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IMPRESSIONS FROM THE GENEVA SHOWS

EUROPE EDITION All Europe Central & Eastern Europe, Russia

N° 317 1 /2013 Feb. / March 02

9

THE WORLD’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WATCH MAGAZINE EUROPE

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CH F 1 2 / € 1 0 / U S $ 1 2

SIHH | GTE | Exhibitions First BaselWorld previews 1 Service, please!

FLYING TOURBILLON High feminine complication, this flying tourbillon decorated with the motif of the camellia, a tribute to Mademoiselle Chanel’s favorite flower, beats away discreetly and almost secretly at the heart of the Première watch.

Having no upper bridge, the carriage decorated with a camellia appears to be rotating in a weightless state.

Limited edition of 20 numbered pieces. 18-carat white gold, set with 228 diamonds (~7.7 carats).

www.chanel.com

4 EDITORIAL europa star

The lament off those who are drowning R Pierre M. Maillard Editor-in-Chief The refrain is well known. It has been sung in these columns on several occasions, but now it has really become stuck in the mind. The refrain? The lament, more like, is that of the small independent companies that are drowning.

On one hand, you find a modest but quite honourable brand that, after ten years of efforts, finds doors closing to it one by one. On the other hand, a single independent company, whose beautiful and artfully enamelled products are no longer welcome at stores which are already inundated with merchandise.

Here and there, small yet very innovative companies are closing their doors; investors are giving up and vanishing into thin air. Recently, an open letter was received at the editor’s desk, from an “independent family business” standing up for its “right to exist without being constantly threatened by an attitude of short-term profit and unrestrained capitalism (…) and by devastating pressure on distribution (…), which will result in less choice.” This same company pleads, loud and clear, for the “re-establishment of healthy competitive practices for the betterment of the industry and in the interest of the final consumer,” before concluding that “without this awareness, it will be more and more difficult to bring to our wonderful industry the freshness of sensible alternatives.”

Behind the triumphant numbers of the year—for the first time, the Swiss watch industry exceeded the threshold of CHF 21 billion at export—the biodi-

versity of the watch landscape is inevitably declining. One by one, the niches that provide the variety in the watch industry are being occupied by the big groups. But how can we blame them? Why should they restrain themselves when everything, beginning with their shareholder structure, pushes them to make a profit at any cost, while a silent war rages in the display windows.

So, how then can a small watch company specialising, for example, in the métiers d'art survive—or even simply succeed in placing a few products that it transports in a rowboat, while nearby the big groups arrive in aircraft carriers loaded with pallets of high-end watches?

Another concern relating to watchmaking biodiversity is that the dazzling numbers barely conceal a reality that, over time, is indeed worrisome: the decrease in volume (down 15.3 per cent in December 2012, down 2.7 per cent for the year) accompanied by an increase in value (up 11.3 per cent for the year). This means quite simply that fewer watches are being sold, but at higher prices.

This evolution does not concern only the watch industry; it is widespread in other sectors, too. It is, in fact, a reflection of a much more general phenomenon in society. In other more political times, we called this “imperialism”, the “natural” tendency of the big to grow even bigger, of the propensity of kingdoms to become “empires”.

Having said that, however, there are some counter-attacks happening here and there. Initiatives are being launched, groups are being formed. In other words, life goes on, always confounding predictions. But let’s be attentive to this general increase in hostilities and to this race ahead, because they may be the warning signs of a major new bubble.

A SWISS HISTORY OF TIME

Perpetual calendar, every possible date complication, yback chronograph function and tachymeter scale – the complexity and functionality of the Manero ChronoPerpetual are hard to match. An impressive timepiece, whose date will require no correction until the year 2100, when the Gregorian calendar calls for the omission of a leap year. www.carl-f-bucherer.com

for the new emperors

Boutique DeWitt Shop 2036 Level 2 Elements, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong (+852) 31532668 dewitt-hk-elements@swissinitiative.com

Montres DeWitt SA Rue du PrĂŠ-de-la-Fontaine 2, 1217 Meyrin, Geneva, Switzerland +41 22 750 97 97 info@dewitt.ch - www.dewitt.ch

DeWitt America 4330 N.E 2nd Avenue Miami FL 33137, USA +1.305.572.9812 info@dewittamerica.com

revolutionary by tradition

8 CONTENTS europa star

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THE WORLD’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WATCH MAGAZINE EUROPE

N° 317 1/2013 FEB./MARCH

CONNECTING ICONIC

4

EDITORIAL The lament of those who are drowning

12

COVER STORY Ralph Lauren’s watchmaking safari

16 18 23 27 28 32 40 45

GENEVA SHOWS Introduction: Under the sign of Midas Strategic métiers d’art High-tech materials and movements The IDTWO concept watch by Cartier The year of butterflies and eagles Surrounding the SIHH: Space stations and satellites All change for the Geneva Time Exhibition A (show) week in the life of a retailer

49 51 56

PRE-BASEL Raymond Weil, just the right positioning JeanRichard - a new philosophy of life The new BaselWorld

58 59

GALLERIES Pre-Basel – gents’ watches Pre-Basel – ladies’ watches

60 62

SERVICE, PLEASE! Patek Philippe: patrimonial service Stoll & Company, America’s Watchmakers

66

RETAILER PROFILE Talking Turkey – Saat & Saat in Istanbul

BRANDS TO THEIR CLIENTELE ONLINE

68

DIGITAL-LUXURY.COM WORLDWATCHREPORT.COM media partner

WORLDWATCHWEB® Global consumer interest for haute horlogerie brands increases

70

EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

72

LAKIN@LARGE Times Square squared

RL67 TOURBILLON

by Ralph Lauren The first tourbillon presented by Ralph Lauren has a 45mm diameter stainless steel case that has been treated with a gunmetal finish. It is powered by the selfwinding RL67 manufacture tourbillon calibre, which offers a power reserve of approximately 38 hours and is driven by a gold micro-rotor that is visible behind a transparent sapphire crystal case back. It comes with a brown alligator leather strap that has been treated to give it a special patina.

RALPH LAUREN Watch and Jewelry 24, route de la Galaise CH – 1228 Plan-les-Ouates Tel: +41 (0) 22 595 59 00 www.ralphlaurenwatches.com

Europa Star HBM SA 25 Route des Acacias P.O. Box 1355 CH-1211 Geneva 26 Switzerland Tel +41 (0)22 307 78 37 Fax +41 (0)22 300 37 48 www.europastar.com contact@europastar.com © 2013 EUROPA STAR Audited REMP / FRP 2012 The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily Europa Star.

THE EVOLUTION OF TRADITION

LOGICAL ONE

BASELWORLD Hall 2.0 Booth C35

2013

www.romaingauthier.com

SEIZE THE MOMENT, CARRY A BOMBERG

WATCH CASE **cc _d XbWYa iWdZXbWij[Z FL: r C_d[hWb YhoijWb m_j^ Wdj_#h[ƚ[Yj_l[ YeWj_d] r 9Wi[ XWYa iYh[m[Z Zemd _d XbWYa iWdZXbWij[Z FL: r MWj[h h[i_ijWdY[0 '&7JC DIAL AND HANDS Metal dial black with black dial plate, fh_dj _d m^_j[ r D_Ya[b ^WdZi m_j^ bkc_delW r :Wo ZWj[ MOVEMENT 9^hede]hWf^ C_oejW EI'' STRAP AND BUCKLE 8bWYa b[Wj^[h ijhWf ijWdZWhZ ^eb[i m_j^ XbWYa ij_jY^_d] 8bWYa FL: XkYab[ REF. NO: NS44CHPBA.BA0.3.LBA

SEIZE THE MOMENT BOMBERG.CH

12 COVER STORY europa star

Ralph Lauren’s watchmaking safari RPaul O’Neil

T

The presence of Ralph Lauren Watch & Jewelry at this year’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva marked a certain coming of age for the brand. As the company’s chairman, Callum Barton, explained, “We are four years old and the average age of the other brands at the show is 98 years.

We celebrate our fifth birthday at the SIHH and it is the first time you can see products in the show windows outside the booth, now that the brand can walk and talk.”

And now that the brand can walk and talk it already wants to stretch its legs and head off on… safari! Parked centre stage in the typical colonial décor of the Ralph Lauren booth in Geneva this year was the designer’s own vintage Land Rover, equipped for an expedition into the African wilderness, leaving one eager to discover the new timepieces inspired by this world of safari, to which the designer dedicated his first fashion collection almost 30 years ago.

According to Ralph Lauren, “When you go on safari you think it’s a special moment in your life. You will always talk about it. There is a utility and sensibility about it that works.” In fact, the designer has almost made an art out of adding a touch of luxury to the functional clothing required for tracking down wildlife on the open plains. Now he turns his attention to making the watches that bear his name fit for African exploration. It is above all the utilitarian aspect that comes forth in the watches, expressed by a rugged design and the use of a new treatment for the cases that recreates the unique black sheen of gunmetal familiar from old hunting rifles.

RL67 SAFARI CHRONOMETER

The Safari collection The RL67 Safari chronometer epitomises the classic simplicity of Ralph Lauren design but with an added touch of durability. Its 45mm diameter gunmetal case, with visible screws on the bezel, houses a sober matte varnished azure anthracite dial with large Arabic numerals coated with a beige luminescent substance reminiscent of the desert sands, with an oversize 12 and 6 and a simple “RALPH LAUREN – CHRONOMETER” inscription. The orange sweep seconds hand, for clear legibility, is the only small break in the rigidly applied safari design code. Well protected inside this tough exterior is the RL300-1 calibre self-winding movement with chronometer certification and a power reserve of approximately 42 hours.

The RL67 Safari chronograph adheres rigorously to the same safari aesthetic but takes its dial from the brand’s Sporting collection, using a matte black varnished background with contrasting white Roman numerals and chronograph counters at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock, as well as a date window at 6 o’clock. It is fitted with the RL750 chronograph movement, which is a self-winding manufacture calibre.

Operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour, the RL750 offers a power reserve of around 48 hours and has Côtes de Genève and circular graining decoration that is visible through a smoked sapphire crystal case back fixed in place with six screws. In addition to the same 45mm case size as the chronometer, the RL67 Safari chronograph is also available in a smaller 39mm diameter case.

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In combination with the gunmetal case colour for both models, a weathered olive-green canvas strap is perhaps the boldest affirmation of this collection’s safari credentials. Reinforced with a black leather lining, this material evokes Ralph Lauren’s pioneering collection of safari clothing that spawned the term “safari chic” and pre-empted the trend for casual safari clothing subsequently triggered by the film “Out of Africa”.

HOW THE GUNMETAL LOOK IS ACHIEVED As the name suggests, gunmetal was originally used in the manufacture of cannons in medieval times (although it had been in use before this) and later in other ordnance. Steel is now the metal of choice for ordnance but gunmetal is still used today for valves, pipe fittings and pumps that need to be pressure tight.

Known as red brass in the United States, gunmetal is actually a type of bronze—an alloy of copper, tin and zinc.

For the Ralph Lauren Safari timepieces, the appearance of gunmetal is achieved using a chemical and thermal treatment. Unlike surface treatment processes such as PVD, DLC and ADLC, which are now widely used in the watch industry and involve purely physical processes to deposit a thin layer of coating on the host metal, the process used by Ralph Lauren to make the gunmetal case for the Safari collection has both chemical and thermal components. In addition to the aesthetic enhancement this brings to the timepiece, it also makes the steel harder than a conventional stainless-steel watch case and thus increases its durability. It is applied to the case, bezel, crown, buckle, pushers and screws of the watches in the Ralph Lauren Safari collection.

COVER STORY 13

1.

A first tourbillon Those looking for a less casual accompaniment for their safari attire can opt for the juxtaposition of a delicate tourbillon movement housed in the same 45mm diameter gunmetal case. The self-winding RL67 calibre is the first tourbillon movement to feature in the Ralph Lauren collection and also the first to be driven by a gold micro-rotor, visible through a transparent sapphire crystal case back. This manufacture movement operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offers a power reserve

2.

1. First, the watch case and its components are sandblasted and microblasted by hand using an air pistol, which gives the piece a deep matte grey finish.

2. The gunmetal treatment is applied both chemically and thermally, transforming the silver colour of the steel into a blackened finish.

3. The case is then brushed and polished using a range of specialised brushes and diamond pastes.

3.

RL67 SAFARI CHRONOGRAPH

RL67 SAFARI TOURBILLON

14 COVER STORY europa star

of approximately 38 hours. It also features a specially designed tourbillon bridge that has a finish to match the sheen of the gunmetal case. Although the time is displayed on the same sober matte black dial with the desertinspired luminescent beige Roman numerals and sword-shaped hands, the rugged canvas strap has been replaced by a more refined brown alligator leather strap, which is hand made using honey wax soap to give a special patina.

Ladies’ jewellery pieces The strong focus on the world of safari, in which Ralph Lauren can claim the greatest of legitimacy, is oriented towards the male customer as far as the brand’s timepieces are concerned. But at the more exclusive end of the spectrum, Ralph Lauren has also introduced a trio of stunning ladies’ jewellery models for 2013. The Stirrup collection now includes a jewellery piece, the Stirrup Diamond Link, which is adorned with 1,911 diamonds of 20 different sizes for a staggering total of around 35.58 carats. The entire case, measuring 32.40mm by 34.30mm, as well as the chain-link bracelet—all in 18-carat white gold—are set with diamonds. The crown, also in 18-carat white gold, is set with a rose-cut diamond of 0.38 carats. Set against this sparkling background, the dial remains the epitome of Ralph Lauren classicism, with black Roman numerals and a black railway minute track set against an off-white lacquered and polished background. The impulses driving the small seconds hand at 6 o’clock come from the self-winding mechanical RL701 manufacture calibre, which operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offers a power reserve of around 70 hours.

As a perfect balance, this model, available for 220,000 US dollars, was presented alongside the Stirrup Steel Link model, which is the first Stirrup model to be proposed with a polished stainless-steel case and the same matching chain-link bracelet in polished stainless steel.

At 2,500 US dollars it retails for a fraction of the cost of its sparkling colleague. A range of eight new colourful leather straps is also available for the Stirrup collection.

Diamonds are also the order of the day in the 867 collection, the latest model in which (and one of the most lavish in the entire Ralph Lauren collection) is called quite simply the STIRRUP DIAMOND LINK

867 Diamond Watch. Here, the sleek 27.5mm square art deco case in polished 18-carat white gold has a bezel set with diamonds as well as diamond-set arabesque motifs that continue along the black suede strap, for a total of 280 stones. A further 12 baguette-cut diamonds adorn the signature square design elements on the case at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock and STIRRUP STEEL LINK

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COVER STORY 15

“I have always been inspired by the design elements of the art deco era. For me, its bold geometric spirit and sophisticated modernity define a kind of glamour that is timeless and especially elegant when applied to the art of watchmaking.”

Ralph Lauren the ornate folding clasp. In a modern interpretation of the art deco style, the silver opaline dial bears a combination of black Roman and Arabic numerals (outsized Roman numerals for the quarter hours and smaller Arabic numerals for the other hours) and the black suede strap framing the whole helps this striking design to stand out, leaving no mistake as to the art deco inspiration behind this piece.

Another new model in the 867 collection has a similar “face” but employs even more art deco design codes, marrying the classic art deco colours of black and white with the column designs familiar from the architecture of the world’s most iconic art deco buildings (one of the most famous of which is the Empire State Building, a landmark in Ralph Lauren’s native New York city). The 867 Modern Art Deco watch has an 18-carat rose-gold case set with one row of diamonds and an inner frame in black resin. The signature square elements on the case at 6 o’clock and 12 o’clock are each set with nine diamonds and enclosed by the shimmer of black onyx semi-circles set into the black alligator leather strap above and below, each of which points towards a white ceramic column flanked by six diamond-set columns, a design element that is repeated on the 18carat rose-gold folding clasp.

867 DIAMOND WATCH

Both new 867 models are powered by the RL430 calibre manually-wound manufacture movement, which operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour, offers a power reserve of approximately 40 hours and a fine decorative finish of Côtes de Genève and circular graining. Like the Stirrup Diamond Link, both of these models also offer the ultimate touch of luxury with a rose-cut diamond set into their gold crowns.

867 MODERN ART DECO WATCH

With the Safari collection and the new ladies’ models, Ralph Lauren has once again proven capable of successfully combining the rigorously timeless designs and high-quality craftsmanship of its timepieces with highly individual themes such as safari that are ingrained in the Ralph Lauren brand. O For more information about Ralph Lauren please click on Brand Index at www.europastar.com or visit www.ralphlaurenwatches.com

16 SIHH IMPRESSIONS – INTRODUCTION europa star

UNDER THE SIGN OF MIDAS

RPierre Maillard

O

On the second day of the SIHH, thinking about all the watches that had passed through my hands that day, I noted that the most affordable among them was selling for €40,000, or the price of a nice car such as a German saloon, for example. As for the most expensive, it is true that it was totally covered in diamonds, but I was not able to learn its exact price. When I asked the question, I was told in a delightful tone that it had a “prestigious price tag” (the equivalent, I imagined, of a beautiful home with a garden and swimming pool, complete with a sports car in the garage).

And, that day, I also could not help but think of the decadence of the Roman empire and of the follies of Heliogabalus, driving his golden chariot drawn by four white horses through the streets of Rome sprinkled with gold dust.

We all know the famous legend of King Midas who asked the god Dionysos to grant his wish of changing everything he touched into gold. The king’s good fortune turned to disaster, however, as all his food changed to gold at his touch and the poor man would soon die

of hunger. Begging the god to remove this wish, he was sent to wash his hands in the river Pactolus (which ever since, as we know, abounds with flakes of gold).

