VOTED BEST MAGAZINE SUPPLEMENT
Caroline Scheufele is co-president of the prestigious watch and jewellery house of Chopard, a role she shares with her older brother Karl-Friedrich. A veritable powerhouse on the global luxury scene, she has been with the family firm all of her professional life, inventing one of the most iconic watches of recent times, the Chopard Happy Diamonds, as well as instigating the partnership between Chopard and the celebrity-studded Cannes Film Festival. She spends much of her year travelling, meeting her customers, visiting her network of retail stores and looking for creative inspiration for her next collection. Where is your most inspiring holiday destination? Cruising on a yacht. Who is the most interesting person you’ve met on your travels? It’s very difficult to say; I am lucky to meet many amazing people, with fascinating personalities. What is the one gadget you would never travel without? My two “lucky tokens”: two Ultraviolet soft toys — a restaurant in rabbit and a Shanghai. Louis monkey. I Roederer Cristal Rosé
always travel with them. What is your favourite restaurant abroad? One of my favourite restaurants, where I have been recently, is the Ultraviolet in Shanghai (uvbypp.cc). An insider tip for coping with a long-haul flight? A good glass of red wine and comfortable clothes — a cool jogging suit and a jumper always works well for me. Where is your next destination? Venice for the Mostra del Cinema di Venezia, the Venice Film Festival. What is your favourite city? Paris is one of my favourite cities, but I love London too. What is your worst travel experience? Unfortunately, also on a boat. What is the first thing you do when you check into a hotel room? I open the window to take a look at the view. Which three items will you always find in your suitcase? A pashmina, my iPad, and my Happy Sport watch. What is your favourite music track at the moment? Get Lucky by Daft Punk. What is your definition of luxurious travel? Privacy, refinement and no mobile phones. Which do you prefer: beach, city or bush vacations? A mix: to relax, to discover, and to experience new places. What is your favourite Champagne? Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé.
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The slice of Switzerland at the epicentre of the global watch industry
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Malcolm Dare started out as a photographic assistant in 1984 and opened his own studio in 1990, having worked on major ad campaigns. His speciality is working with light, on jewellery, fashion or food shoots. The watch you’re wearing at the moment? A Tempo, given to me by a client that I have worked with over the past 23 years. Most memorable moment on a shoot? Being given only one chance to capture models in a roller coaster as it sped past and managing to get the shot. The first camera you ever owned? A Yashica.
Matt Morley has been writing for us for the past six years and, from his European home, makes frequent forays into the Swiss mountains to indulge his horological passion and eat cheese. The first watch you ever owned? My very first watch ever was a very simple Timex given to me by my grandmother, white dial, black synthetic strap. It meant the world to me as a small boy. The first automatic watch, however, came to me on my 21st birthday as a gift from my father — a Rolex Datejust in stainless steel with an anthracite grey dial. It is something of a family tradition now. A person from history you’d love to lunch with? One of the great 18th century Swiss watch inventors such as Abraham-Louis Breguet. Perhaps he could help me understand how they were able to make so many incredibly complex micro-mechanical movements in a time before electricity or basic sanitation. A watch brand to keep an eye on? I first met Michel Parmigiani of Parmigiani Fleurier watches back in 2006 and since then his brand has grown in leaps and bounds, largely thanks to a massive injection of capital. Now he is everywhere and producing some of the finest timepieces on the market.
Jim Shi is a New York-based journalist whose writing spans multiple disciplines, from style and automotive to design and watches and jewellery. His hobbies include tennis, fast cars, watch collecting and anything Thom Browne. What was your first paying job? Working for IMG Fashion as the editor of its trade publication, The Daily. In my capacity, I also worked with the IMG Models team as well as the production team that stages Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. One luxury item that you covet, regardless of price? An incredibly fast and equally luxurious sports car. The new Rolls-Royce Wraith comes to mind immediately. What watch are you currently wearing? I am currently switching between an IWC rose gold Portuguese and a vintage Louis Cartier Tank with navy blue croc strap.
