www.europastar.com
www.europastar.com
THE WORLD’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WATCH MAGAZINE EUROPE
Christophe Claret
De Bethune
Laurent Ferrier
BREAKAWAY
Hautlence EUROPE N°332 4/15 SEPTEMBER 2015
www.chanel.com
Voutilainen
Urwerk
H. Moser & Cie
HYT
MB&F
BREAKAWAY 7 WATCH BUSINESS MAGAZINE | EUROPEAN EDITION | N°332 4/15 SEPTEMBER | CHF12 / €10 / US$12
THE CHANEL MOMENT
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EDITORIAL
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SINCE 1927 by Pierre Maillard, Editor-in-chief
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et’s talk about ourselves. Don’t worry, we won’t make a habit of it! By “ourselves” we mean the press, the media in general, and Europa Star in particular. The press is in crisis, it’s at breaking point – it’s all over the news. It is in the throes of a systemic crisis which, with a few rare exceptions (Financial Times?), touches everyone, the publishing behemoths as well as the minnows, international news websites and specialist bloggers alike. The watchmaking press is no exception. Having survived 88 years so far, our Europa Star media group, our “Editorial atelier since 1927”, has been on the sidelines, the front line even, of innumerable crises, beginning with the 1929 crash, barely two years after its creation, followed by the war, the quartz-led collapse of Swiss watchmaking, the ‘gentrification’ of Swiss watchmaking and the inexorable rise of the groups, to name just a few. Economic models have evolved and transformed, but the particular crisis affecting the media today is different in nature, and it goes deeper. The custom of unfolding a newspaper at the beginning or end of the day survived intact throughout the 20th century, but now appears to be in terminal decline. The digital revolution hit, and new generations born with remote controls in their hands, accustomed to an inexhaustible stream of instantly-accessible virtual content, developed new habits in almost Darwinian fashion.
Nevertheless, just like the mechanical watch, whose gears are now technologically redundant, paper, which some believed was on the way out, has adapted and lives on. Because, like a mechanical timepiece, it is reassuring. This could be precisely because of its ‘materiality’. The watchmaking world loves to talk about longevity. Paper is similar; perhaps it provides a bulwark against the unending planetary flow of information that seems to just eat time... without a pause for breath, without a hiatus to stop and simply think a little about our ceaselessly rushing world. We don’t claim that our words should be carved in stone. But the lifespan of the product we regularly deliver actively promotes reflection, analysis and perspective. Yes, we do believe in paper, in the durability of paper. That is why, this year, we have launched a new tabloid format news magazine: Europa Star Première. It is a forum for discussion, analysis and reflection for the entire watchmaking ecosystem, a true business magazine and the only one of its kind, with a noholds-barred style and edgy graphics, for our French-speaking readers. (A Chinese version of the magazine with localised content has just been launched by our
Shanghai office.) Similarly, we believe in ‘materiality’, which is why we have opened the Europa Star Arcade, a bricksand-mortar venue for discussion, meetings and exhibitions. Nevertheless, we are not blinded by our love for paper. Quite the opposite, in fact. We devote equal energy to our online outlets: the internet, and social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. You might not remember, but europastar.com was one of the very first watchmaking websites, launched almost 20 years ago, in 1996! In order to ensure it remains topical, our teams produce incisive, well-informed and exclusive editorial content every day. The coming months will see a number of new features, including a subscription-only portal that will collate our best surveys and dossiers and include a significant amount of previously unpublished content. The cover of this issue announces a “Breakaway”. Yes, some mavericks are rocking the boat. But there are two ways of responding to this so-called “crisis”: by shrugging and turning away, or by facing up to the situation and standing by one’s convictions – in our case, the convictions of an “Editorial atelier since 1927”. p
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Slim d’Hermès watch in rose gold, Manufacture H1950 ultra-thin movement.
SLIM D’HERMÈS, PURITY IN MOTION.
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www.europastar.com
THE WORLD’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WATCH MAGAZINE
6
EDITORIAL Leading opinion since 1927
10
EUROPA STAR READER SURVEY
12
SIGNALS
breakaway 14 INTRODUCTION
In January 2016 the SIHH will have a facelift. In addition to revamped surroundings and the departure of Ralph Lauren, who is returning to his native USA, the main new feature of the Salon will be the inauguration of ‘Watchmakers’ Square’. This fair-within-a-fair will welcome nine Haute Horlogerie mavericks, nine fiercely independent watchmakers – all different, all determined, all dedicated – who have succeeded in leaving their mark on the watchmaking world map with their own very individual concepts of the art of timekeeping.
17
32
MARKET The slow advent of Chinese watch brands 26th Watch & Clock Fair in Shenzhen – Times are changing and it’s about time! Swiss or German watches: which is best?
36 40
DISTRIBUTION Paris: one street, two breakaways Future in motion?
42 46 47 50
TECHNOLOGIES Mechanical watchmaking, diminishing returns? When watchmaking uses 3D printing China: the watchmaking patent champion The promises of smartwatches
28 29
52 Christophe Claret De Bethune Hautlence HYT H. Moser & Cie Laurent Ferrier MB&F Urwerk Voutilainen
COVER STORY 9 breakaways
28 MARKET
36 DISTRIBUTION
GALLERY Artya, Manufacture Royale, Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps, Meccaniche Veloci, Ressence, Romain Jerome, Sarpaneva
42 TECHNOLOGIES
A CONTRARIO 56 Differentiation or saturation in the watch industry? 60 62
ARCADE EUROPA STAR Jean-Claude Biver ‘Troubleshooter’ Manuel Emch ‘Retro-futurist’
64 66
RENAISSANCE Oris, the road to democracy Tiffany: “This time, we’re going to do it!”
EUROPA STAR 205x265 P-TIMEZ1 INTERNATIONAL - Cover date: 01 JUNE
CONTENTS
60
ARCADE EUROPA STAR
WORLDWATCHWEBTM 70 Social Media Optimisation: What brands need to know
The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily Europa Star.
LAKIN@LARGE A summer of contradictions
Europa Star subscription service CHF 100 in Europe,CHF 140 International One year, 6 issues Visit: europastar.com/subscribe Enquiries: register@europastar.com
DIGITAL PARTNER
74
www.worldwatchreport.com / www.digital-luxury.com
www.europastar.com
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READER SURVEY We recently conducted a survey among Europa Star readers, and were delighted to receive responses from a representative sample of more than 200 aficionados and professionals from a variety of backgrounds and from all over the world. We would like to share the key findings with you. 4 :KLFK RI WKH IROORZLQJ EHVW GHVFULEHV T PROFESSIONAL T SECTOR OF \RXU FXUUHQW SRVLWLRQ MRE WLWOH" 4 :KDW LV \RXU FXUUHQW EXVLQHVV VHFWRU"
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Our readers appreciate the ability to browse our content both on paper and online. Traffic to all our websites (in English, Chinese, Spanish, Russian and French) continues to grow. Daily news items are differentiated from the premium content published in the magazine, which from now on will be available to subscribers only. Content will be adapted to the medium: we believe in the complementarity of our print and digital formats.
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Europa Star is a reflection of the watchmaking industry, and as such its readership is primarily male. Nevertheless, given the growing number of watches designed for women, we have decided to devote a new publication to this demographic. The first edition of Women’s Watches & Jewels, with a focus on jewellery watches, will be published in time for SIHH 2016.
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12 | SIGNALS | europa star
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BREAKAWAY
Introduction
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In this issue, Europa Star focuses on breakaways in all their forms. Revolutionary products, fractured markets, shakedowns in distribution, technology breakthroughs, aesthetic excursions and unorthodox departures. In addition to our own reflections, which can only skim the surface, we attempt to drill down to the real issues with interviews, analyses and discussions.
(Gianfilippo Oggioni/AP/SIPA)
by Pierre Maillard, Europa Star
verything points to the conclusion that we have reached a breaking point. Or, more accurately, a number of breaking points, of different kinds. But while a break marks a decisive point in time, like the moment a piece of fabric tears, it is the result of an accumulation of stress. Things don’t break by themselves. In order for the fabric to tear, it must have been under strain, and probably for some time. I have frequently compared the watchmaking world to a seismograph that detects, registers, records and ‘outputs’ the tremors that shake the world and society. Watchmaking, even if it is ‘eternal’, as some would claim, is far from immune to the historical tensions of the ‘fabric’ of which it is part. At the moment, it would seem, it is being tugged in all directions. The economy, the markets, the distribution of wealth, retail models, new technology, new styles, new hierarchies, new aspirations... everything is shifting, changing, speeding up. The human race is living well beyond its means, and on 13 August this year
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9 BREAKAWAY WATCHMAKERS For the first time, the SIHH 2016 will welcome nine independent Haute Horlogerie watchmakers, who have all in some way broken away from the existing technical, commercial and stylistic models. But as they illustrate, breaking away doesn’t necessarily mean taking a leap in the dark; it can also mean going back to basics.
• Read our portraits of Christophe Claret, De Bethune, Hautlence, HYT, H. Moser & Cie, Laurent Ferrier, MB&F, Urwerk and Voutilainen.
FRACTURED MARKETS Markets are by definition dynamic, flexible, sometimes volatile. In fact, the way they work is a bit like plate tectonics. China, the El Dorado of the Swiss mechanical watch industry, seems to move further away, the closer we think we are... There is no shortage of manufacturers who have staked a great deal, and are still waiting for a return on their investment. China decided to tighten things up, and watches suddenly became a visible sign of corruption (which indeed they were). At the same time, the yuan is slipping and growing weaker, which is further nibbling away at the edges. Russia, another ‘promised land’, is waging war by proxy and its economy is faltering. The Kremlin spokesman spotted with a half-million-euro Richard Mille on his wrist set tongues to wagging all over the world. It was another symbol, and a useful one at that, since it deflected attention away from the real issues. Nevertheless, the fact remains that the Swiss watch has become somewhat suspect. Perhaps the watchmakers themselves, and their own excesses, are partly to blame. Of course, Europe is proving surprisingly resilient, and the USA is robust. But have we peaked already? Has watchmaking hit a ceiling?
• Without presuming to provide any answers to this vast question, we bring you an illuminating report from Shenzhen and two analyses that look at the long term: the slow but steady emergence of Chinese luxury brands, and the horological rivalry between Switzerland and Germany.
DISTRIBUTION SHAKEDOWN Is our retail and distribution model falling apart? They say that in China (which, it seems, holds a magnifying mirror to the rest of the world) a brand boutique closes down every day. Is the vertically-controlled distribution model also about to hit a ceiling? Shops are expensive. Extremely expensive. And they often make little money. Very little indeed. The groups believed they were powerful enough to keep all the margins for themselves, but they forgot that retail is a different business, where interpersonal skills and a solid address book play a very important role. It turned out that, in terms of networking, corporate watchmakers didn’t really have what it took. The more modest brands felt a new wind stirring, and the more creative retailers rubbed their hands together. It is a curious paradox. Added to these upheavals is the perennial question of the luxury brands’ approach to online sales. Will they or won’t they? The answer is far from obvious.
• On the theme of distribution, we bring you a report from two ‘breakaway’ Parisian retailers, and some thoughts on luxury and the internet.
TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGH It could be said that the arrival of the Apple Watch caused something of a stir. But there came a point when we just had to sit back, and wait and see what emerged from Cupertino. The topic has provoked such a torrent of column and screen inches that we shall refrain from adding to the deluge. However, the issue of technological breakthroughs remains, and continues to be crucial to the future of watchmaking. How much further can mechanical watchmaking progress? What is there left to do, to discover? • Read a wide-ranging discussion of the limitations of mechanical watchmaking, incisive comments from movement specialists, some clarifications about the potential of 3D printing, an unexpected report on China’s leadership in patent applications, and a roundup of the smartwatch scene. On the other hand, some brands couldn’t care less about any ‘breakaways’ and are doing very nicely, thank you, trundling along the tracks laid by others.
• See dispatches from our Brazilian correspondent on the question Differentiation or saturation? • Finally, some other forms of breakaway are explored in our Gallery. p
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the planet exhausted all its renewable resources for the year. A record achievement. Do you know how many Switzerlands it would take to actually supply the needs of all its inhabitants? Three and a half. (Japan is the worst: it needs 5.5 Japans to support itself.) So, we are all living on credit, and that includes the watchmaking world. It’s only natural that cracks are starting to appear.
| BREAKAWAY | 15
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Cover Story
BREAKAWAY
9 BREAKAWAYS
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CHRISTOPHE CLARET DE BETHUNE • HAUTLENCE HYT • H. MOSER & CIE LAURENT FERRIER • MB&F URWERK • VOUTILAINEN In January 2016 the SIHH will have a facelift. In addition to revamped surroundings and the departure of Ralph Lauren, who is returning to his native USA, the main new feature of the Salon will be the inauguration of ‘Watchmakers’ Square’. This fairwithin-a-fair will welcome nine Haute Horlogerie mavericks, nine fiercely independent watchmakers – all different, all determined, all dedicated – who have succeeded in leaving their mark on the watchmaking world map with their own very individual concepts of the art of timekeeping.
F
rom futurist iconoclast to austere classicist, each of these nine ‘missionaries’ in their own way has broken away – aesthetically and stylistically, technologically and mechanically – but they have also broken with the prevailing doctrines, the dominant trends. And that takes extraordinary courage and self-belief. Every one of them has followed their own particular route to independence of thought and financial autonomy. They in-
clude the pioneers of a new kind of watchmaking, such as Max Büsser who, with the 2001 launch of the Harry Winston Opus, celebrated the successful partnership of the Haute Horlogerie establishment with the creative spirit of the independents, before going on to found MB&F. The same period saw the gradual emergence of a watchmaking ethos that, while respecting the highest canons of the mechanical art, began to depart radically from the traditional shapes and classic displays, giving rise to the extraordinary timepieces of Urwerk and the stylistic perfection of De Bethune, which virtuosically combines references to the great horological traditions of the 18th century with unrivalled performance, architecture and finishes. Then there are the spectacular kinetic sculptures of Hautlence and the astonishing hydraulics of HYT, which has rewritten the rules of time display. Christophe Claret illustrates yet another trajectory; after deploying his talents and skills on behalf of some of the most highprofile brands, he is now spearheading a fresh and playful but still noble approach to watchmaking. And while this feisty band of agitators was plotting to overthrow the status quo, others were also swimming against the tide, but this time staking their future on the perennial allure of high watchmaking style and consummate craftsmanship, then threatened with extinction. Kari Voutilainen, from the misty North, is on a quest for horological perfection, while Laurent Ferrier, on the strength of many years spent behind the benches of other companies, is seeking the essence of classical design. And then there’s H. Moser & Cie, whose sights are firmly trained on achieving the greatest possible technical and aesthetic purity. Which is also, given the general climate, something of a radical break in itself. p
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HM6 RT ‘SPACE PIRATE’
THE EXUBERANT REVOLUTION When, ten years ago, Max Büsser launched MB&F – which stands for Maximilian Büsser & Friends – everyone thought he was off his rocker. Haute Horlogerie has no place for ‘Friends’, they said. It’s not a holiday camp – watchmaking is a serious business. But they are now eating their words, because MB&F has convincingly demonstrated that, even in Haute Horlogerie, it’s possible to keep that childlike soul while taking its interpretation very seriously indeed. With its fusées, satellites, spaceships, bodywork and… frogs, MB&F’s designs recognise no limits or taboos. The launch of each new ‘machine’ is a major event, and opens up new avenues to explore. But MB&F’s eminently playful watchmaking style does not detract from the extreme competence of the ‘friends’ who develop the inventive insides and the lovingly fashioned bodywork of the futuristic timepieces that emerge from the imagination of Max Büsser and are refined by his colleague – and friend – designer Eric Giroud. When he brought out the ‘classical’ Legacy Machine, even Max Büsser’s closest allies were tempted to believe he had completely lost the plot. With its balance proudly displayed under a domed crystal, this radical reinterpretation of classical watchmaking showed beyond all doubt that the future is created by those who are intimately familiar with the past. (PM) p
The HM6 represents a double rupture. First, a rupture vs. conventional watchmaking – because like all of our Horological Machines, we turn the normal development process on its head. Rather than starting with a movement and the related technical aspects, we start with a blank sheet of paper and an idea – in most cases, a powerful, emotional memory from our childhood. In the case of HM6, a Japanese anime TV series from my childhood: Capitaine Flam (Captain Future in English). Capitaine Flam had a spaceship called the Comet that consisted of two spheres joined by a connecting tube. I imagined combining two such craft and the seeds of the HM6 Space Pirate were planted. The second rupture is an internal one. Contrary to the bold lines of our previous Machines, HM6 follows more organic, curved lines – derived from the early 20th century art movement labelled ‘biomorphism’, in which art is modelled on the naturally occurring shapes and forms found in nature and living creatures. Biomorphic expressions can be found in the work of Matisse, Gaudi, Marc Newson or German industrial designer Luigi Colani. Add HM6’s flying tourbillon with retractable ‘hyperspace’ shield, the spherical time displays, wear-minimising turbines and the 475-component automatic winding movement, and you get a very radical machine indeed.” Maximilian Büsser I Three-dimensional horological engine developed exclusively for HM6 by MB&F with David Candaux Horlogerie Créative. Flying Tourbillon with retractable shield. Light blue platinum 950 battle-axe automatic winding rotor. Twin aluminium turbines driven by winding rotor. Power reserve: 72 hours. Limited edition of 18 pieces.
