEDxEcoleHôtelièreLausanne
March 21, 2012
TED is a nonprofit devoted to «Ideas Worth Spreading». It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader, bringing together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes or less) to a community curious to engage with ideas and each other. The best talks are then made available on the TED.com web video site for free, subtitled in various languages, and released under a Creative Commons license so they can be freely shared and reposted.
About TEDx
TEDx was created in the spirit of TED’s mission, “ideas worth spreading.” The program is designed to give communities, organizations and individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at the local level. TEDx events are fully planned and coordinated independently, on a community-by-community basis, under license from TED.
TEDxEcoleHôtelièreLausanne
The inaugural TEDxEcoleHotelièreLausanne event took place on 16 January 2012 on EHL’s campus, featuring a wide variety of speakers offering much food for thought and many enriching ideas for the hospitality sector.
The successful, independently organized event was attended by Bruno Giussani, European Director of TED, Maeve Ryan (Writer), Mike Hatrick (Innovation Expert), Kynan Eng (Neuroinformatics Researcher at Zurich University), Eva Zabey (Ecosystems Evaluation Expert), Sophie Maxwell (Head of Creative Insight at Pearlfisher), Tom Selwyn (Professor of Anthropology), and Birgit Schleifenbaum (Innovation Expert). The speakers demonstrated their ability to surprise and inspire the audience of around 100 hospitality professionals.
Maeve Ryan explained why successful writers find people extremely fascinating and have a good sense of space, two of the assets required in the creation of new experiences in the hospitality sector.
Kynan Eng talked about experiments on the interaction between space and people, whilst Sophie Maxwell suggested that F&B specialists would find substantial new business development possibilities through the promotion of natural foods that are worlds away from complex artificial packaging.
Sustainable development was also a focus for discussion with Eva Zabey asking the audience to consider the costs of well-being when creating new hospitality concepts. Birgit Schleifenbaum described the way in which sensory science can help to increase the pleasure and energy obtained from food whilst protecting our health and our planet.
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What an exquisite experience
March 21, 2012
We’ve had so many guests from all over the world during Baselworld, some of which have been visiting the show for almost 30 years. Our parents did a great job in nourishing the acquaintances and friendships which were built over these three decades. These friends and our parents grew old together. The younger generation grew up and started working with their parents, so do we. Now it’s our turn to continue this tradition and keep our promise to our customers: “Come as a guest, leave as a friend.”
These are some of the comments of our guests and friends who stayed with us during Baselworld. Thank you for your loyalty. You are all dear to our heart!
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April 25, 2013: the new era
March 14, 2012
New halls, new stands, new concept: when the impressive exhibition complex is completed in spring 2013, a new era will commence for the World Watch and Jewellery Show. BASELWORLD will have a convenient and compact show site to offer its professional visitors. And, for the exhibitors, there will be an even better opportunity to present themselves in the best light. For Jacques J. Duchêne, President of the Exhibitors’ Committee, one thing is quite clear: “BASELWORLD is also investing in the future with that selfsame momentum that we, the exhibitors, embody through our work. The new, state-of-the-art exhibition surfaces will enable us to move up a gear. We’re looking forward to this new stage and are convinced that our expectations will be fulfilled.”
The construction work will be continuing again as of April 2012. Hall 1 is being extended towards Exhibition Square, while the current hall 3 is being replaced by a three-storey hall complex. The two new buildings will ultimately be linked via a two-storey complex over the Exhibition Square. Sylvie Ritter, Managing Director of BASELWORLD, is convinced: “We are awaiting this milestone in the history of our trade show with great excitement and anticipation. I’m sure that, together with all the exhibitors, we will be taking BASELWORLD one big step forward next year. It really will be a new era.”
Source BWDN 14.03.2012
First Avenue is the place to be for premium jewellery brands
March 10, 2012
Those in search of premium jewellery at BASELWORLD 2012 are well advised to pay a visit to First Avenue in hall 2.2. Each year this is the venue for leading global brands to present their new products. Much like the major watch manufacturers, the names present here awaken strong emotions in people. It is not only the stand structures that are impressive statements of the significance of these brands for the global market. The masterpieces of goldsmithing artistry on display in the cabinets whisk the observer into a fairytale world of 1,001 nights with the finest gemstones in every colour of the rainbow, glittering diamonds, the gentle glow of pearls and the radiance of precious metals. All of the ‘girl’s best friends’ are gathered here. This unique treasure chamber also has numerous tales to tell because behind the major jewellery brands are visionaries, artists and master goldsmiths. They maintain centuries-old traditions of craftsmanship, numbering amongst the very few able to do so. The jewellery is aimed at a highly exquisite global clientele. Many of the firms exhibiting here are family-run companies, and have been for generations. Giuseppe Picchiotti, proprietor of the eponymous company, says: “We have been present in First Avenue from the very beginning. And every year the investment pays off. Next year we even plan to invest in a bigger stand.” Dominique Delale, business director for jewellery and accessories at Baccarat, also views First Avenue as the ideal location for their jewellery: “It’s not only a meeting point with our customers. The presentation here is also a message of our brand that forms our image.”