Is the Midas touch now affecting Haute Horlogerie? Could it end up suffocating under its own weight in gold? We can rightly ask this question, just as we can justifiably wonder if we are not again witnessing the birth of a new bubble…

Yet, we might also say that it is, for the most part, merely a media effect. To the more than 1200 accredited journalists present at the SIHH, it is normal that the brands would want to show off the cream of their crop. Diamond-covered watches, mechanical follies and exercises in style followed one after the other before our amazed eyes. At the end of the day, however, is this what really counts? These timepieces, with all their excesses, are at the top of the ladder and are covered and discussed ad infinitum. They swarm across the great virtual web where they create the buzz, but is this really where the business is? Don’t we find the bread and butter of the industry elsewhere? Rather than only concentrated in the hands of Midas, isn’t it to be found in a thousand more modest slivers in the waters of the Pactolus?

Whatever the case, we have borrowed several treasures from Midas while also plucking a few more modest nuggets from the river, all of which we present to you on the following pages. O

Automatic movement • Multi-part and multi-layer construction case Polished and vertically satin-finished stainless steel case • Water-resistant to 100 m Black vertically satin-finished dial • Applied luminescent indexes • Rhodium-coated hands with luminescent material • Case-back screw-down, engraved • Polished and satin-finished stainless steel bracelet • Stainless steel butterfly buckle

terrascope jeanrichard.com

18 SIHH IMPRESSIONS europa star

Strategic métiers d'art RPierre Maillard

I

If we could retain only one main thematic trend seen during the SIHH in Geneva, we would have to choose “métiers d’art” (artisanal craft skills). Never have art and artisanal crafts been featured so prominently as they were during this recent show: enamel in all its forms, miniature painting, stone-setting, several rare crafts such as marquetry with straw, hard stones, and mosaics, miniature sculpture on mother-ofpearl, and Etruscan granulation. Even more remarkable, we are witnessing a fusion of these different techniques, with examples, among others, of miniature painting on sculpted mother-of-pearl.

Another important and notable observation is that the mechanical revolution seems to still have a bright future ahead of it, even if we can sometimes wonder about the relevance

ROTONDE DE CARTIER PANTHÈRE EN GRANULATION

of some of its exploits. Mechanical timekeeping is nearly a Métier d'Art, and its chronometric utility is sometimes inversely proportional to its complexity, giving the impression that the mechanical has become decorative in and of itself. Yet, from this level to the merely gratuitous is sometimes only a small step.

Let’s talk specifically about a few of these pieces, although we will not, however, neglect other propositions, those which may be less notable on the outside but whose inner workings may be superior.

With a total turnover largely exceeding CHF 4 billion (of which watchmaking alone accounts for 40 per cent), Cartier is the undisputed flagship of the Richemont Group. A veritable war machine, Cartier made a very impressive show of force this year. And, it has branched out in all directions: high jewellery, fine mechanical, revisited icons and métiers d'art.

In the métiers d'art category, the Paris house presented nine pieces, bringing together eight

different techniques under the banner “Wild Colours of Cartier”. Among them are several rare skills, such as micro-engraving (five small panthers chase each other on the dial), cameos carved in agate, grisaille enamelling, plique-àjour enamelling and even Etruscan granulation. Rarely used, this decorative technique was practiced by the Etruscans in the middle of the 8th century BC, before being replaced by stamping. Granulation consists of heat soldering tiny gold balls with differing diameters, obtained from a gold wire, onto a pre-engraved dial. In all, 3,800 minuscule gold balls make up the portrait of a panther. It is really quite amazing. It is also quite rare when we realise that only one person at Cartier has the skills and expertise to realise such a decorative exploit.

We find this same decorative appetite on the haute horlogerie side of Cartier. Here, however, the amazing movement is what attracts all the attention. In this case, we are talking about the remarkable Rotonde de Cartier Double Tourbillon Mystérieux. Like levitation in a void, the carriage of this flying double tourbillon

ROTONDE DE CARTIER DOUBLE TOURBILLON MYSTÉRIEUX

ROTONDE DE CARTIER MYSTÉRIEUSE

Cartier’s impressive war machine

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EXTRAORDINARY DIAL by Van Cleef & Arpels

makes an aerial ballet in two time frames: one complete revolution on its own axis in one minute and a second rotation in five minutes. With no apparent connection or gearing, the carriage is moved along on a sapphire disc to which it is attached. The illusion is perfect. We find it again in a simpler form with very pure lines in the Rotonde de Cartier Mystérieuse, where the hour and minute hands float in the void.

"Poetic Complications™" If at Cartier, the favourite phrase is "Fabulous Hours", the term this year at Van Cleef & Arpels is "Extraordinary Dials", featuring a hunt for butterflies and flying kites. For this pastoral adventure, enamel in all its forms was used— champlevé, extended champlevé, paillonné (on a base of gold foil and translucent enamel), plique-à-jour (stained-glass effect), cabochon (non polished, in volume)—as well as coloured mother-of-pearl, sculpture on mother-of-pearl, marquetry with lapis lazuli, miniature painting, micro-sculpture on gold, guillochage, and stone-setting.

This rich panoply finds its most advanced mechanical expression in the Lady Arpels Enchanted Ballerina. The beautiful ballerina is animated by a double retrograde movement.

SIHH IMPRESSIONS 19

LADY ARPELS ENCHANTED BALLERINA by Van Cleef & Arpels

Her tutu rises up in two sections, first on one side to indicate the hours and then on the other side to show the minutes before they both simultaneously move down again. This delicate manner to tell the time is activated on demand using a push-piece located at 8 o’clock. This “Poetic Complication” (an expression trademarked by the brand) was developed by watchmakers at La Fabrique du Temps, an entity, we might add in passing, that was recently acquired by LVMH.

Patrimony Traditionnelle and Malte have thus expanded with new timepieces. Very fine workmanship in design and finishing, harmonious sizes, the highest respect for watchmaking codes, stone-setting ranging from a circle of stones on the bezel to the most spectacular full setting, and new manual and automatic

The Temple of Flora If butterflies, kites and tutus have invaded the dials at Van Cleef & Arpels, it is the floral motif that is dominant at Vacheron Constantin. A noteworthy point this year is that the Geneva manufacture has decided to devote its entire collection of new watches to ladies. This devotion is not new, however, since the first wristwatch for ladies created by Vacheron Constantin dates back to 1889 (although its first ladies’ pocket watches go back to 1810).

This feminisation of the Vacheron Constantin offer essentially rests on a series of known models that have been revisited and set with diamonds, yet always involving the greatest stylistic purity. The Patrimony Contemporaine,

CHINA LIMODRON ENAMEL by Vacheron Constantin

20 SIHH IMPRESSIONS europa star

FLORILÈGE by Vacheron Constantin

Tonda Woodstock. A real success, we encounter this type of very contemporary and “pop” attitude very rarely in the hallowed halls of haute horlogerie.

The fingers of Yohan Blake

movements that are certified by the new version of the Geneva Hallmark (meaning that the control is completed by an operational check of each encased movement) all come together to meet the stated goal of “having ladies’ models with the same reputation as the men’s watches.”

Another feminine collection involving the métiers d’art this year takes the name of "Florilège". Inspired by illustrations in the book "The Temple of Flora" by English botanist Robert John Thornton, published in 1799, three distinct floral motifs involve enamelling, guillochage, and stone-setting. It must be said that the Geneva brand has mastered, like few others, the delicate play on coloured transparencies that arise from the alliance between extremely subtle guillochage and grand feu cloisonné enamel.

work marvellously with a more contemporary visual aspect.

At the SIHH this year, only Parmigiani proposed a contemporary approach, in this case, cubist, with dials made of wood marquetry evoking rock guitars whose rosette comprised a tourbillon: the Tonda Woodrock and the

Upsetting conventions and proposing unusual forms, to the point of provocation, is a trademark of Richard Mille. The underlying interest in his approach is to unify the mechanical and the design, combining them in such a way that the decorative aspect is derived directly from the mechanical techniques.

In this respect, his most amazing proposition is dedicated to one of the fastest men on earth, Yohan Blake. The Jamaican sprinter habitually sets off with his hands out front, fingers spread open and straight. This distinctive sign as well as the colours of his country are found in the architecture of the RM 59-01 Tourbillon Yohan Blake. Blake’s “fingers” are the functional aerodynamic bridges—machined in an alloy of aluminium, magnesium, silicon and lead— whose colour is obtained by anodic oxidation.

The surprisingly transparent case of the RM

Cubist rock guitars In the various examples cited above, the inspiration has come largely from the traditional natural world—animals, butterflies, and flowers. Yet, as Vacheron Constantin demonstrated last year with its collection inspired by Escher’s geometric games, as well as the example given

by Hermès, the most traditional métiers d’art

TONDA WOODSTOCK and TONDA WOODROCK by Parmigiani Fleurier

Appreciate the extraordinary MASTER SERIES

www.titoni.ch

22 SIHH IMPRESSIONS europa star

RM59-01 by Richard Mille

59-01 is made from a composite injected with carbon nanotubes, which makes it both very light and two hundred per cent stronger than steel. The remarkable asymmetrical and elongated form is completely ergonomic and is the perfect tourbillon for a hundred-metre sprint.

Another remarkable tourbillon at Richard Mille is the RM 56-01. Here, the bezel, middle case and case back are made from blocks of sapphire, thus showing off the movement in all its glory. In addition, the dial, base plate, central bridge and small third wheel are also made of sapphire crystal. This must be classified as a new ultra-contemporary "Métier d'Art" when you consider that the machining, grinding, and polishing of the sapphire ensemble requires no less than 1,000 hours of work.

RM56-01 by Richard Mille

to move towards better chronometric precision (rewarded by first prize at the International Chronometry Competition in 2011).

This year, the two creators presented the Sixth Invention Piece in the totally original form of a 35° Double Balance. The result of research started in 1999 and involving the inclination

When the aesthetic is born from chronometric research The approach of Greubel Forsey is radically different from that of Richard Mille, but the two creators are similar in another respect: in both cases, it is the mechanical that dictates the aesthetic expression. Unlike some other watch brands, which seek above all to create a spectacle, Greubel Forsey’s approach is purely horological in nature. Its goal is always

DOUBLE BALANCIER 35° by Greubel Forsey

of the regulating organs, a first prototype was presented in Basel in 2009, but it comprised two balances superimposed and inclined at 20°. In this final version, they are inclined at 35° and are no longer superimposed, but positioned in two distinctly different spaces.

The improvement in chronometry is notable.

The two oscillators are linked by a spherical differential that, serving as the third wheel, “divides the margin of error in half”. In addition, the inclination at 35° minimises the perturbations caused by a stable horizontal or vertical position.

The architecture of the piece is thus completely dependent upon the technical requirements. Thus, all the aesthetic considerations at Greubel Forsey are derived directly from chronometric research. The result is an absolutely remarkable coherence that breaks down the barriers between the technical and the aesthetic. O To discover other propositions and brands, see the articles in this issue by Paul O'Neil and Malcolm Lakin.

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SIHH IMPRESSIONS 23

High-tech materials and movements RPaul O’Neil

offers new Luminor Submersible 1950 models in ceramic and bronze.

High-resistance materials such as carbon and ceramic are still being used to freshen up existing collections, as evidenced by the first Royal Oak models in ceramic from Audemars Piguet and a contemporary-styled pocket watch in matt ceramic by Officine Panerai, which also

The watch industry has already discovered the virtues of silicon (or “silicium” if you prefer the heavily Frenchified translation of many watch brands) for use in watch components. But Roger Dubuis has taken things a step further by presenting a new piece whose case is made entirely out of silicon in the spectacular new 48mm Excalibur Quatuor. One of the talking pieces of the SIHH, this new model not only has the first case in silicon but also features a brand-new movement with 590 components and no less than four individual balances that redefine the traditional ticking of a watch. Only three pieces will be available, at a cost of CHF 1 million. But as Roger Dubuis's CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué explained to Europa Star, “If we were to choose a price that reflected the work that actually goes into the piece it would be a lot more. This is why we do not even sell this in our own boutiques but instead via a visit to the manufacture, where we pay for the customer to fly into Geneva, visit the factory and spend time with our designers and watchmakers so

ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE DIVER by Audemars Piguet

EXCALIBUR QUATUOR SILICIUM by Roger Dubuis

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There was a profusion of models illustrating the skills in métiers d’art mastered in-house by various brands at the SIHH. But such traditional crafts cannot be so easily assimilated by other names from the high-end watchmaking fraternity represented at the show. So in this report we present some of the more high-tech trends in materials and movements, as well as the latest offerings in classic diamond watches for ladies, concluding with a brief outlook for the coming twelve months.

New materials

that they can understand all the time and work that goes into the piece.” The Quatuor is also available as a more affordable limited edition of 88 pieces in gold for CHF 380,000.

Why settle for a titanium watch when you can now get the new IWC Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar with digital date and month in the lighter and more resistant titanium aluminide alloy? As a material taken directly from Formula 1 motorsport, this may just be a first hint at the potential fruits of IWC’s new engineering partnership with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team. Carbon, titanium and ceramic also feature heavily in the totally revamped Ingenieur collection for 2013, alongside the more traditional and noble platinum used for the case of the flagship Ingenieur Constant Force Tourbillon.

Among all these exotic materials, which are harder than steel and much more difficult to machine as a result, it’s worth sparing a thought for the humble watch strap, which represented one of the biggest design challenges of this new collection for Christian Knoop, IWC’s

INGENIEUR PERPETUAL CALENDAR by IWC

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GRAND COMPLICATION by A. Lange & Söhne

TRADITION TOURBILLON by Audemars Piguet

EXCALIBUR DOUBLE TOURBILLON SKELETON by Roger Dubuis

Associate Director, Creative Center. “The strap can make or break the design of a watch,” he told Europa Star. “I remember products where we did 15 or 20 prototypes of a strap before we found the final colour and execution. The new straps that we designed for the Ingenieur, with the construction of rubber and textile on top and the leather ones for the Silver Arrow watches, required quite some development.”

the going train and offers a power reserve of 30 hours. The manually-wound calibre L1902 required seven years of development and takes a watchmaker one year to build before it is encased in its 50mm pink-gold case with a five-part enamel dial.

ing of two colours, black and blue, representing day and night. Using a Maltese cross and a system of cams, this day/night disc only begins to mesh with the movement at 3am or 3pm, after which its speed of rotation gradually increases until it is synchronous with the twelve-hour disc. This unique system means that it is not only possible to tell day-time or night-time hours at a glance, but also to see the onset of day or night thanks to the gradual change in colour.

Mechanical innovations A. Lange & Söhne had purists salivating with the host of new creations it presented in Geneva and stole the limelight by presenting the most complicated and most expensive watch at the SIHH. Called quite simply the Grand Complication, this horological marvel will be produced in a limited series of only six pieces, each costing €1.92 million.

So what do you get for this astronomical sum?

Grande and petite sonnerie, minute repeater, split-seconds monopusher chronograph with seconde foudroyante (a “lightning” seconds hand that can indicate elapsed times to onefifth of a second), a moon phase and a perpetual calendar with instantaneous change of all the indications at midnight. Each of the striking mechanisms has its own barrel for power, while a third barrel is used to power

Audemars Piguet presented a new minuterepeater in the Tradition line, whose large 47mm titanium case is designed to offer the best possible acoustics for the minute repeater movement, which also features a tourbillon and chronograph and comprises 504 parts, including 83 for the tourbillon alone.

Roger Dubuis is the only manufacture to produce a skeleton double tourbillon. Its latest version in the revamped Excalibur collection uses a new 45mm Excalibur case that is 12 per cent thinner and is available in pink or white gold and as a limited edition of 188 in pink gold with a black ceramic bezel.

An innovative new method of time display was presented by Montblanc in the Nicolas Rieussec chronograph line with the “Rising Hours” chronograph, which reinvents the jumping hours display using two superimposed revolving discs. Arabic numerals are cut out of the top disc, beneath which is a disc consist-

NICOLAS RIEUSSEC “RISING HOURS” by Montblanc

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SIHH IMPRESSIONS 25

LUMINOR SUBMERSIBLE 1950 by Officine Panerai

ALTIPLANO by Piaget

PÉTALES ENTRELACÉS by Montblanc

Combining both a new material and a new movement, Officine Panerai demonstrated its watchmaking prowess at the SIHH with the launch of its first pocket watch. This contemporary interpretation of a classic theme uses a 59mm diameter matt black ceramic case and chain and is fitted with a skeletonised handwound Panerai P.2005/S tourbillon calibre whose black galvanic treatment blends in perfectly with the case. Three barrels ensure a power reserve of six days, which can be checked

on an indicator visible through the transparent sapphire crystal case back. This is a limited edition of 50 pieces that will retail for €165,000.

world’s thinnest self-winding movement with date housed in the world’s thinnest watch case in this category and the world’s thinnest gemset self-winding skeleton watch. The calibre 1205P, the first calibre used in the Altiplano collection to feature a date, measures just 3mm in thickness and is housed inside a case that is only 6.36mm thick. The calibre 1200D in the gem-set version is the same thickness, but its case is even thinner at 6.10mm.

In keeping with its nautical heritage, Panerai presented three new Luminor Submersible 1950 models in the 47mm case diameter, water resistant to 300 metres and with the distinctive case materials of bronze, black ceramic, as well as a titanium version that is water resistant to a depth of 2,500 metres.