18 | BREAKAWAY | europa star
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THE RADICAL REVOLUTION
– one might even say severity – of Felix Baumgartner surprisingly complements the avant-garde artistic universe of Martin Frei, and together they have succeeded in producing something that is unique and uncompromisingly modern. Their UFOs have a soul, because these two men have poured their hearts into them. (PM) p
UR-210S ‘FULL METAL JACKET’
“When I wear an Urwerk, I think about Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei, who worked like Trojans to make the company a success. They put their blood, sweat and tears into it, and that really shines through,” says a fervent supporter of the brand. He is not alone. Founded in 1997, Urwerk is one of the most radical pioneers of the new watchmaking, and has revolutionised the way in which time is measured and displayed. Without ever abandoning the eternal quest of the watchmaker – the twin grails of precision and reliability – by working tirelessly and by adding some intelligence to their mechanics (their famous ‘control boards’, the optical sensor in the EMC model), they have paved the way for ‘satellite time’, which is half analogue, half digital. Their designs are both technically mind-blowing (retrograde hands, retractable hands, revolving cubes) and aesthetically breathtaking: their solid, vigorous watches are both angular and organic, drawing inspiration equally from science fiction and 17th-century suits of armour. The watchmaking rigour
In my eyes, the UR-210S is our most accomplished creation to date. This is my favourite child! It’s impossible to boil this creation down to one specific feature. It really is about a coherent whole formed by each of its elements – the movement, mechanisms, case and dial – as well as the bracelet. We should think of it as a single entity extending around the wearer’s wrist, encompassing it. It is a watch that lives on your wrist. It is dependent on you: you feed it with energy, you breathe life into it. I am very proud that the UR-210S now exists because I had to fight for it. It may well be true that investing time and energy into developing a completely new metal bracelet for a limited edition of just 35 pieces appears irrational, but fortunately at Urwerk passion usually prevails over reason, and what can I say, the UR-210 simply evokes passion.” Martin Frei
I Calibre: UR-7.10. Power reserve: 39 hours. Winding system: Self-winding coupled to turbines. Indications: Patented revolving satellite complication with wandering hour and three-dimensional retrograde minute hand; power reserve indicator; patented winding efficiency indicator. Super-LumiNova treatment on markers, dials, indexes, hands and satellites.
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POKER
PLAYFUL REVOLUTION Christophe Claret started out as a subcontractor, and his genius lies behind a fair few of the watchmaking innovations a number of brands brought out in the 1990s and 2000s, such as the use of sapphire in the movement, the orbital tourbillon and the 100% titanium movement. He launched his own brand at the height of the 2009-2010 crisis, which was nothing if not audacious, making Christophe Claret among the youngest of our breakaway brands. Although he had to manage without the favourable winds enjoyed by some of his independent counterparts, who had broken away earlier, he is now able to follow his own inclinations and, finally, bask in the glory. These inclinations have led to the Margot, which pioneered extreme complications for women’s watches, the Aventicum and its ‘mirascope’, and also the playful variations based around Poker, Blackjack and Baccara. Christophe Claret continues to mine his richest source of inspiration – childhood – while presenting it in an eminently grown-up package. (SM) p
The Poker model features a complication never before attempted in watchmaking. Its complexity comes from the inclusion of a 52-card pack inside the watch, enabling the wearer to play a three-player game of Texas Hold’em against the bank, with up to 100,000 possible random combinations. We have also added a roulette wheel to the back of the watch. I have always been motivated to produce watches that did not exist on the market, although this is the most difficult path to take, both technically and commercially. My idea for this piece came from the spirit of the Roaring Twenties, which were the backdrop to the 1929 crash. My thought was that, after we made it through the financial crisis that hit in 2009, we would have a few crazy years. It was in this spirit that I decided to create this timepiece. We’re still waiting for the crazy times, but you won’t get bored with this watch, and it does reflect a contemporary current.” Christophe Claret
I Calibre: automatic-winding mechanical. Number of components: 655. Double barrels. Power reserve: 72 hours (approx.). Functions: hours and minutes. Two games: Texas Hold’em poker game and roulette wheel. Patented cathedral gong. 20-piece limited series.
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PERPETUAL INNOVATION
The result is a watchmaking approach that is designed and implemented with total financial and intellectual independence, and one that will certainly come to be seen as emblematic of its time: precious but not ostentatious, effortlessly contemporary, timeless and unique. (PM) p
DB28
De Bethune is the fruit of the somewhat improbable union of a sophisticated Italian aesthete and connoisseur with impeccable taste, David Zanetta, and a virtuoso watchmaker with a love for the solitude of the Jura, who is as passionate about classical watchmaking as he is about the equations of the Résonique escapement, or stargazing in the snow. He is Denis Flageollet. Their union has produced some exceptional horology: ambitious, sophisticated, technically innovative and stylistically unparalleled. Watchmakers tend to be rather profligate with the label ‘classic and contemporary’. De Bethune’s watchmaking takes this much further. Formally, it borrows from the great classical canons of equilibrium, moderation and simplicity. But it achieves this equilibrium by entirely contemporary means: an amalgam of fundamental research, the mastery of new materials, architectural purity and modernity, minute attention to decoration, symbiosis between case and movement, a preoccupation with comfort in wear, lightness and ease of use.
We won the 2011 Aiguille d’Or at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève with the DB28. The design of the watch is entirely in line with existing creations by our brand: the dedicated shape of the case adorned with its famous crown at 12 o’clock, inspired by pocket-watches and emphasised by the spherical moon. Much like what can be observed from the sky, moon phases are read off by an exclusive display system by means of a platinum and blued-steel sphere revolving on its axis, which is accurate to within one day every 122 years. The DB28 is powered by Calibre DB 2115: its precision is reinforced by the self-regulating twin barrel and the presence within the regulating organ of the new silicon/platinum balance wheel with a flat terminal curve, protected by the triple pare-chute shock-absorbing system. In keeping with the Belle Époque style, the solid back of the DB28 is inspired by the hunter-type shape of pocket-watches, and also incorporates a power reserve indicator.” Pierre Jacques
I Calibre DB 2115: mechanical hand-wound, self-regulating twin barrel, silicon/palladium balance wheel, balance spring with flat terminal curve, triple pare-chute shock-absorbing system, exclusive three-dimensional moon-phase indication.
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VORTEX
ARCHITECTURAL REVOLUTION Norman Foster, Jean Nouvel, Frank Gehry… If we were to suggest some of the great names in contemporary architecture who might have inspired Hautlence’s watchmaking achievements, these would probably be among them. More than any other brand, the Neuchâtel company is a genuinely ‘architectural’ firm that, certainly when it started out a decade ago, drew inspiration from the Eiffel Tower, the creations of Jules Verne and the steampunk aesthetic. Guillaume Tetu travels a lot, and when he creates his timepieces he likes to draw from the architectural heritage of the cultures he visits, while relying on solid technical in-house abilities, which are even stronger now that the brand has grown closer to its ‘cousin’ H. Moser & Cie, under the influence of Georges-Henri Meylan. A welcome new wind is blowing through Hautlence, and the world of watchmaking is reaping the benefits in terms of increasingly bold and thoughtful kinetic sculptures. (SM) p
Our new Vortex model incorporates a redesigned and reinterpreted version of the HL2.0 in-house movement. It is the first time that time has been displayed by the rotation of the entire regulating organ. We redesigned the bridges and the balance to accommodate this. The main feature of this model is that it is built horizontally. It’s another watchmaking revolution: as far as the rest of our profession is concerned, we have no respect at all, but in fact we have the greatest respect! I always draw inspiration from architecture when creating my designs. In this case I asked the Parisian designers we worked with to look at the lines of buildings such as the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, and New York’s Freedom Tower. I’m a designer by training and when I started out in watchmaking I discovered many links with architecture, for example in terms of transparency, energy and vibration.” Guillaume Tetu
I HLR2.0 in-house calibre including gear train and automatic winding system. Half-trailing hours displayed by a chain, retrograde minutes, mobile bridgetype calibre. Limited edition of 88 timepieces.
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HIGH-TECH RECONSTRUCTION
T Functions: retrograde fluidic hours, retrograde minute indicator, crown position indicator (T-N-W), power reserve indicator (on back), push-button for hour rotation. Movement: mechanical with manual winding, exclusive HYT calibre. Series limited to 25 pieces.
H3
HYT provides perhaps the best example of crossover between watchmaking ‘science’ and the sciences proper. This watchmaking start-up, which went public with its first timepiece just three years ago, has pioneered a fluid-based system to create unique watches that demonstrate conclusively that revolutions are never so radical as when they originate from outside watchmaking! Never, since the time of the ancient clepsydrae, had it occurred to anyone to tell the time using water... Until the arrival of HYT’s alchemists and their handless hydro-mechanical timepieces, which exploit the enormous potential of nanotechnology to create watches with a futuristic, radical and provocative design. The brand smashes taboos and opens the door to any number of revolutionary concepts that are the product of out-of-the-box thinking. Micro-fluid technology has a bright future ahead, not only in watchmaking, but also in medicine, the automobile industry and cosmetics. (SM) p
We started with a blank page and we capitalised on our fluids experience to create something entirely new. With the H3, we are deconstructing time and reconstructing it around its founding principle: two bellows injecting a capillary with fluid which moves to display the time. Placing the bellows in opposition was something that really posed a challenge. They are coupled by a mechanical assembly (comprising a spindle, sensor and thermal compensator), and fitting this between the bellows was a very delicate operation. We have succeeded in creating a timepiece with a highly complex architecture. In the conventional sense, there is no midday and there are no hands. One of the main challenges lay in machining the case and the sapphire crystal. When it came to the movement, one of the most delicate steps in creating the H3 involved recovering the energy provided in the retrograde movement, which then powered the semi-instantaneous rotation of the watch’s dial.” Vincent Perriard
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ENDEAVOUR PERPETUAL CALENDAR FUNKY BLUE
UNDERSTATED REVOLUTION The story of H. Moser & Cie is that of a very ambitious and contrarian renaissance, which has today made the Schaffhausen company one of the strongest symbols of watchmaking purity. Purity in this case means the paradoxically complex process of stripping back, simplifying the display, finding the optimum accommodation between movement and case, and identifying the perfect proportions for the watch dial. Now in the hands of family holding company MELB (which also owns Hautlence), created by Georges-Henri Meylan and managed by his son Edouard Meylan, H. Moser & Cie is today one of the foremost proponents of classical watchmaking at the absolute pinnacle of perfection. But this classicism is not about looking back; quite the opposite, in fact. It takes the best and most demanding lessons of the past and reinterprets them in such a way as to reveal their striking modernity. H. Moser & Cie is an integrated manufacture that produces its own regulating organs and balance springs; it has invented an interchangeable escapement module and devised the simplest and most beautiful perpetual calendar that has ever existed; and it has also, in its own way, broken with the dominant watch-
With this new watch, our intent was to tear down preconceptions. Countering the view that a perpetual calendar must be restricted to a classic look, we replied with the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Funky Blue! It is aimed at watch fans searching for a model with classic appeal. This noteworthy watch avoids modern trends and does not resemble watches worn by their grandfathers… We tried to favour elegance and tradition, without sacrificing design: the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar features an electric blue dial, paired with a leather strap with a robust, rustic appearance – including natural markings – that offers the perfect contrast to the refined details and finishes of the dial and case. It contains the HMC 341 manufacture movement: this perpetual calendar uses the indexes to show the months and can be adjusted forwards or backwards at any time without risk to the mechanism.” Edouard Meylan making codes, which are often tempted into exhibitionism (of their shapes, their movements and their architecture). Here, everything is understated, poetic and beautiful. And that is what makes the contribution of H. Moser & Cie so precious and so necessary today. (PM) p I White gold model, sky-blue fumé dial, kudu leather strap. Mechanical handwound in-house calibre HMC 341. Power reserve: minimum 7 days.
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ARTISAN REVOLUTION
one of the watchmaker’s favourite poems by Samivel: “On a pebble beach, tell me what you see? / Pebbles as far as the eye can reach, all apparently very much alike, / yet a closer look shows that some are round and others square, golden, garnet, jade, multi-coloured...” (SM) p
GALET SQUARE
The son and grandson of watchmakers, Laurent Ferrier’s background is perhaps less radical, less crazy than that of some of his colleagues in this feature. He nevertheless remains an all too rare figure in the current watchmaking landscape: the proudly independent watchmaker. He enthusiastically embraces innovation while remaining firmly grounded in the great tradition of craftsmanship and attention to detail that are his hallmarks. He sums up his philosophy in the expression: “creatively classic”. He launched his own brand in 2010 and won the Men’s Watch prize at the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève the first time he entered. An unprecedented achievement. Today his Galet models are universally respected for their attention to detail, which puts to shame many other watchmakers who are not so shy of the limelight. They tell a compelling story while exuding timeless elegance. To quote
When we launched the Galet Square model at Baselworld, we preferred to use the word ‘evolution’ to ‘revolution’ in terms of its design. The revolution lies more in the spirit of the brand, in our willingness to cross the bridge between watchmaking tradition, which is embodied in the detail and luxury of our finishes, and technological innovation, in the sense that our movements feature innovative construction and are created with avant-garde materials. I designed the original Galet starting with a blank page, paying particular attention to the piece’s aesthetic harmony. This involved rigorous respect for the proportions between the volume of the case and that of the movement. This is also the first time we have offered a steel case. The self-winding FBN 229.01 calibre, with unidirectional pawlfitted micro-rotor and three-day power reserve, is the third entirely in-house movement developed, assembled and adjusted in our workshops.” Laurent Ferrier
I FBN Calibre 229.01, automatic winding with pawl-fitted micro-rotor, 72-hour power reserve.
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GMT-6
VELVET REVOLUTION There is one photograph that captures the essence of Kari Voutilainen. It was taken at the awards ceremony for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2007. To widespread astonishment, Voutilainen had just been awarded the Men’s Watch prize. In the photo he can just be spotted, standing behind all the other recipients (some of whom wouldn’t know a cutting broach from an escapement file) proudly crowding the front of the stage. With discretion, patience, determination, humility, persistence and talent, he made it to the top, and no one saw him coming. His nonconformity lies in his exacting return to the fundamentals of watchmaking, where chronometry goes hand in hand with an obsessive attention to detail and exquisite finishing. In order to achieve such mastery, Kari Voutilainen traded the forests of Finland for the Jura and devoted himself to learning everything there was to know about watchmaking, becoming in the process virtually a one-man manufacture. Now the head of his own ‘horlogerie d’art’, he intends to continue on the path towards what is virtually total independence of body and mind. But don’t expect any unbridled growth. His rare brand of discretion demands exclusivity. (PM) p
This new GMT-6 watch with an exclusive movement made in our workshop presents classical watchmaking at its highest level with pure design and solid construction. The inspiration for this movement comes from the Vingt-8 movement, but it is a new calibre, which means that the mechanism of the GMT is entirely integrated inside the movement. There are more than 70 new components, compared to the Vingt-8 movement. GMT time is read from the disk situated at 6 o’clock inside of the small seconds indication. Seconds are printed: instead of printing 60 seconds, there is a triangle from where we can read the GMT time. The GMT disc revolves one turn every 24 hours and to make it more visible, there are day and night sections which have been hand engine-turned. The GMT disc can be adjusted by pressing the crown down: one press advances the disc one hour. The dial is made from solid silver and it is engine-turned by hand in our workshop.” Kari Voutilainen
I Unique in-house designed movement with GMT function at 6 o’clock. New direct impulse escapement with two escapement wheels. Movement: 30 mm x 5.60 mm, pure German silver plated with rose gold. Free sprung balance (with Grossman interior curve and Philips exterior curve) beating at 18,000 vph. All manufacturing, construction, fabrication, hand finishing and assembly carried out in the Voutilainen workshop. Case: 39 mm. Sapphire glass front and back, with anti-reflective treatment.
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Titoni_A
Become part of a family tradition AIRMASTER
TITONI LTD. Sch端tzengasse 18 | 2540 Grenchen | Switzerland | Phone +41 32 654 57 00
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CHINESE WATCH BRANDS Companies like Fiyta are coming out with complications more and more prestigious and aim to eventually topple Swiss luxury brands. However, their offensive remains very gradual. In the meantime, they are slowly buying Swiss companies and knowledge. An analysis.
the latest Chinese innovations in the field of digital watches. Chinese smartwatch manufacturers aim to profit from the current popularity of these watches to increase the visibility of a few of the country’s watchmaking companies.