ULTRAVIOLET PHOTOGRAPHY SCOTT WRIGHT OF LIMELIGHT STUDIO
London. Venice
contributors
TEXT MATT MORLEY
Co-President, Chopard
travelogue CAROLINE SCHEUFELE
UPFRONT
TEXT MATT MORLEY
CEO of Zenith Watches
powerdresser JEAN-FREDERIC DUFOUR
UPFRONT
Jean-Frederic Dufour is the dynamic CEO of Zenith watches, the man credited with having turned the company around after it “lost its way” under a previous leader, updating the entire collection and taking it successfully back to its roots. His CV takes in stints at Chopard, Ulysse Nardin and Hublot, covering sales, marketing, product development and management, all of which makes him a real watch man — an industry insider capable of talking tourbillons as fluently as timesheets. Dufour also cuts a dapper shape at the annual watch fairs in Switzerland and exudes a certain Gallic charm at all times. He first won over Wanted by putting us “on hold” during a face-to-face interview to take a call from his wife — the sign of a man who knows where his priorities lie. Having dedicated his life to the watch industry, a timepiece is nothing short of a reflection on the identity of its wearer. According to Dufour: “Those who choose a Zenith watch are authentic, daring and modern people with timeless values; people who have faith in traditional watchmaking and craftsmanship.” His own personal favourite from Zenith’s history is the El Primero of 1969, “with its three colours of light grey, blue and anthracite that have become so iconic”, while his contemporary favourite is the brand new El Primero Lightweight, “the watch words there are lightness, performance and originality”. DUFOUR WEARS Suit by Zegna, shirt by Loro Piana, tie by Louis Vuitton This is a dark blue wool and cashmere suit from Zegna (www.zeg na.com). My shirt is a white Loro Piana (www.loropiana.com) and my tie is a blue Louis Vuitton. (www.louisvuitton.com) Watch by Zenith This is a Pilot Montre d’Aéronef Type 20 Annual Calendar. We launched this model for BaselWorld 2013. The Pilot collection (trademark belonging to Zenith), is one of the strongest legacies in the whole industry as we have been producing pilots watches in Le Locle since planes have been in the air. (www.zenith-watches.com) Shoes by Alden I do not remember where I bought this specific pair but I can tell you that my first pair was bought in New York. Alden has a long story and its shoes carry forward a tradition of quality shoemaking. (www.aldenshoe.com) Accessories by Zenith I am wearing some Zenith cufflinks and my wedding ring. Usually my belts are from Bulgari. (www.bulgari.com) DUFOUR RECOMMENDS Style tip? To always be comfortable. For me, clothes must be elegant and comfortable. Favourite restaurant? Chetzeron in Crans Montana, Switzerland (www.chetzeron.ch). Ultimate luxury? To be with my loved ones and in good health. Favourite fragrance? Aqva Pour Homme by Bvlgari. Favourite travel destination? The canton of Wallis in the Swiss Alps. Style icon? Jack Nicholson.
JETSET J83954-838 MYKONOS Movement: quartz Features: water resistant to 30m Strap: bracelet Price: R1 599 Distributor: JP Time, 011 883 8493, www.jptime.co.za
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SWATCH PAR-LON Case: plastic Strap: silicone Price: R730 Distributor: Swatch Group SA, 011 911 1200, www.swatch.com
TIME TO PLAY The season’s hottest horlogerie and jewels
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SWATCH BLANCA Case: plastic Features: glows in the dark, water resistant to 200m Strap: silicone Price: R870 Distributor: Swatch Group LEGO Darth Vader desk lamp, R499.90 10 OCTOBER 2013 WANTED
HORLOGERIE U-Boat Classico 40 SS pavé black diamonds. Classico 40 SS full diamonds
FEMALE FLAIR WATCHMAKERS ADD A FEMININE TOUCH TO THEIR COLLECTIONS TEXT MATT MORLEY
Parmigiani FleurierTonda 1950 Set collection