The latest incarnation in Parmigiani’s groundbreaking Bugatti line is the Super Sport in red gold, named after the 1,200 horsepower monster manufactured by the Volkswagen subsidiary in Alsace. The unique transversally mounted hand-wound PF372 calibre with 10day power reserve that powers the timepiece is constructed on two planes. This means that the time display is set at 90 degrees to the balance and escape wheel bridges (visible on the top of the watch), which are arranged in an arc reminiscent of the Bugatti oval. This limited edition of 30 pieces comes with a bespoke Hermès alligator leather strap.

BUGATTI SUPER SPORT by Parmigiani Fleurier

Piaget reasserted its position as world-leader in the production of ultra-thin movements by presenting two new “double records”, for the

Diamonds are still a girl’s best friend Despite the great efforts being invested in the metiers d’art, nothing can beat the lasting appeal of diamonds on a watch for ladies. The most important consideration here is to create a design that will allow the maximum flexibility for different types of setting using different diamond cuts.

Montblanc has, for example, enhanced its Princesse Grace de Monaco collection with a 34mm case that has an elliptical bezel and interior flange that lend themselves perfectly to various types of stone setting. The sumptuous “Pétales Entrelacés” model in 18-carat red gold illustrates this perfectly, with its 355 diamonds of different cuts, including 44 baguette diamonds on the bezel, 130 brilliant-cut stones

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LIMELIGHT GALA by Piaget

PERSHING CBF by Parmigiani Fleurier

TRANSFORMA CBF by Parmigiani Fleurier

on the flange and a further 168 brilliant-cut diamonds on the red-gold link bracelet that gives the watch its name.

it’s clear that each of the brands present at the SIHH is pursuing its own individual strategy with different objectives. On the whole, though, the feedback from 2012 and the outlook for 2013 both seem positive. Although Georges Kern, CEO of IWC, provocatively said he “couldn’t care less” what the outlook was for 2013 during his round table on the opening day of the SIHH, other figures in the driving seat were more forthcoming. Roger Dubuis’s Jean-Marc Pontroué told Europa Star that he was “reasonably optimistic” as far as the coming twelve months are concerned.

“We have launched three new families over the past three years, the Monégasque, the Pulsion and Velvet,” he said, “so 2013 represents the first relatively calm year where we get back to the roots of the brand and one of its iconic products.”

can be used as a wristwatch, pocket watch or table clock.

Aside from its expertise in ultra-thin movements, Piaget is renowned as a jeweller and has considerable in-house gem-setting expertise. The brand launched a whole new ladies’ collection that pays tribute to this, the Limelight Gala, at this year’s show. The new collection is available with 32 or 38mm diameter cases in red or white gold and has extended lugs that curve downwards on the right-hand side and upwards on the left-hand side of the case to blend in harmoniously with the integrated strap. The bezel and lugs offer the perfect canvas for Piaget to show off its diamond-setting expertise and the dial is available in a classic silvered form with black Roman numerals or fully paved with up to 336 brilliant-cut diamonds. A fully-paved integrated gold bracelet is also available and versions fully paved with baguette-cut diamonds are promised in the near future.

The road ahead With established brands such as IWC redesigning iconic collections and younger brands such as Roger Dubuis only just levelling out after several years of intensive development,

At Parmigiani, things couldn’t be rosier. Looking to capitalise on the forthcoming 2014 football World Cup in Rio de Janeiro thanks to its partnership with the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) and the opening of a Parmigiani office in São Paulo, the brand debuted its CBF collection at the SIHH, which consists of ladies’ and gents’ Pershing models and the Transforma CBF (delivered with two watch-heads, a chronograph and an annual calendar), which

“In terms of value, the split between the supply business and Parmigiani the brand is about fifty-fifty,” Parmigiani’s CEO Jean-Marc Jacot explained to Europa Star. “But in terms of volume it’s much higher. I don’t want the share of the components business to climb any higher than this. Obviously, we hope that our customers grow, but Parmigiani wants to grow too. We have an objective of 15 per cent growth per year and we can’t go much above this because all the finishing is done by hand.”

“History has shown that the work we have done over the past twelve years to build up our production capacity has been worthwhile, thanks in no small part to Mr Hayek. I say this because the brands which have been cut off by the Swatch Group have turned to us. We are able to produce all components and deliver to other brands. We work with 17 different brands and our order books are full until the end of 2014.”

Even with the Eurozone surrounding Switzerland in an ongoing crisis, the distant planet watchmaking in Switzerland’s economic haven seems likely to continue its impressive growth for the foreseeable future. O

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The ID TWO concept watch by Cartier If you want an idea of what the watch of the future might look like, then Cartier’s new ID TWO concept watch is a good place to start. The brand approached the design of this piece with two simple objectives: to maximise the amount of energy that a watch with a regular-sized case and a Swiss lever escapement can store and to minimise the loss of energy during its operation. Perhaps the most impressive result of several years of research is the use of a vacuum in a watch, in order to eliminate friction from drag. But aside from the obvious advantage of no dust or oxidation inside the watch, this also meant developing a movement that could operate entirely without lubrication, since liquids “boil” in a vacuum.

Twin DuoLevel barrels To eliminate friction between the coils of the mainsprings and between the spring and the barrel housing, Cartier developed the first mainsprings in fibreglass, which are more flexible than a standard mainspring and can store more energy. The springs are coated in parylene to replace lubrication and housed inside low-friction ADLC (Amorphous Diamond Like Carbon) coated barrels. + 30 per cent energy stored

The case The 42mm diameter transparent case is in Ceramyst—a ceramic with a hardness of 800 Vickers that is used in bulletproof windows. The case back is held in place solely by the vacuum inside. Special gaskets in which the pores have been sealed with nanoparticles of clay ensure that air cannot penetrate inside the watch to affect the vacuum.

Carbon crystal escapement The pallet fork (which has no ruby pallet stones) and escape wheel are made of carbon crystal using the deep-reactive ion etching (DRIE) process. This ultra-lightweight configuration rests on ADLC-coated pivots. +15 per cent transmitted energy

Differential gear train A planetary gear system reduces friction and teeth load. The gear wheels are made from carbon crystal-coated silicon, which is 60 per cent harder and 70 per cent lighter than steel, as well as being non-magnetic and resistant to corrosion.

Tooth profiles have been modified and ADLC-coated pivots on the gear wheel staffs reduce friction in the ruby bearings without the need for lubrication. + 10 per cent transmitted energy

Carbon crystal balance wheel The balance wheel is made as a single piece of carbon crystal and is fitted with a Zerodur® balance spring whose active length is directly adapted to the balance wheel. Since the carbon crystal balance wheel oscillates in the 99.8 per cent vacuum of the Airfree® case, the drag that can account for 80 per cent of balance wheel friction in a conventional watch is almost entirely eliminated.

- 37 per cent energy consumption

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The year of butterflies and eagles It may be a long cold winter for some, but for five days in early January snow flurries were held at bay as Geneva warmed to the chefs d’oeuvre at this year’s SIHH.

RD. Malcolm Lakin

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There were magnificently coloured butterflies, a couple of eagles, no make that three, racing cars, paintings, a never-ending supply of delicious food and drink and enough comfortable leather seats and settees to cater for the excitable and often weary throng. Oh I almost forgot, there were watches, lots and lots of watches.

I am, of course, talking about those five days in January when Geneva becomes the centre of the horological universe, when a multitude of enthusiasts – around ten thousand buyers mingling with a couple of handfuls of renowned collectors, stars of the silver screen, long-legged models and popular sporting giants and, surprise surprise, a thousand or so hyperventilating journalists from around the world – descend on the Salon International de Haute Horlogerie.

The SIHH, as it is fondly referred to, is now twenty-three years old, having grown from

The elegant Baume & Mercier lounge with its terrace and comforting ocean view.

the original five exhibitors in 1991- Baume & Mercier, Cartier, Piaget, Gérald Genta and Daniel Roth - to the sixteen brands that graced the halls this year.

Unlike the vast BaselWorld, the SIHH is not open to the general public, so the moment you enter and stroll through the halls on the pastel hued wall-to-wall carpeting you are not assailed by a cacophony of industrial sounds, boisterous children, pram-pushing families or barking dogs, but you’re greeted with a welcoming and respectful purr in an elegant oasis of relaxed serenity designed and devoted to making the visitor welcome. In short, to paraphrase Christopher Marlowe, the Elizabethan dramatist, an ambience created to launch a thousand purchases.

My first visit was to the stylish seaside setting of Baume & Mercier with its interior luxuriously and spaciously designed to incorporate well-lit showcases and framed photographs and culminating in a room with a view: a terrace overlooking a sandy beach and the sea.

The backdrop is the Hamptons, a group of villages and hamlets on Long Island, New York, where the rich and famous play in the sum-

mer months; it also happens to be the inspiration for one of Baume & Mercier’s most successful collections.

With the brand’s origins dating back to 1830, there is an interesting horological history from which to draw inspiration and some of the latest models in the collections owe their existence to timepieces from the past, a natural evolution. What I personally find off-putting is that the presentation to the press always begins with a five minute potted history of the brand, this to journalists who have been attending this event for years and probably know it backwards. If I might make a suggestion to the powers that be, please forget the past and concentrate on now, the latest models, innovations and perhaps a glimpse into the future.

As I strolled leisurely through the halls, I was stopped in my tracks by the squawking of an awesome golden eagle perched and chained to the arm of his handler attired in gear any man-about-town would wear in medieval times – a green tabard, leather gauntlets and boots.

Taking in the brilliantly designed surroundings of trees with a centrepiece of a marvellous

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The imposing metallic eagle on the Roger Dubuis stand.

Paul O’Neil alongside the trainer of the striking American bald eagle.

metallic eagle hanging from the ceiling with a watch in its claws, I discovered that this was the Roger Dubuis setting for the presentation of the exciting Excalibur Collection.

A little later whilst ambling past with Paul O’Neil, Europa Star’s Managing Editor, the handler was holding an American bald eagle, which I duly photographed along with my intrepid colleague.

Not far from the crowd-pulling eagles there was another sight to behold: a four or five metre replica of the latest Lange & Söhne offering, the Grand Complication which stood imperiously in the middle of the stand’s entrance.

My colleagues will certainly be writing in detail about this complicated timepiece, but suffice it to say that this magnificent contribution to the art of watchmaking has a grande sonnerie,

a perpetual calendar, a split-seconds chronograph with flying seconds, day, date, month, moon and leap year indications.

On visitng the IWC stand, one could be forgiven for thinking that you had somehow wandered into the Geneva Motor Show. However, despite the cars and the unbelievably complex engines that were on display, the theme was all about timing, Formula 1 and the introduction of the spectacular Ingenieur Constant-Force Tourbillon.

This amazing timepiece has a case combining platinum and ceramic that houses a tourbillon with an integrated constant-force mechanism and a 96-hour power reserve, a perpetual moon phase display, double moon phases for the northern and southern hemispheres and a countdown display showing phases until the next full moon.

A Mercedes racing car dominated the IWC booth, but the brand’s Ingenieur Constant-Force Tourbillon won the plaudits.

SIHH IMPRESSIONS 29

The imposing replica of the Lange & Söhne Grande Complication.

It was standing room only at the press conference but the close-ups of the speeding racing cars in the film that was used to illustrate IWC’s link to Formula 1 left me slightly queasy and grateful that bicycles are still being manufactured.

Panerai launched the ‘Big is Beautiful’ concept for wristwatches way back when and it hasn’t really deviated from it since the first Radiomir timepieces in 1936.

On joining the Richemont stable in 1997, Panerai became a frontrunner in this domain and hasn’t changed its philosophy since, although the brand has successfully evolved by adding new models with different complications and concepts to their existing collections.

This year there were new Radiomir and Luminor models ranging in size from 42 to 47 mm and

The Panerai Pocket watch Tourbillon GMT in black ceramic

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The Panerai stand.

in its Submersible Collection there are now models in bronze, ceramic and titanium and the very unusual addition of a 59 mm Pocket Watch Tourbillon GMT in black ceramic with a black titanium chain. Big is still beautiful!

Although Audemars Piguet is not a part of the Richemont group it has been an integral part of the SIHH since 1999. In keeping with the other exhibitors, the brand offers visitors a luxurious corner to browse around, with two central workbenches close to the stand’s entrance where watchmakers were to be seen assembling one of the complications. Their highlight this year was the new Minute Repeater Tourbillon Chronograph, a stunning addition to their haute horlogerie collection.

Butterflies were in abundance on the Van Cleef

The entrance to the imaginative Van Cleef & Arpels stand.

Visitors admiring the latest Van Cleef & Arpels collections.

The stylish Audemars Piguet stand.

An Audemars Piguet watchmaker assembling one of the brand’s masterpieces.

& Arpels stand and the captivating selection of ladies’ watches brought a breath of fresh air to the SIHH by creating an aura of inspired and imaginative beauty. I’ll leave my colleagues to describe the floral, avian, lepidopteran and sculpted figurine timepieces, but the visit was more akin to visiting a renowned jewellery workshop with the addition of intricate timing.

The Piaget stand was like walking into a mysterious maze of mirrored images, intricate horological patterns and mannequins bedecked with Piaget creations.

The press conference, chaired by the brand’s inimitable CEO, Philippe Léopold-Metger, was held in a blue tinted room with all the new timepieces in the various collections projected on to the walls. The finale consisted of elegantly dressed models parading both the latest

timepieces and jewellery to the appreciative oohs and aahs of the assembled journalists.

The Ralph Lauren stand was decorated in the typical styling of the brand with an added safari theme. Numerous photographs graced the wood-lined walls with an original 1950s green Land Rover taking centre stage. Three new timepieces caught my attention, a new 45 mm Chronograph Model, Safari RL67, with a gunmetal finish, a ladies’ watch reminiscent of the Art Deco period and a tourbillon.

A great stand to visit – especially if you get to meet Callum Barton, the Chairman of Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewelry and Camille Floquet, the Vice President, Marketing & Communications. (Read our Cover Story in this issue for detailed information on the new products presented by Ralph Lauren at the SIHH).

Part of the intriguingly mysterious Piaget stand.

The Piaget press conference hosted by Philippe Léopold-Metger, the brand’s CEO,

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SIHH IMPRESSIONS 31

The Ralph Lauren stand dominated by an original 1950s Land Rover.

Flavien Gigandet presenting the latest facts, figures and timepieces from Parmigiani.

The entrance to the Jaeger-LeCoultre stand with its oversized symbolic tourbillon ornament.

The press conference at Parmigiani, another of the independents at the SIHH, was like a theatre-in-the-round with both Flavien Gigandet and Michel Parmigiani giving highly professional presentations from a circular central dias. Now producing 5000 timepieces a year (43 per cent growth in value and 110 per cent in quantity) Parmigiani’s pièce de résistance was the Tonda Woodstock Tourbillon in an intricate, colourful and eye-catching marquetry.

But it was the Rendez-Vous Celestial that stole the limelight with what Jaeger-LeCoultre esteem is ‘an invitation to embark on a galactic voyage and a vivid reminder that, 180 years ago, it was beneath the same star-studded sky that Antoine LeCoultre gave rise to what would become the Grande Maison in the Vallée de Joux’.

Stéphane Belmont, the Product Development Director, made the presentation of this year’s cru ensuring that we left suitably impressed by both the timepieces and his presentation.

Jaeger-LeCoultre has mastered the art of complicated timepieces for 180 years and to celebrate this landmark the brand produced two new tourbillons; the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee and the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Cylindrique à Quantième Perpétuel Jubilee.

My last visits were to Richard Mille, Montblanc and Greubel Forsey. Richard Mille watches with their overtly mechanical movements, are very much in vogue with both athletes and couch potatoes alike. It was there that I crossed paths with Roberto Mancini, the Manchester City manager who is helping develop a timepiece

that will be useful to the football (soccer) world.

At Montblanc I was a little surprised to see that art seemed to be the dominating factor, but on closer inspection the showcases contained the Nicloas Rieussec Monopusher Chronograph, the TimeWalker Voyager and the new Star Collection.

I didn’t manage to get to see the new watches at Greubel Forsey – but that’s another story – however, I managed to photograph for posterity the enlarged display of the Art Piece 1 that many people were talking about, a cocreation by Robert Greubel, Stephen Forsey and Willard Wigan.

What you see is what you get: Enlargements of the inner workings of Richard Mille wristwatches.

Visually art dominated the Montblanc stand, but the showcases underlined the brand’s horological skills.

And so, another year, another success for the SIHH. Fantasy abounded, technical skills were prominent, flora and fauna were to the fore and, inevitably, creativity triumphed. O

Art Piece1 was at the heart of the Greubel Forsey stand.

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Surrounding the SIHH: space stations and satellites HLRQ02 by Hautlence

RPierre Maillard

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The power of attraction of the SIHH star can be measured by the number of satellites that gravitate around it. They come in all sizes, and range from small spacecraft to veritable space stations set up by the competition.

The Swatch Group thus set up its headquarters in the Cité du Temps, its fortress located in the middle of the Rhône river, in order to present exhibitions dedicated to Blancpain and Breguet. Other heavyweights, such as Hublot and Zenith, rented huge princely suites in the hotels along the lakefront, while high-level independent brands, among them Urwerk, De Bethune, and Christophe Claret, set up shop at the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues. TAG Heuer held its show in an immense industrial hall converted to the 1960s colours of the Carrera that is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

A little further down the Rhône river, the Geneva Time Exhibition (GTE) conducted its show in the magnificent Bâtiment des Forces Motrices, converted into an annex of Geneva’s Grand Théâtre. During this same time, a succession of inaugurations and re-openings of the boutiques along the Rue de Rhône created a lot of activity while fleets of limousines ventured into the industrial zones where the Geneva manufactures are located.