MASSIVE GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
Let us take two examples to illustrate that. At the last edition of Baselworld, we counted no fewer than fifteen Chinese exhibitors, excluding jewellers, ten of which had already participated in the event in 2014. The Chinese pavilion also provided an opportunity to present
Fiyta
by Valentin Guidi and Philippe Régnier, Geneva School of Business Administration
T
he Chinese watchmaking industry, which is often linked to low production costs, offers a much lower quality and skill set than its foreign competitors. But for how long? This industry has developed a strategy aiming to improve in the domain and to technologically upgrade its products to the level of fine watchmaking, a sector that other nations like Japan and the United States have not yet reached.
According to Zhu Shunhua, manager of the Chinese pavilion at Baselword, around 90% of the world’s digital watches are manufactured in China. They are sold in the domestic market, which is potentially enormous. The presence of the main Chinese brands in Basel is not without significance: it shows their conquest strategy for European and North American markets. Since the turn of the century, the invisible hand of the Chinese government has allowed for massive investments in state watchmaking companies, such as Tianjin Sea-Gull (founded in 1955), Beijing Factory (1958), Liaoning Peacock Watch Company (1958) and Fiyta (1987), which have real ambitions in middle and even top range products. In Basel this year they showed their ability to produce manual or automatic movements and complications that go from the moon phases to the tourbillon, but without reaching Swiss quality. Exhibiting for the fifth consecutive year in Hall 1 of Baselworld, Fiyta presented its new collections, including a limited edition tourbillon, a time
u
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zone automatic movement with raised disc reading, and an automatic movement with 12 rotating zodiac signs. The other Chinese brands were also active: Liaoning Peacock Watch Co. showed its know-how by marketing watches with a retrograde date movement and moon phases and a co-axial tourbillon inside a 40 mm skeleton case. Beijing Factory exhibited its 3D tourbillon on two axes with an enamel moon phase indicator visible through the case back.
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26TH WATCH & CLOCK FAIR IN SHENZHEN
AND IT’S ABOUT TIME!
Chinese watches still have a long way to go to compete with Swiss brands, and they do not yet enjoy the prestige and distribution network of other luxury companies, which are strongly established not only in Asia, but in the rest of the world. Even so, the gap is shrinking, even in the domain of luxury products. Chinese skills have been gradually acquired through foreign investments and technological exchanges made by watchmaking companies from Japan, Switzerland, the region of Guangzhou and Hong Kong in the last few decades. Chinese companies still have one last step to take, which is learning how to communicate and market their best products, including their high-end production, which is a skill Swiss brands master very well. In the meantime, they will continue to buy Swiss watchmaking companies and to manufacture for the great Swiss brands, in order to benefit from the intangible resources that make the prestigious companies what they are and that, in the eyes of the ‘nouveaux riches’ and of the Chinese middle class, forge the image of Switzerland and the Swiss quality label. Competition, but also cooperation between China and Switzerland are in the works! p
Shenzen Watch & Clock Fair
THE SHRINKING GAP
Whereas the 2014 edition of the Watch and Clock Fair in Shenzhen had pinned all its hopes on the free trade agreement between Switzerland and China, this year’s Fair has completely switched its attention to the smartwatch. Swiss watchmaking is no longer the model to follow. by Jean-Luc Adam, Europa Star Let us keep in mind that Shenzhen’s watch and clock fair is the third most important one of its kind, judging by the number of brands (600), of companies (400) and the size of the exhibition area (close to 50,000 sqft)! What is more, Shenzhen alone produces more than half of China’s total watchmaking
production, estimated to be 669 million wristwatches in 2014. But despite this being equal to 23 times the production of Switzerland, the average export price of a ‘China made’ watch is two hundred times lower than that of a Swiss watch: USD 4 compared to USD 803 for a ‘Swiss made’. And therein lies the great problem of the Chinese industry in general and, watchmaking in particular: with such low profit margins – and possibly without direct, indirect and hidden subsidies from the central government* – how many truly cost-effective Chinese companies are there? Increasing added value is therefore a priority, possibly an urgent one if one considers the country’s worrying economic downturn (see “First crisis?” box). In Shenzhen, the leaders have at last understood that the unparalleled Swiss watchmaking industry is not what they should be striving to imitate. With its 315 million wristwatches *The undervaluation of the yuan is tantamount to a covert export subsidy on China made goods.
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ter having acquired IBM’s PC business in 2005, German company Medion AG in 2011 and US company Motorola Mobility on January 29, 2014, the company is now playing third fiddle, behind Samsung and Apple, with its second generation Moto 360 X. But do these smartwatches really sell? It seems that the market is waiting for more mature products...
Shenzen Watch & Clock Fair
PART FASHION, PART SMART
I During the pre-Fair summit, smartwatches were at the heart of the discussions between the main representatives of Chinese watchmaking.
selling at 23 dollars apiece, Hong Kong is showing the way forward. This goal is all the more realistic if you consider that their parts are mainly made in… Shenzhen. The Chinese watchmaking industry is clearly going down a new path, that of an increasingly ‘smart’ fashion watch.
THE FOUR RELEVANT SECTORS During the traditional summit where all the main actors of China’s watchmaking industry convene before the opening of the Fair, most of the speakers identified different aspects of smartwatches, particularly their level of connectivity. The summit ended with an interesting debate between the representatives of the four sectors concerned by this revolution: traditional watchmaking (Mr Xi Du, CEO of Fiyta), electronic watchmaking (Mr Yijun Yang, CEO of the Tianhaiba group), IT (Mrs Ying Liang, R&D director for Lenovo) and telephony (Mr Hong
Yinxin, products manager for Huawei). Despite the arguments put forward by all parties, everyone stuck to their previous positions. Fiyta, with its relatively conservative vision, is of the opinion that the product of watchmaking is a jewel or at least an object that can reflect the personality of its owner. Xi Du has analysed the Apple Watch and has come up with three of its weak points that are incompatible with the watchmaking profession: its ridiculously low battery life, its pairing with a smartphone, and the fact that it becomes obsolete as soon as the next generation comes out. Yijun Yang (electronic watchmaking) believes that, because of where it is worn, a wristwatch is unsuitable for use as a phone but ideal as a health or sports coach, or else as a wallet or an electronic key, always within hand’s reach. For Hong Yinxin, the smartwatch is feasible because of the Huawei Watch that was launched on the export markets this summer. As for Lenovo, number 1 in PCs worldwide af-
Founded in 1994, the Time2U brand is emerging as China’s leader in lowpriced fashion watches. First of all, their products are made with care, packaged in original boxes. Second, , the nearly endless colour combinations, sizes and styles mean that there is a model that matches every taste. And, as an added bonus, some of their collections feature automatic movements!
Time2U watches with innumerable, inexpensive fashion collections.
In March 2015, Time2U gained international exposure by becoming the first Chinese fashion watch brand to be exhibited in Hall 1 of Baselworld! That would be enough to somewhat dampen the ambition of Ice-Watch, which is just arriving on the Chinese market…
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SEA-GULL, THE HIGH-FLYING WATCH
Tianba’s part-smart 8 month autonomy watch, the T-Watch 2.0.
And what about smartwatches? Watch brands are very much aware that in China, IT giants (Lenovo, TCL, Haier, Baidu, etc.) and telecommunications giants (Huawei, Xiaomi, etc.) do not need their help to market a smartwatch. Tianba understands this very well and has launched a part-smart watch, a hybrid of a classic watch (Ronda 763 quartz movement, 316L steel case, sapphire crystal, water resistant to 50 m) and a ‘smart’ module (which includes an accelerometer, Bluetooth v4.0, iOS 7 or higher and Android 4.3 or higher, NFC) with an autonomy of 8 months. You can pair your smartwatch with your smartphone using an app and your watch will automatically remind you of the appointments in your diary, incoming and missed calls, messages you have received and your sporting activities, by turning on the relevant icon with its corresponding alarm. You can also find a misplaced phone thanks to its sound sensor function, similar to the parking aide of a car. This concept, christened the T-Watch 2.0, might well be a harbinger of tomorrow’s Chinese watches. Yang Yijun, CEO of the Shenzhen brand, is of the opinion that “the smartwatch war will happen in three year’s time”.
At the big Tianjin factory booth, they have chosen to look to the past as it is their 60th anniversary – which is practically forever for a Chinese brand! The event is celebrated with the launch of a ‘60th anniversary’ timekeeper with an ultra-flat tourbillon (9.1 mm) and a 60,000 yuan price tag. So why does this mechanism, quivering with life, elicit so much emotion, infinitely more so than the smartest of smartwatches? The reason may well have been explained by French philosopher Henri Bergson in 1900, in an essay that is still a reference today. He unravelled the mechanisms of a uniquely human emotion: laughter. From that he notes that “the comic does not exist beyond the pale of what is strictly human”, which is to say that we will only find an animal comical if we recognise in it a human attitude or expression. And it may be the life that animates an inert mechanical heart that makes the mechanical watch so fascinating, one might even say more… human. p
FIRST CRISIS ? The summer of 2015 has made us sweat, and that is especially true of Chinese shareholders since the stock index has fallen by 30% in one month, after a 150% rise over a year. Why are people panicking more in China than everywhere else? That would be because 80% of the share ownership of companies listed on the stock exchange is in the hands of private individuals, a situation unique on Earth and one that the government itself has encouraged. In reality, the world’s second largest economic power is ailing, its growth dynamic is slowing down steadily and will most likely fall under 7% in 2015, its lowest rate in 25 years. And for an economic giant on the take-off, this indication is already a sign of recession. And yet, the economy slowing down is almost trifling when compared to the bubbles that have been growing for years in every sector (banking, industry, infrastructure, etc.) among which the most colossal is that of real estate (20% of GDP). Because of speculation, costs are skyrocketing, the price per square metre is grossly overvalued for substandard buildings that are popping up like mushrooms. Did you know that in China there are dozens of ghost towns and enough empty apartments to house 70 million people? In losing its proverbial wisdom, China risks finding itself in a serious systemic crisis.
O For its 60th anniversary, Sea-Gull launched an ultra-flat tourbillon.
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SWISS OR GERMAN WATCHES When the Berlin Wall came down on November 9th, 1989, very few people could have envisioned the fascinating comeback of German high-end watchmaking. Yet, only one year and a few days after that historic and dramatic moment, on December 7th, 1990, Walter Lange registered the company Lange Uhren GmbH again – exactly 145 years after its founding and 49 years after the brand had disappeared in socialist East Germany. Since then towns like Glashütte in Saxony and Schramberg in the Black Forest have once again become globally acknowledged and respected for producing fascinating timepieces, to the extent that worldwide experts and collectors are sometimes led to ask: who are the best – the Swiss or the Germans?
by Dr Frank Müller, www.thebridgetoluxury.com
O
ne way of answering this intriguing yet sensitive question is to compare both countries in relation to three topics: historical contribution and mutual influences, market relevance and watchmaking abilities. In the 17th century, immigrating Huguenots brought their horological expertise with them, causing Switzerland to evolve into the global epicentre of watchmaking it undoubtedly is today. Given the nation’s lofty reputation and capabilities,
gifted watchmakers from all over Europe would travel around the Confederation to gain experience and knowledge. One such was the young German Ferdinand Adolph Lange (the great-grandfather of today’s Walter Lange) who arrived in 1841. Lange was particularly impressed by how Switzerland had used watchmaking to further the economic development of some very remote and impoverished regions – an example that would prompt him to set up his own workshops in poverty-stricken Glashütte. Over time Switzerland would become a significant supplier of watches, move-
I Datograph Perpetual in white gold by A. Lange & Söhne Lange manufacture calibre L952.1; manually wound, crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and assembled by hand; precision-adjusted in five positions; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock engraved by hand.
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ments and components to Germany, even during the World Wars. The incredible resurgence of the watchmaking industry in Germany, and particularly in Saxony, over the last two decades would have been unthinkable without the support of the Swiss watch industry. The reborn A. Lange & Söhne received considerable funding and enormous entrepreneurial industrial assistance from IWC and JaegerLeCoultre; until 2000 all three brands belonged to the Schaffhausen-based holding company LMH Les Manufactures Horlogères. Before it so successfully built up its own in-house industrial capabilities Nomos, for example, for many years sourced standard movements from ETA, and various other German brands still do so in considerable numbers. Glashütte Original’s successful internationalisation since 2001 would certainly not have been possible without the considerable resources of its mother company, the Swatch Group. And Swatch Group once again came to its aid in 2008 with gracious financial donations and logistical advice, to make the reopening of Glashütte’s watch museum possible.
A LITTLE HISTORY And yet it would be short-sighted to think that Swiss influence on German watchmaking was a one-way street. Looking at the horological contributions of both countries, Germany made the first impact. Although some doubts exist about the achievements of Peter Henlein of Nuremberg (1479-1542), he is often considered the inventor of the world’s first pocket watch. It was Ferdinand Lange who, centuries later, introduced the metric system into international watchmaking. And Glashütte Original’s brand name traces its roots back to the early 20th century, when the local industry had to protect itself from Swiss fakes and their so-called ‘Glashütte system’ – Swiss imitations of what were for those
I PanoMaticLunar by Glasshütte Original The Pano models from Glashütte Original give prominence to the clear, pure design with its off-centre placement of hour and minute hands and small seconds display. This is evident from a first glance at the PanoMaticLunar models, which present the characteristic off-centre displays in a well-thought-out spatial arrangement. The areas for hour/minute indicators and the small seconds display lie on a vertical axis within the left half of the dial. The placement of the individual displays was inspired by the Golden Ratio – the legendary law of aesthetic harmony.
days very precise ¾-plate based movements from Saxony. Around the same time, just after World War I, Switzerland embargoed all component deliveries to Germany. This fortuitously encouraged efforts to build up more independent industrial watchmaking structures, resulting in the creation of such highly competitive companies as Ufag and Urofa. For more than a decade – from 1932 to 1945 – Reinhard Straumann paid royalties to A. Lange & Söhne for the right to use a patent on a particular metal alloy that would later become the basis of the Swiss success of accurate modern timekeeping: the Nivarox balance spring. Germans were instrumental in founding or developing Swiss watch brand icons like Rolex and Chopard, and outstanding entrepreneurs like Günther Blümlein, who played a major role in this renaissance, had an immense impact on the industry’s prosperity. Obviously, and to give credit where it is due, Switzerland has historically contributed much more to the global success of watchmak-
ing than Germany has, but its success was based on the achievements of the English and French geniuses that came before, and has always been influenced by external factors, like Japanese quartz or – now coming over the horizon – American smartwatches.
50 BRANDS VERSUS 1,000 A glance at the second topic of comparison in our quest to answer the ‘who is best’ riddle reveals again a dominant, yet not exclusive Swiss presence in terms of economic market relevance. In 2014 the Confederation’s exports amounted to CHF 20.9 billon, CHF 13.8 billion of which represents watches with an export value of over CHF 3,000. Exports to Germany accounted for CHF 1 billion. German global exports, on the other hand, reached EUR 1.7 billion in the same year or, on the basis of pre-January 2015 exchange rates, roughly 10% of the Swiss export value. In the 1950s and ’60s
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brands like Junghans and Kienzle were among the biggest in the world. In the ’70s they made a technical contribution to the quartz revolution – even Glashütte Original in the former East Germany developed and produced its own electronic movements up to the 1990s. Today, as a producing country, Germany exports dials, straps, cases, movement blanks, components and high-precision machinery like CNC routers to a number of nations including Switzerland. In total, some 50 German brands supply watchmakers at all price and quality levels – again a relatively small number in comparison to the more than 1,000 Swiss brands. However, when it comes to the very heart of the question about which is the leading country, historical and economic considerations are obviously far less important than consideration of the timepieces themselves, and their manufacture. The introduction of A. Lange & Söhne’s Datograph in 1999 marked a major shift, lifting Germany’s watchmaking to the Swiss level of complete mastery. Since then, German innovation and creativity have repeatedly astonished the public. Lange, Glashütte Original, Nomos,
Moritz Grossmann, Lang & Heyne, Lehmann and others all offer collectors high-class timepieces with movements developed, manufactured, finished and assembled in-house. Today, among the top ‘semi-industrial’ manufacturers of high-end watches – those who produce more than 3,000 pieces a year – A. Lange & Söhne probably realises the highest average retail price per piece sold, worldwide. Brands like Glashütte Original can look back on more than 165 years of genuinely uninterrupted and almost complete industrial autonomy. The company offers exciting timepieces such as the Grande Cosmopolite, 90% of whose internal components are manufactured in-house. In terms of finishing, German watches are able to offer the finest execution of anglage, blueing screws and polishing the tiniest gold châtons. So who is best? Is German watchmaking really a genuine challenger to the likes of Patek Philippe, Breguet, Vacheron Constantin or their modern counterparts Urwerk, Claret or MB&F? An A. Lange & Söhne advertisement once archly proclaimed: “The Swiss manufacture the best watches in the world – the Saxons, too!”