THIS YEAR HAS BEEN ALL ABOUT THE LADIES, IN mechanical watch terms at least. The top brands in the business have released a bevy of new models and collections to the female market. “Women are starting to buy watches themselves, and most importantly for themselves — a very new development,” says Jean-Marc Jacot, CEO of Parmigiani Fleurier. “Until recently it was men who did most of the buying, which is completely different.” Fashion brands such as Dior, Chanel and Louis Vuitton have also been investing in their watchmaking capacities like never before and jewellery brands Chopard, Cartier and Graff have all been upping the ante with their crossover watch collections, half jewel/half timepiece. All of this has helped to introduce vast swathes of wealthy female buyers to mechanical watches for the first time, and now the pure-play watch brands want a bigger slice of the action. U-Boat’s founder and creative director Italo Fontana has focused on creating “something really luxurious for ladies, often embellished with diamonds and rubies, in a size that may be big but is also perfect for their wrists”, as he puts it. In an attempt to address a practical issue his female customers raised, Fontana even went so far as to introduce a special push button watch crown that reduces the risk of breaking a well-manicured
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nail in the process of changing the time or date. In his view, “watches are no more just a boy’s toy. Ladies are becoming more and more interested and they are definitely gaining space in the market overall.” The U-Boat Classico Lady Diamond collection, new this year, features four different models all with a 40mm stainless steel case and diamond-set dial. The Classico 40 SS has white or black diamonds set on the watch’s shoulders (between strap and dial) as well as the 4, 8 and 12 o’clock markers. A Classico 40 SS pavé black diamond version has a full white diamond-covered dial with black diamond indexes at 4, 8 and 12 o’clock. The top of the range Classico 40 SS full diamonds version incorporates an additional 380 diamonds around the bezel, as well as the 481 already on the dial. Vacheron Constantin may not have the razzle and dazzle of Fontana’s contemporary collections but, with over a century of experience in the ladies’ watch sector to its name, it has plenty going for it. It made a clear statement of intent this year by dedicating its entire collection at the annual watch fair in Geneva to women. The two Patrimony Lady models exemplify the discretion and elegance Vacheron does best. The Traditionnelle version has an 18ct white gold case just 33mm in diameter with a manual wind, mechanical movement developed entirely in-house and a diamond-set bezel containing 54 round cut diamonds. In a second version, the Patrimony Contemporaine, it
HORLOGERIE
Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Lady Contemporaine. Patrimony Traditionnelle
appears with a rose gold case and rose gold bracelet for a more glamorous look. Parmigiani launched its first ladies’ collection in 2006 and simultaneously began a sponsorship project named “Women of Exception” as a way to strengthen its ties to the female market. Recognising women of achievement from different countries and fields, from sport to medicine, business and the arts, the award is a perfect example of how a purist watch brand has had to proactively court the female market. Parmigiani’s annual ladies’ watch releases go a step further than most. “What we don’t do is take a men’s watch and simply ’reduce’ it into a ladies’ watch,” says Jacot. “Our lady watches are an interpretation of their own. We keep the brand’s DNA and seek feminine volumes, shapes, dial colours and setting patterns.” This year saw the introduction of the Parmigiani Tonda 1950 Set, a new take on the Tonda 1950 model now ’set’ with a diamond bezel. Measuring just 8mm in width and 39mm in diameter, this is an unobtrusively thin timepiece with a delicate graphite or white Tahitian mother of pearl dial and 84 brilliant cut diamonds on the bezel. Other styling options include a rose or white gold case and four different Hermès leather straps. Zenith introduced the first feminine model to its Pilot collection in 2013, the Pilot Aéronef Type 20 “40mm Lady”. Available in four different versions, the choice is between diamonds on the bezel only or on the dial as well. The former option comes with a brown alligator strap, the latter with a satin strap. Despite the obvious appeal of these models though, the big question clearly is: are these classic watch brands doing enough to differentiate themselves from the fashion and jewellery brand watches? Are the ladies’ versions merely men’s watches in disguise or do they genuinely bring something to the party? “Ultimately, all our watches, both for men and women, share the same identity, the same concept and come from one pencil,” says Fontana. He’s certainly on the right track, but will the increasingly informed female watch buyer think the same?