In the midst of all this effervescence, Europa Star retained the essential of the week since it was impossible to be totally exhaustive in scope. We thus present a few examples of what seemed particularly instructive in terms of the diverse forces at work, among the independents as well as the large groups.

Baptism of fire for a family holding company For Georges-Henri Meylan, former CEO of Audemars Piguet, the bells of retirement have not yet rung. Quite the contrary. After having brilliantly managed the manufacture in Le Brassus for many years, this man, who “did not see himself spending his retirement years in front of a television,” recently launched an initiative that is among the most interesting in the domain of independent brands. He founded MELB Holding, a family holding company, whose vocation is to assemble a small group of independent watch brands that have found themselves in difficulty.

The first opportunity was Hautlence, whose original shareholders had “abandoned ship before bankruptcy was filed”. Supported by Bill Muirhead, ex-financial director of Breguet, accompanied by his two sons, one of whom is responsible for the very high-end watch telephone brand, Celsius, and the other a distributor based in Hong Kong, MELB purchased all

the shares of Hautlence, “including the debts” adds Georges-Henri Meylan.

Following this, MELB acquired another pearl: H. Moser & Cie. In financial trouble, this interesting company was the property of the industrialist Thomas Straumann, whose fortune was made in dental implants (incidentally, his grandfather was the inventor of the Nivarox alloy that forms the basis of watch balance springs). Called in to evaluate the situation and do an audit, Georges-Henri Meylan ended up buying the company.

In both cases, the principal managers were kept on. Co-creator of Hautlence and the only original shareholder not to have abandoned ship, Guillaume Tetu, whom we met at GTE, seemed radiant. Not only had his brand been saved, but he was already feeling the positive effects of the arrival of MELB Holding. The reputation of Georges-Henri Meylan and his well-filled address book had already allowed the brand to open many new doors. At the same time, its offer was revisited and a new

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MAYU and MERIDIAN DUAL TIME by Moser & Cie

even more “if ever the right opportunities present themselves,” the synergies gradually being put into place seem promising, especially in the realm of marketing, exchanges of calibres, sharing of the back office and distribution. As an example, a new showroom is being established in Hong Kong where the two brands will be available as well as De Bethune, whose local distributor is the son of Georges-Henri Meylan. Europa Star will continue to closely follow this affair.

An independent under pressure

more affordable collection, Avant-Garde, was launched. Prices fell from around CHF 60,000 to CHF 30,000, while strictly respecting the very particular DNA of this architectural brand.

At Moser & Cie, whose very classically pure and minimally designed watches are the exact opposite of the Hautlence timepieces, the impact of MELB Holding’s involvement is yet to be determined, since the transaction is barely three months old. For Daniel Zimmermann, however, continuing as head of sales and marketing, the arrival of MELB has already had a positive effect. “They are people coming directly from the watch industry who will allow us to remain independent,” he explains.

“Having said that, there is much to do: decrease the production costs of our own movements, which are very nice, but too expensive; improve the perception of the brand with the final consumer; differentiate ourselves from our competitors, who are Vacheron Constantin, Lange & Söhne and Patek Philippe,” he says, adding quickly that MELB “has also brought a certain freshness” to this splendid but somewhat rigorous brand.

Strategically, the 100-per cent acquisition of H. Moser & Cie is also very interesting for MELB

because it also acquired Precision Engineering in the deal, which makes springs, assortments and balances—items that have become highly strategic commodities. For GeorgesHenri Meylan, who envisions expanding MELB

The path of the independent brands is far from being strewn with rose petals. Michael Vogt, who also had a stand at GTE with his watch brand for travellers, Vogard, created in 2003, can bear witness to this fact. “Since I began, the market has changed considerably,” explains the former head of marketing at TAG Heuer (during the Christian Viros era).

“In 2008, the industry suffered a veritable earthquake that created a new reality for the small watch brands. The market became

DATEZONER by Vogard

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FIRMAMENTUM by Heritage / Karsten Fraessdorf / CALIBRE 800 MAGNUS by Heritage

locked up and the large groups exerted enormous pressure on the retailers. Even if 2012 was an excellent year for us—November and December were the best two months in a very long time—going to battle with a wooden rifle is not enough. Today, you need F16s and aircraft carriers… The general watchword is consolidation and the big have become way too big. Now, with ten years of hindsight and 5,000 watches sold, we can affirm that our unique technology [Editor’s note: developed by the excellent independent watchmaker Andreas Strehler] has proven reliable. Yet, I need to form a strategic partnership with a more powerful brand. This has become a necessity.”

Vogard has, however, put in a credible performance. Increasing gradually in complexity, its very original and exclusive collection, designed and produced with care, debuted with the Timezoner, the world’s first watch where the time zone can be adjusted by a simple movement of the crown. Vogard then introduced the Chronozoner, a chronograph for travellers with the same exclusive complication. This year saw the launch of the Datezoner. In addition to the chronograph, this watch changes

the date automatically for the corresponding time zone. Progressively, the brand’s collection has passed from CHF 7,500 to CHF 15,000 for the Datezoner. In addition, Vogard has increased its specific editions, with time zones based on the passions of the watch’s owner: golf courses, air fields, F1 circuits, casinos, surf spots, etc. Even the rotating bezels can be totally personalised (for an additional fee of CHF 1,200). We also cannot forget that Vogard is the only brand to display the respective summer and winter time hours in different time zones.

Towards chronometric perfection A few steps further on, we find Didier Decker, former head of industrialisation at Harry Winston, and now CEO of the hyper horological brand Heritage. A relatively new brand, created in 2010—or more precisely a brand in the making—the first pieces should be in retail stores by Spring 2014, Heritage was born from the chronometric dream of Karsten Fraessdorf. A great admirer of antique haute horlogerie, this master watchmaker—with a rare rigour and incomparable excellence—is completely absorbed by his ultimate goal: to

reach perfection in mechanical chronometry.

His approach is quite pragmatic. “I am the first to take a new path if it brings improvement, but the last to renounce the traditional approach if it proves to be the best,” he declares. All of his technical choices are derived from this attitude.

A large balance with a diameter of 17 mm that beats at the peaceful rhythm of 18,000 vibrations per hour? As early as 1773, the great Ferdinand Berthoud had already explained that “by doubling the diameter of a balance, you reduce the friction by half without changing the amount of force…”

A constant force escapement? With two escape wheels and six pallets, he obtains a constant linear force over 50 hours.

A barrel with a 17-mm diameter? The ancient rules tell us that the optimum size of a barrel must be equal to that of the balance.

We might ask many questions, but Karsten Fraessdorf has an answer for all of them, as he shows us his timepieces, all finished with exceptional care. In addition to the traditional time indications, the Centenus watch displays the very complex traditional Chinese time, which subdivides the day into 100 units. The Firmamentum, a true navigation watch, is equipped with an angular seconds hand that lets the wearer measure the movements of the sun, the planets, and the stars. He can thus determine his position “with an accuracy of 91 metres at the equator,” explains Fraessdorf.

[Editor’s note: Europa Star will return in detail to these models in a later issue.]

“My role is to get the machine started and finish the development so that we can move on to series production,” explains Didier Decker.

“We are drawing up the production plans with Centagora (see Europa Star 4/12) and we work with a network of sub-contractors that are 100-per cent Swiss. The first series components will be delivered this autumn. At the same time, I am building our distribution network. The watches are intended for informed collectors (starting price is CHF 34,000) and

36 THE GENEVA SHOWS europa star

BIG BANG FERRARI by Hublot

we are aiming for a production of 35 to 40 watches for 2014, while we intend to reach 100 watches per year at our cruising speed.”

Not far from there, at the entrance to his stand at the GTE, is a man with a smile on his face.

Laurent Ferrier has largely proven that small series production can enjoy widespread consideration. We wish the same destiny for Heritage.

Hublot’s aircraft carrier It is in a completely different ambiance, lively and excited, where Hublot set up camp over several hundred square metres on the first floor of the Hotel Kempinsky. Dozens of walled cubicles had been set up (necessary for transaction confidentiality) to meet with the brand’s clients who waited patiently to resupply their stocks in an immense room overlooking the lake.

Those in charge of the various markets are all busy, and the head of communication, Marine Lemonnier, scurries from one cubicle to another.

The new pieces are on parade: the 45-mm Hublot Ferrari with an in-house Unico movement, in carbon and ceramic, with limited edi-

tions priced from CHF 28,000 to CHF 38,000; the Hublot Zebra for ladies in white or black ceramic, or King Gold, with a chronograph movement, priced from CHF 26,500 to CHF 38,900; the Hublot Classic Fusion, equipped

with a totally in-house skeleton tourbillon movement, available in 99 pieces at CHF 85,000; the ultra-thin Classic Fusion in ceramic, featuring a 45-mm diameter, in-house manual movement... etc... etc...

The new watches kept coming at a constant rate. Hublot has become an incredible cash machine that never seems to sleep, owing it all to the incredible Jean-Claude Biver, one of the only people to have succeeded not once or twice but three times: Blancpain, created against all expectations and then resold; Omega, that he spectacularly rejuvenated; finally Hublot where he developed his “Big Bang” thus transforming an attractive independent watch brand into a commercial powerhouse.

Zenith at cruising speed

BIG BANG ZEBRA BANG and CLASSIC FUSION by Hublot

A few floors higher, the ambiance is somewhat more hushed at another LVMH brand. Zenith rented the Presidential Suite, and from the table where it presented its new pieces, you could admire a Jacuzzi seemingly suspended in front of the landscape of Lake Geneva.

Since Jean-Frédéric Dufour took over as manager, the brand has gained in followers, horo-

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ACADEMY CHRISTOPHE COLOMB 45MM HURRICANE by Zenith

logical legitimacy and commercial success what it lost in bling and glitz. After putting the excellent El Primero movement back at the heart of the range, after repositioning the brand’s product ranges, reducing the number of references and applying a policy of correct pricing, Zenith can permit itself new adventures that strengthen its horological legitimacy. Having said that, however, the only mechanical “folly” that the brand has indulged in is a new version of the Academy Christophe Colomb, the 45-mm Hurricane model. What differentiates this piece—equipped like its predecessor with the spectacular Gravity Control universal joint suspension system, a gyroscopic carriage directly inspired by marine chronometers, which, besides the advantage of amplitude regularity, gives the piece its very particular sapphire bulge—is that the Hurricane comes with a new fusee-chain transmission system that provides a constant and totally stable force over the entire 50-hour power reserve. The 585 component parts of the 18-cm micro-chain, capable of resisting a

force of 3 kg, are made and assembled by the watchmaker Vianney Halter. This exceptional work is perfectly visible on the open-worked dial of the watch. And, although uncommon at Zenith, at CHF 254,000, the price of these

pieces in the limited series of 25 watches is also at the zenith.

Another watchmaker of renown, Ludwig Oechslin, curator of the Musée International d'Horlogerie in La Chaux-de-Fonds, developed a version of his annual calendar for Zenith.

The great advantage of his model is that it has only nine moving parts as compared to the other annual calendars that require between thirty and forty mobile units. This superb and very ingenious development (one of Oechslin’s many strokes of genius is to understand better than anyone else how to simplify and radicalise mechanical solutions) equips the Captain Windsor Annual Calendar timepiece, reserved for the brand’s own boutiques, shops-in-shop, and large corners. In an outstanding smoked steel case, it sells for CHF 9,400, a remarkable price for an annual calendar and this useful complication.

Towards the future, via the 1960s

CAPTAIN WINDSOR ANNUAL CALENDAR by Zenith

Not far from there, TAG Heuer spectacularly customised a large hall in the 1960s colours of its flagship watch, the Carrera, launched fifty years ago by the still dashing Jack Heuer.

It was the occasion for the brand to empha-

38 THE GENEVA SHOWS europa star

CARRERA CARBON CALIBRE 1887 by TAG Heuer

Very high mechanical interactivity

sise its integrated, column-wheel chronograph movement, the Calibre 1887. This particular calibre garnered a lot of attention because it is based on plans purchased from Seiko. TAG Heuer remained steadfast and transparent throughout the media onslaught, stressing the in-house production of the entirely revisited calibre, which is now at full capacity.

One of the most interesting uses of this new calibre is in a series of Carrera chronographs launched for the anniversary. On the first row of this new family is the Carrera Carbon Calibre 1887 Concept Chronograph. Featuring asymmetrical horns and push-pieces and crown at 12 o’clock, it is inspired by the futuristic Carrera Mikrogirder (winner of the Golden Hand at the last Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix). The main characteristic of this model is that the case, case back, and bezel are made of ultra-fine strips of reinforced carbon fibre that are only 0.007 mm thick. The production of these strata involves the creation of the components in 3D, which are heated, then compressed to obtain their extreme rigidity by chemical reaction. The total weight of each 45-mm piece is only 76.9 grammes! Four other models have been launched, all equipped with

the Calibre 1887, comprising a ceramic bezel, or in the form of a Racing Chronograph, a simple chronograph, or the classic Heritage version.

We also came to this stand to meet Guy Semon, the grand guru of the brand’s research and development unit. He showed us a new version of the famous V4 in “full graphite”, with the world’s smallest transmission belts. Semon is always busy with new avenues relating to regulation that he is working on with his team of 52 people, who produce about 350 haute horlogerie pieces per year. He filled us in on some of the new products in the pipeline, but immediately declared that this information is off the record—way off the record—because he has decided to show only what is coming up for sale in the near future. So expect to see something rather amazing at the next BaselWorld. We cannot say more because when Guy Semon, with his imposing stature, says “off the record”, it would be better to heed his words.

We will also be able to discover another new and remarkable creation at BaselWorld, from those who are opening new avenues in watchmaking or, we might say, even opening a new chapter. This would be the work of Urwerk, which has already laboured for three years in the greatest secrecy. For the moment, all that we can see is a kind of small box with a bundle of wires leading to a mechanically activated generator that charges a condenser, and that will ultimately generate a very precise light wave: a sort of electronic surveillance eye. Named EMC for Electronic Mechanical Control, this ensemble is, in fact, an optical tool for controlling the balance, a sort of wrist Witschi that is infinitely more precise.

Because where the Witschi control instrument is based on the sound—the tick-tock—of the balance to measure its accuracy, here the control is integrated into the watch, with a duration of three seconds on demand, and is based on optics. We will know much more at BaselWorld, but we are now seeing the start of an original fusion between mechanical haute horlogerie and high-end electronics (but without a battery).

This remarkable development follows the famous “Control Board” developed by Urwerk, and which is found in a new application in the brand’s most recent model, the UR-210.

The central piece of this new highly mechanical spaceship is a “cage with an instantaneous jumping minute hand.” It is an enormous minute hand in 3D that clamps on to the hour cube and accompanies it through its travel along the minute rail. Upon its arrival at the 59th minute, the carriage-hand returns to its starting point in less than a 10th of a second and clamps on to the next rotating hour cube.

This veritable “fairing” of aluminium, balanced by a counterweight in brass and whose cut is extremely precise (a tolerance of one micron), is driven by a cylindrical spring similar to those

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UR-210 by Urwerk

The emotion… finally

used in marine chronometers. But it is with the patented TMC mechanism (Time Motion Control) that we find the interactivity between the watch’s wearer and its movement that Urwerk wants to develop.

The classic power reserve is located at 1 o’clock and a new type of indicator is found at 11 o’clock. This new indication shows the winding efficiency over the past two hours. If the hand points towards the red, it means that the winding is insufficient—the wearer is probably sitting comfortably in his chair. If, on the contrary, the needle points to the green, it means that winding is taking place—the wearer is probably involved in some kind of physical activity. By turning the watch over, the wearer can correct the ratio between winding and energy expenditure. A “Control Board” with a toothed wheel allows the wearer to position the winding regulator to FULL (winding is then optimised by a small turbine coupled to the oscillating weight) or to REDUCED (a turbine equipped with paddles creates resistance from the friction of air and thus slows down the oscillating weight). In the STOP mode, the automatic winding is deactivated and the watch is placed in manual winding

mode. Surprisingly complex, yet easy to use and read, the UR-210, of which all the visible pieces are made in-house, bears witness to the rise in strength of the brand created by Martin Frei and Félix Baumgartner.

DB28 SKYBRIDGE by De Bethune

In my opinion, after so many watches seen during this week, the most beautiful and the most poetic of all was the DB28 Skybridge from De Bethune, which I saved for last.

There is no indication on this watch other than the hours and the minutes. But what a show!

As sharp as very fine daggers, these two hands are driven by an entirely original movement.

They orbit above a concave dial made of titanium, with a splendid deep blue mirror finish, which holds perfect micro-spheres of gold and diamonds that make up celestial bodies.

On the lower part of the watch, below a bridge in the form of an arrow pointing towards the unknown, a spherical moon rotates on its own axis and represents one of the emblematic signatures of the brand. The design fascination, the plays between the infinitely large and the infinitely small attain a rare splendour, but one that is also very contemporary.

For once, we dare use a word that is so overused by “marketing”: emotion. What a nice final touch to the week. O

40 THE GENEVA SHOWS europa star

All change for the Geneva Time Exhibition RPaul O’Neil

I

In its fourth year, the Geneva Time Exhibition presented itself in the new, more sophisticated environment of the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices, the iconic Geneva building that is often home to important press conferences, events and sumptuous gala dinners. But there was change, too, within the walls of the exhibition, as the mix of smaller independent brands and larger volume manufacturers once again changed quite considerably. Many of the brands that featured in last year’s Europa Star report, such as Cyrus, Dietrich, Louis Moinet and Magellan, were not at the show this year.