I Lambda Roségold with blued hands by Nomos Case: 18K rose gold, tripartite; diameter 42 mm; sapphire crystal glass; sapphire crystal glass back, height 8.9 mm. Dial: galvanised, white silver-plated. Hands: tempered blue. Water resistant: to 3 atm. Strap: Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan dark brown, hand stitched; pure rose gold 18K buckle clasp.
But the point of asking ‘who is best’ is not to provide an answer but to provoke thought. By offering an alternative, German luxury watchmaking gives customers around the world more choice. Moreover, since its comeback it has undoubtedly stimulated the Swiss industry to push the envelope further. And this has been a crucial factor at a time when the European watch industry is facing new challenges: changing global consumer patterns among young people, who are apparently less interested in classical timepieces than in the smartwatches of the new market players – if they care at all! The internet is creating different, complex and as yet incompletely understood market structures. The phenomenon of concentration at all market levels – suppliers, manufacturers, brands, distributors and retailers – may reduce the industry’s historical liveliness – as it has in the huge but increasingly boring car industry. And who knows, perhaps one day Chinese customers will be able to buy home-produced top-end timepieces rather than foreign imports? Consumers can only spend their money once and there are more items to purchase than just expensive watches – as incredibly beautiful and astonishingly innovative as they may be. Ferdinand Adolph Lange, an unknown engineer, was allowed to learn his trade in France, England and Switzerland from open-minded geniuses. On his return to Germany he began his entrepreneurial endeavour to develop a revolutionary movement by inviting competitors Aßmann, Grossmann and Schneider to join forces to create a critical mass of production capacity that would justify the build-up of a local supply industry in the small town of Glashütte. Today, consumers may follow their individual inclinations regardless of the brand’s origin. For industry decision-makers the question is not Swiss or German; the answer, however, is undoubtedly – European! p
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TWO BREAKAWAYS Located only a few metres away from each other, they are both influential and extravagant in a conservative territory: one caters to hipsters and the avant-garde, the other to independent watchmaking connoisseurs. A combined visit of the two distinct worlds of Colette and Chronopassion. by Serge Maillard, Europa Star
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aris, Rue Saint Honoré. Amongst multiple traditional luxury boutiques and two steps away from the Louvre are two watchmaking UFOs. The first, at number 213: Colette, a meeting point for all the hipsters on the planet, a place where thick beards don’t sound the alarms set by the terrorist watch. Founded 18 years ago by Colette Rousseaux, with a price range going from Nixon to Corum, meaning from $100 to $60,000, the boutique has recently become popular by being one of the very few places around the world to be selected to present and sell the Apple Watch at its early launch. It shows the intention of the Cupertino brand to win the favours of this ‘trend setter’. The second, located a little further up the street, at number 271, is the hiding place of the flamboyant and larger than life Laurent Picciotto. Here, the owner is also very hard to please, with a selection of the best independent brands that appeared during the golden 2000s: Richard Mille, Greubel Forsey, MB&F, Urwerk, HYT, Ressence… A constellation that has granted Laurent Picciotto the exceptional title of ‘opinion maker’. His strong character sparks admiration, sometimes also suspicion; his taunting ways don’t always fit in with the prudent Swiss watchmaking world… Right next door we find the Parisian Hublot store, also managed by Laurent Picciotto.
COLETTE AND APPLE, AN ENCOUNTER Back at number 213 we are watching them get ready to open the boutique at quite a late hour – 11 a.m. We are sitting in the basement of the shop, at the very trendy Water Bar that regularly hosts preview presentations for the brands. To preserve the mystique around this modern hipster bazaar that currently employs 120 people, Colette Rousseaux almost never gives any interviews, and neither does her daughter Sarah Andelman, who is the co-owner of the shop. After stashing away his fixie bike featuring external speakers, Guillaume Salmon joins us. The spokesperson for the boutique, that sells a lot more than watches (old records, clothes, magazines, even works of art on the upper floor), is not wearing a watch: “But I’ve tested the Apple Watch, and it’s won
2015 THE prints by Marke NewtonTM
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me over,” he says. “It’s very easy to adjust around your wrist. Texting works really well, too. And the watch looks great, but I still have to study it to use it to its full capacity.” How did a partnership with the wealthiest company in the world come about? “They contacted us. They invited Sarah to go to Cupertino for a presentation last year. The next logical step was to sell the model in our store right when it launched for a few select boutiques. It wasn’t easy at first, and we had to face a much larger clientele than usual. The irony was that we had Apple Watches, but the Apple Stores near us did not.” Meanwhile, the Apple Stores now have the watch too, and sales have slowed down somewhat. “But we continue to sell various models every day. The Sports model is the most popular one.”
WATCHES FOR BEARDED HIPSTERS The Parisian store’s worst nightmare – which is also a paradox, considering the mass distribution of Apple products – is to fall into mainstream culture. Guillaume Salmon explains that “whatever the price or notoriety of the brand, Colette is most interested in the quality of the design, in exclusive and limited edition products.” Sarah Andelman personally handles the selection: “We only work with what we really love. And it happens regularly that we fall in love with a piece: we
“Whatever the price or notoriety of the brand, Colette is most interested in the quality of the design, in exclusive and limited edition products.” change our watch windows weekly. We don’t have a lot of products in stock, but we want our clients to see something special every time they visit us.” Certain brands are aware of this and come up with special “Colette” series … With the boom of watchmaking in the past ten years, watches have made their way into the windows of the shop. Who buys them? “We can compare our clients to the readers of the comic book Tintin: they are between 7 and 77 years old, they are from Paris as well as Australia, they are wealthy or come from more modest backgrounds. The special feature of watchmaking, compared to the other products we offer, is that it attracts mainly men. We are lucky enough to have clients who are interested in watchmaking, but whose main concern is not the price.” How exactly did Colette become a global trendsetter? What makes it different from others? “Some of it is still a mystery – and we owe a lot to luck! We came to the right place at the right time. Eighteen years ago the neighbourhood was
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not quite as chic. I think that the artistic choices made by Colette and Sarah bore fruit in a rather conservative context. They have always done their best to surprise people.” The store sees itself as an experiment, as an ‘open’ place. Can this success be reproduced in other places around the world? The answer is clear: “No, Colette must remain unique.”
LAURENT PICCIOTTO, REBEL WITH A CAUSE On our way out of Colette we continue our stroll on Rue Saint Honoré and walk past many luxury brand stores before stopping at a small ordinary-looking shop. We walk in and go down a small flight of stairs to enter the owner’s office; it is covered in posters and references to rock music and motorcycles. Welcome to the magical cave of Laurent Picciotto, founder of Chronopassion. A face, a voice, an attitude… Not a regular retailer! “I started in 1988, a time where no real market or real boutique in Paris was exclusively devoted to watches. The norm was buying the occasional watch from a jeweller. The margins weren’t good, the clients were old and the watches were complicated objects that often broke down.”
Like Colette, Chronopassion has a distinct enemy: mainstream culture. “Today, we can find roughly the same ten or fifteen watch brands in every shopping street in the world. I always ask myself what a certain brand brings to the table instead of focusing on what sells.” The first years were not kind to Laurent Picciotto or his concept, a boutique devoted exclusively to watchmaking at the heart of the French capital. “I opened a little too early. At first, I had around 1.2 client per day!” This was before the new economy bloomed, with its cohort of young people who could afford to spend a million francs on a watch. Between 1995 and 2000, external actors began to buy watch brands. “We saw a financial ‘wave’ that went over Switzerland and its slipper-wearing watchmakers, who paused every fifteen minutes and silently created wonderful objects. Everyone started to buy everyone else.” Since the year 2000 the frenzy has transformed into real ‘madness’.
“My approach is unreasonable, but my management is reasonable. I’m an emotional and compulsive buyer. I bet on my favourites, but I can’t lose one bet out of three.”
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PIRACY AND WATCHMAKING POLLUTION
BETS AND LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT In Chronopassion’s window today we find the most successful brands of the 2000s and more: Hublot, Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille, Panerai… What are Laurent Picciotto’s selection criteria? “My main concern isn’t selling expensive watches. I go further than simplistic thinking. I want the models to be innovative, confidential, and unique. In a nutshell, I would say that my approach is unreasonable, but my management is reasonable. I’m an emotional and compulsive buyer. I bet on my favourites, but I can’t lose one bet out of three.” Last year at Baselworld Laurent Picciotto fell in love with the HM6 by MB&F: “It’s Max Büsser’s craziest piece, I bought two and sold four! It’s important to find balance between the brands that produce a certain volume, like Breguet or Hublot, and brands that are much more confidential: we don’t know how many Sarpaneva watches we’ll sell, and he only makes 40 each year!” Amongst his favourites we find the young Fiona Krüger. “She grabbed me by the arm one day at Baselworld and told me she had no margins for the retailers… I took the risk regardless!” Another newcomer at Chronopassion is Christophe Claret. “I didn’t understand his position for a long time: was he a subcontractor for other brands or a brand? But with the Margot he conquered the heart of women with the complications that so often attract men and frighten women.”
Laurent Picciotto falls in love, and at the same time if he’s unhappy, he’ll let you know. One of his most memorable tirades happened during a press conference by Nicolas Hayek Sr. when Breguet announced a birthday tourbillon watch whose margins had been reduced by half for the retailers. The Frenchman still represents the Swatch Group brand but others, he has abandoned. “The 1990 IWC, with its black and white advertisements from the time of the Da Vinci model, has nothing to do with the current brand. Likewise, excessive creativity can be a problem when it’s not channelled. I liked the rigour of Jaeger-LeCoultre, before the brand decided to make diving models, jewellery, classic watches and low-cost complications.” 85% of Chronopassion’s clientele is foreign, in a market that is much calmer today than it was during the madness of the 2000s. Laurent Picciotto remembers it with slight nostalgia: “With Richard Mille, we spent hours in this basement talking about the RM 001. We didn’t think about how much it would cost, all we cared about was giving it our all. Richard Mille practically invented the unreasonable price!” Since then, third parties actors have profited from it. “There was a form of pollution and inflation: between 2000 and 2008 newcomers could practically launch any model with any price and make it work. Once someone came to see me in Baselworld with a new watch that cost CHF 300,000. I wasn’t convinced, and I think he wasn’t either. But he said to me: ‘I don’t care, it sells’. It was piracy. Many have disappeared, but our memory is selective, we forget them.” Today the market has returned to a sort of normality. But it is out of the question for Laurent Picciotto to go back to normal. “In 2008, when everyone was slamming the brakes on, I bought double. I give myself the means to do it and I don’t care about the trends.” p
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I Chronopassion with, right next door, the Parisian Hublot store.
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FUTURE IN MOTION? In-store versus online sales: some thoughts on the future of retailing. by Pierre Maillard, Europa Star
he future in motion.” This was the theme of the most recent Haute Horlogerie Forum, which took place in Geneva in November 2015. The title neatly encapsulates some of the paradoxical issues the world of Haute Horlogerie is currently grappling with as it asks itself some hard questions about the future. Perhaps Haute Horlogerie would feel more comfortable if the future would stand still... But the future is, by definition, time in motion, the forever unattainable tomorrow. There can be no future – no concept of time at all – without movement. Nevertheless, the marketing materials of the great majority of Haute Horlogerie brands tend to talk up the past, vaunting their stylistic heritage, dwelling on the concepts of tradition and continuity, emphasising the timelessness of their products. Vacheron Constantin, for instance, has brought the word ‘Eternity’ back into its advertising vocabulary: the mechanical watch is, apparently, everlasting! And no amount of ‘future in motion’ is going to change that. Faced with the innovations of the digital world, whose limits are as yet unguessed-at (we often hear the question “where will it end?”), Haute Horlogerie is seeking to reassure and be reassured. This headlong rush forward is an irrelevance, it
seems to say, voluntarily adopting the role of ‘eternal’ beacon, like some unassailable lighthouse blinking stoically out onto the ‘future in motion’. And yet there is nevertheless some substance to this position, and it has to do with the fundamental incongruity of the mechanical watch, whose technology has been completely superseded in terms of its primary function: to keep accurate time. This technical obsolescence, now an incontrovertible historical fact, is paradoxically reassuring, as it places the mechanical timepiece outside time. It stands in contrast to the programmed obsolescence of digital technology, which continues to evolve generation after generation. Just as a bicycle can always be ridden, a mechanical watch will always work, no matter what (at least in theory); a watch, like a bicycle, is completely autonomous, needing no external source to function, apart from some pressure on the pedals, or a few twists of the crown. This ‘historical obsolescence’ thus protects it, and offers us comfort, like a fire in the hearth. In a changing world, one thing remains constant: the mechanical watch. It can continue to be improved, but it will not change.
THE ‘BUYER EXPERIENCE’ SHAKEDOWN These are the premises on which Haute Horlogerie is beginning to question what relationship it should have with the digital world. Clearly, in terms of research, design, production and marketing, watchmaking is already fully digital. But because of the ‘obsolete’ peculiarities and high pricing of mechanical watches, which make them an exceptionally valuable commodity, watch sales have always been handled extra carefully – a process the experts would call a ‘rich buyer experience’, invested with a human touch that makes it particularly special. The buying experience is conducted face-toface in a carefully chosen and tastefully decorated setting, with a hand-picked company representative who is invariably friendly, attentive, approachable and an expert. But the digital world, which offers the possibility of hosting this ‘experience’ online, in a virtual format, calls this model
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ATTEMPTS AT HYBRIDISATION Some have taken the experience further, with a view to eventually eliminating the distinction between offline and online. One such is Burberry, whose former boss Angela Ahrendts coined the phrase: “Walking through our doors is just like walking into our web site.” By attempting to create a continuity of experience from the virtual to the real, the British brand was one of the first to try to eliminate the distinction between physical experience and virtual experience, by using a proxy or avatar. Has it succeeded? The financial results are inconclusive, but the experiment nevertheless earned Angela Ahrendts a job offer from Apple, where she is now head of its retail division, no less. Comparisons don’t tell the whole story, however. A trench coat, no matter how ‘designer’, or an Apple watch, even fitted with a gold case, culturally have little in common with a grand complication made by a centuries-old Swiss manufacture. These products might be very costly, but they are hardly rare. Haute Horlogerie, by contrast, is the embodiment of rarity and exclusivity. Is it possible to reconcile these qualities with online sales? Is it even necessary to make these objects accessible through all channels, whether real or virtual? In the short term, maybe. In the long term, maybe not. While immediate international accessibility may help to ease short-term cash-flow, its long-term consequences are almost certain to be detrimental and impoverishing. Faced with the object of his desire the client, collector, aficionado, whatever you want to call him, is like a child waiting for Christmas. Yes, he is half mad with impatience, but the frustration of the wait is an intrinsic part
of the pleasure, and contributes to the experience. It’s a bit like love: if something is worth having it’s worth waiting for. Instant gratification is anathema to the concept of rarity, but in online sales, it’s the whole point. The object is available immediately and, ideally, dispatched the moment it is ordered. This is the ‘Amazonian’ logic of instant delivery, carried out by drone if necessary. ‘Disenchantment with individual sales experience,’ is a phenomenon we are hearing more about. For Millennials, who were raised on remote controls, joysticks, tablets and mobile phones rather than rattles and teething rings, who came of age in the ‘cloud’ of total accessibility, would having a grand complication delivered by drone direct from a faraway Swiss valley be an ‘enchanting experience’? Who can say. The client would previously have sent the venerable manufacture a scan of his wrist, which would then have been 3D printed to ensure that the bespoke timepiece was a perfect fit. The delivery drone would arrive at precisely the scheduled hour and place, to offload its precious cargo before an audience of family and friends, invited to celebrate the arrival. The following day, a representative of the brand would ring at the door to provide a hands-on initiation into the arcane rituals of owning a new watch.
BACK INTO THE CAVE In fact, it’s a fairly safe bet that matters will go the way they usually do in our human societies. As the gap between rich and poor widens, the tools of social differentiation will become increasingly sophisticated, and will employ all available means, both real and virtual. The clientele of Haute Horlogerie are not technological ignoramuses; they are highly computer-literate, often early adopters of digital innovations, and they enjoy all the latest tech toys. There is no guarantee that they will continue to favour the physical shop over virtual browsing. And in any case, the ‘future in motion’ of the digital world is on course for a complete merging of genres, real and virtual becoming the two inseparable faces of a single reality. A worrying scenario? In his allegory, Plato described a group of people who were chained to the wall of a cave and forced to watch the shadows thrown from a fire behind them, believing this projection to be reality. Mankind has tried to leave the cave and look reality in the face, but the digital flames appear to be slowly but surely tempting us back. Sales strategy aside, when it comes to choosing between the physical and the virtual, there is no middle ground. Perhaps it is already too late. The future is in motion, forever out of reach. p
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into question. And this is one reason behind the extreme reluctance of the luxury brands to embrace this new universe which, by definition, challenges their most deeply-held assumptions and risks undermining that special connection with their clientele, which is one of their most sacred tenets. Despite this understandable reticence with respect to online sales, however, the big luxury brands have nevertheless made calculated forays into the continually expanding online universe, largely restricting themselves to developing their communication, optimising their web presence and venturing into the social media that today dominate online exchanges. The result has been a complete transformation of the global public perception of luxury, exception and rarity. The virtual world has democratised luxury. The intimidating barrier represented by the door of the boutique has been symbolically broken down, thus enabling the world and his wife to enter, virtually. “A feast for the eyes.”