Source: BWDN 10.03.2012
BASELWORLD 2012 opens with high expectations
March 10, 2012
The symbolic blue ribbon at the trade show was cut by Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann, member of the Basel cantonal government Christoph Brutschin, Chairman of the Exhibitors’ Committee Jacques J. Duchêne, CEO of the MCH Group René Kamm, President of the Grand Council of Basel Daniel Goepfert and member of the Basel-Landschaft cantonal government Peter Zwick, marking the official opening of BASELWORLD 2012. René Kamm said: “The presence of representatives from the state government is an indication of the importance of the industry. The industry serves as a role model for the country as a whole, having achieved a record year, despite the soaring Swiss franc and numerous crises across the world.” The Swiss watch industry is the third most important branch of industry in the country and employs over 50,000 workers. BASELWORLD 2012 is the biggest trade show held in Switzerland. The new items and trends presented here confirm BASELWORLD’s position as the world’s leading trade show in the watch and jewellery industry. Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann said: “The watch industry symbolises the values which define Switzerland: reliability, accuracy and the ability to consistently reinvent itself − i.e. successful innovation. It is the crowning glory of Swiss industry as a whole”. The fact that the watch industry is such a gem in the Swiss economy is primarily thanks to Nicolas Hayek, as the Federal Councillor recalled. Johannes Schneider-Ammann feels it is entirely possible that the 20 billion mark will be surpassed in 2012 for watch exports. Christoph Brutschin is equally positive about the prospects and added: “BASELWORLD is in a class of its own in terms of its significance for the watch and jewellery industry.”
Source: DWDN 09.03.2012
New grand complication pieces debuting at BASELWORLD
March 10, 2012
Perpetual calendar watches are among the most popular complications on the market today. These timepieces, which track and display automatically the day, date and month — taking into account short months and leap years — are alluring to look at and a marvel of mechanics just right for today’s international globetrotters and business execs. Essentially, the perpetual calendar tracks the day, month, and date, with many also offering the phases of the moon. Typically, today’s perpetual calendar watches are built to do this until the year 2100, when most of them need to be readjusted. Why the year 2100? Because this is Perpetual calendars – working day after day New grand complication pieces debuting at BASELWORLD when the leap year, which should occur, will be omitted in order to have real time (according to the Gregorian calendar) and solar time coincide correctly.
Many of today’s finest watchmakers have patents on their systems for setting the dates and times. Some offer additional functions and some very rare examples have found ingenious methods to circumvent the need for a correction in 2100. Among the perpetual calendar watches being unveiled here at BASELWORLD are the new Patek Philippe Reference 5940 Cushion-shaped Men’s Perpetual Calendar and its all-new, firstever Ladies Perpetual Calendar. The Ref. 5940 recalls the brand’s first perpetual calendar wristwatch — unveiled to the world in 1925. It was an art deco inspired cushion-shaped case that now enjoys cult status, housing the Patek Philippe ultra-thin selfwinding calibre 240 Q with a gold mini-rotor recessed in the plate. The new watch features this legendary movement that is just 1.35 mm high, but with the calendar mechanism, with its 1,461-day memory, sitting atop — still measuring just 2.53 mm in height. These two horological accomplishments come together in the Ref. 5940 housed in an yellow gold case.
Even more remarkable, Patek Philippe takes the same extraordinary calibre 240 Q and calendar mechanism and houses it in the Ladies First Perpetual Calendar with transparent sapphire case back to reveal the movement. The bezel of this masterpiece is bedecked with 68 flawless Top Wesselton diamonds. The watch is crafted in rose gold. Ulysse Nardin also unveils a stunning new perpetual calendar watch with dual time function. Aptly named the Blue Toro, the limited-edition watch is crafted in rose gold and manufactured 34-jewel UN-32 self-winding movement. The second time zone on the main dial features a patented quick-setting mechanism. The permanent home time is indicated by a third hand and there is a big date double window aperture. Just 99 pieces of this entrancing yet technically advanced piece will be made.