There were nevertheless 34 brands, including some newcomers, ready to greet the 6,000 visitors that came to see what the small independent brands have to offer this year. Here are our highlights.

Antoine Martin In the complicated world of watch brand names, Antoine Martin does not refer to a real person but uses the first names of the brand’s two co-founders, Martin Braun and Antoine Meier.

This is because the more familiar name, Martin Braun, is the property of the Franck Muller group, which in 2006 invested in the eponymous brand set up by the master watchmaker in 2001. Three years later, having been prevented from realising his dream of creating his own movement from scratch, Martin Braun sold the majority stake to Franck Muller and left the company.

In the meantime, Martin Braun has been able to realise his dream and is happy with the development of his new brand. “We are quite

QUANTIÈME PERPÉTUEL AU GRAND BALANCIER by Antoine Martin

confident,” he says. “We haven’t been around very long but we have already managed to open a few points of sale. There are others who would like to carry Antoine Martin but we know they would harm the brand in the long term by selling a lot to start with but then nothing after that. That cannot be our objective because we need to think for the long term.

It’s quite difficult to find the right retailer.”

At the show Antoine Martin presented a new, sportier version of its Quantième Perpétuel au Grand Balancier, in which an open dial reveals the discs used to display the day and month and big date and a black DLC-coated bezel underscores the sporty look. In addition to Martin Braun’s own high-performance escapement (HPE) in silicon and the new Aerodynamic Amplitude Stabilisation (ADAS), the manually wound AM39.001 calibre used in this model has an extra-large free-sprung balance in grade five titanium with a diameter of 17.5 mm.

Look out for Antoine Martin, or indeed Martin

Braun in person, at the Palace at BaselWorld this year, where he will be presenting a new development that takes his fascination with large balances to its logical conclusion.

Ateliers de Monaco This high-end brand in the Frédérique Constant group was born from a minute-repeater calibre that was originally conceived for Frédérique Constant. When Peter Stas, CEO of Frédérique Constant, saw the finished product he liked it but realised that the gap between the other models in the collection was too great. Thus Ateliers de Monaco was born in 2009.

Pim Koeslang, master watchmaker and cofounder of Ateliers de Monaco, picks up the story. “Before even creating the movement we asked ourselves how we could improve it and we saw four different areas where we could do this. The first was visibility, so we have used large windows. The second was security, so you cannot change the date between 9 and 12 at

ICE-CHRONO

facebook.com/ice.watch

www.ice-watch.com

CHANGE. YOU CAN.

42 THE GENEVA SHOWS europa star

night, for example. Thirdly, the date changes instantaneously at midnight, along with all the other indications. And finally we have patented our own ‘easy adjust’ correction mechanism, which allows you to choose the indication you want to adjust by turning the crown.”

The high-end pieces of Ateliers Monaco, which already produces four in-house movements, use Swiss components but are assembled in the company’s workshops in Monaco, which are located in the prestigious Palais de la Scala, barely more than an ambitious coin toss away from the famous casino. “We really wanted to be somewhere outside Switzerland and above all outside Geneva in order to differentiate ourselves from everyone else,” explains Koeslang.

“There are a lot of high-end watch brands in Switzerland and in Geneva, so we wanted to set up elsewhere.”

PERPETUAL CALENDAR by Ateliers de Monaco

and the Prince of Qatar,” says Koeslang. “It’s a different business [to Frédérique Constant], so we also have totally different retail partners.”

The brand will be in BaselWorld for the first time this year in Hall 4 together with Frédérique Constant and Alpina.

Although the brand enjoys certain synergies from being part of the Frédérique Constant group, its customers are not in the same league.

“We have produced pieces for Prince Albert

Boegli Boegli

It is worth mentioning in passing that Boegli, the brand famous for its wristwatches with musical movements, have announced that they are working on their own calibre. Until now Boegli timepieces have been based on a twin construction involving an ETA movement, such as the ETA2671 or the ETA 2824, together with a Swiss-made musical movement. The brand is now working on its own integrated musical calibre, which it says is “nearing completion”. It will have three barrels for the necessary power and will be launched in a limited-edition watch of 99 pieces that will be sold exclusively through subscription.

Century

ELEGANCE TOURBILLON by Century

More famous for its unique facetted sapphire cases and fine jewellery models for ladies, Century caused a surprise at this year’s GTE

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THE GENEVA SHOWS 43

yet its presence at this year’s GTE signalled its intentions to become a player in the watch business. And it plans to do so in style, presenting its first collection of mechanical watches with a fine baguette movement visible behind sapphire crystal and priced from a reasonable CHF 500. But the name is set to hit BaselWorld with a bang later this year, where it will present a patented movement concept that features a diamond of over 5 carats and will retail for over CHF 1 million.

Milus

CLASSICS MANUFACTURE WORLDTIMER by Frédérique Constant

by presenting its first gents’ tourbillon model.

The Elegance Tourbillon has a 44mm case in platinum with a Century sapphire that has 48 hand-cut and polished facets, inside which beats the TT791.50 calibre from Technotime, with a masculine ruthenium finish that is visible behind the transparent sapphire dial. This manual-winding tourbillon calibre has twin barrels that offer a 120-hour power reserve and won third place in the 2011 International Chronometry Competition in Le Locle, Switzerland.

(For more information, see our article about this movement in Europa Star 02/2012).

Century aims to produce around 20 pieces of this new tourbillon in 2013. The retail price is CHF 80,000.

als and a guilloché pattern, while the other bears a map of the world encircled by luminous hour markers.

Harold Harold W. SA is currently little more than a shop on the Rue de Berne in Geneva specialising in gemstones and new and used watches,

Frédérique Constant Independent manufacture Frédérique Constant presented its new Classics Manufacture Worldtimer at the show. This new model features the FC-718 self-winding calibre with a 42-hour power reserve and allows all the functions—time, date and world time—to be adjusted with the crown at 3 o’clock. It is available as two limited editions, each of 1,888 pieces, in a 42mm rose-gold plated stainlesssteel case. One has a dial with Roman numer-

HAROLD

The star model on the Milus stand shows how, if you have the right connections, you can still acquire watch movements that are over 70 years old for low-volume reproductions of vintage watches. Cyril Dubois, managing director of Milus, was looking for some vintage movements for a re-edition of an unusual “survival kit” that had been issued to US pilots in the Pacific campaign during the second world war.

“We found three of the original kits,” explained Dubois, “and when I opened the first one, which had never even been opened, I wound the watch up to see if it still worked and it did!”

The survival kit consisted of a watch, medallion, chain and rings—all in gold—inside a Bakelite case. The idea was that if pilots had to down their aeroplane in hostile territory they could use the kit as a bargaining tool for assistance. Milus’s modern-day reproduction of this kit, the Snow Star special edition, comprises a watch, cufflinks, identification tag, chain and separate NATO strap for the watch and is available in two different series, one of 99 pieces in red gold and another of 1940 pieces in stainless steel. “I wanted to use the same movement as the original in the gold pieces,” said Dubois, “and I was lucky enough through contacts in the industry to find 100 of the original ETA 2408 movements in La Chauxde-Fonds. The only things we had to change were the barrel and a few rubies.”

44 THE GENEVA SHOWS europa star

ments and incorporates a uniquely American invention: the motor barrel. Historically used in high-end American watches, the motor barrel assembly rotates within the jewel setting of the barrel, rather than around the barrel arbour (which in the case of the motor barrel forms part of the barrel) and thus reduces friction and wear on the mainspring.

The manually-wound Caliber 20 is found in a tonneau model in polished stainless steel measuring 42.5mm by 38.5mm which displays the seconds on a disc in the unusual location of 1 o’clock, with an ornately decorated moonphase on a wheel at 7 o’clock visible thanks to the openworked dial.

RITAGE by Milus SNOW STAR HERITAGE

The only differences between the original kit and its modern equivalent is that the diameter of the watch case has been increased from 38mm to 40mm and that Milus has included its own cufflinks rather than the rings found in the original, adding a handy compass to one and a rotating propeller to the other. The military identification tag from the original has also been replaced by an old Swiss military identification tag for reasons of neutrality.

As far as business is concerned, Mr Dubois, like many of the exhibitors at the GTE, is optimistic. “I was very happy with 2012,” he said.

“We had a very good year and 2013 looks promising as well. At the moment we are doing 51 per cent in Asia and 49 per cent in the rest of the world. I know the figures are precise but we just closed the year’s accounts, so that’s how I know this. I would like to reverse this proportion and aim for 45 per cent in Asia and 55 per cent in the rest of the world. We do hope to open in new markets in Latin America and we have had some first contact with potential partners for India. But there are other markets in Asia where we are still not present, such as South Korea and Burma.”

RGM Taking its name from the initials of company founder Roland G. Murphy, RGM was flying the flag for the United States at the GTE. In celebration of the Pennsylvania-based company’s 20th anniversary in 2012, RGM presented its third in-house movement, the Caliber 20. This movement follows on from the brand’s in-house tourbillon and Caliber 801 move-

The atmosphere at this year’s GTE was warm and friendly. But more importantly the show was busy, confirming the rude health of the industry and the continued appeal of the innovative timepieces from independent watchmakers. Having found an ideal location in one of Geneva’s landmark locations, the GTE looks set to remain one of the unmissable events of the Geneva show week. O

CALIBER 20 by RGM

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CASE-STUDY 45

A (show) week in the life of a retailer RKeith W. Strandberg lio, if we can add value to the brand and vice versa. Then we check what their distribution model is, followed by marketing strategy and last, but certainly not least, what their aftersales strategy and infrastructure is.

T

To get a sense of what a retailer looks for during the Geneva shows, Europa Star spent some time with Alon Ben Joseph, president of Ace Jewelers in the Netherlands. Though not specifically looking for any new brands, his mind is always open and on the lookout for great opportunities.

Ben Joseph flew in from Amsterdam on Monday, January 21, 2013, did the GTE in one day, then spent the rest of his time at the SIHH, visiting with his Richemont brands. I caught up with him between appointments at the SIHH, over a cup of steaming tea.

Europa Star: What kind of commitment does taking on a new brand mean to you?

Alon Ben Joseph: Taking on a new brand is a long-term commitment, as we consider ourselves a true partner of the brand. Although we live in a high pace society nowadays, our industry is far from a fast moving consumer goods industry and things need time to “breathe�

ES: What sort of opening order do you make when opening up a new brand?

and grow. Therefore we take it as a very serious commitment, where hard work from both sides (brand and retailer) is needed. Often even three sides: brand, distributor and retailer.

ABJ: Our father always taught my brother and me not to become a brand collection retailer, but a true partner for the brands. In his eyes this means that when presenting a brand, it should be an above-average collection. But, always making sure that the stock rotation figure is above par. This means tweaking the collection non-stop with the brands.

ES: What are the things you consider when you think about taking on a new brand?

ES: Can you have two directly competing brands in the same store?

ABJ: First and foremost, we consider if we actually do love the brand. Do we love the brand identity and the products they create?

We have to truly believe in the concept, strategy and philosophy of the brand. Then, of course, we need to do some soul searching to see if the brand belongs in our brand portfo-

ABJ: This is a very good question, but we find that as a luxury retailer, we are fortunate not to have to deal with this dilemma too often and we believe that watch and jewellery brands are so different in nature and character they do not really overlap and therefore cannot be considered true competitors.

Alon Ben Joseph

46 CASE-STUDY europa star

“Our family has been burned many times over several generations, but we have a positive outlook...” tion if their after sales infrastructure is below par, which has been the case with many Swiss brands in our region over the last decade!

ES: Have you been burned by a new brand before?

ABJ: Our family has been burned many times over several generations, but we have a positive outlook on life and do not like to speak badly about the past. So, we prefer to leave the past in the past. We think that successful entrepreneurs are people who take risks…

When taking risk, one gets burned, right?!

ES: Explain to me how you find these new brands? And once you target a new brand, what kind of due diligence do you do?

ABJ: Besides being passionate watch retailers, we are also private collectors. So, we love reading up on Europa Star, watch magazines and blogs. On top of that we receive a lot of proposals from brands to start partnerships.

So, there is no lack of information. When we are interested, several talks follow and that’s where a relationship starts. Then we usually let that relationship grow and evolve over time until the time is right to actually start to do business. Everything is about timing.

ES: What is the risk to retailers when taking on a new brand?

ABJ: What we see as the biggest risk for retailers when taking on a new brand is that the brand does not live up to their promises. We find the biggest risk of underperforming is in after-sales service, especially with brands that offer mechanical watches. This is nowadays one of the most important marketing tools in our opinion. On top of that, according to Dutch Law, the retailer is responsible for the products they sell and not the brands. But if brands do not permit us to repair their products and/or supply spare parts, we are in a catch-22 situa-

ES: What did you see at GTE this year that got you interested?

ABJ: Moser & Cie is brand that we know well, as one of our customers is a descendant of Moser, the co-founder of IWC, and used to have shares in the watch brand Moser & Cie when it was founded. Now at GTE we fell in love again (and again) with what they do and manufacture. I didn’t make a deal yet, however. It was too hectic at GTE, and their booth was too small to talk privately.

ES: You recently took on the Chinese Timekeeper – can you tell me how you found the brand, how you decided to take it on and how it has done?

ABJ: This is actually a very nice story. Besides having a retail operation, Ace Jewelers Group, we also have a wholesale division, named ChronoTime. One of the brands we represent is Rhein Fils (leather goods) and the CEO is friends with the founder of The Chinese Timekeeper, Adrien Choux. Even before Adrien launched his brand, we were introduced in Hong Kong and became friends. As I loved what Adrien created, we decided to support him and become his first ambassador outside China. And, it

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CASE-STUDY 47

“As most of us in this wonderful industry are true watch freaks and emotions are as important as ratio...” has been a success for us. We expected just to sell it to Chinese customers, but the funny thing is we sell it more to local watch collectors than (visiting) Chinese watch consumers.

ES: Many retailers are reluctant to take on new, unknown brands. What advice would you give them?

ABJ: As most of us in this wonderful industry are true watch freaks and emotions are (almost) as important as ratio, you sometimes have to take a chance and have some fun. On top of that, it is very good for your business and brand portfolio to have something unique and different in your showcases. As most retail stores turn into little replica department stores with islands of brand corners, it is nice for customers to be surprised with something fresh and different. Even if you know that the rotation will never match up to what other brands do. Maybe even consider it as a marketing tool...

ES: What are the most successful brands and models in your stores?

ABJ: The most successful brands in our boutiques (online and physical) are: Omega, IWC,

Breitling, TAG Heuer, Longines, Baume & Mercier, Montblanc, Rado and Tissot. The top five watch models are: Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean, IWC Portuguese, Breitling Chronomat, Omega Speedmaster and TAG Heuer Carrera.

the face time. GTE is accessible and it is great for introductions and to get to know new brands. I liked Celsius very much. I didn't know the Heritage Watch Manufactory, so it was great to meet them.

ES: What brands do you wish you had that you don't currently have?

ES: What, as a retailer, do you have to tell a new brand about your store?

ABJ: The evergreens we’d love to have in our store are: Patek Philippe, Rolex, A. Lange & Söhne, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Breguet, Cartier, Audemars Piguet and Panerai. Obviously I forgot to mention some. Then these are brands that also make our hearts beat a lot faster: F.P. Journe, Urwerk, MB&F, Parmigiani, Ikepod, Greubel Forsey and Richard Mille.

ABJ: I give them my business card, I tell them our story, I give them our book. The click is often very quick. They are flash meetings, like speed dating.

ES: How are you going to get these brands?

ES: What was your experience like at GTE? What did you see?

ABJ: It's fun to help a new brand. It's great to do something new, and it's the unknown. It's pushing the boundaries of yourself and your store. It's easy to take on established brands, but it's oh so hard to do a new brand. It's a refreshing challenge. O

ABJ: This is my third year at GTE. I think it's great that they moved location, it's a scenic place in the city. There was a good vibe, it was busy and we stayed there late. This fair is for

Thanks so much to Alon Ben Joseph for his time and comments.

Check out the video of his time at the GTE on www.europastar.com

ABJ: By charming them.

ES: What do you get out of a successful relationship with a new brand, helping to put them on the map, other than financial success?

www.baselworld.com

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Raymond Weil, just the right positioning RInterview conducted by Pierre Maillard

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With 200,000 watches sold in 2012 (at an average retail price of about CHF 2,000, with price tags ranging from CHF 850 to 5,000 and the core range situated between CHF 1,250 and 3,500), Raymond Weil is one of the biggest independent Swiss brands, and a family business on top of that.

Europa Star met Olivier Bernheim, son-in-law of the founder of Raymond Weil, today retired from the brand’s daily operations, who manages the business with his two sons, Pierre and Elie Bernheim.

Europa Star: How would you analyse the watch year that has just passed, in which sales grew by nearly 11 per cent to reach CHF 21.4 billion, given that it was watches costing CHF 3,000 (at export) which increased both in terms of value (up 18 per cent) and volume (up 13.1 per cent) and that the segment occupied by Raymond Weil (between CHF 500 and 3,000) increased by only 0.3 per cent in terms of value?

Olivier Bernheim: In the end, 2012 was a very positive year for us and also resulted in an increase in sales. And this was despite the fact that some countries where we are well established have been practically wiped off the map. I am thinking notably of Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece, as well as Libya and Egypt. At the same time, we have recorded big sales that are constantly increasing in the USA and in the United Kingdom. Having said that, what seems to me to best describe the current situation is the general uncertainty that reigns. The result is a lack of general security. The main reference points that help us to develop a strategy over the medium term

have disappeared. Currencies have become unpredictable, which forces us to adapt from day to day. To sum it up, the perspectives have become a bit blurred in the general economic fog.

important than ever. It allows an in-depth analysis of performance, something that is imperative today because, notably under the pressure of the banks, everything has become more analytical.