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DIMINISHING RETURNS? Slimmer, more complicated, more accurate, and – inevitably – more expensive. Will the race for mechanical performance in watchmaking, like the quest for human performance in athletics, hit a wall? Here are some attempts to answer this question. by Serge Maillard, Europa Star “Are invention and innovation still possible in watchmaking?” This question – a somewhat provocative one, given the plethora of ‘innovations’ constantly being announced by the watchmaking industry – was the theme of a debate held recently at the EPHJ trade fair. New materials, such as silicon, continue to make a splash. But do they really represent progress in mechanical watchmaking, or have they simply created new problems and, perhaps, new time bombs? (See sidebar for the experts’ views.) The participants around the table represent a variety of industry opinions on innovation: a ‘practitioner’, Jean-Daniel Dubois, CEO of Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier; an ‘aesthete’, Alexis Georgacopoulos, director of the prestigious Swiss school of art and design ECAL; and a ‘technician’, Jens Krauss, VP Systems at the Swiss Centre for Electronics and Microtechnology. The discussion was moderated by Stephan Post of Dynamics Group. Excerpts.
HAVE WE REACHED THE END OF THE ERA OF COMPLICATIONS AND INNOVATIONS IN MOVEMENT DESIGN?
by the CSEM and Vaucher Manufacture. It gives a power reserve of 45 days, which is ten times more than is possible today. And far longer than Apple’s 18hour battery life!
Dubois: It’s true that in some areas – astronomical measurements, for example – a great deal has already been done. But with new materials such as silicon we are now able to improve the accuracy and running time of our watches even further. These technologies give us the ability to make advances, even with perennial challenges such as these.
Dubois: Pierre Genequand’s thought processes followed the same logic as those of English clockmaker John Harrison back in the 18th century. First, the flexible components of the regulator guarantee minimal friction; and second, the escapement component works far more efficiently. Pierre Genequand began working out of his garage ten years ago. And the first Parmigiani watch to incorporate his regulator will be introduced at SIHH 2016 with, we hope, a power reserve of 45 days. We are at the start of something quite amazing.
Krauss: Let’s take the example of the ‘Genequand regulator’ (a detailed description of this innovation can be found in Europa Star Première 2/15), developed
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THIS EXAMPLE ASIDE, WHAT MARGINS FOR INNOVATION DO NEW MATERIALS OFFER THE WATCHMAKING INDUSTRY? Dubois: Carbon fibre cases and titanium movements are gaining ground. But we must remain within the realm of what is feasible, what is possible to produce. And Swiss watchmaking does remain focused on precious materials. If we are to use titanium movements or carbonfibre cases, that has to be what people want, and there has to be good reason to use them, for example because their ultra-lightness means that tennis players can wear the watches during the French Open. Silicon, again, makes it possible to
do certain things that were impossible with traditional materials. Krauss: Don’t forget, silicon is what started the microelectronics revolution! Today it has found a place in microtechnology, because it’s amagnetic and it allows for more precision. Tomorrow’s watch will be lighter, more accurate, and it will run for longer. But silicon also has some disadvantages, in particular its lack of strength. Georgacopoulos: In design, you often hear people say, “Everything has already been done.” But that’s a bit like saying that we don’t need any more chairs. It’s quite a simple object, after all, but thousands of new chairs are designed every year. In watchmaking, there is
also a constant stream of thousands of very different new designs. But the tendency of recent years, to make everything bigger, is perhaps not the most interesting design trend we have seen. No one wants a brick on their wrist! What’s essential, in both design and technology, is to avoid the obsolescence of smartphones. u
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“WE SHOULD DRAW INSPIRATION FROM OTHER SPHERES, LIKE MEDTECH” FABIO CESA LE CERCLE DES HORLOGERS “Innovation is everywhere: intelligent modules, new functions, horological ‘machines’... Over the last ten years, the way we tell the time has been turned upside-down. Brands that just do hours, minutes and seconds are a vanishing species. Now, it’s time to bring the price of complex movements down. The next step is to add a bit more dimension! We do 3D design, but watches still don’t really have that three-dimensional look. We need to anticipate this trend. Mechanically,
we try to think five years ahead: 80% is operational and 20% is projection. That’s why brands have departments dedicated to innovation, departments that are not ‘contaminated’ by the concerns of today. We can also draw inspiration from other industrial sectors such as the medical sector. The processes and materials used in medtech are fascinating. It’s a very aggressive sector, and electronics have given it a new lease of life. Today you can buy little pills that are in reality tiny robots. We could also learn from the medical sector in terms of costs. When you think about industrial-scale production of artificial valves for pacemakers, the financial stakes are huge. They can achieve enormous economies of scale. Personally, I’m not totally convinced by innovations such as the Genequand regulator. In design it’s not just energy that counts. If I’m doing 5 km/h on the motorway, of course I waste less energy... Power reserve is not the only issue, you need to look at the overall dynamic. You need to give it some gas, then slam on the brakes; build up sufficient energy, then ease off. I won’t optimise one aspect if it means the rest goes out of the window. There’s a great deal more to do and more innovations to be made in 3D.” p
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BUT IS IT POSSIBLE THESE DAYS TO CONTINUE TO INNOVATE, WHILE REDUCING THE COST OF PRODUCTION IN SWITZERLAND, IN A HIGHLY VOLATILE ECONOMIC CLIMATE?
Krauss: If we are to continue to innovate in Switzerland, it’s absolutely crucial. If we want to keep our centres of innovation we need to reduce the cost of production, including production of low-volume and limited editions. From that point of view, the Sistem 51 developed by Swatch sends out a fantastic signal: it’s a mechanical watch, made entirely in Switzerland, and it’s cheap! If the Swiss made sector is ramped up, more of our production could be repatriated to Switzerland. Dubois: We’ve already done that. We’ve brought back what we had in the French Jura, and today we are 100% Swiss made.
THE NEXT MAJOR INNOVATION LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE IN CONNECTIVITY RATHER THAN IN MECHANICAL WATCHMAKING, AND IT WILL COME FROM OUTSIDE SWITZERLAND. Krauss: That’s true, but it’s not because we don’t have the skills here in Switzerland! We get a lot of requests at the CSEM from the smartwatch sector, and we have to turn many of them down. It’s in our interests to defend the Swiss made label, so we refuse to work with foreign companies such as LG or Samsung. We don’t want to lose our skills base. Some American com-
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“AFTER A DECADE OF CREATIVE MADNESS THINGS HAVE BEGUN TO CALM DOWN” JEANFRANÇOIS MOJON, CHRONODE “The chapter of the mechanical watch began 250 years ago and no end is yet in sight! I like the idea of the vein or seam: the further you prospect, the more you find. Today, for example, we are working on a very innovative pallet escapement that could open up new horizons. The first decade of the millennium was a time of creative madness. Now things have begun to calm down. Brands are also wanting to pull back their prices. It’s important
to keep innovating, but in a more focused way and more cheaply! Less madness and more perceived value... And people still want to see the mechanics, through skeletonising. The watch is being laid bare. Seeing is also showing. We started out in 2005 with the idea of offering an alternative, creative style of watchmaking, for instance with a new way of displaying the time. One of our main innovations is the detent escapement, which we used in series for the first time in a wristwatch. There remains a great deal still to be done in terms of the kinetics of time and how it is displayed, thinking more about how the movement interfaces with the case, merging movement and case together. Design is also an extremely important element. We’re returning to more classical codes, but there’s still a need for differentiation: well-known points of reference, but strong identities. It’s always a bit of a contradiction. Whether in terms of design, movement or price, the equation is not easy to solve. Compared with ten years ago there are many more constraints, more unknowns, in the equation.” p
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Point of view
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“LASTING INNOVATIONS, THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF SILICON” PIERRE FAVRE, MHC “A lot of work in recent years has gone into improving precision. We have reached an extremely high level, close to perfection. But there are still some areas with room for improvement: mainspring barrel power reserve; balance springs; and then there’s the casings: materials like Hublot’s Magic Gold, hardened materials and the general aesthetics. There has also been some fascinating experimentation in terms of how the movement is displayed. The Opus, with its offcentre dials, has opened up a new dimension in this respect. There is still room for innovation, but we need innovations that will stand the test of time and I do not believe that silicon is one of them. I doubt that using silicon in the
panies have tried to start a ‘brain drain’ but we offer such good framework conditions here in Switzerland that thankfully it doesn’t work. Georgacopoulos: At the ECAL it’s the opposite; we have exchanges with Apple each year. The demand comes from their side; they ask us to send them CVs and portfolios. These multinationals are curious. They come to Switzerland, as you say, but for our design too. Apple regularly takes ECAL people over to San Francisco.
REGARDLESS OF THE QUALITY – OR LACK THEREOF – OF THE PRODUCT, WHAT MAKES APPLE SUCH
regulating organ is something sustainable. It is obvious that a silicon watch cannot last fifty years, it is a fragile material. Indeed, in terms of after-sales service, the watch will have to be repaired directly at the factory, any other watch repairer will not be able do anything with it. With that in mind, longevity is highly questionable. Are clients that are paying a high amount for such pieces aware of this issue? As far as titanium components are concerned, for me it is just a trend. Steel and brass remain ideal materials. Basically, we have not really found a better alternative than the good old lever escapement! Can we improve on this? Yes, and we probably will, like for example with the constant force escapement. But it takes dozens of hours to assemble just one. Unfortunately, because of the division of labour, watchmakers these days are often under-employed. Watchmaking schools provide very good technical training, but newlytrained watchmakers often get quite a shock when they reach the job market and find themselves just doing part of the assembly, which is maybe 15% of what they learned. I’m worried that it could become a third-rate profession. Watchmakers lose a comprehensive know-how if they work for years on just one aspect of a watch.” p
A BIG HITTER IS ITS COMMERCIAL CLOUT AND INNOVATIVE MARKETING. SHOULD THE WATCHMAKING INDUSTRY BE LEARNING FROM THIS? Georgacopoulos: The watchmaking industry is stagnating. The vast majority of communication campaigns are just copied and pasted from the year before! Watch brands are scared of confusing consumers, but in fact mature markets like Europe and North America are very receptive to new ideas. And that doesn’t just go for watches. The standard of car advertising is depressing; it’s always the same couple, gazing out to sea... p
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Technologies
WHEN WATCHMAKING USES While 3D printing is already being used on an industrial scale in fields like the aircraft industry or the medtech sector, this technology is still in its infancy in the world of watchmaking. by Serge Maillard, Europa Star
O
ver the last few years, there has been a lot of talk about the 3D printing revolution. Some oracles in their fab labs are already predicting a future where anyone and everyone will be able to print at
home any object or creation they fancy. Which of course raises a few issues of intellectual property. Industry, on the other hand, has not waited for the popularisation of 3D printing to use rapid prototyping – in short, accumulating matter rather than removing it in the traditional way. Additive processes are divided into three main categories: photopolymerisation, extrusion and powder-based printing. In the aircraft industry, some aeroplane components are already produced this way: they are both lighter and less expensive. As for the watchmaking industry, it has remained relatively wary of this new technology. Only a few startups have already tried it. The question of 3D print-
Can Stock Photo Inc. / tomasmikula
ing was nonetheless front and centre during a roundtable discussion during the last EPHJ show.
A PROBLEM OF FINISH Marco Borraccino, professor at the Geneva University of Art and Design (HEAD), explains that in watchmaking, 3D printers are mainly used for making prototypes and not for production itself. “From a designer’s standpoint, this process has several advantages, particularly because it makes it possible to show their clients prototypes and therefore to visualise the object that has been drawn. On the other hand, it is limited to test usage. We are still far from a production tool. The main problems reside in the cost and finishes.” On this last point, Professor Borraccino points out that “the material does not have the solidity required for use in manufacturing. The density of the metal is not the same as that of machined parts. Sometimes, air bubbles may form during the finishing process and they can burst, creating microscopic holes on the surface of parts.” There is quite a way to go before attaining watchmaking excellence… However, 3D printing can be used to personalise or create specific detailing requested by customers. “We started using rapid prototyping in our programme at the HEAD eight years ago. Now we are seeing the results: our new students use this new technology intelligently. For example, they present collections of accessories made with 3D printing.” u
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Marco Borraccino believes that this tool is useful for all applications for which the issue of finish is less important: “Ford won the Daytona automobile race by competing with a vehicle made out of 3D printed pieces! The advantages are more functional than aesthetic.”
Jérôme Mizeret, of the Haute Ecole Arc, has opened a fab lab in Neuchâtel that allows anyone to use the 3D printer. “In this context, expectations are very different from those in the industry: it is all about printing objects fast and cheaply. In an industrial context, apart from the question of finishes, the challenge remains the repeatability of production which is not yet fully mastered.” This specialist believes that 3D printing will not replace existing machines: “It’s is more of an addition that will facilitate new creations. This tool opens new creative spaces to produce objects that could not be made until now. It thus changes the very way objects are conceived.” This type of production should, in principle, be more ecological since it is based on adding matter rather than removing it. Eric Boillat, of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, qualifies this view, saying: “Reality is not quite so clear. It is true that this method produces fewer ‘shavings’. However, making the powder used in 3D printers requires a lot of energy.” The biggest question that remains in the wake of the popularisation of 3D printing is the issue of intellectual property, with a high risk of counterfeiting of copyrighted objects. “Legislation is rather vague: in theory, in Switzerland one may replicate jewellery for one’s own use,” points out Olivier Sacroug, a specialist in copyright who works for the Katzarov law firm in Geneva. “However, the person who made the 3D printing plans available can be sued. It is a bit like what has happened in the music and film industry…“ p
FHH
NEW CREATIVE SPACES
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THE WATCHMAKING PATENT CHAMPION China dominates patent applications in watchmaking, particularly in the field of smartwatches. Switzerland focuses more on the mechanical watch, on the display and external parts. Decoding. by Begonia Tora, David Borel and Harald Jenny, Centredoc
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hen it comes to collecting information on innovation in a certain technological field, patents are a staple source. It is said that around 95% of R&D efforts around the world are accessible through this type of document, and that more than 80% of this information is not available anywhere else. To protect one’s patent application and not risk invalidating it, an inventor will most likely favour the patent over any other form of communication in the field of watchmaking. Although patents are primarily a source of technical information, their use as a statistic analysis tool continues to increase; the aim is to get a broader view of the market situation. This type of analysis allows for observation of the watchmaking industry’s past and helps offer clues to the immediate future. u
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PATENT INFORMATION Patent applications by patent office (resident and non-resident, 1883-2013) 875,000
CHINA: 1ST WORLD RANKING (2013: +26.4%)
United States
700,000
Germany Japan China
525,000
Republic of Korea European Patent Office 350,000
175,000
1883 1885 1887 1889 1891 1893 1895 1897 1899 1901 1903 1905 1907 1909 1911 1913 1915 1917 1919 1921 1923 1925 1927 1929 1931 1933 1935 1937 1939 1941 1943 1945 1947 1949 1951 1953 1955 1957 1959 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013
0 Source: WIPO Statistics Database, 2014
CHINA DOMINATES THE RANKING IN ALL CATEGORIES During the year 2013, the last year for which WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation) has complete statistics, 2.6 million patents were published, a 9% increase compared to 2012. If we convert that to a daily average, it represents more than 7100 inventions in all technical fields! Amid this great volume, three countries dominate by the numbers of patents filed: China, Japan and the United States. China is without a doubt the patent champion with more than 750,000 protected inventions each year and a 26.4% growth in 2013. It has outranked the United States and occupies the first place since 2009.
Since 2009 China has without a doubt been the world champion of patent applications, with more than 750,000 protected inventions each year and a 26.4% growth in 2013. A SPIKE IN
WATCHMAKING PATENTS IN 1976
NUMBER OF PATENT FAMILIES 6000
SWISS WATCHMAKING CRISIS
Total 5000
Mechanical watches Electromechanical watches
4000
QUARTZ PEAK
3000
1st prototype of a quartz watch Beta 1 / July 1967 / CEH (NE)
2000
By following the evolution of watchmaking patent families [Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: related patents that share the same priorities] since the beginning of the 20th century, it is interesting to note that the launch of the first quartz clock prototype in 1967 in Switzerland was followed by a colossal increase in the number of patent applications, particularly in Japan. A peak was reached in 1976 with the culmination of the quartz revolution, immediately followed by an unprecedented watchmaking crisis in the Swiss industry.
THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHINESE AND SWISS PATENTS
1000
1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002
0
Evolution in the number of patent families (1900-2002) and the crisis in the Swiss watchmaking industry.
