VIDEO: “TAG Heuer is #1 in confusion.” Explosive comments and a personal apology from Jean-Claude Biver
Watch industry Presidents and CEOs are often conservative to the point of invisibility. The adage that seems to be uniformly and universally extolled is a variation on the idea that it’s “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.” Then, at the other end of the scale there is Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of TAG Heuer, Chairman of Hublot and Interim CEO of Zenith. In March 2016, one of the world’s top TAG Heuer experts, David Chalmers (who is founder of Calibre 11 and one of the two guys I started Time+Tide with three years ago), asked him about Heuer branded watches and whether they were helping or hindering TAG Heuer’s brand in the market. His response was scathing: “Very few brands have brought so much confusion than TAG Heuer. TAG Heuer is number one in the confusion. That’s where they were the best at. Create confusion. No consistency, no coherence, just confusion. No professionalism, no respect of yesterday. What TAG Heuer has done in the recent past is an example for any business school of what one should never do. At least now we know what not to do. That is what we’ve inherited from the past… I’m…
The post VIDEO: “TAG Heuer is #1 in confusion.” Explosive comments and a personal apology from Jean-Claude Biver appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
Walking into Montblanc’s revamped SIHH booth, it didn’t take long to work out what the overarching theme of 2017 would be. If the deconstructed racing chronograph suspended from the ceiling wasn’t enough of a clue, the booth staff in stark white racing firesuits certainly gave the game away. Montblanc’s off to the races, and in pole position is an aggressively updated Timewalker. The Timewalker is one of Montblanc’s most successful ranges and, over the years, the distinctive Arabic numerals, modern hand design and sculptural, cut-away lugs have become emblematic for the brand. Recently though, the pioneering model has been somewhat overshadowed by new and exciting heritage models. Not any more. The reimagined Timewalker collection is the brainchild of Davide Cerrato, Managing Director of Montblanc’s watch division (and former Creative Director at Tudor), and is released as a fully formed, mature sports collection comprising everything from simple three-handed options to more complicated offerings like this chronograph. And while the key details like the stylised hands, numerals and cut-out lugs are still there, the overall aesthetic is much more restrained, and with the subtlest touch of vintage (like the tip of the seconds hand and clever rubber racing-style strap). But it’s the…