ES: What is happening on the distribution front? People have, for a long time now, praised the solidity and depth of your international sales network, the key to your success‌

ES: As Raymond Weil moves up-market, have you re-qualified, as we might say, your network of retailers?

OB: There has been a dual movement. On one hand, the traditional system of distributors no longer works very well. It is a question of margins, but also of mission. In the past, a distributor had real responsibilities and could make decisions. Today, a brand must become global in terms of image and offer. In parallel, having direct contact with retailers has become more JASMINE. Part of Raymond Weil’s high-end collection for ladies, it features a quartz movement, hours, minutes, date, 35-mm steel case set with 29 diamonds, double anti-reflective sapphire crystal, silver dial, pink gold-plated hour markers and hands, and two-tone steel and pink gold-plated bracelet.

OB: With the exception of the USA, where earlier we were focused on the major chains and where we have opened a number of quality independent stores, we have a tendency to close a certain number of doors in order to concentrate on the better stores. Our great advantage, as an independent brand, is to be able to offer retailers a quality alternative, rapid reaction time, and a reactivity that is greater than what the big groups can offer.

No one misunderstands that these groups are seeking to physically take over more and more space. We have also opened some thirty singlebrand boutiques, always in collaboration with

50 PRE-BASEL europa star

NABUCCO CUORE CALDO TWELVE. This self-winding chronograph features hours, minutes, small seconds, power reserve, and tachometric bezel. The 46-mm case is made in 18carat rose gold, titanium, polished and brushed steel, and carbon fibre, and includes a double anti-reflective sapphire crystal, black vulcanized rubber or leather strap, and water-resistance to 10 ATM. It is available in a limited series of 76 pieces.

OB: No. The idea is to be where Raymond Weil was 20 years ago. This means a lower price range, between CHF 350 for a quartz timepiece to CHF 1,150 for an automatic. It is a Swiss Made brand intended for a younger audience, a brand that is more fashion oriented and whose promotion channels are focused more on the web and interactive. It is possible to purchase these watches online, but using a formula that does not harm any of our retailers. This means that a person first selects a retailer before being directed to the e-store.

ES: How are these two brands co-existing? the local people. Very recently, this happened in Singapore and Indonesia, as well as in Mumbai, where we just opened a third boutique.

ES: So, what are the specific advantages for a retailer to carry Raymond Weil?

OB: Our collection! It is just right at the moment and matches the consumer’s expectations.

Our price positioning is also right and there is a good balance between the different collections, which lets the consumer understand the advantages of each product according to its price. Our strongest expansion is in mechanical watches, for both men and women. And, this is happening not only in China, where the market has rapidly become very watch conscious. Our strategy therefore is to base the brand on its watchmaking reputation.

ES: You mentioned earlier the gradual disappearance of traditional distributors. Given this, how is the brand structured today?

OB: We have three regional branches: one in the USA, which also covers Canada; one in Austria, which also covers Germany, Hungary,

Spain, and the small Eastern European countries; and one in India. At the beginning of March, we are opening a new branch in the United Kingdom. The other nations are managed by our Geneva headquarters.

ES: And what about the vertical integration of your production?

OB: We do not want to vertically integrate more than we have already done. This means that we do all our R&D, design, prototyping and cases internally. We purchase our mechanical movements from ETA, Sellita and DuboisDépraz. We also have an assembly workshop in La Chaux-de-Fonds, both for quartz and mechanical watches, where we assemble between 55 and 60 per cent of our production. The remainder is handled by outside contractors. I believe that it is important to maintain these external relationships since they permit fruitful exchanges of experiences.

ES: Your two sons, who manage the brand at your side, recently created a new brand called "88 Rue du Rhône". Is this a second Raymond Weil brand?

OB: 88 Rue du Rhône is a completely complementary offer that does not infringe on Raymond Weil’s territory. Having said that, it benefits from the “group effect” and we are trying to place it in all the doors where we are already present. For the retailer, it offers a number of advantages. Of course, it is an additional brand, but it comes from the same supplier, Raymond Weil, with which the relationship of trust is already well established. For a retailer, 88 Rue du Rhône offers the assurance of additional sales. It is a win-win situation, as they say.

ES: Last question. What about China? We hear so much about it constantly…

OB: After the USA, it is our number two market. We have 138 sales points there and we also sell a lot to Chinese outside China. Thanks to our very well calculated price/quality ratio, we are affected only very little by the current major phenomenon: In China, there is a lot of sell-in, much less sell-out. In the case of Raymond Weil, our watches sell. O For more information about Raymond Weil click on Brand Index at www.europastar.com

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PRE-BASEL 51

JeanRichard – a new philosophy of life RPaul O’Neil

S

Since taking the helm of the Sowind Group as Chief Executive Officer in August 2011, Michele Sofisti has quickly made his mark on the group’s Girard-Perregaux and JeanRichard brands (he had already been CEO of the group’s fashion brand, Gucci Group watches, since 2010). The first bold decision was a decampment of the two luxury brands from the SIHH to join the other Sowind brands at BaselWorld from this year. Alongside continuous tweaks at Girard-Perregaux, his next major decision was a comprehensive relaunch of JeanRichard.

The relaunch For years, JeanRichard, named after Daniel JeanRichard, who counts among the exclusive fraternity of Switzerland’s oldest recorded watchmakers, has lived in the shadow of the better-known Girard-Perregaux, struggling to

Michele Sofisti

Bruno Grande

find its place among the watchmaking elite.

The restructuring has been radical, focusing on nothing less than a complete change in strategy to target volume sales and build the brand. As Mr Sofisti explains, “We wanted to create something with a very identifiable look that cannot be confused with other watches.

Also, the price positioning of the brand was quite high, at 7,000 to 10,000 Swiss francs for a manufacture watch. It was difficult to

achieve volume and build for the long term.

So we divided the brand into two segments: the manufacture watches on the one hand, which have our own movement, and the bulk of the collection on the other hand, which will use standard movements and be priced at around 2,500 to 4,000 Swiss francs.”

1681 COLLECTION

The restructuring is being overseen by Bruno Grande, the Chief Operating Officer of JeanRichard, who worked with Sofisti at Wyler Genève and is also responsible for the Private Label division at the Sowind Group.

In concrete terms, the changes mean that JeanRichard’s flagship JR1000 manufacture movement will now constitute the top of the range in the vintage 1681 collection. This basic movement was launched in 2004 and has already proved both its reliability and its capacity to accommodate complication modules. In the latest incarnation of the 1681, which is available in 41 and 44 mm case diameters, it is fitted with a small seconds complication at 9 o’clock.

Targeting the high-volume market Beneath the 1681, everything changes. The three collections based around earth, air and

52 PRE-BASEL europa star

such as the statue of Daniel JeanRichard in LeLocle as well as the master watchmaker’s farmhouse birthplace at Les Bressels. This bucolic journey, which also involved a short transfer by horse and carriage, was no doubt the best way to illustrate the “Philosophy of Life” concept behind the brand’s new image, which is about turning time—the genuine time that you make for yourself—into an art of living, indeed a philosophy. It is about exploring the world and nature, meeting new people and cultures.

Ordinary people doing extraordinary things TERRASCOPE COLLECTION

water will be completely redesigned and equipped with ETA movements. The first one ready for market is the Terrascope, which has a sturdy design using a case, bezel and bracelet in stainless steel. With a starting price of 2,500 Swiss francs and water resistance of 100 metres, the Terrascope is set to be the entrylevel product of the revamped JeanRichard collection. Aquascope and Aeroscope models will follow at BaselWorld 2013 and will be available for delivery from May this year. The Aquascope will be a true divers’ watch, with a helium valve and 300 metre water resistance, while the Aeroscope will be a chronograph using a Dubois-Depraz module and retailing for under 5,000 Swiss francs. All of these models will use the same case, which will initially be available in stainless steel only.

Mr Grande wants JeanRichard to be a “warm, friendly and approachable” brand and went to great lengths to underscore this when he presented the “new” JeanRichard to the world’s media in November last year. With the help of the Land Rover club of Switzerland he managed to bring together some 20 vintage Land Rovers to ferry his guests around the Neuchâtel countryside, taking in sights

JeanRichard has chosen an eclectic mix of personalities to represent the new collection, each of them firmly linked with one of the three elements—earth, air, water—echoed in the names of the collection. At sea, yachtsman Franck Cammas has been an ambassador for JeanRichard since May 2011, when the brand’s Aquascope timepiece accompanied him on the 2011-2012 Volvo Ocean Race around the world, where he skippered Groupama to victory. On land, friend of the

brand Gérard Margeon has researched the earth in which the world’s finest grapevines grow to become an oenologist of repute. He now manages a cellar of 5,000 bottles to cover 30 different wine lists in the restaurants of renowned chef Alain Ducasse. Before BaselWorld JeanRichard will present its most extraordinary ambassador yet to represent the new Aeroscope models.

While this unusual choice of representatives for the new brand fit very well with its new concept and collection, the best ambassador of all for JeanRichard’s philosophy of life is arguably Mr Sofisti himself. In spite of the demands of running the Sowind Group and his own consultancy, not to mention those of his young border collie Ariel, he is also an accomplished photographer who has taken the time to document his impressions and encounters on his numerous business and personal trips, work which has featured in publications and exhibitions worldwide. O For more information about JeanRichard click on Brand Index at www.europastar.com

AQUASCOPE COLLECTION

Cal. 3540.D – Chrono 1⁄ 10 Sec., Date

Cal. 3520.D – Chrono, Date

Cal. 3540.D – Chrono 1⁄10 Sec., Date

Chronos 10 1⁄ 2 x 11 1⁄ 2’’’ – One movement for small to big watches NEW Series 3500 – ronda-startech.com

SPOTLIGHT

CASIO EDIFICE ERA-200DB-1AVER This year, Casio will once again be aiming to capitalise on its partnership with the Infiniti Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team, whose driver Sebastian Vettel has secured the past three Formula 1 world championship titles.

Just in time for the start of the 2013 Formula 1 season, the Japanese brand presents a new model in its sporty Edifice collection. The high-tech timepiece in brushed stainless steel with an ion-plated bezel has red and black hands with analogue and digital read-outs that display the time, world time, stopwatch and five daily alarms. Thanks to Casio’s Twin Sensor technology, this watch is also capable of functioning as both a compass and a thermometer.

SPOTLIGHT

www.edifice-watches.eu www.casio-europe.com

56 PRE-BASEL europa star

The new BaselWorld

RKeith W. Strandberg

F

For much of life as we have known it, the BaselWorld fair has been a constant, the most important worldwide show in the watch industry.

It wasn’t always like this, however.

When BaselWorld first opened, back in 1917, it wasn’t even called BaselWorld, it was called the Schweizer Mustermesse Basel (MUBA), a selection of Swiss products that included some watch and jewellery brands. In 1931, watches and jewellery were given their own pavilion, showing the increased importance of this sector to the Swiss economy.

For almost five decades, only Swiss products were exhibited, then in 1973 European companies were allowed to exhibit. It wasn’t until 1986 that companies outside Europe were invited to participate.

Now, BaselWorld is poised to open its doors to one of the most sweeping renovations and expansions in its illustrious history. When the show begins on April 25, many of us won’t be

able to recognise it, or find the booths we have become accustomed to seeing. A new Hall 1 will be waiting for us, and each and every one of us will need a map to find our way around.

At least on the first day.

Sylvie Ritter, the head of the BaselWorld show, explains what the goal of the renovation was.

“We wanted to make it a better experience for everyone and to create the right environment for these kinds of products,” she says.

“You will see during BaselWorld 2013, once you enter the show, you will never have to leave the show to go from one building to another. We have one space dedicated to the

we will gain in quality, where you can really show your brand. Also, there will be more brands exhibiting this year than last year.”

Work began last year Last year, right after the show closed, demolition work began. I visited Basel at the end of 2012, and the show buildings were unrecognisable. Looking a bit like a war zone, with

“We wanted to make it a better experience for everyone and to create the right environment for these kinds of products.” famous brands, where they can build two to three floor booths, and people can truly experience the brands.

“In our buildings, previously, we had a lot of square footage behind the staircases and in other hidden spaces,” she continues. “The real, usable exhibition space has actually increased.

It’s important to understand that with the new Hall, we will lose space in terms of figures, but

buildings and walls demolished, the condition raised questions about whether the show would be ready in time. In fact, rumours that BaselWorld was behind schedule recently circulated throughout the industry. Luckily, BaselWorld opens very late this year, and Ritter pledges that the show will be ready in time.

“We are on time and on schedule, everything is perfect,” she confirms, confidently.

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PRE-BASEL 57

FACTS AND FIGURES:

“BaselWorld reflects the market and we will adapt and change to fit the market and its needs.”

Though wholesale changes have been made and many brands have been relocated from Hall 1, Ritter hopes that the experience will be an improved one.

“I hope you will not be confused at all,” she says. “I think people will be amazed by the booths and the way brands are presenting themselves. It’s really hard for us to imagine how the show could develop with this new building, and we worked with the brands to give the show a new face. For example, 99 per cent of the booths in Hall 1 will be brand new.”

A new map of the show will be available by the end of February at www.baselworld.com.

Will this be the end of changes for BaselWorld, July 2011

at least for the time being? “Every year, we think we have the best show ever and it will remain that way for many years,” Ritter says.

“This is the dream of all show organisers the world over, but it really depends on the market. BaselWorld reflects the market and we will adapt and change to fit the market and its needs.” O Europa Star this year celebrates its 75th year of uninterrupted presence at BaselWorld. We invite you to visit us in Hall 1.1, Stand A60.

For more information about BaselWorld click on Brand Index at www.europastar.com May 2012

The Basel show dates back to 1917, with the opening of the first Schweizer Mustermesse Basel (MUBA).

1925: MUBA invited several watch manufacturers 1931: The Schweizer Uhrenmesse (Swiss Watch Show) was first held in a dedicated pavilion.

1973: The first "Europäische Uhren- und Schmuckmesse" (EUSM) (European Watch and Jewellery Show) was held within the MUBA. 1983: The show changed its name to BASEL, with two following numbers denoting the exhibition year, e.g., BASEL 83.

1986: Companies from outside Europe were included for the first time, reflecting the increased number of visitors from outside Europe.

1995: The show was renamed to BASEL 95 - The World Watch, Clock and Jewellery Show.

1999: Hall 1, with 36,000 square metres exhibition space, was added.

2003: The show was renamed again to BaselWorld, The Watch and Jewellery Show.

2004: With the introduction of a new hall complex, the exhibition area increased to 160,000 square metres.

2013: The renovation and modernisation project, designed by Basel architects Herzog & de Meuron, has resulted in a gross exhibition surface of 141,000 square metres.

Since BASELWORLD 2012, the old halls have been demolished and a total of 3500 tons of steel girders, 45,000 cubic metres of concrete and 5,200 tons of reinforcing steel have gone into the new complex.

At times, up to eight fixed construction cranes and a further eight mobile cranes have been deployed on the construction site.

November 2012

58 GALLERY – PRE-BASEL europa star

1966 MINUTE-REPEATER by Girard-Perregaux The 42mm case in 18-carat red gold houses a GP E09-0003 manually-wound movement that comprises 419 individual components and powers hour, minute, small seconds, annual calendar (with separate date and month indications) and equation of time functions, in addition to the minuterepeater. The calibre operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour and offers at least 100 hours (4 days) of power reserve. It comes with a brown alligator leather strap and 18-carat redgold pin buckle.

YACHTTIMER COUNTDOWN by Alpina Alpina’s new regatta timer comes with a generously proportioned 44mm diameter stainless-steel case with a unidirectional rotating bezel in sapphire marked with compass bearings. The regatta countdown timer function consists of a disc inside the minute scale, which can be read at a glance and shows the number of minutes remaining in the countdown, culminating with the word “START” displayed in bright red.

The timekeeping functions are provided by the AL-880 selfwinding movement, which is powered by a black PVD Alpina rotor. Although the movement is visible behind a sapphire crystal case-back, the watch is nevertheless guaranteed water resistant to 30 ATM, or 300 metres.

CHRONO 4 GEANT FULL INJECTION by Eberhard The all-black look in this new limited-edition model is achieved with a DLC treatment. But before this is applied, the steel case is treated to a low-temperature carbon diffusion that hardens the 46mm case. The four familiar in-line counters of Eberhard’s registered design are set against a back dial with a metal ring decorated with a Côtes de Genève finish and a black rubber strap completes the ensemble. The ETA 2894 self-winding chronograph is used as the base movement.

CONSTELLATION SEDNA by Omega Sedna is the trademarked name that Omega has given to a new alloy of gold, which comprises gold, copper and palladium and has been developed entirely in-house within the Swatch Group. It finds its first expression in the new Constellation Sedna model, a limited edition of 1,952 pieces that recalls the year the first Constellation was launched, with the “pie pan” dial with 12 facets that is once again found in this new model, powered by the brand’s proprietary co-axial calibre 8501 with silicon balance spring.

D-STAR CERAMIC CHRONOGRAPH by Rado It may look like a stainless-steel chronograph, but the case and bracelet of this new piece by Rado are actually made of high-tech ceramic that has undergone a special plasma treatment that gives it a sheen similar to that of platinum. During the process, which has been patented

by Rado, gases that are activated at 20,000°C modify the chemical composition of the hightech ceramic, changing its surface colour but retaining all of its essential properties. The new chronograph is powered by the ETA A05.H31 calibre, which offers a power reserve of 60 hours.