A quick comparison between the situation in 1974 and 2014 could give the impression that history is repeating itself 40 years later, but with a new participant: China instead of Japan. Once
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2008-2012 : WATCHMAKING PATENTS BY COUNTRY CHINA
UNITED STATES
JAPAN
SWITZERLAND
OTHERS
81%
37%
4
51%
0%
20%
6% 2 2
19%
11%
5
40%
12%
29%
9%
60%
ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS
9%
DISPLAYS
23%
80%
EXTERNAL PARTS
100%
again a nation breaks all the records of patent applications and of utility models. There is, however, a notable difference: compared to the means available 40 years ago, the data analysis process is a lot more advanced today. The possibility of mapping the content and technological orientation of the patents by using specialised software allows for a much more detailed examination of the situation. The watchmaking publications map for the year 2014 immediately reveals a distinct difference in patented subjects by Switzerland and China. While Switzerland focuses on the mechanical watch and its components, China centres its activity on smartwatches and their associated features. The overlapping areas are those of water-resistance, cases and escapements. This difference becomes even more visible when we compare watchmaking patents from China, Japan and the United States between 2008-2012.
FHH
The display and external parts are almost exclusively Swiss and Japanese, whereas Chinese companies focus on additional features.
Over this period, the three categories of watchmaking patent applications that brought in the most activity were additional features (which includes all of the technical developments dedicated to smartwatches), display and external parts.
Japan and Switzerland are very active in patent applications in the field of displays and, to a lesser extent, external parts, but things are quite different in the sector of additional features. As a matter of fact neither Switzerland nor Japan had filed for patents in this field until the end of 2012. China’s situation is the exact opposite: 81% of the additional features patent applications around the world were filed by Chinese companies, followed by American companies, which accounted for just 6%.. It is therefore very interesting to note that the Apple Watch, which is everywhere at the moment, derives from only 6% of the patents filed by the United States. What about the 81% filed by China? Shouldn’t we expect a tidal wave from Asia in the field of smartwatches? It is obvious that the subject requires special attention. Observing patent applications allows us to prepare for the future. As Napoleon once said: “To be defeated is pardonable; to be surprised – never!” p
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SMARTWATCHES It came as no surprise that 2014 was the ‘year of the smartwatch’. But what is more surprising is the projection for the smartwatch segment for 2018. An analysis by Digital Luxury Group takes a closer look.
crowd-funding to get off the ground. So although the release of the Apple Watch was not all that shocking, it was definitely impactful. Consumer interest in smartwatches – especially notable in the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and Italy clearly picked up immediately following the September 2014 announcement of the Apple Watch. Who said marketing and public relations don’t work?
by Velibor Jakovleski, Europa Star
APPLE LEADS THE WAY
T
he first generation of smartwatches has actually been on the market for some years. In 2012, the category was led by startup brand Pebble, which had to rely on
Interestingly, the announcement by Apple resulted in increased interest in all smartwatches across the board, not just the Apple Watch. Nevertheless, Digital Luxury Group sees the Apple
EVOLUTION OF INTEREST FROM TOP COUNTRIES 300 United States China
250
Germany United Kingdom Italy
200
Spain
150 100 50
MARCH 2015
FEB. 2015
JAN. 2015
DEC. 2014
NOV. 2014
OCT. 2014
SEPT. 2014
AUG. 2014
JULY 2014
JUNE 2014
MAY 2014
APRIL 2014
MARCH 2014
0 FEB. 2014
Normalized search volumes per month, 2014. Base 100: Apple watch, January 2014
Watch as “the leader that will establish the market for smartwatch brands”. Yet, Digital Luxury Group is sceptical as to Apple’s ability to sell their watch as a luxury good. After all, this was the intent of the Apple Watch Edition collection, which starts at around $10,000. According to David Sadigh, Founder and CEO of Digital Luxury Group, “We anticipate Apple to generate 80% of their sales with Apple Watches priced under $700, a segment that will have more impact on American and Japanese watchmakers than on Swiss ones.”
SHOULD MECHANICAL WATCH BRANDS PAY ATTENTION TO ONLINE SEARCHES? Eventually, traditional mechanical watch brands from Switzerland entered the ‘smart’ game, despite initial hesitancy. But Digital Luxury Group finds that consumer interest was already significant even before they announced any smartwatch project. Among luxury brands with the most searches related to the keyword “smartwatch” during the last year, TAG Heuer leads the way by far. It is followed by Rolex and Montblanc. It’s no wonder that TAG Heuer is working hard on developing its smartwatch game since the announcement of the Apple Watch! But alas, it was Montblanc that made the first move among the luxury players, with its launch of the E-strap in January 2015.
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INTEREST IN SMARTWATCHES BY LUXURY BRANDS
PRICE vs LUXURY (June 2015)
1.0 PRICE
Apple Watch Edition
HUBLOT
IWC
PANERAI
CONCORD
OMEGA
BREITLING
MONTBLANC
0.2
ROLEX
0.4
TAG HEUER
0.6
RADO
Prestige High range
0.8
0.0 Date range: March 2014 - March 2015
FINDING A MARKET NICHE But don’t expect any smartwatch releases from the high-end luxury brands, including second-placed Rolex. According to the analysis by Digital Luxury Group, brands will only enter the smart game at a certain price range. In fact, smartwatch options by luxury Swiss watch brands come in at a (significantly) lower price point than the Apple Watch Edition models. Mechanical watch alternatives with smart functionality are usually priced around USD 5,000, while the Apple Watch Edition hovers around the USD 14,000 mark. This is one reason why Digital Luxury Group is sceptical of Apple’s ability to really push its luxury smartwatch models. That means that in the end, a luxury mechanical watch will remain a luxury mechanical watch. A smartwatch can only be its complement, and not its replacement.
WHAT TO EXPECT MOVING FORWARD It’s clear that consumer interest is there for smartwatches, for both new brands and the established Swiss mechanical watchmakers. The trends show that 2014 was arguably the year of the smartwatch. But the segment is expected to accelerate even further. Pascal Koenig, managing di-
rector of the Smartwatch Group, has even argued that: “In 2018, the global smartwatch industry will surpass the size of the conventional watch industry.” Just to put this into perspective, for the smartwatch market to surpass the conventional watch industry, its growth would need to be about 140% each year over the next four years! Those are staggering numbers, indeed. p
B55 Breitling
LUXURY Bulgari Diagono Magnesium
Carrera Wearable 01
Apple Watch
Montblanc e-Strap
Tissot T-Touch Expert*
Horological Smartwatch Alpina
IWC Connect Apple Watch Sport
Samsung Gear
Swatch Touch Zero One
Moto 360
Pebble
* Does not connect to mobile device europa star
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Gallery
I TYPE 3 by Ressence Benoît Mintiens appeared out of nowhere and touched down on Planet Watchmaking aboard his ROCS (Ressence Orbital Convex System), an ingenious display that uses discs and rings encapsulated within a transparent bubble, and at a stroke caused a major aesthetic revolution. And also a technical revolution. The Type 3 contains no fewer than four further major innovations in addition to the ROCS display. The automatic movement is wound using a crownless system, by rotating the ball-bearing mounted case back, which also performs adjustments. Here’s another break with tradition: unlike any other watch, the T3 is literally bathed in oil which, in addition to its lubricating properties, eliminates refraction inside the crystal, creating a startling visual effect. Seven micro-valves compensate for the expansion and contraction of the oil caused by changes in ambient temperature. And finally, the time data is transmitted from the movement to the ROCS display module magnetically, while the watch’s magnetic fields are “cancelled out by superconductors and deflection alloy shielding.” I SON OF A GUN RUSSIAN ROULETTE GLASNOST G1 by Artya The name of this entirely skeletonised automatic movement is no less than one would expect from the enfant terrible of the watchmaking world, Yvan Arpa. This iconoclastic watchmaker is known for his edgy humour and deliberate provocation. Here, the spine-chilling Sun of a Gun combines ‘glasnost’, represented by a transparent case worked in a mysterious translucent composite material made up of ‘carbon nanotubes’, with the real-life Russian roulette that followed. The Russian roulette here is represented by two genuine Flobert 6 mm bullets, live but rendered harmless within their transparent casing. For genuine mavericks only.
O SEQUENTIAL S110 EVO by MCT – Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps With its sequential hour indication via four modules, each made up of five triangular prisms that rotate to display a large hour numeral, and its minutes displayed on a jumping rotating section, the Sequential S110 EVO gives a new face to the MCT-110 movement with one of the most radical display systems we have seen in recent years. Two new limited editions in two meticulously finished colourways – black and champagne – give this innovative watch a superbly refined appearance. Europa Star will certainly have more to say about this fascinating and multifaceted brand.
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I KORONA NORTHERN LIGHTS by Sarpaneva Finnish watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva has said his ambition is to “seek out unique designs that are both elegant and completely unorthodox.” This Korona Northern Lights is a perfect example of his philosophy. Its incredibly luminous dials in blue, green and violet showcase Sarpaneva’s signature precision moon face in gold. Driven by an automatic Soprod A10 movement, the Korona Northern Lights is exquisitely finished and offers a rare example of the successful fusion of scrupulous watchmaking craftsmanship with unbridled creative freedom.
I TETRIS DNA by Romain Jerome Some of us spent the idle hours of our childhood with a Meccano set (which produced quite a few watchmakers), others with a first-generation Game Boy. Manuel Emch is in the latter category, and he admits, “I played for hours as my addiction grew stronger with time.” Now the boss of Romain Jerome, he pays horological tribute to the iconic game of Tetris. Translated into combinations of four aluminium Clous de Paris (a first), the distinctive tiles known as Tetrominos form a colourful gaming sequence against a dial engraved with ‘bricks’, giving a vintage and industrial look. This visually striking graphic interface is set against a Moon Invader case in black PVD-coated titanium. Limited edition of 84 ‘Lines’, a reference to 1984, when Tetris was created.
I DUE VALVOLE by Meccaniche Veloci Meccaniche Veloci, founded in 2006, calls itself a “creative time lab”. It seeks to bring some of the adrenaline and speed of the motor racing world into watchmaking. The result is some astonishing timepieces, like this Due Valvole that incorporates two different automatic ETA calibre 2671 movements (compared with four movements in the Quattro Valvole), offering two different time zones, each with its own hour, minute and second, and a date. Housed in a titanium case and fitted with a leather and rubber strap, the graphically striking Due Valvole is not shy of advertising its ‘breakaway’ status.
I 1770 VOLTIGE by Manufacture Royale Technology and design combine in the 1770 Voltige to offer a new departure in the measurement of time. Perfectly illustrating the horological principle of regulation, the unusually ethereal construction of the 1770 Voltige places the balance in centre stage, suspended from a semi-circular bridge above the pallet and escape wheel. By freeing the escapement from the movement and giving it pride of place above the dial, the watch opens an unprecedented window onto the art of regulation in watchmaking, revealing how energy is transformed into movement. This impression of levitation is accentuated by the pared-down aesthetic, which lays bare a vast space over which the hands appear to float in space.
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01 Nuov
www.abraitalia.it
BRACELETS Tél.: +39 0444 343434 • www.promotionbracelets.eu • promotion@promotion-spa.com
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A contrario
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IN THE WATCH INDUSTRY? In this special commentary feature, we connect with Mr. Fabio Anderaos de Araujo, a.k.a “The Mechanical Watch” and look into the reasons why watches are becoming more and more similar. by Fabio Anderaos de Araujo
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oday it is very difficult to find a famous or traditional consumer goods producer which has not had its products copied. This is especially notable in the durable consumer industry. (Here I am not referring to counterfeiting activity, which is another type of situation and deserves a separate article.) Like apparel and fashion accessories, the watch industry is no exception, if not one of the most copied. But why is this the case? During periods of high economic growth, new players are incentivised to enter the market, and the number of competitors in the watch industry rises. Their aim is usually to reach a new demographic by introducing something novel in their watch designs, meaning more market differentiation. But what is interesting is when new players offer similar products to those already on offer by the established luxury brands. In those cases, new brands try to offer their products at a lower price than brands like Rolex or Zenith. Their target
customer is the person that wants to have the highest end luxury product but is not always able to pay for it. Usually, their watches are ‘inspired’ by existing models. Some might call that copying, others might call them ‘tribute’ watches. In the last few years, we have seen both examples. Several new and independent small watch brands have emerged. Some are focused on new designs. Others have released models imitating the iconic ones, with minor visual or physical differences. As a result, the number of watch companies has increased to the point that many watch models are becoming visually very similar to each other. Of course, the most acute and sensitive consumer is able to distinguish small differences among the watches, and is able to recognise a higher quality watch and whether the design belongs to a specific brand. But with so many brands in the industry providing so many similar products, is the watch industry becoming saturated? Does it really matter? Perhaps creativity
and being unique is not the most crucial point? So long as consumers with less expertise and less sensitivity to the quality of movements and materials used in watchmaking are driven mainly by price, this trend might well continue. The Swiss watch industry is a great example of a huge and very diversified industry, where independent watch brands (and watch component producers) live together with other large and medium sized groups. Those small and independent watch brands have helped to make market differentiation happen. But whether or not they will have the financial resources to survive in a more competitive environment in the coming years is an important question. What is certain is that if only a few players are left standing at the end of the day, the questions of copying and differentiation will not be as relevant. p
And for more insights on the watch industry direct from its HQ in Brazil, be sure to check out: themechanicalwatch.com
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SPOTLIGHT
G-SHOCK MUDMASTER
CASIOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWEST PROFESSIONAL GEAR The new G-SHOCK MUDMASTER, equipped with the latest technologies and specific mud resistance structure, is a perfect example of a watch targeted at professional users working in extreme conditions.
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The G-SHOCK was created by Casio in 1983. Kikuo Ibe, Engineer of Casio’s Module Development Department, came up with the design after overcoming a number of challenges and technical problems. The G-SHOCK has become a genuine commercial phenomenon (with an estimated 70 million sales to date) and is probably the only true watchmaking icon that does not have a mechanical movement. This exceptional iconic status, which has made it immediately recognisable, is a result of both the intrinsic features that make it the toughest watch in the world, and also its ability to incorporate new functions and display options while retaining its unique personality. Over the last few years the G-SHOCK has increasingly embraced an analogue display. The use of traditional hands (driven by independent micro-motors) has not only opened up new possibilities in both functional and stylistic terms, by increasing legibility and allowing more options for hierarchical display; it has also introduced the watch to a wider public who appreciate its unprecedented blend of high-tech, toughness and elegance. Despite this evolution, the G-SHOCK has nevertheless remained true to its rugged roots, and Casio has continued to develop new models with specific features targeted at professional users working in extreme environments. The new G-SHOCK models provides a perfect example: the aptly-named G-SHOCK MUDMASTER.
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RESCUE MISSION Casio’s engineers began by conducting an exhaustive survey to identify all the essential features for a watch that could be used in the most extreme conditions, during rescue missions to earthquake zones or during reconstruction efforts. What this study showed was that such a watch would have to be impervious to mud and dust, resistant to vibrations and capable of helping its wearer to establish their position and orientation, and predict the weather. G-SHOCK MUDMASTER is the key timepiece gear for rescue missions , because of Toughness, Mud Resistance, Vibration Resistance and Triple Sensor. It is must have reliable gear for them, featuring many activities. The G-SHOCK MUDMASTER’s spec sheet is very impressive. To give some idea: Shock-resistant • Mud-resistant • Vibration-resistant • Radio-controlled (Multi Band 6) • Solar-powered • Auto Hand Home Position Correc-tion • Hybrid Mount Construction • Smart Access • Digital Compass • Altimeter • Barometer / Thermometer • World Time (29 cities, 29 time zones) • 1/100-second stopwatch • Double LED lights • 20-bar water resistance.
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NEW MUD-RESISTANT STRUCTURE
OTHER FEATURES
All these features make the G-SHOCK MUDMASTER an extremely tough watch. But what sets it apart from other G-SHOCKs is its new mud-resistant structure, which guarantees optimum performance under all conditions, including the most extreme. In order to provide complete protection from dust, sand and mud, its most sensitive points have been considerably strengthened. A new cylindrical guard structure, in the form of a minute pipe, has been added to all the pushers, not only protecting them from dust and mud but attenuating lateral shocks. Gaskets have been installed inside the cylinders and button shafts to further increase airtightness. Air vents have been placed at the base of the button shafts to prevent button malfunctions due to changes in air pressure. The crown itself has also been made even more airtight with the introduction of an additional gasket between the crown and the case. And in order to avoid any user error, a slim red line on the crown provides immediate visual confirmation of whether the crown is locked or released, providing yet another safeguard. In order to protect the movement from any damage or malfunction due to vibrations, a highly absorbent silicone-based gel, the patented Alpha Gel, has been packed under and around the movement module. Similarly, washers on the case lug screws prevent vibrations from loosening the band.