Ultimately, all our watches, both for men and women, share the same identity, the same concept and come from one pencil — Italo Fontana
Zenith Pilot Aéronef Type 20 “40mm Lady” collection
U-Boat Classico Lady Diamond Movement: automatic, modified calibre Case: stainless steel, crown at 9 o'clock Features: diamond-set numerals/ dial/ bezel Strap: black alligator leather Price: upon request Distributor: Luks Group, 011 262 0396, www.luksg roup.co.za Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950 Set Movement: PF 701, automatic Case: 39mm rose or white gold Features: 42-hour power reserve, individually numbered Strap: Hermès alligator leather Price: upon request Distributor: Picot & Moss, 011 669 0500, www.picotandmoss.co.za
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Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Lady Movement: automatic (Contemporaine), manual-wind ( Traditionelle) Case: 36mm, 18ct pink gold (C) or white gold (T) Features: 40-hour power reserve Strap: 18ct pink gold (C) or alligator leather (T) Price: upon request Distributor: Vendôme Distributors, 0800 600 035, www.vacheronconstantin.com Zenith Pilot Aéronef Type 20 “40mm Lady” Movement: Elite 681, automatic Case: 40mm rose gold or white gold Features: gem-set dial and/or bezel, 50-hour power reserve Strap: satin with pin buckle or black leather Price: upon request Distributor: Picot & Moss
HORLOGERIE Graff carved emerald secret watch. Cartier Montre Tortue secrète de Cartier
Louis Vuitton Les Ardentes secret watch
SHOW ME YOUR SECRETS TELLING THE TIME COMES SECOND TO THE SHINE OF THESE PIECES TEXT MATT MORLEY
Piaget Limelight flower motif secret watch
WHEN IS A WATCH NOT A WATCH? Judging by this year’s ladies collections, the answer is pretty clear for most brands. The secret watch has made a resounding comeback this year with a plethora of new offerings on the table, each one a fantasy of precious stones and metals. The elephant in the room though is the issue of practicality, or the lack thereof in any watch that deliberately covers its dial to hide the time from the onlooker. A secret watch demands a little attention before displaying the time and even then, if it happens to be a particularly small dial, as many of them are, actually telling the time becomes a challenge. “These watches are not really there to tell the time, lets be clear about that. They are wonderful pieces of jewellery first and foremost,” says , CEO of Graff Luxury Watches Michel Pitteloud. “I would be amazed if a lady actually opens the cover to look at the time on a regular basis; she is more likely to show it off to an admirer.” As a result, it is no surprise to see jewellery brands such as
rhodium-plated steel hands. The turtle’s shell is represented by a rose pink morganite gemstone. Louis Vuitton may be the new kid on the block in both jewellery and watches camps, but that hasn’t stopped the French powerhouse from rapidly establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with. This secret watch forms part of the 2013 Les Ardentes collection and is quintessential LV in every way. The designers in Paris have not only managed to integrate the LV flower monogram into the shape of the diamond-set dial cover, they have also opted for a flower-shaped cut to the diamonds in use on the same watch. Whereas a standard
These watches are not really there to tell the time, lets be clear about that. They are wonderful pieces of jewellery first and foremost Graff, Piaget and Cartier leading the charge in this trend; it plays to their strengths and gives them a competitive advantage over the classic watch brands. Graff has released a magnificent new piece with the power to turn a wrist into a scene stealer, no matter how glamorous the party. A 133 emerald beaded bracelet sets the tone with its five strings of finely threaded stones making a bright and colourful statement. This is connected to a refined, diamond-set case that has a hinged single emerald cover weighing 26.71ct protecting the dial underneath. Flip it up to reveal a petite, white mother of pearl, trapezium-shaped dial displaying the time. Intricate, infinitely feminine and a masterpiece of craftsmanship, it is, as Pitteloud suggests, a jewellery item first and foremost, but the hidden delight of the Quartz powered clock gives the watch a pleasing sense of purpose. Piaget can always be relied upon to produce a secret watch or two in its collections. Indeed, it is arguably one of its signature pieces, with the first such watch originally launched by the house as far back as 1942. Feminine and elegant, these watches are simultaneously a discreet timepiece and a piece of jewellery. Piaget prefers not to call it one or the other but a subtle combination of both. One of the standouts from the current collection is the secret watch with white gold and diamond flower motif on a white satin strap. Picking up on a naturally recurring pattern and incorporating a sliding central flower-shaped cover, this piece has 14.7ct of diamonds set on its delicate case and dial. A 1.8ct yellow sapphire represents the flower bud and provides a focal point when the dial is covered. When the tiny diamond-studded dial is exposed it inevitably attracts the eye’s attention, even if reading the time can be something of a struggle. Cartier’s current collection dwarfs that of Piaget’s in size and only looks set to grow further over coming years. Its Montre Tortue secret watch also deploys a feminine white strap, this time in calfskin, matched with a white gold turtleshaped case layered with brilliant cut diamonds and two sapphires for the turtle’s eyes. A lacquered and silvered dial houses a brilliant cut diamond hour marker and petite,
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brilliant cut diamond has 58 facets, this design has 65, meaning it picks up more light and gives off more shine. Handmade by a master enameller in Geneva, the enamel dial underneath has four separate diamond studs as hour markers that expertly frame the central minute and hour hands. Pure magic.