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PRE-BASEL GALLERY – LADIES’ WATCHES 59

ALACRIA DIVA BAMBOO by Carl F. Bucherer The Lucerne-based brand uses bamboo not as a material but as an inspiration for the design of this new limited edition of 25 pieces. The 18-carat white-gold case and dial are both set with orange and black baguette-cut sapphires (for a total of 173 stones) plus a further 239 round black and orange sapphires on the outer facets of the case. A quartz movement displaying the hours and minutes powers this timepiece, which is completed by an orange alligator leather strap with a white-gold pin buc buckle.

CHRONOGRAPH LARGE DATE by Blancpain Elegantly framed by a 38.6mm diameter 18-carat red-gold case with 40 sparkling diamonds set into its bezel, this new self-winding chronograph model has a mother-of-pearl dial split on to two levels delineated by diamonds. The upper segment features an off-centre time display with Roman numerals, while the lower half bears the two chronograph counters with oversized Arabic numerals. The large date windows at 6 o’clock take the form of two opposing crescents and display the date with a distinctive font. It is powered by Blancpain Calibre 26F8G, a mechanical self-winding movement composed of 495 parts that offers a 40-hour power reserve.

SUGAR by de Grisogono The models in the new Sugar collection stand out because of their original bezels, which are half-set with precious stones, while the other half is in constant movement due to differentsized stones in their own individual settings which are interlinked and spill out over the bottom of the bezel. A bold use of blue or orange sapphires, emeralds and diamonds, combined with matching mother-of-pearl or fully-paved dials allows for a total of ten models, all with an 18-carat gold case and a matching galuchat strap.

GUCCI COUPE by Gucci This new model is a ladies’ version of the brand’s famous Coupé timepiece for men and is set with 60 diamonds (approx. 0.42 carats) on the flange of the dial. With a vintage look defined by the model’s rounded square case, the Gucci identity is reaffirmed by the Gucci logo and the “GG” pattern on the grey mother-of-pearl dial, whose only other adornment is the hour markers and three hands. The “GG” pattern also appears on the inner lining of the matching grey crocodile leather strap. A Swiss Made Ronda movement ensures the timekeeping.

60 SERVICE, PLEASE! europa star

Patek Philippe: patrimonial service RInterview conducted by Pierre Maillard piece is a value that is transmitted from generation to generation.

I

In 2012, Patek Philippe launched a vast marketing campaign based not on any single new product, but rather on the notion of service itself.

For the occasion, the brand established a website dedicated to this theme, one that provides a wealth of explanations, videos, and practical information (http://patek-institutional.com).

Why did the venerable Geneva-based brand decide to undertake such a project? To learn more, Europa Star talked with Laurent Cantin, head of Customer Service at the family manufacture. A qualified watchmaker by training, Laurent Cantin “has worked in after-sales service for 23 years,” as he says, but did not come onboard at Patek Philippe until 2006.

Europa Star: Your first action, completely emblematic, was to rename “Customer Service”, that which was previously called, as it is nearly everywhere, “After-Sales Service”. What does this semantic difference signify?

ES: You are not content then to merely wait until the watches are sent to you for repairs…

Laurent Cantin

Laurent Cantin: It seems to me that it is important to differentiate the current notion of “repairer” during the watch’s guarantee period from the much broader dimension that we give to the notion of service: a dimension that is truly patrimonial. I believe that we are the only one to offer the possibility of repairing or restoring absolutely all of the watches produced by Patek Philippe during its 174 years of existence. For us, Service is a strategic element of development. It goes far beyond a simple message. It is a real willingness, a philosophy of action, which aims to solidify what we unceasingly repeat: a Patek Philippe time-

LC: No, our service is involved upstream in all phases of the development and production of a watch. We intervene right from the beginning, collaborating with the developers, the methods unit, and the technical bureau. A representative of Customer Service is present in all the development teams. Because of our position, we receive a lot of comments from people’s experience and are thus very active in terms of quality feedback that comes directly from the field. In addition, in the downstream direction, we conduct major activities aimed at our clients. Today, an important and daily problem is that of educating the client. Aside from informed aficionados, who possess a real culture of watchmaking, many clients do not have a clear understanding of their watch or of the quality mechanical movements that we produce. Often, it happens that we are asked to simply replace a watch, which at first glance seems to no longer be working. Sometimes, it happens that the owner wears his automatic watch to bed and then does not understand why it has stopped working… (laughs) ES: The education of the client is thus primordial...

LC: I often use the comparison of the automobile. Everyone fully understands that a car needs a complete service every 15,000 kilometres, or on average once a year. These same people, however, often do not understand that a watch, whose “engine” runs 24 hours a day, also requires regular servicing, once every three to five years, and also that it needs lubrication,

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SERVICE, PLEASE! 61

“The particularity of Patek Philippe is that Customer Service is not at all considered as a “profit centre”.” for example. It is really as simple as that. But to make them understand and accept this basic notion is already a considerable task.

Approximately one client in three still does not understand the necessity for servicing.

ES: On the other hand, we often hear complaints about the costs and the long wait times for watchmaking after-sales service, in general…

LC: The particularity of Patek Philippe is that Customer Service is not at all considered as a “profit centre”. Moreover, today, in fact, we lose money, but the notion of service surpasses everything, whatever the price. The service and repair time for a simple mechani-

cal movement at Patek Philippe is at least five to six hours of pure watchmaking time, for a cost of about CHF 660. In this total amount we do not charge for polishing, cleaning, assembly, checks, administration, logistics, etc. As for the long wait times, you have to count from four weeks, for the watches still under guarantee, to eight weeks. This is long, you may say, but you must also realise that all the repaired pieces are subjected to the same quality control process as the pieces in production, and this takes fifteen days.

ES: In this regard, what is the rate of return for watches under guarantee?

ES: How does a centre become certified? What are the criteria?

LC: Very low, on average from 2.7 to 2.8 per cent. This also includes all the watches that were mishandled. The job of the head of Customer Service would lend itself perfectly to that of a novelist. Some of the stories that we hear are really far-fetched.

LC: If an independent watch centre wishes to be certified by us, it must meet very precise criteria, not only in terms of watchmaking competency, but also in terms of the work environment (lighting, colours, no carpeting on the floor), technical equipment, human resources, and logistics. It must also purchase a minimum stock of component parts. This process also has several steps involved in validation. We conduct an audit, and then write a report containing certain recommendations. Finally a training phase is carried out in Geneva, lasting a minimum of four weeks that we pay for completely.

During the entire process, this relationship can

ES: In specific terms, how is the Customer Service department organised, here in Geneva and in the various markets?

LC: To give you some numbers, we have 58 certified centres in 36 countries on all the continents. This involves 250 people, includ-

ing the 97 who work in Geneva and represents absolutely all the watch métiers. In 2012, we made 63,000 repairs and services, an increase of 7 to 8 per cent per year. Given this, we do not want to expand our network too much because we must control it very strictly. The competencies and services must be absolutely the same everywhere. And, you are aware of the difficulties in finding really qualified watchmakers in some parts of the world. In parenthesis, we are opening a new training centre in China.

be cancelled at any time since the basic idea is to be able to establish a veritable partnership.O Read more about Patek Philippe’s authorised service centres and European Union pressure on universal component supply in the complete interview online.

[Editor’s note: Europa Star will devote a specific report to Patek Philippe’s restoration centre, a veritable living conservatory featuring all the traditional professions and knowhow in the realm of watchmaking.]

For more information about Patek Philippe click on Brand Index at www.europastar.com

62 SERVICE, PLEASE! europa star

Stoll & Company, America’s Watchmakers Communication is key

RKeith W. Strandberg

I

In the last issue, we profiled the after sales service/customer service approach of Piaget.

This issue, we take a look at another way of handling service and watch repair, as a third party vendor. Europa Star talked with Ron Stoll, president, founder and owner of Stoll & Company (www.americaswatchmaker.com).

Established in 1982, Stoll & Company provides watch repair services to watch brands, watch retailers and individual consumers across the globe. In addition, Stoll is the North American president of Carl F. Bucherer watch company, and Stoll & Company does all of Carl F. Bucherer’s after sales service.

I caught up with Stoll in his offices in Dayton, Ohio, USA. “32 years ago, I was attempting to make a living fixing watches, then the company developed from there,” he explains. “There wasn’t a blueprint or plan, it just progressed naturally. I started out with one watch to fix, then one day I had two watches to fix, then it was ten,

Ron Stoll

then 100. We didn’t go out and try to solicit business, we built the business based on our merit and passion for watchmaking, and it grew from there.

“Today, we receive around 140,000 watches a year,” he continues. “We do all types of repairs – we service watches in all price categories but specialise in servicing prestigious timepieces. This allows us to hire people at different skill levels. We have 60 employees. We do individual repairs, we work for retail jewellers and we do authorised warranty and repair work for niche brands like Alpina, Frédérique Constant, Porsche Design, Anonimo and Carl F. Bucherer.”

No matter who the end customer is, managing after sales service and customer service in general is vital. “After sales service and customer service is everything,” Stoll says. “No matter the price of any watch, people purchase watches according to the amount of disposable income they have, and it becomes an important possession of theirs. When something goes wrong with their timepiece, keeping the customer satisfied depends on how quick the repair can be completed and, most importantly, the quality of the service.

Communications with customers is critical; you can’t let the people think they have been forgotten. Service has the potential to be a negative, but with efficient communication you can turn it into a positive.”

For Stoll & Company, communication is key.

They strive to stay on top of the communications and if there is a problem, or a delay, they update the customer immediately.

“One of things that we have found is that you are better off to staff more people on your customer service side, and invest the money in your IT, to keep adequate communication with the retailer or the end consumer,” Stoll details. “If you are proactive, it’s the least expensive way to address an issue. If a watch is in for a significant period of time, you can

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64 SERVICE, PLEASE! europa star

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guarantee that the consumer and the retailer will contact you. If you communicate well, the phones don’t ring, there is no pressure and everyone is happy. We have always paid particular attention to the communication end of customer service. For example, a regular maintenance service usually takes between 30 and 45 days. If you are upfront with the customer that this is what it is going to take, and if you adhere to it, you won’t have a problem.”

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Stoll and Company has a sophisticated RFID system of tracking so that the company knows at any time where a watch is in the repair process.

“We look at a watch coming in for repair as a piece of produce, as soon as it hits our door, it starts to deteriorate,” Stoll explains. “The quicker we can turn it around, the more profitable it is. We try to get the estimates done in 24 hours and communicated back to the place of origin. Sometimes you have to get a special component and check on a price, so that may delay it, but 90 per cent of all our estimates are done within 24 hours.

“We transmit the estimates by fax or email and on the estimate, we give them the number of days it will take to complete the repair,” he continues. “Our computer system automatically schedules the job for when it needs

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to be shipped, then the system tracks the watch through all the steps. We can control and monitor it so that things don’t fall between the cracks. Over our 32 years, every day there is a different challenge, because something new happens, we acknowledge and respond to these challenges so it doesn’t reoccur again. Every day we try to do better than the day before.”

Stoll has his fair share of success stories. “We

had an individual who had sent his watch back to the factory many times and sent it to other watch service companies, and it was never fixed to his satisfaction,” Stoll remembers. “Then he found us and we were able to fix his watch. That made us feel accomplished.

“We also receive timepieces for service which the manufactures no longer support and will not repair.” he continues. “We have a lot of spare

FACTS AND FIGURES: Stoll & Company USA www.americaswatchmaker.com, 1 800 786 5526 Number of employees: 60 Watches serviced per month (average): around 11,000 (140,000 per year) Factory authorised service centre for: Alain Silberstein, Alpina, Anonimo, B Swiss, Bertolucci, Bucherer, Carl F. Bucherer, Delance, Delbana, Delma, Frédérique Constant, Michel Herbelin, Porsche Design, Xantia and more.

Price of repairs: Anywhere from $20 to $5,000, wholesale. 95 per cent of all their work is wholesale.

Total watches serviced: 1.5 million Service warranty: 12 months

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SERVICE, PLEASE! 65

“There is always something new to learn, a new customer who has an interesting timepiece to service,...” parts that enable us to service these timepieces. We aren’t any better than anyone else, what makes us different is that we try harder.”

Challenges Even though Stoll & Company is independent, the company still faces challenges when dealing with watches from certain brands. “Some manufactures do not want third party service centres servicing their timepieces and will not sell spare parts. This is a challenge for us, where even some simple repairs cannot be completed due to the lack of available parts.”

Finding the right workers is a challenge for Stoll, as watch repair is very people intensive.

In fact, the average number of people who touch a watch during its repair process at Stoll & Company is 15, more for more complicated pieces.

“It’s challenging to find the qualified technicians,” Stoll admits. “It used to be that we could scout the world for the finest watchmakers, but it’s more challenging now that immigration laws have changed. At the same time, we receive a large volume of repairs, which allows us to employ people at all skill levels and we aim to hire people that are mechanically inclined, have superb hand-eye coordination and good dexterity and train them internally. We start them with simple pro-

cedures, they can then go to the next level and continue to advance. We have an advantage in that we can train the workforce ourselves.”

Counterfeit watches are becoming a bigger problem. “Unfortunately, because of the many similarities of counterfeit watches produced today, we do see watches sent in where the owner is unaware that it is counterfeit,” Stoll says. Stoll and Company will not service any counterfeit products.

Stoll is in the repair business, not the delivery business, so when a repair is done, he depends on delivery companies to handle that aspect.

“FedEx, UPS and the US postal system are the three players and we use all three of them,” Stoll details. We decide who the carrier is unless the client specifies who they want to handle the logistics. Everything we send back requires a signature, and our insurance covers the delivery. If you are shipping back a $50,000 watch, you want to make sure it’s signed for by the right person.”

The future More and more mechanical watches are being sold, so that means that more watches will eventually need to be serviced. All mechanical watches require service at some point, and Stoll feels that consumers need to be more aware of the upkeep that is needed. He acknowl-

edges that it is hard for sales people to communicate about the future need for service when trying to sell the watch.

“In the last several years, brands have invested more in their service facilities, thus allowing them to maintain a better relationship with their customers," Stoll says. “Each day there will be more watches to service than there was the day before. Every company's challenge is finding people capable of servicing watches.

Because of production capabilities today and the demand for mechanical watches, these watches will all need service.”

Stoll loves what he does and looks forward to coming to work every day. “There is always something new to learn, a new customer who has an interesting timepiece to service,” he says, enthusiastically. “I love what I am doing.

Children have a teddy bear they carry with them to feel secure, my security in life is having a watch in my hand, whether it’s a new watch or a broken watch, that I can then fix.

“I love the challenges, and the encounters with new customers. We get a lot of nice accolades from customers about what we did for them,” he adds. “It makes you feel good, it touches your soul to know that people acknowledge what we do. It’s nice to know that you are doing something that people appreciate.” O

66 RETAILER PROFILE europa star

Talking Turkey – Saat & Saat in Istanbul RKeith W. Strandberg

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Istanbul is a bustling, thriving city – full of life, business and excitement. In the heart of this city, the only one in the world to span two continents (Europe and Asia) is the Saat & Saat Company, run by Ramazan Kaya, president. Saat & Saat has its hands in just about every part of the watch business – the company is a distributor for brands in Turkey (selling wholesale to other retailers), has its own retail stores, works with department stores and does its own service. Saat & Saat recently bought the distributor LPI Turkey, adding Maurice Lacroix and TAG Heuer to the stable of brands it distributes in Turkey.

Europa Star met with Mr. Kaya in his offices in Istanbul to find out more about the Saat & Saat operation.

ES: Please give us the background of your company.

RK: In 1994, we started distributing Adidas watches. We got into retail because that is where the world was and is going. We started in 2006 with one store, and now we have 82 Saat & Saat stores. By the end of next year, we will have 100 of our own stores, and we will be in a total of 155 points of sale.

ES: What is particular about the Turkish market?

RK: The wholesale market is very difficult here. We have to give huge credit terms and big margins. The retailers also like to give discounts. The strength of the market is that people know watches. The Turkish customer is a great watch customer, very knowledgeable and likes to bargain. We have our standard discounts, like 15 per cent if they pay cash, but we don’t go below that, unless it’s a liquidation sale.

Ramazan Kaya

ES: You just recently acquired LPI to distribute high-end watches. Is this a direction in which you want to move?

RK: We are already very strong in fashion brands. Our weakest point is high end. With this new company, we are showing the highend brands we are going to be a big player.

Turkey is becoming a bigger market. In a very short time, Turkey will be a major vacation destination, so we believe that we should be in the high-end business in Turkey. We don’t think the competition is doing it well enough, which gives us opportunity.

ES: How is the high end different from the fashion brand market?

RK: I love to learn, and we will gain a lot of experience. We are always improving. We have to choose the right point of sales to get the right service and presentation. Our sales people are very important. Then we have to have the right merchandising, the right advertising channels.

With TAG Heuer, for example, there are some points of sale that are better than Saat & Saat. I have to be objective. I am not happy that some Saat & Saat stores are not at that standard yet. If there is a retailer who is better than Saat & Saat or Campanola, we can work with them. For us, the most important thing is the brand, so we look at who is best for the brand. We look at the strengths and weaknesses of each store, whether it is ours or not, to decide where to put it.

ES: Is it difficult to manage being a distributor and a retailer?

RK: When you look at Saat & Saat, we do so many different things – we are a distributor, we have general retailers, we have higher end retailers, we have jewellery wholesale and

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RETAILER PROFILE 67

retail, we have kiosks in the shopping malls, we work with department stores where we run our stores, we have on-line sales and we have individual retailers for distribution.