Although its durability under extreme conditions has been extensively ‘battle-tested’, it also needs to be readable in any circumstances. In order to guarantee optimum legibility, the hour markers and numerals, as well as the hour and minute hands, are coated in a luminescent material, and there are two tiny LEDs to illuminate both the dial and the LCD display. The use of an ultra-light carbon-based material for the second hand has made it possible to increase its size; used with the compass function, the needle can give precise direction indications. The entire dial is protected by a very robust, clear and highly scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. Moving on to the functions, the G-SHOCK MUDMASTER is equipped with the latest Triple Sensor system to provide vital information. The sensors built into the module measure direction, using the digital compass in combination with the second hand, which points to north, atmospheric pressure, temperature and altitude, and are guaranteed to give precision performance under the harshest conditions. Introduced at Baselworld 2015, the G-SHOCK MUDMASTER is now available in three versions, with black, olive green or yellow strap. “Heavy-duty Support for Any Task on Earth,” claims Casio’s tag line. There is little doubt that, aside from the professionals for whom the watch is primarily intended, the G-SHOCK MUDMASTER’s extraordinary capacities will cement its appeal to a broader public. p
For more detail information, please visit: g-shock.eu (Europe) or world.g-shock.com (International)
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Interview
‘TROUBLESHOOTER’ Jean-Claude Biver, what a man! He’s already done it three times (Blancpain, Omega then Hublot) and he is doing it again with TAG Heuer, as well as playing the role of Zenith’s troubleshooter. We met around a plate of cheese at the Europa Star Arcade, because he also produces four tonnes of excellent Alpine cheese each year. by Pierre and Serge Maillard So many accomplishments… any defeats? Of course, and one must respect the defeats. The biggest one was my divorce. One should never fail in love because this type of failure affects the next generations…. You are the head of LVMH’s watchmaking division and you have just marked a strategic turning point for TAG Heuer… All I did was refocus the brand on its core business by breathing in new life and supporting creativity and research. TAG is affordable luxury with an average price of CHF 2,800. This is an ex-
traordinary opportunity when you think that by 2020 there will be 3.5 billion people in the middle class. We target a young clientele, 20 to 30-year-olds and we are, luckily, almost alone in that category. We are our own competition. Of course there are other actors in this price range, but none who have an identity as strong as ours. TAG has always been profitable, and it will continue to be so more than ever. By the way, we are currently hiring at least twenty people. How does the smartwatch you announced fit into this strategy? With a starting price of CHF 1,100, we are potential targets and might get affected. So we might as well hop on the bandwagon, with Intel and Google. Together they’re capable of doing everything Apple can do, and maybe even more. For them, it’s a first step into luxury goods, for us, it’s an opportunity to offer more innovative and specific interfaces and interactions, some of them exclusive. There will be a broad range of optional functions and prices. TAG has platforms: Formula 1 racing with McLaren, celebrities with a certain Cara Delevingne, football… The smartwatch could be directly linked to these platforms. Are you a F1 enthusiast? Then get all of the exclusive info on the Grand Prix, etc.… And the same goes for football.
What about Zenith? There’s a certain feeling of hesitation… At Zenith I assist and support, because with Aldo Magada [Editor’s note: CEO of Zenith] I already have a man on the ground. I play the role of a safeguard – the snow shed, we are in the Swiss mountains – and focus more of the early stages than on the results: strategy, industrialisation, product and marketing. The results are the logical consequences of the decisions made beforehand. For a long time Zenith has been hesitant, as you said. But the previous CEO, Jean-Frédéric Dufour, who is the current director of Rolex, had already put things back in order. Now, we have to ring the bells, to bring people in, to get their attention. The strategy is the exact opposite of TAG Heuer’s. The smartwatch is programmed obsolescence. Zenith, with its amazing, legendary El Primero movement is, on the contrary, trying to put eternity in a box. The philosophy is all mapped out: Zenith is “the artisan of eternity” (he laughs, he’s happy about his slogan…) Not bad, right? Or, we could also say “invisible visibility”. It’s a work in progress, but when the path is mapped out, the rest follows. All the decisions are taken and organised logically, coherently. (He pauses to think and slams his fist on the table.) Ah, “Mastering the invisible and eternal”, I like that…. p
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Interview
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‘RETRO-FUTURIST’ For the CEO of RJ-Romain Jerome, traditional watchmaking needs to embrace creative designs and new distribution channels. To attract the younger clients, cooperating with artists is particularly important. Explanations.
For example, I hardly ever go to single brand boutiques anymore. I like being able to choose from a range of original products and I appreciate the creativeness of these retail environments. That’s why I am hoping to pursue this concept with our first showroom in Geneva. We are still discussing our retail concept but I already know that it will be open to products and artists.
by Serge Maillard
Last year you celebrated the brand’s tenth anniversary. What chapter of this adventure stands out for you?
What is your perception of the watchmaking market today? The watchmaking industry has to face changes in client consumption habits. It’s important to stay alert. Our client base is one of the youngest in the industry: they are hedonistic and creative, and they love a good story. They allow us to develop collaborations with contemporary artists, tattoo artists and retro-gaming companies. I also think that accessories will become more and more important in the world of watchmaking. With this in mind, we will soon be opening a showroom in Geneva that won’t be devoted exclusively to watches but will also offer a diverse range of products in the form of a gallery or a laboratory. Will you then extend this retail concept to the rest of the world? Yes, possibly. I believe the way we consume is about to change dramatically.
There have been so many anecdotes! However I would say that the Eyjafjallajökull-DNA timepiece is one of my favourite stories. I became CEO in January 2010, a few months before the Icelandic volcano erupted. I was looking for an ‘Earth’ Legend as we already had the Titanic-DNA (Sea) and the Moon-DNA (Air). Everyone was asking me what RJ’s next Legend was going to be. Of course there was a lot of speculation around the Great Wall of China and the Eiffel Tower, but it was too obvious, and I wanted to create something exceptional, unprecedented. When the volcano erupted and the European skies were paralysed, I took the opportunity to create a unique and highly emotional product. It really started out as a publicity stunt, as we didn’t have any material from the volcano when we launched the press release. We never thought demand would be so high, especially with an indicative price of CHF 50,000! When the orders started
coming in, we had to find a solution and we were luckily contacted by the Nordic Volcanological Center. They sent us volcanic rock and ash from Eyjafjallajökull, we started production immediately and delivered the first watches in September of the same year. We adapted the price and have almost sold out of the 3rd edition of 99 pieces. Our customers include a couple who met whilst stranded in an airport waiting for their flight during the eruption! After Tetris, RJ’s most recent collaboration, what other legends or icons do you plan on working with? We are currently having discussions with a famous 1980s icon. Unlike most of our collaborations, this new associate has never partnered with a luxury brand before. We therefore have to reconcile the democratic aspect of the product and the luxury segment of fine watchmaking, which makes this partnership very interesting and exciting! We are always working on new collaborations or new models within the existing collections. Of course, some move forward faster than others but the ideal launch dates remain anniversaries, such as the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the 75th anniversary of Batman, or the 100th anniversary of the Titanic. p
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THE ROAD TO DEMOCRACY Oris is introducing its new Calibre 111, an original calibre that has been developed and designed entirely in-house, thus reconnecting with its past as a formidable manufacturer of mechanical movements. It is the reward for a lengthy journey and a democratic approach that it has never recanted. by Pierre Maillard, Europa Star
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emocracy’, ‘citizenship’ and ‘real people’ are not terms we hear often in mechanical watchmaking circles, which prefer the smooth language of marketing, choosing to speak of ‘emotion’ and ‘craftsmanship’ rather than value for money or industry. And yet... these are the unexpected words that keep coming out of the mouth of Rolf Studer, vice-president of Oris. Is it perhaps just a different and more subtle
kind of spin-doctoring? I can confirm that it isn’t! Everything points to these being genuine values that are implemented and followed through daily, and Oris’s entire history stands witness.
THE BODY BLOW OF 1982 Created in 1904 by two natives of La Chaux-de-Fonds in the Waldenburg valley, Oris enjoyed a rich and varied industrial history that led at its height to its becoming one of the top ten watchmaking companies in the world, with close to 900 employees working on 279 calibres designed and manufactured inhouse, building 1.2 million mechanical watches per year. When the blow came in 1982, the consequences were disastrous. Quartz swept everything before it, and when the ASSUAG was formed Oris was legally obliged to stop making mechanical movements, to the benefit of the fledgling ETA. It was at this point, the lowest point of its history, that two Oris executives decided to buy the company. Today Rolf Portmann is Oris’s honorary president and Ulrich W. Herzog is its
primary shareholder and executive president. Shortly after the buyout the two men took a decision that at the time was considered at best deluded and, at worst, insane. In the raging heart of the quartz crisis, when the entire mechanical watch sector was in tatters, when no clients, retailers or distributors wanted to know, they completely turned their backs on quartz and decided to produce only mechanical watches. And they did so at prices that were consistently democratic and affordable, placing their faith in industrial production and refusing to compromise on quality. In an ironic twist, the turning point began with the ‘enemy’ – Japan – where the quartz tsunami had originated; while on a business trip Ulrich Herzog noted that the most fashion-conscious young Japanese were already beginning to go back to mechanical watches. More than thirty years later, we can safely say their bet paid off. The wheel has turned, their course has remained steady, useful innovations have followed, mechanical know-how has been retained, expanded even, through the development of a number of in-house modules. Success is on their side. With a presence in 80 markets, Rolf Studer says that Oris is now “gaining significant market share.” “The zeitgeist is on our side, and that is helping us a great deal,” he continues. “You can sense a need to return to more solid values. Bling is out. People need more substance, but they don’t want to bankrupt themselves to buy a watch. There is also a better understanding of mechanical watchmaking. Consumers are better informed. All these factors are positive for us because we have never deviated from our mechanical line.
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U Calibre Oris 111 Dimensions: Ø 34 mm, 15’’’. Functions: Central hour and minute hand, small seconds at 9 o’clock, non-linear power reserve indication at 3 o’clock, date aperture, date corrector, fine timing device and stop-second. Winding: Hand wound. Power reserve: 240 hours
We’ve taken a longer, harder road, but honesty pays off in the end, because it creates more substance. What is more, our independence gives us an important margin of freedom and allows us to focus on the essential: the product itself.”
A PRODUCT ‘FOR THE PEOPLE’ So let’s talk about the product. “It’s a product for the people,” responds Rolf Studer. “That means, in the spirit of Bauhaus, outstanding quality, useful functions and a simple and readable design. The reality of mass-production has been central to this from the outset. The product reflects this, and it doesn’t lie, because its quality is also a consequence of its industrial manufacture and its production volume. Its ‘democratic’ pricing depends upon it.” [Editor’s note: the average price of an Oris watch is CHF 2,500.] Forced to halt movement production in 1982, Oris had to turn first to ETA, then to Sellita, which would become a very important partner. Despite this, the company nevertheless managed to hang on to its mechanical expertise. Since 1982, Oris has developed in-house a whole series of modules and mechanical innovations, such as the recent Depth Gauge, which uses water to measure depth, or the mechanical altimeter and barometer patented in 2014. Oris’s entire history is eloquent on this point; just look at the Pointer-Date, the Worldtime, the Artix chronograph with its countdown timer, the Pro-Diver Pointer Moon and numerous other innovations that have appeared over the decades. But looking back to the past, when the company was virtually destroyed by the crisis and the subsequent consolidation
THE CALIBRE 111 Having been put to the test with the Calibre 110, the technology deployed for this first special series was ready to be incorporated into the brand’s main collections. The Calibre 111 has the same movement architecture, the same combination of industrial and handcrafted finishes – the bridges are hand-polished and hand-chamfered – underlining the utilitarian appearance of the watch, but differs with the addition of a third complication in the form of a large date – a unique combination. Oris, which designed and developed this new movement entirely in-house, is not yet equipped to produce every component internally. The parts are therefore manufactured by a series of partners along the Jurassic Arc, then all of them are checked, mounted and assembled at Oris. For this important, perhaps crucial launch, Oris presents the Calibre 111 in a 43 mm round case. Its sleek, classical lines are available in steel (CHF 5,300) or rose gold (CHF 14,500). Eminently legible, graphically balanced and harmonious, with a domed sapphire crystal front and back and a screwed case back, the Calibre 111 collection comes with a choice of opaline silver-gold, maroon, sunray black-gold or silver-grey dial on a crocodile leather strap.
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RENAISSANCE of the means of movement production with the ETA ‘conglomerate’ (which Rolf Studer likes to describe as “antidemocratic”) there is no doubt that Oris has more than got its own back.
A PLAN FOR RECONQUEST
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Although Oris had been thinking about it since the early 2000s the plan didn’t come together until 2011: Oris would once again begin producing its own mechanical movement. The spec sheet read as follows: a manually-wound movement, 190 components, power reserve of 10 days with a single large barrel, a nonlinear power reserve indicator (patented: the needle accelerates as the barrel empties), a clean design and linear decoration bearing witness to its 100% Swiss industrial origins. This was the Calibre 110, presented in 2014, the year of the company’s 110th anniversary, which has been followed this year by the Calibre 111. “There are several reasons for this decision,” explains Rolf Studer. “As well as allowing us to reconnect with our industrial heritage as a movement manufacturer, we wanted to offer our clientele a movement of our own construction. A movement which, while demonstrating our abilities, remains in our typically affordable price range. It is nevertheless at the top end, coming in at around CHF 5,000. With this base movement we can develop new collections, expand our range and offer a number of price points. Initial reactions from our retailers and customers have been surprising and reassuring. The first anniversary series, limited to 110 units in gold, flew off the shelves, even though its price was exceptionally high for us at CHF 14,500. But we quickly realised that some are now looking at us differently. Retailers are more open to our proposals. Our long-term democratic strategy, ‘Real watches for real people’, seems to be coming into its own.” p
“THIS TIME, WE’RE GOING TO DO IT!” Interview with Nicola Andreatta, who is spearheading Tiffany’s big comeback. by Pierre Maillard, Europa Star
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n early 2013 Nicola Andreatta (see biography) was assigned the unenviable task of rebooting Tiffany’s watchmaking division. Unenviable because Tiffany’s watchmaking history, which is widely unrecognised, has been as brilliant as it has been chaotic – the latest episode being the still-unresolved court case with Swatch Group, with a trifling USD 419 million at stake. So how does this charming young manager intend to go about it? Europa Star met him in Geneva at the launch of Tiffany’s impressive new flagship store.
How did your new adventure with Tiffany begin? To be honest, throughout my career I’d never once considered Tiffany. But when I was offered the challenge I didn’t hesitate. My first step was to go into the archives, to look for its DNA. And that is how I discovered that this world-renowned jeweller actually had an amazing watchmaking history. To give you just a few milestones: Tiffany’s first watch dates back to 1847. From 1854 Tiffany worked with Patek Philippe, acting as its distributor in the USA. In 1868 Tiffany opened a watchmaking workshop in Geneva, again working with Patek Philippe. 1874 saw the inauguration of a proper factory, in Place Cornavin, in the heart of the city. This was a major industrial operation, and an innovative one; they made movements, cases and pocket watches there.
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NICOLA ANDREATTA Nicola Andreatta grew up in a family that had lived and breathed watchmaking for three generations. After completing his businesses studies he moved to Asia where he oversaw the production of two million watches per year for Breil, Locman and Sector in Hong Kong. After moving to Switzerland to work as a consultant, in 2003 he set up his own watch brand, N.O.A., whose remarkable designs quickly attracted notice. After selling his shares in 2008 he was made Vice-President and General Manager of Tiffany & Co. Swiss Watches SAGL, based in the Swiss canton of Ticino.
In 1881 the factory was sold to Patek Philippe, which used it to produce ‘Made for Tiffany’ watches. But its watchmaking history does not stop there. It continued on into the 20s and 30s, with Art Deco and jewellery. Its relationship with the Swiss watchmaking world continued to flourish, and Tiffany collaborated with watchmakers such as Rolex and IWC. More recently, the 1983 Atlas Dome watch, inspired by the clock that presides over the entrance to Tiffany’s in New York, has become an iconic timepiece. Nor should we forget the Streamerica series, designed by Georges Hysek.