Source: BWDN 08.03.2012
BASELWORLD 2012 will set a stimulus for the industry
March 10, 2012
The conditions are perfect for ensuring the success of the 40th BASELWORLD. Despite the crisis, the luxury goods industry is booming across the world. 2011 was a record year for the Swiss watch industry with 30 million watches exported. Turnover increased by 19.2 percent to 19.3 billion Swiss francs as announced by Jacques J. Duchêne, President of the Exhibitors’ Committee, at the opening press conference for BASELWORLD 2012. Asia in particular has proved to be a driving force in the growth of the luxury goods industry. More than half of the exports of the Swiss watch industry are to the Far East at present. “We will continue to see growth in 2012 and an increase has already been recorded in January,” said Jacques J. Duchêne with confidence.
BASELWORLD is the ideal platform to support this dynamic development. “Our trade show is the only one in the world where all sectors of the jewellery and watch industry are represented. BASELWORLD is a real source of stimulus for the industries,” says Sylvie Ritter, Managing Director at BASELWORLD. She sees 2012 as representing a key turning point in BASELWORLD’s history because the comprehensive modernisation of the trade show site will be complete for next year: “2013 marks the start of a new chapter.” René Kamm, CEO of the MCH Group adds: “We are convinced that 2013 will bring the start of a new era in BASELWORLD’s long-standing history. It is already clear that many of our exhibitors will create an even more impressive setting for their brands with the new stands”. But for now, it’s time to enjoy BASELWORLD 2012 which looks set to be an exceptional show thanks to the positive economic situation within the industry.
Source: BWDN 08.03.2012
Switchover to Digital TV with over 430 TV Channels and over 200 Radio Channels
March 5, 2012
Television signals can be received via an aerial (terrestrial), satellite, cable or broadband connection. Traditionally hotels have received its signals from transmitters which were only able to transmit an analogue TV signal. Switchover to digital means installing new transmitters and swapping all TV’s with analogue tuners to TV’s with digital tuners.
Our hotel decided to use a mix of aerial and satellite connections to receive digital signals based on QAM/QPSK modulation via fibre optic wiring.
After our switchover last Friday, 2 March 2012, for the first time, all of our transmitters transmitted a digital signal and increased the number of channels available to over 430 from all over the world (and in the future to over 800 channels once traditional coaxial wiring to the rooms is replaced by fibre optic).
We wish our guests a lot of fun watching their favorite channels and hope they will feel at home!
A Friday Night in Basel
December 30, 2011
Hi guys, had such a blast two weeks ago on Friday night with my friends in Basel. First we had dinner at an Italian restaurant called “Rossini” at Brausebad where we enjoyed our food and of course our wine. Quite spontaneously we decided to sing the birthday song to our friend’s acquaintance who happened to celebrate her b-day there. The whole restaurant was cheerful to tell the truth. Maybe it was due to the fact that we had two bottles of wine. There was five of us. Is that already too much, really? Anyways, after our jolly dinner we hopped on the tram and got off at Barfüsserplatz where we hoped to enter the Atlantis. Didn’t quite work out that way. You see my friends and me are committee members of a fun and well-structured organization. We organize events and gatherings in Basel for graduates of a well known hotel school in Switzerland. We actually had organized a dining event for about 35 people in the Atlantis this year. In addition, the Atlantis owner is a graduate of the school. Can you believe, he wouldn’t let us in? He said we should wait in line. He also said he had a guest list of 400 people and that we should have called earlier. Maybe he was right about that, but would it really have made such a difference? Anyhow, we were rather disappointed about his hospitality skills and just wanted to have fun. We thought we wanted to try something new. CU right next to the Radisson was the answer. We took our coats off and danced the night away! We first thought that we would probably be the eldest on the dance floor. But we actually weren’t and nobody really could care less. We had our fun and that was the point. I just wanted to share this video. You see us on the way to the Atlantis.
Louise Bourgeois
November 16, 2011
Event Description:
To mark the birth centenary of Louise Bourgeois (1911–2010), the Fondation
Beyeler presents a homage to one of the most significant and
influential women artists of our times. Bourgeois’ paintings and sculptures,
focusing on womanhood and sexuality, are visual narratives that
cast an irresistible spell over the viewer. “À l’infini”, 2008, a late cycle
of works on paper, will be on public view in our exhibition for the first
time, alongside her renowned “Spider” sculptures and legendary “Cells”,
masterful and compelling translations of emotions into objects of art.
Event Date
01/08/2012
Event Time
From: 10:00 – To: 18:00
Event Venue
Fondation Beyeler
Event TimeZone
(GMT+1) Europe/Zurich