This is a benefit for our customers, because they only have to deal with us and they know the quality and standard of our company.

ES: What is the secret of your success?

RK: Wanting success so much. We wanted to be a key player in the industry and that is the reason we concentrate so much and we have success today. In 1999, we became a real retailer. We have had some really big difficulties becoming a retailer, because department stores didn’t care about us. In 2008 and 2009, during the crisis, most of the retailers were afraid and stepped back. We pressed the accelerator and every two weeks we opened a new store, and where stores left, we went in. Then everyone began paying attention to us, and they started to give nice locations to us. Now, we are the biggest retail player in Turkey. The number two has 12 stores, and most of them are franchisees.

ES: What is the biggest challenge facing your company right now?

RK: Finding high quality, knowledgeable employees is a challenge. For retail, it’s a nightmare. If you have the right person in your store, the turnover can go up 30 per cent, but if you have the wrong person it can go down.

The most important thing in retail is the employee. We work with the trainers, the consultants, we spend money on the employees, and then the next day they leave, because they are all young and they don’t have much responsibility or loyalty. We always have to have extra people, and that costs money, but we have to make the investment.

ES: What is the biggest challenge facing the watch industry right now?

RK: Designs. Design is the big risk. If you find a beautiful design, you are flying. If you don’t

work with the right designer, God help you.

Product design is the most important thing in the watch industry.

ES: Who is your customer?

RK: Mostly, the young generation, 50 – 50 men and women. We reach other consumers too, but the young generation is stronger than the older generation. Young customers, once they get into the Saat & Saat family, they will stay with us.

ES: How important is after sales service?

RK: Very important and not fair. We have an average of nine days between receiving and sending it back to the customer, which is really good timing. That’s why we have over 50 people in the after sales service department. For us, after sales service is not a profit centre. I

FACTS AND FIGURES: Saat & Saat operations: • 82 Saat & Saat stores • 8 Campanola stores, • 45 Department stores (25 Boyner, 19 YKM, 1 Bigmall) • 13 Saat & Saat Kiosks • 5 Pandora shops Saat and Saat supplies 400 wholesale doors (independent retailers) across the country.

Total turnover is approximately 50 per cent Saat & Saat operations and 50 per cent by independent retailers.

Employees: 750 Size of store: average size is 60m2 Range of price: US$150 - US$10,000 Best selling watches: Guess, Diesel, Fossil Brands: TAG Heuer, Maurice Lacroix, Burberry, Emporio Armani, U-Boat, Gc, Welder, Cerutti 1881, Pandora, Glam Rock, Tommy Hilfiger, Guess, Diesel, Donna Karan, Michael Kors, Jacques Lemans, Citizen, Esprit, Fossil, Adidas.

don’t want to risk it, because we don’t want customer complaints and we don’t want to harm our future. Even so, I cannot make everyone happy. Sometimes, the watch is eight years old and the customer wants me to solve his problems and you don’t have spare parts and the brand takes time to ship the spare parts, and the customer starts to complain.

If I have any e-mails from customers or retailers concerning after sales service, I pay attention and follow up on them right away.

ES: Are you optimistic about the future?

RK: In ten years time, we will have 500 points of sales here in Turkey, so I am very optimistic about the future. There are brands we would love to carry in Turkey. Saat & Saat would like to carry the brands that are performing well around the world but not in Turkey. We could help those brands here. With TAG and Maurice Lacroix, it’s a good chance for us to prove that we can do higher end brands.

ES: What brands would you like to carry that you don’t right now?

RK: We don’t want to be a brand collector.

We get inquiries every week from the brands.

If we have one brand that is not performing well in Turkey, we stop it. We have never lost any brands, because we follow the rules.

What the brand owner wants, we try to do.

Thanks to Mr. Kaya and his staff for their hospitality and their willingness to give Europa Star insight into their organisation. O Read the full interview on www.europastar.com

68 WORLDWATCHWEB europa star.com

Global consumer interest for haute horlogerie increases by 7 per cent, fuelled by BRIC and Asian markets RTamar Koifman, Head of Marketing, Digital Luxury Group

E

Every year on the occasion of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), Digital Luxury Group unveils the results of the haute horlogerie category* of the WorldWatchReport™, which tracks and analyzes the global online interest for luxury watches.

Tracking the online interest expressed through search engines for eighteen brands across twenty international markets, a total of over 30 million individual searches for this category, has allowed for the uncovering of some very interesting haute horlogerie trends.

Interest for haute horlogerie brands continues to grow (+ 7 per cent year-on-year)

Compared to the previous year, the highest-end category of luxury watches, haute horlogerie, experienced a 7 per cent increase in brand interest. “This marks the third year in a row that the online interest of this highest-end segment of luxury watches has increased, showing the continued strength of haute horlogerie within the overall market,” indicates Florent Bondoux, Head of Strategy & Intelligence at Digital Luxury Group.

BRIC + Asian markets represent nearly 50 per cent of haute horlogerie global brand interest

Of the 20 markets analyzed in the study, nearly half (47 per cent) of global interest for haute horlogerie stems from in-the-spotlight markets Brazil, Russia, India, China, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Mainland China on its own comprises 31 per cent of the global demand or twice as much as the US market, increasing by 27 per cent.

Consumer interest for haute horlogerie in mature markets, US and Japan, declining

A downward trend was observed in the weight that mature luxury watch markets the US (down by 10.6 per cent) and Japan (down by 11.7 per cent) represent in the global breakdown.

While relative share of demand has progressively shrunk in the past three years in most established markets, for the first time since the report’s launch in 2004, an absolute decline in domestic demand in the US and Japan is observed.

Geographic search breakdown for haute horlogerie by market

(© Digital Luxury Group, Jan.-Sept. 2012)

europa star.com

“2012 has been a year of stabilisation in the U.S. Affluents have been focused on the presidential campaign and the tax hikes surrounding the fiscal cliff. Tourist shopping, notably from Latin America, should offset domestic demand slowdowns and represent a major growth driver in the region,” explains David Sadigh, Founder & CEO of the Digital Luxury Group.

Patek Philippe leading by far the haute horlogerie segment

Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak reinforces its leadership as the top watch model among haute horlogerie brands globally

The Royal Oak, reinforcing its leading position of last year, continues its reign as the most sought-after haute horlogerie watch model, increasing its online interest by 5 per cent over the last year, likely an effect of the increased communications surrounding the icon’s 40th anniversary. Though the Royal Oak leads globally, local preferences arise for other models in markets such as Japan (Girard-Perregaux’s 1945), China (Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas), and Russia (Blancpain’s Leman).

Top 10 most sought-after haute horlogerie collections in 2012

0.6%

De Bethune

Jaquet Droz

Greubel Forsey 0.2%

1.0%

0.8%

Roger Dubuis

1.4%

1.2%

Bovet

Parmigiani

2.6%

2.2%

A.Lange & Söhne

Richard Mille

Blancpain

Girard-Perregaux

4.0%

3.8%

Ulysse Nardin

5.9%

4.3%

Franck Muller

7.7%

6.5%

Breguet

Glashütte Original

12.6%

9.2%

Vacheron Constantin

Audemars Piguet

12.7%

The most popular haute horlogerie brands in 2012

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Patek Philippe

23.6%

Patek Philippe remains by far the leading haute horlogerie watch brand with 23.6 per cent of brand interest share. JaegerLeCoultre takes the second spot with 12.7 per cent, closely followed by Vacheron Constantin at 12.6 per cent, Audemars Piguet at 9.2 per cent and Breguet at 7.7 per cent.

Along with Richard Mille (see below), Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe also record the highest growth rates in brand interest year-on-year, with 26 per cent and 10.2 per cent growth, respectively.

WORLDWATCHWEB 69

Richard Mille is the fastest growing haute horlogerie brand

Founded in 2001, Richard Mille is the fastest growing haute horlogerie brand (+61 per cent over last year), followed by Vacheron Constantin (+26 per cent) and Patek Philippe (+10 per cent).

“Assuming Richard Mille manages to keep its momentum and growth rate, the company could easily become one of the top 5 haute horlogerie brands by 2020,” predicts Sadigh. “This is a brand with a strong breadth of exclusive products and an equally strong PR-driven marketing approach focused on events and celebrity endorsements. Richard Mille is a brand to watch.”

For more information about the WorldWatchReport™, published annually by Digital Luxury Group, please visit www.worldwatchreport.com. * The haute horlogerie category brands tracked in this preview report: A. Lange & Söhne, Audemars Piguet, Blancpain, Bovet, Breguet, De Bethune, Franck Muller, Girard-Perregaux, Glashütte Original, Greubel Forsey, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Jaquet Droz, Parmigiani, Patek Philippe, Richard Mille, Roger Dubuis, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron Constantin. (Other brands exhibiting at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie such as Cartier, IWC, Panerai, and Piaget, have not been analysed in this year’s preview research after a revised brand segmentation, the results of which will be released in April at the time of BaselWorld).

Editorial & Advertisers’ index 88 Rue du Rhône 50 A, B Ace Jewelers 45-47 Adidas 66, 67 Alain Silberstein 64 A. Lange & Söhne 24, 29, 34, 47, 69 Alpina 42, 58, 62, 64 Anonimo 62, 64 Antoine Martin 40 Ateliers de Monaco 40, 42 Audemars Piguet 23, 24, 30, 32, 47, 69 BaselWorld 28, 38, 42, 48, 51, 56-57 Baume & Mercier 28, 47 Bertolucci 64 Blancpain 32, 59, 69 Boegli 42 Bomberg 10-11 Bovet 69 Breguet 32, 47, 69 Breitling 47 B Swiss 64 Bucherer 64 Burberry 67 C, D Carl F. Bucherer 5, 59, 62, 64 Cartier 18, 27, 28, 47, 69 Casio 54-55 Celsius 32, 47 Centagora 35 Century 42, 43 Cerutti 1881 67 Chanel COVER II, 1 (Intl.) 2-3 (Eur.) China Watch & Clock Fair 71 Chinese Timekeeper, The 46 Christophe Claret 32 Citizen 33, 67 Cousins 71 Cyrus 40 Daniel Roth 28 De Bethune 32, 34, 39, 69 de Grisogono 59 Delance 64 Delbana 64 Delma 64 DeWitt 6-7 Diesel 67 Dietrich 40 Digital Luxury Group 8, 68-69 Donna Karan 67 E, F Eberhard 58

Emile Chouriet COVER III (Eur.) Emporio Armani 67 Esprit 67 ETA 42, 43, 52, 58 La Fabrique du Temps 19 Fossil 67 Franck Muller 69 François-Paul Journe 47 Frédérique Constant 40, 42, 43, 62, 64 G, H Gc 67 Geneva Time Exhibition 32, 36, 40, 45, 46, 47 Gérald Genta 28 Girard-Perregaux 51, 58, 69 Glam Rock 67 Glashütte Original 69 Greubel Forsey 22, 31, 47, 69 Gucci 51, 59 Guess Watches 67 Harold W. SA 43 Hautlence 32, 34 Heritage Watch Manufactory 35, 47 Hermès 20 H. Moser & Cie. 32, 34, 46 Hublot 32, 36 I, J Ice-Watch 41 Ikepod 47 IWC 23, 26, 29, 46, 47, 69 Jacques Lemans 67 Jaeger-LeCoultre 31, 47, 69 Jaquet Droz 69 JeanRichard 17, 51-52 L, M Laurent Ferrier 36 Longines 47 Louis Moinet 40 LVMH 19 Magellan 40 Maurice Lacroix 66, 67 MB&F 47 MELB Holding 32, 34 Michael Kors 67 Michel Herbelin 64 Milus 43, 44 Montblanc 24, 25, 31, 47 O, P Omega 47, 58 Orient Watch Company

COVER III (Intl.)

Pandora 67 Panerai 23, 25, 29, 30, 47, 69 Parmigiani 20, 25, 26, 31, 47, 69 Patek Philippe 34, 47, 60-61, 69, 72 Piaget 25, 26, 28, 30, 69 Porsche Design 62, 64 R, S Rado 47, 58 Ralph Lauren COVER I, 12-15, 30, 31 Raymond Weil 49-50 RGM 44 Richard Mille 20, 22, 31, 47, 69 Richemont Group 18, 29 Roger Dubuis 23, 24, 26, 29, 69 Rolex COVER II, 1 (Eur.), 47 Romain Gauthier 9 Ronda 53, 59 Saat & Saat 66-67 Seiko 38 SIHH 16, 18, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31, 32, 45 Sowind Group 51 Stoll & Company 62, 64-65 Swatch Group 32 T, U TAG Heuer 32, 34, 37, 38, 47, 66, 67 Technew 63 Technotime 43 Tissot 47 Titoni 21 Tommy Hilfiger 67 Tudor COVER IV U-Boat 67 Ulysse Nardin 69 Urwerk 32, 38, 39, 47 V, W Vacheron Constantin 23 (Intl.), 19, 20, 34, 69 Van Cleef & Arpels 19, 30 Vianney Halter 37 Vogard 34, 35 Welder 67 Wyler Genève 51 X, Z Xantia 64 Zenith 32, 36, 37

Managing Director: Philippe Maillard EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief: Pierre M. Maillard • pmaillard@europastar.com Senior Editor: D. Malcolm Lakin • mlakin@europastar.com International Editor: Keith W. Strandberg • keiths821@aol.com Managing Editor: Paul O’Neil • poneil@europastar.com Editorial Consultant: Casey Bayandor • cbayandor@europastar.com Asst. Publisher: Nathalie Glattfelder • nglattfelder@europastar.com CONTRIBUTORS • Italy: Paolo de Vecchi • Germany: Gerhard Claussen, Timm Delfs • France: Antoine Menusier • Australia: Martin Foster • Russia: Vyacheslav Medvedev • Portugal: Miguel Seabra • Romania: George Gisca • China: Jean-Luc Adam • Art & Techniques of Watchmaking: Jean-Claude Nicolet ART Alexis Sgouridis • asgouridis@europastar.com Dummy: Fonderie Grafix, Geneva MARKETING & CIRCULATION PRINT/E-MEDIA Marketing & Circulation Director: Nathalie Glattfelder • nglattfelder@europastar.com Marketing & Circulation Manager: Jocelyne Bailly • jbailly@europastar.com PUBLISHING & PRODUCTION PRINT/E-MEDIA Advertising Manager: Laurence Chatenoud • lchatenoud@europastar.com Editorial, Production & Advertising Coordinator: Talya Lakin • tlakin@europastar.com ADVERTISING / INTERNATIONAL SALES MANAGERS Switzerland / Italy / US: Casey K. Bayandor.

Tel: +41 22 307 78 37 Fax: +41 22 300 37 48 • cbayandor@europastar.com Europe & International: Nathalie Glattfelder.

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72 LAKIN@LARGE europa star

Times Square squared At the beginning of December with the temperature hovering around 15 to 16 degrees Celsius in Menton, I was told by a very persuasive lady that we were off to New York for a week. I fought valiantly, but lost and before you could say ‘Have a nice day’, I was in a mile-long queue waiting to go through immigration at Kennedy Airport.

New York is an amazing city, full of weird and wonderful people, taxi drivers that barely speak English – or as Rex Harrison said in My Fair Lady, Americans haven’t spoken English for years – surprising sites, towering buildings and literally hundreds of clocks from the mundane to the unexpected.

The photograph below shows Tourneau, New York’s largest watch emporium with its nineteen-clock storefront: a large clock showing local time and eighteen smaller clocks indicating the time in various time zones around the world.

51,000 people walked over the clock daily. Given that the numbers will have increased dramatically since then, let’s say it now averages out to 75,000 people a day, that means around 1,806,750,000 people have walked and stamped across its face over the last century. They don’t make ’em like that anymore!

All of which reminds me of a story about a man walking in Times Square when he checks his watch to find it has stopped. He looks around but doesn’t see a clock and asks a man the time.

The man drops to the ground saying, “Just a second,” pulls out what looks like a conductor’s baton, sticks it in the crack between two paving stones, extracts a carpenter’s level to ensure the baton is perfectly vertical, then takes a compass from his pocket, locates north and as in days of yore gets the precise length of the shadow cast by the stick using a retractable tape measure.

Where Broadway and 7th Avenue converge you find the bustling and much-photographed Times Square. Here amidst the thousands of tourists you’ll see the Naked Cowboy protecting his extremities with a white guitar, white Stetson and cowboy boots singing in an arctic temperature, people dressed as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and the Statue of Liberty. But the winner was a man giving away photocopies of a Rolex watch but asking for a dollar for a photocopy of the guarantee.

Further downtown, sitting between Ground Zero and Wall Street and on the corner of Broadway and Maiden Lane, there’s a watch and jewellery store called William Barthman. Established in 1884, the owner decided in 1899 to set into what the Americans call the sidewalk and we call the pavement a mechanical clock that to this day is controlled and serviced from a passage underneath. A very thick glass set into a brass and steel bezel bearing the name of the shop protects the dial from a century of attacks by vandals. It’s no longer mechanical; today it functions using an electric motor.

In 1946, the New York Police Department estimated that on average

He then takes out a slide rule from his inside pocket, makes a quick calculation and as he clambers to his feet putting away all the paraphernalia states confidently, “It’s exactly two twenty-seven in the afternoon.”

Suitably impressed by this calculation the man sets his watch, gives it a shake to ensure it is now working and says, “That’s quite a remarkable calculation you did there. But what do you do if it’s overcast or raining and there’s no shadow?”

The man points to his wrist and says, “In that case I’d look at Patek!”

Well, you’ve got to laugh haven’t you?

D. Malcolm Lakin Roving Editor