“We thought the world needed a luxury Swatch watch.” Explosive Jean-Claude Biver interview tells the Hublot story like never before
Jean-Claude Biver and his team bought Hublot 24 years ago. At that time it was a tiny brand, big in Spain, but netting $24-million. But Biver considered that it had reached less than 20% of its potential and could be a mega-brand, with its youthful re-casting of luxury in a more casual, sporty and fun context. In 2019, it made $700m. In this extraordinary interview – like I said in the Friday Wind Down yesterday, this is a very different conversation to the usual narrative – Biver spells out the 11 keys to his success, and how he still believes he could do it again today, with any brand. It is conducted by our new European Editor, Mike Christensen who did an absolutely sterling job. Much of the credit for Biver’s frankness and full disclosure goes to Mike! The 11 ways Jean-Claude Biver built Hublot to be a $700m mega-brand 0:26 BY SEEING THE NEED FOR A “LUXURY SWATCH” TO REDEFINE LUXURY 2:33 BY BUYING A ‘WEAK’ BRAND WITH A STRONG CONCEPT FOR A LOW PRICE 4:42 WITH GOOD HEALTH AND HEALTHY DOUBT 6:10 BY GOING AGAINST LUXURY TRADITION AND SHUNNING PRECIOUS METALS 7:44 BY WRITING A SIMPLE STRATEGY THAT…
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Editor’s note: Well, things haven’t exactly slowed down at G-Shock in the months since this story was published – the Japanese firebrand has been churning out more awesome and absurd watches than the rest of the Swiss watch industry combined, and it’s left us all thinking, “What will they come up with next?” Most recently, G-Shock have dropped a watch celebrating one of the biggest animated children’s TV shows of all time – Dragon Ball Z, and they’ve also collaborated with Bamford Watch Department to create a limited edition watch that sold out in six minutes! Needless to say, enthusiasts have never had more choice for whacky and wonderful digital watches … and that’s a very good thing. G-Shock have been going hard in 2020 — really hard. That’s right, not only have they released dozens of new watches across a range of different collections since the beginning of 2020, but many of those are pretty remarkable in their own right, some tracking heart rate or surf beach conditions, with others paying tribute to Kung fu legend Bruce Lee or representing streetwear label KITH. There is genuinely something for everyone, so let’s take a look at five of the coolest…
2020 has definitely been a chaotic year with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. Blockbuster films have been delayed, major music festivals cancelled, but at least one American pastime managed to go on relatively unscathed – NBA Basketball. Twenty-two teams participated in the 2020 NBA season, held within a quarantined bubble that both players and staff had to remain inside of throughout the duration of the season. At the end of an exciting series, the Los Angeles Lakers took the championship title home after their Game 6 win over the Miami Heat. While not necessarily the first question on the minds of NBA fans, for us watch enthusiasts one burning question comes to the forefront: what do NBA champions wear on their wrists? After scanning clips of press conferences and paparazzi shots, one thing becomes very clear – many of the Los Angeles Lakers lean towards a sole and prestigious brand: Audemars Piguet. LeBron James As the expression goes, it’s good to be the King. LeBron James is a known ambassador for the Audemars Piguet brand, so he may be responsible for the fact that many of his teammates have opted for their haute horology timepieces. Being an ambassador, and one…
When you hear about rainbow watches, you are typically presented with very high-cost luxury pieces that incorporate lustrous coloured gemstones that impose a very high premium on top of already pricey precious watches. Upon closer inspection, there are actually more rainbow options than you would think – affordable options at that. Here are six fabulous rainbow watches that won’t necessarily break the bank. Timex + Todd Snyder Pride Watch Todd Snyder and Timex have teamed up to create arguably the best value proposition in rainbow watches. The Pride Watch is a nod to the time when the Gay Rights Movement adopted artist Gilbert Baker’s Rainbow Flag as its banner. Here is where things get even more interesting. According to the product page on Todd Snyder’s website, “Like a colour wheel in which three primary colours (red, blue and yellow) mix to create an array of different shades, the Pride Watch is composed of three rotating coloured discs. As the time changes and the discs interact, the wearer can look through the crystal and literally see the shades change.” That, in and of itself, is a unique and rare complication, and this mechanically powered manual-wind watch is only $199 USD. Kind of…
Editor’s note: Right off the bat, let us confirm that Luke Hemsworth is in fact, a legend. Westworld Season 1 is among the best single series of television ever created, and he was in it. Also, he is a great deal wealthier and more successful than me, just in general. So, Luke, keep doing what you’re doing But of the Hemsworth brothers, he is substantially the lesser known. It’s the same for the Rolex Explorer II ref. 216570. Within the Rolex Professional Collection, references you can actually get your hands on are few and far between. And this model is one of them, roughly speaking. That said, they’re hardly in the shop window, so this is all said with a degree of reasonableness and caution. Why? It’s simple. There just aren’t as many people out there who want one on their wrist. And this is where things get a little more opaque. For such a striking looking watch, with an approachable 42mm case, a wide open dial and the electrifying shock of orange that is the GMT-hand, there seems little empirical logic behind its relative availability. But is this simply that the crowds who follow the well-worn paths of steel sports hype have forgotten…