Graff carved emerald secret watch Movement: Quartz Case: diamond set Features: single emerald dial cover (26ct) Strap: set with 133 emerald beads (108ct) Price: upon request Distributor: Graff SA, 021 885 8160, www.delaire.co.za Piaget Limelight flower motif secret watch Case: diamond set white gold Movement: Quartz Strap: white satin Features: secret case, diamond pave dial Price: upon request Distributor: Vendôme Distributors, 0800 600 035, www.piaget.com Cartier Montre Tortue secrète de Cartier Movement: Quartz Case: white gold Features: morganite gemstone dial cover Strap: white calfskin Price: upon request Distributor: Vendôme Distributors, www.cartier.com Louis Vuitton Les Ardentes secret watch Movement: Quartz Case: white gold Features: monogram-shaped diamond cut Strap: diamond set Price: upon request Distributor: Louis Vuitton SA, 011 784 9854, www.louisvuitton.com
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ARC OF TIME THE SLICE OF SWITZERLAND AT THE EPICENTRE OF THE WORLD’S LUXURY WATCH INDUSTRY
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY AUTHENTICATED NEWS/ARCHIVE PHOTOS / GETTY IMAGES/ GALLO IMAGES
TEXT MATT MORLEY
A glimpse of a workroom in the Patek Philippe watch factory in Geneva, Switzerland
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La Chaux-de-Fonds
Bienne
Le Locle Fleurier Arc Jurassien
SWITZERLAND
VallĂŠe de Joux Le Sentier
Lausanne
Lake Geneva
Geneva
Jura region. Watch Museum in Le Locle. A watch showroom in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Audemars Piguet manufacture workshop circa 1923
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THE SWISS WATCH INDUSTRY EARNS AROUND R200bn in revenue for the country each year, with 700-odd brands producing in the region of 70-million timepieces annually. Not only is it Switzerland’s third largest industry — for many, the global watch industry is the Swiss watch industry, such is the dominance of this small, central European country. When it comes to premium and luxury timepieces, the focus zooms in even further to one thin slice of western Switzerland that feeds the world’s appetite for high-end watches, year in, year out. This largely French-speaking area known as the Arc Jurassien for its arc shape encompassing the Jura mountain range, is the watch world’s Silicon Valley — if it goes down in luxury watches, it goes down here. Ringed by the French border to the west, Geneva to the south, a string of lakes to the east and Schaffhausen to the north, this is a highly localised, insular industry where a distance of a few kilometres can mean the difference between one sense of identity and another, whether it be a community or a business. A leisurely drive north-east from Geneva will take you past endless rolling hills, an unfathomable number of dairy cows and not just one or two of the luxury watch brand headquarters but every single one of them, almost without exception. And that’s before the museums, antique stores and boutiques devoted to timepieces of all shapes and sizes. As François Courvoisier, dean of the Institute of Watch Marketing in Switzerland puts it: “Geneva began as the cradle of Swiss watchmaking and still houses Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin; then there is a town named La Chaux-de-Fonds with Corum and TAG Heuer; Le Locle is home to Zenith and Tissot; Bienne has Rolex and Omega; Audemars Piguet and Jaeger-LeCoultre are up in the mountain area of Vallée de Joux and Parmigiani is in nearby Fleurier.” How do we explain this massive clustering of businesses in such a small area? According to Susanne Hurni, marketing director of Ulysse Nardin, “the story dates back 200 years to when the first Swiss watchmakers began to build watches in their farm houses during the long, cold winters”. The congregation of suppliers such as case makers, dial makers, tool makers, and others related to this nascent cottage industry evolved from there. “Back then transport and communication weren’t as easy as they are today so it made sense for everyone to live and work close by.” Jean-Marc Pontroué, CEO of Roger Dubuis believes this makes his sector truly unique. “Watches are the only luxury product to be made in such a small part of one country, no other sector I know of has that.” This direct link between production and geography is written into the DNA of the watch industry. “Making a mechanical watch requires a large number of different crafts so easy, direct access to those artisans has always been important, just as being based here today is important; we still have to be close to the rest of the industry,” he says. An hour north of Geneva lies the lakeside city