In concrete terms, what products will mark this strategic and crucial relaunch?
bringing out new collections. In the first instance we hope to win over our existing clients, tell them about our watchmaking heritage. Tiffany has 297 shops
We’re beginning with the CT60, named after Charles Tiffany, inventor of the New York Minute, “60 seconds of pure possibility”, which draws from our history. Aesthetically, it’s inspired by the 1945 Tiffany watch given to Roosevelt, which he wore at the Yalta conference. The collection comprises 23 entirely mechanical and automatic models in 34, 40 and 42 mm diameters [Editor’s note: equipped with a Sellita SW300 movement], which are beautifully readable. They have a very open look, with a vintage touch and some useful complications such as an annual calendar, refined watchmaking finishes, simple but sophisticated lines, satin and polished effects and great attention to detail. Our aim is to regain credibility in
CT60
East-West
in 23 countries, and a workforce of 3700 people who have been given training on our watchmaking history. Beginning in 2017-2018 we want to expand our distribution. The aim is that, ten years from now, watchmaking will represent 10% of our revenue (USD 4.2 billion). It’s a formidable challenge, I don’t deny it.
watchmaking circles by showing what we are capable of. And the prices are reasonable: CHF 5,000 in steel. Another collection which will, I’m sure, draw attention to its vintage but unusual style and its ‘sideways’ dial is the East-West. It’s a very New York watch! But it’s only the start. p
After you had unearthed this history, what conclusions did you draw? (laughing) I tried to understand the reason behind the desire to start making watches again. Was it a genuine comeback or just a public relations exercise? But when I saw how much had been invested in the operation, and when I got the answer: “This time, we’re going to do it”, I saw that it was serious. It is already serious, in fact. We make watches in Switzerland, in Ticino; an amazing team has been put in place over the last two years and we are now
europa star
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BESPOKE We use our Intelligence, our Know-How and our Core Competences (quality content and design) to provide you with the best print products. EUROPA STAR SPECIAL EDITIONS
CUSTOM PUBLISHING
AN ESSENTIEL TOOL FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS. For more information, please contact Serge Maillard, smaillard@europastar.com
EUROPA STAR HBM ROUTE DES ACACIAS 25 1227 GENEVA / SWTZERLAND www.europastar.com
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THE HAUTE HORLOGERIE EXHIBITION IN ASIA 30 SEPTEMBER - 3 OCTOBER 2015
HKCEC - Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
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SOCIAL MEDIA OPTIMISATION:
by Genna Meredith, Digital Luxury Group
There are simple tools and techniques that brands can use to optimise, and in turn improve, their branded page and communications via the social media channels – and thus be more likely to show up in relevant search queries.
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hen it comes to using the internet to search – for answers, brands, retailers – the websites that appear in the top results of the search engines such as Google, Bing and Baidu are most often visited. The term Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is used to describe the process of optimising your brand’s presence within these search engines. Many associate the term SEO with optimising your website, but it’s not just about your website. Social media play a major part in your semantic universe – that is, the universe of words associated with your brand that search engines look through to determine how relevant you are. Search engines have begun to incorporate social signals (Facebook likes, retweets, +1s and so on) to inform their search results. To determine what results to show, search engines scan websites and social media pages looking for the specific search term. They check how often the word is used (keyword occurrence) and variations of the term (synonyms, density). They then take into account how
popular, and therefore respected, that site is. Although slightly more complicated than this, this is the basis of how search engines work. This special algorithm ensures that the person searching sees the most relevant answers. To bring this point to life, type ‘TAG Heuer’ into Google. Their official website is first, followed by their Wikipedia page (an important and sometimes forgotten part of SEO) and then nestled within the first page of results are their official Facebook and Twitter accounts.
But with an ever growing number of platforms available, which social media platforms are best for SEO? Although platforms such as Instagram are (and will continue to be) incredibly important, at this time their impact on SEO is limited. That’s not to say it won’t change, with Instagram already hinting at improving the platform for SEO.
A QUESTION WE OFTEN GET ASKED IS, SHOULD BRANDS BE PRESENT ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS? In a word, no, but only because a social media strategy takes time and work, so we recommend focusing on the ones that are the most used and most relevant for your brand. From an SEO point of view, however, we recommend claiming your pages even if you are unable to be active on the page, to stop grey market from claiming them and taking position on search engine result pages with them. u
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THE BEST SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS FOR SEO Once you have chosen the channels to focus on, you need to optimise. Optimisation in terms of SEO is essentially doing the things that help push your brand into the right place within search results. We’ve compiled a list of the six things that brands should do now to optimise their social media platforms.
Twitter or Facebook, it is granted with a certain number of followers and an official website associated with the account. Pinterest only requires the website URL to grant authentication. So always post your URL on your social media sites.
1. USE THE SMO TOOLS PROVIDED ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS WISELY
Keyword research is essential for website and social media optimisation. Choosing keywords is the first step (you can even use the Google Adwords Keyword Tool to find related words and see what others in your field are using to bring traffic to their sites). Once you have chosen a couple of relevant keywords it is important to place them where they will have the most impact. Search engines are looking at your title, your headings, introductions, descriptions (such as for videos), and the anchor text – the text you use to add links to related content or pages. Just don’t try to push too many keywords unnaturally into your posts – not only will this frustrate your followers, Google will notice and may penalise you in search results.
Social media accounts provide you with areas to feature your logos, your brand name, your description and official website URL. Using these is essential, as it not only helps authenticate your account, but allows you to be found more easily in search. It also allows you to leverage your selected keywords. One of the most important features of Google+ is authorship, which allows the author’s picture to appear next to search results of content they have created. Authorship not only helps improve your search ranking, it ensures your brand is associated with the specified content.
2. VERIFY YOUR ACCOUNT WHEN POSSIBLE Spend time on Facebook and Twitter and you will notice certain accounts with a blue checkmark against them. The check mark means the account is verified – necessary to prevent fraud and protect the integrity of the brand, company or person in question. Although it is not possible to request authentication on
3. KEYWORD OPTIMISE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT
4. CREATE CONTENT THAT ENCOURAGES YOUR FOLLOWERS TO INTERACT, ENGAGE AND POST NATURAL INCOMING LINKS Twitter encourages 80% of tweets to focus on driving interactions with your followers, such as retweets, replies, and favourites. In addition, Facebook audiences tend to respond better when they are given specifics as to what to respond
to. Once you’ve built some rapport, you can mix in direct offers or promotions that get followers to take actions, such as clicking on a link or making a purchase from your website. Use vibrant, clear images – described with relevant keywords. Pictures are easily digestible, and watch brands should leverage the power of their images to encourage fans to interact (e.g. asking fans to choose a favourite from a selection).
5. ENSURE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS ARE VISIBLE ON ALL TOUCH-POINTS Being visible, with a strong, consistent brand presence, across all potential customer touch points is key to branding success. Ensure your social media accounts are easily found across all communications. From emails to receipts, in-store to your website – make it easy for your audience to find, follow and reach you.
6. IMPLEMENT HASHTAGS AND MENTIONS TO INCREASE READERSHIP Help users find your content with hashtags. Hashtags also make it easy to track a promotion/activity across multiple social media platforms. Hashtags and mentions (tagging someone in your post) give users an easy way to join (and spread) the conversation. p
For more information about this article please email info@digital-luxury.com europa star | WORLDWATCHWEB | 71
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EDITORIAL & ADVERTISERS’ INDEX 7 A A. Lange & Söhne 32, 33, 34, 69 Alpina 51 Apple 12, 13, 15, 30, 36, 37, 41, 42, 45, 49, 50, 51, 60, 74 Artya 52 Audemars Piguet 39 B Baume & Mercier 69 Beijing Factory 28, 29 Blancpain 60 Breguet 34, 39 Breil 67 Breitling 51 Bulgari 51 Burberry 41 C, D Cartier 69 Casio 57, 58, 59 Citizen 73 Chanel COVER IV Chopard 33 Chronode 44 Christophe Claret COVER I, 15, 17, 20, 34, 39 Concord 51 CSEM 42, 44 Corum 36 De Bethune COVER I, 15, 17, 21 E, F ECAL 42, 45 Emile Chouriet 35 Ernest Borel 16 ETA 33, 64, 65, 66 Fiona Krüger 39 Fiyta 28, 30 Ford 47 G Glashütte Original 33, 34 Google 60, 70, 71 Greubel Forsey 36 H Hautlence COVER I, 15, 17, 22, 24 Harry Winston 17 Hermès 7 Hublot 36, 39, 45, 51, 60 Huawei 30 HYT COVER I, 15, 17, 23, 36 H. Moser & Cie COVER I, 15, 17, 22, 24 I, J Ice-Watch 30 Intel 60 IWC 33, 39, 51, 67, 69 Jaeger-LeCoultre 33, 39, 69 Junghans 34 K, L Kienzle 34 Lang & Heyne 34 Laurent Ferrier COVER I, 15, 17, 25 Le Cercle des Horlogers 43 Lehmann 34 Lenovo 30
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LG 12, 44 Liaoning Peacock 28, 29 Locman 67 Louis Vuitton 9 LVMH 60 M, N Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps 52 Manufacture Royale 54 MB&F COVER I, 15, 17, 18, 34, 36 Meccaniche Veloci 54 MHC 45 Montblanc 50, 69 Moritz Grossmann 34 Motorola 51 Nivarox 33 Nixon 36 Nomos 34 O, P Omega 51, 60 Orient 53 Oris 64, 65, 66 Panerai 39, 51, 69 Parmigiani 42 Patek Philippe 4, 5 (Europe), Cover II, 3 (International), 34, 66, 67 Pebble 51 Piaget 69 Promotion SpA 55 R Rado 51 Ralph Lauren 17 Ressence 36, 52 Richard Mille 13, 36, 39, 69 Richemont 13 RJ-Romain Jerome 54, 62 Roger Dubuis 69 Rolex COVER II, 3 (Europe), 13, 17, 33, 50, 51, 56, 60, 67 Ronda 31 S Samsung 30, 44, 51 Sarpaneva 39, 54 Sector 67 Seiko COVER III Sellita 65, 67 Swatch 12, 44, 51 Swatch Group 12, 33, 39, 66 T, U TAG Heuer 13, 50, 51, 60, 70 Tianba 31 Tianhaiba 30 Tianjin Sea-Gull 28, 31 Tiffany 66, 67 Time2U 30 Tissot 51 Titoni 27 Urwerk COVER I, 15, 17, 19, 34, 36 V, Z Vacheron Constantin 34, 40, 69 Van Cleef & Arpels 69 Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier 42 Voutilainen COVER I, 15, 17, 26 Zenith 56, 60
EUROPA STAR HBM Europa Star HBM SA, Route des Acacias 25, CH-1227 Carouge/Geneva - Switzerland Tel +41 22 307 78 37, Fax +41 22 300 37 48, contact@europastar.com • www.europastar.com EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief: Pierre M. Maillard • pmaillard@europastar.com Managing Editor: Serge Maillard • smaillard@europastar.com Senior Editor: D. Malcolm Lakin • mlakin@europastar.com Editors China: Jean-Luc Adam, Woody Hu • watches-for-china@europastar.com Editor Spain: Carles Sapena • csapena@europastar.es Art: Alexis Sgouridis • asgouridis@europastar.com PUBLISHING PRINT/E-MEDIA Sales Director: Carlo Fachini • cfachini@europastar.com Editorial, Production & Advertising Manager: Laure-Emmanuelle Dubouchet • prod@europastar.com MARKETING & CIRCULATION PRINT/E-MEDIA Marketing & Circulation Director: Nathalie Glattfelder • nglattfelder@europastar.com Marketing & Circulation Manager: Jocelyne Bailly • jbailly@europastar.com ADVERTISING / INTERNATIONAL SALES DIRECTORS Switzerland / Italy / US: Carlo Fachini Tel: +41 22 307 78 37 Fax: +41 22 300 37 48 • cfachini@europastar.com Europe & International: Nathalie Glattfelder Tel: +41 22 307 78 37 Fax: +41 22 300 37 48 • nglattfelder@europastar.com Spain: Carles Sapena Tel & Fax: +34 93 112 7113 • csapena@europastar.es Asia: Maggie Tong Tel: +852 9658 1830 • Fax: +852 2527 5189 • maggietong@europastar.com Ukraine: Julia Mostovenko Tel: +38 044 205 4088 Fax: +38 044 205 4099 • jmostovenko@karavan.ua PUBLISHER - CEO: Serge Maillard CHAIRMAN: Philippe Maillard MANAGEMENT / ACCOUNTING Business Manager: Catherine Giloux. Tel: +41 22 307 78 48 • cgiloux@europastar.com MAGAZINES: Europa Star - Europe - International - USA & Canada - China Latin America / Spain - Ukraine, Europa Star Première, Bulletin d’informations, Eurotec, CIJ International Jewellery Trends & Colours WEBSITES: www.worldwatchweb.com, www.europastar.com, www.watch-aficionado.com, www.watches-for-china.com, www.watches-for-china.cn, www.horalatina.com, www.europastar.es, www.eurotec-online.com, www.europastarwatch.ru, www.CIJintl.com E-newsletters: www.europastar.com/newsletter MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION: One year 6 issues, CHF 100 Europe, CHF 140 International. Subscriptions: www.europastar.com/subscribe register@europastar.com Printed in Geneva by SRO-KUNDIG Audited REMP/FRP 2014-2015 Copyright 2015 EUROPA STAR All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of Europa Star HBM SA.
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OF CONTRADICTIONS by D. Malcolm Lakin
I
t’s been an odd sort of summer. Horologically speaking, little exciting has happened except news that Dmitry Medvedev, the Prime Minister of Russia, was recently seen wearing an Apple Watch, but down here on the Côte d’Azur it has been a period of contrasts, contradictions and controversial credibility. For example, some friends of friends have just returned to their home near Liverpool (UK) and informed me by email that the weather there is wet, windy and cold (18º centigrade). As I sit writing this in Menton, hot doesn’t really convey the heat here; even the Devil would be frantically searching for someone to install an air conditioning unit. A few days ago, during a total lapse of sanity on my part, I decided to go to the beach for the day. By the time I arrived, the temperature was hovering around 40º C so I plunged expectantly into what I thought would be the cool Mediterranean. The only item missing was soap: 29º centigrade. In contrast, a mere kilometre away, whilst I was simmering in the cruel sea, African migrants congregated on a rocky outcrop by the sea at the Franco-Italian border were hoping to get into France and make their way north to what they see as the promised land – should the French police blink. Many of them are youngsters surviving in makeshift tents, on handouts of food, drink and clothing from both the French and Italian Red Cross. Hundreds more migrants are to be found in Ventimiglia, a busy market town in Italy a few minutes further down the coast, having paid a small fortune to unscrupulous profiteers
only to find themselves homeless and helpless. The migrants are not villains or troublemakers, simply people fleeing untold misery in search of a life. It’s a sorry sight. In contrast, further along the coast in the opposite direction, between Antibes and Cannes, lies Vallauris, a town renowned for its pottery and where Picasso lived for several years. In what was then the Château de L’Horizon, people such as Sir Winston Churchill, Maurice Chevalier, Greta Garbo and Noel Coward stayed as guests and Prince Ali and his new wife Rita Hayworth made it one of their homes.
STRATOSPHERE 57 Re-named the Villa Aurore, it now belongs to King Salman of Saudi Arabia, who arrived recently for a holiday in this refurbished über-palatial property accompanied by close to a thousand family, friends and aides. Four hundred limousines were hired to ferry the guests around on visits to St. Tropez, Monaco, Nice and receptive restaurants; 250,000 euros a day were spent accommodating people in nearby hotels and, reportedly, orders of 15,000 flowers a day were delivered to the villa. Much to the annoyance of many locals, the public beach below the villa was closed with a 300 metre exclusion zone implemented, and the building of an illegal lift from the villa to the beach to facilitate easy access for the king and his guests did little to appease the Vallauriens. The distance between the migrants in Menton and King Salman in Vallauris is 57 kilometres, but the difference between the plight of some and the com-
fort of many is a contrast that reaches stratospheric proportions. Meanwhile, on a stage in distant St. Petersburg humour was supplied by Vladimir Putin, the country’s President, who suggested that his pal Joseph ‘Sepp’ Blatter, the beleaguered President of FIFA, should be awarded the Nobel Prize. Don’t Sepp and Vlad make an interesting couple? Blatter the head of an uncontrollable organisation being investigated on multiple counts of corruption and Putin the head of a country where corruption is considered an integral part of the economy. The average punter believes that they should be hung, drawn and quartered, and yet there they were strutting around like third-world dictators, worthy of persecution but seemingly immune to prosecution. Naturally, Blatter’s Nobel Prize category would obviously be Escapology. Needless to say, this reminds me of a Russian story about Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Medvedev, the Prime Minister of Russia and two of his leading ministers dining at a restaurant after the Congress of People’s Deputies of the Russian Federation. A waiter approaches and asks Putin what he would like to order. ”I’ll have the meat.” “And what about the vegetables?” the waiter asks. “They’ll have the meat, too.” And because it’s summertime here’s an additional and appropriate story recently told by Jimmy Fallon, the U.S television host of The Tonight Show. “Russian President Vladimir Putin was on vacation last week, and apparently he caught a giant 46-pound fish. Putin called it a crowning achievement, while the manager of the aquarium said, ‘What am I supposed to do? He’s the president.” Well, you’ve got to laugh haven’t you. p
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THE WORLD’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WATCH MAGAZINE EUROPE
Christophe Claret
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Voutilainen
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H. Moser & Cie
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BREAKAWAY 7 WATCH BUSINESS MAGAZINE | EUROPEAN EDITION | N°332 4/15 SEPTEMBER | CHF12 / €10 / US$12
THE CHANEL MOMENT
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DRACAENA CONSEIL - L’INSTANT CHANEL - J12 365 WHITE OR BEIGE - LA VIGIE 2015 - Backcover EUROPA STAR - PAN INTERNATIONAL - L 205 mm x H 265 mm - 22/07/14
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