I don’t know if it’s advancing age, the sentimentality of the occasion (Hublot’s 40th Anniversary), or just our European Editor Mike’s interviewing technique, but the video we are to publish tomorrow night — starring Jean-Claude Biver and CEO Ricardo Guadalupe telling the Hublot story, from the day they took over the brand 24 years ago — is a very fresh take indeed. For fans of a man that few would argue has been the driving force behind the industry for at least four decades, this is a must-watch. I have heard many tellings of Hublot history over the years. Certain myths the brand is founded on, spoken about with gusto by Jean-Claude Biver. Always stirring. Always with the passion that he says is necessary for a team to truly fire, and for great heights to be reached. But the tone of this interview is different. While it contains flashes of that crazy energy, it also has Jean-Claude Biver in a reflective and unflinching mood – he says things I have never heard, and never imagined that he would say. Head over to our YouTube channel and sign up to the Premiere. The video drops at 9pm Saturday 17th October AEST.…
If you’re someone who spends more time looking at screens than you would like to, but don’t want to miss an important call, the Bausele Vintage 2.0 Hybrid SmartWatch is an interesting proposition. At first impression, or from across the room, you would think you were looking at a mechanical mid-century wristwatch. After all, the analogue hands don’t give much away about what lies beneath the dial. Under the dial is a Bluetooth-linked smartwatch, which offers almost everything you might want, including phone notifications, activity tracking, sleep monitoring and alarm, as well as multiple time zones with the press of a button. This blend of past and present is the most recent offering from Bausele, a Swiss-made but Australian-designed brand founded by Christophe Hoppe in 2011. The brand has released a number of mechanical watches over the years, but this is their first step into the smartwatch game, and it’s one they have done thoughtfully. This consideration has kept the mechanical watch lover front of mind, creating a watch that offers the convenience of a typical smartwatch, but with the balanced design of a traditional timepiece. In that way, it’s the best of both worlds, fusing form and function with a…
TAG Heuer continue to celebrate their 160th anniversary this year with the release of their latest heritage-inspired limited edition. This is a formula that has offered both surprise and delight to collectors around the world in 2020. With the release of several new references (which we have covered here, here and here) that not only show the depth of the archives at TAG Heuer but the willingness to revisit important designs and bring them into the 21st century. Both models are limited to 1860 pieces and have a price of $5,950US and $8,600AUD – you can pre-order the watches here and here. In this latest two-reference release, we have the TAG Heuer Carrera Sport Chronograph 160 Years Limited Edition “Dato 45”, which takes its inspiration from the original Heuer 3147N “Dato 45”, a nickname it earned from the position of its date window at 12 o’clock. The latest expression of this design has been beefed up for modern tastes, as well as a sleeker, more sporty look and the use of contemporary watchmaking materials. The 2020 TAG Heuer Carrera Sport Chronograph 160 Years Limited Edition “Dato 45” features a 44mm steel case with the iconic sloping Carrera lugs that swiftly…
Grand Seiko has been a true value proposition for collectors since its rebirth, providing some of the highest quality watches for your dollar. Many have had some contention with the inevitable reality that the brand would eventually go further upmarket, anxious that their latest and greatest technical innovations would be out of reach of the more common consumer. The next instalment in the 60th anniversary collection, the Grand Seiko SLGH003, assuages the minds and wallets of everyone who was in awe of the new 9SA5 movement, which until yesterday was only offered in a high-price precious metal model: the SLGH002. With its latest release, Grand Seiko has made it clear that their finest mechanical movement yet is now available in steel – with more non-precious material models on the way as well. The Grand Seiko SLGH003 case is 40mm of Zaratsu-finished hotness, with the stainless steel rendered in contrasting satin and distortion-free mirror-polished surface that creates the signature light and shadow aesthetic known to the Grand Seiko brand. Only 11.7mm thick, the new movement does not add any height to the watch; it, in fact, presents one of the thinner offerings within the Grand Seiko catalogue. One hundred metres water…
The Yema Superman is a strong vintage diver, with two selling points that should be a wake-up call for other brands, starting with an obvious and rather rhetorical question: When you go out to buy a pair of jeans with your slimmer and shorter mate (speaking for myself here), do you buy the exact same size? If the answer happens to be no, then look at the Superman range from Yema, specifically the all-new Yema Superman Bronze collection. Yema is a small, proudly French brand with a strong following, yet they have understood the basics … we have different wrists. Really? When my mate Bob can wear a 45mm chunky long-lugged tool watch with ease, on me it looks like a bear balancing on a twig. Yema knows this and, lo and behold, gives you a choice of 39 or 41mm in the Superman range. Pure genius. Add a French manufactured in-house movement by Yema and, voilà, two top points scored even before looking at the new versions, launched in a limited edition this week to celebrate the 1948 foundation of the company. Yema is launching four references with their new 2000 and 3000 caliber on Kickstarter this week in…