of Lausanne, the last sign of big city life for a while on the arc’s gentle trajectory into the nearby countryside, an enchanting collage of pastures, mountains and lakes. In winter a heavy layer of snow descends on much of the landscape but for the rest of the year it is an idyllic scene ripe for exploration. It’s as if the Swiss Family Robinson might appear, leaping over the nearest hill at any minute. Small towns such as Le Sentier, home of Jaeger-LeCoultre, have a manufacturing base so leisure tourists are scarce save for the occasional enthusiast visiting the Watchmakers Foundation and Museum. It’s the kind of place that leaves you in wonder at how such intricate and elaborate clocks, often made for the European aristocracy with apparently unlimited budgets, could have been produced more than 200 years ago, even before the advent of electricity.
Making a mechanical watch requires a large number of different crafts so easy, direct access to those artisans has always been important — Jean-Marc Pontroué Le Locle town centre. Audemars Piguet headquarters. Workshop, circa 1907
Le Sentier is a community that lives for watchmaking. It’s unashamedly a one-horse town and has always been so. It was the LeCoultre family, later of Jaeger-LeCoultre watches, who originally helped found the town. Antoine LeCoultre, the 10th generation heir, created a workshop here in 1833 that would eventually become the very first factory to bring all the watchmaking trades under one roof, known to this day as a “manufacture”. Here we hit upon the key contradiction of the watch industry and implicitly this region of Switzerland — its endless innovations married with a seamless continuity with the past. Panerai is opening a new, eco-friendly and high-tech 10 000m² manufacture building later this year above Lake Neuchâtel, deep in the heart of the Arc Jurassien. Whereas the company’s production is currently split between multiple sites, the new building will unify everything in a single location to increase its capacity, independence and quality control. The scale may be far larger than Antoine LeCoultre’s 19th century initiative but the concept is just the same, nearly 150 years later. Hermès’s own watch division formally launched in 1978 and, despite being a fiercely French brand both inside and out, it “started the workshops in Bienne, one of the hearts of the watch industry and the home of our main production partner”, says CEO Luc Perramond. For him at least, it is a never-ending cycle as “craftsmen pass on their skills from
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generation to generation and the industry basically remains in the same location”. A walking tour of Bienne will take in the old city centre where the signs of the early 19th century watch workshops are still visible on the top floors of some historic buildings. It’s a city where one in five inhabitants still work in the watch industry, either directly for one of the major brands or indirectly for one of their suppliers. It’s hard to escape the influence of time in a place like this. Similarly, being close to the companies with which it collaborates most meant obvious efficiencies for Hermès,
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Impression of Panerai’s new office and workshop. Roger Dubuis headquarters
Lake Neuchâtel. Bienne town centre
drawing it in like a magnet to follow a well trodden path made by countless other watch brands before it. Is that all there is to it, though? Might not CEOs be attracted to the same things a tourist comes here for: the fresh mountain air, outdoors lifestyle, unspoiled towns bursting with tradition... cheese fondue? For most of the company heads we spoke to, it is the people that really make this area special. Louis Vuitton launched its own watch workshop in the UNESCO-protected Jura mountain town of La Chaux-de-Fonds in 2002 because “the best craftsmen are all there”, according to Hamdi Chatti, the company’s director of watches and jewellery. “I believe it is of significant importance that we are located there too. It assures our clients get only the best quality when purchasing a Louis Vuitton timepiece.” The International Museum of Horology in La Chaux-deFonds may not be the most unbiased of sources perhaps but its focus on the role of key people in the development of the industry and the local communities of workers that supported them along the way is telling, serving to reinforce Chatti’s belief. So what is it about the small-town inhabitants of this area that makes such a difference? “About 50% of the industry’s workers are from here and the mentality is generally hard working, they are