Swiss Watch Export 2016 report available through Bloomberg Terminal have recently pointed to harsh conditions analysts are calling the worst performance since the Financial Crisis. At a glance, the most glaring figures on the Swiss Watch Export 2016 report point to Russia down 43% year on year although December 2016 registered a 13.4% uptick;…
This was predictable. After the announcement by Richemont of first shakeups, by abolishing the CEO and CFO roles, by appointing Jérôme Lambert as head of operations, by appointing Georges Kern as head of watchmaking, marketing and digital and already scheduling several drastic actions for the group, it’s now time for the big reshuffle at the head of the brands. The CEOs of Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, Piaget and Dunhill will be out in the coming weeks.
In 2009, a new brand made its debut to the SIHH, the Ralph Lauren Watch & Jewelry Co, a joint venture between the iconic lifestyle brand and the Richemont Group, the watchmaking giant. Yet, the path has not been simple and after several unclear collections and hesitations in positioning the brand, the brand was absent from the SIHH 2016. Though, this was not the end of the story. New teams, repositioning of the collections, appointment of industry veteran Guillaume Têtu, first as Product Development Director and as COO since October, finally a discreet comeback of the brand at the SIHH 2017. It was perfect timing for us to sit down with our long-time friend Guillaume and to understand his vision for the Ralph Lauren Watch & Jewelry Co.
It will be hard to hide the fact that, since a few years, the brand Bulgari has become a major actor in the field of watchmaking. What has long been a superb jeweler and a manufacturer of jewelry-oriented watches is now recognized as a proper innovator and a respected high-end watch brand, showing to the world an great expertise in ultra-thin movements (in-house developed and produced) mixed with a unique design inspired by Roma. In order to understand the changes operated by Bulgari and to see what will be the coming developments of the brand, we sat down with Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari, talking about his nearly 4 years as CEO, about the iconic Octo design and about the new models for 2017.
By Roberta Naas
Marking the first time Ulysse Nardin exhibits at the SIHH in Geneva instead of in its nautically inspired exhibition space at Baselworld, the innovative brand celebrates with the unveiling of the unusual InnoVision 2 timepiece chocked with 10 innovations, already laying claim to several patents, and with half a dozen more patents pending.
To commemorate the world record of its brand partner, French skier Pinturault, who now holds 19th World Cup wins, Richard Mille announces a special RM 035 Ultimate Edition watch, which is to debut in March.
Many brands have a perpetual calendar in their collection, yet few come close to the legendary reputation of the IWC Da Vinci. The reason for this is that the Da Vinci never was just another perpetual calendar. It pushed the limits…
With a return of the Geophysic into the collection, Jaeger-LeCoultre revived in 2014 one of the favorite classic models from the 1950’s. For the upcoming SIHH, they step it up with the introduction of the tourbillon version of the Universal Time.
Please read Swiss Mad, not Swiss Made. Recently, the high-end, yet irreverent, watchmaker H. Moser & Cie. reported to us their wish to get rid of the “Swiss Made” inscription on the dial of their watches, as well as the upcoming launch of the most Swiss Watch ever created. Yes, as few might know, “Swiss Made” doesn’t mean 100% made in Switzerland. And this is something Edouard Meylan (the brand’s CEO) sees as a betrayal towards customers. Well, now that we know the announcement, it is time to see what all that noise really means. The answer sits in two watches, including a concept piece, the Swiss Mad Watch, a 100% Swiss Made watch, from Swiss Materials (including a Swiss cheese case and a Swiss cow strap…) and the Venturer Swiss Mad, a more traditional commercial piece, yet 100% Swiss Made too. And if you want to know, yes it is bold, yes it irreverent, yes it is a gimmick, yes it is kind of stupid, but, (oh yes!) it is a superb move to shake up that sleeping industry.
By Roberta Naas
As a teaser to what is coming next week at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) 2017, Cartier unveils one of its more complicated watches of the new year: the Rotonde de Cartier Minute Repeater Mysterious Double Tourbillon. A mouthful to say, the watch has even more in store to feast the eyes upon when you get close up with it.