extremely dedicated with very few strikes or strong unions,” says Michel Pitteloud, CEO of Graff Luxury Watches. “You simply couldn’t do what we do in the Far East; they just don’t have the skills.” Those skills have to be honed and developed over time, a task carried out with typical Swiss efficiency by the numerous engineering schools and training facilities close by that offer up a steady stream of trainee craftsmen and apprentice artisans. And almost without noticing it, here we are staring down the barrel of “brand Switzerland”. Standing for quality, tradition and craftsmanship, the “Swiss Made” brand frequently ranks top in nation branding studies, largely thanks to the pool of skilled artisans that dominate its workforce. “Our customers know that all the skills and expertise are found in Switzerland so they expect us to be 100% Swiss Made,” says Perramond. “The law allows for 60% of added value in a watch to be ’Swiss Made’ but we decided to go for 100%. It is about a commitment to our clients.” Hermès has one of the most powerful names in the business so it can afford to lean on the trust customers put in it, but some smaller brands are no longer satisfied with a “one size fits all” approach that ignores whether a watch is 60% or 100% Swiss made. “Luxury brands generally use specific, historic locations to market their products,” says Courvoisier. “So some watch brands have now created new labels to try to differentiate themselves.” One such newcomer on the scene is the Geneva Seal and the Roger Dubuis brand, recently launched in SA by Vendôme Distributors SA, is one of its key proponents. For Pontroué it’s a case of building on the city’s illustrious watchmaking heritage to give customers a guarantee of the
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International Museum of Horology in La Chaux-de-Fonds
I believe it is of significant importance that we are located there too. It assures our clients get only the best quality when purchasing a Louis Vuitton timepiece — Hamdi Chatti highest standards possible, especially as he does not have 200 years of company history behind him like some of his competitors. “Geneva is the capital city of fine watchmaking, just as Paris is for fashion. Our brand was created in 1995. We are a highly innovative company in terms of design, yet we also produce exceptional mechanical movements. Having the Geneva Seal on all our watches was the best way to show that.” Consequently, “Swiss Made” still appears on the watch but hidden inside, whereas the “Made in Geneva” label takes pride of place. Watch fans looking to learn more about the city’s horological heritage could do far worse than heading for the famous (and famously popular) Patek Philippe Museum where a large selection of historic timepieces are on display. For an overview of contemporary watches on the other hand, there is simply no better place to see so many watch boutiques in one place than the Rue du Rhone in the city centre. If you can’t find the watch you want here, the chances are it is no longer in production, and even then it’s still worth asking around. “So why Geneva? You find all the suppliers there so it is very practical. You don’t have to run from country to country to find things. I can just jump from one factory to another in a single day to look at a case, dial, movement, buckle or strap," says Pitteloud, proving the city has as much to offer industry insiders as visiting enthusiasts. Michel Parmigiani of Parmigiani watches, now available in SA via Picot & Moss, is a classically trained watchmaker from a small town near Fleurier, right up in the mountains of the Arc Jurassien. It’s a sleepy kind of place that reveals little to the outside observer — apart from a fine local restaurant or two it prefers to reserve its secrets for those beavering away inside the town’s watch factories, offices and headquarters. Parmigiani made the transition from watch restorer to watchmaker and has gone on to create his own quality guarantee to improve upon “Swiss Made” and possibly even the Geneva Seal. Known as the Fleurier Quality Foundation, in distinction from the Geneva Seal which requires a watch to be 100% made and assembled specifically in Geneva, “the label has nothing to do with location. In essence it is a label guaranteeing a certain quality of watchmaking for the customer,” explains Parmigiani CEO Jean-Marc Jacot. Whether this is just the beginning and we will see a flood of such quality seals cropping up in future, each promising something more than the next, remains to be seen. Could it revolutionise the industry and spell the end of the “Swiss Made” label in watches? Unlikely. If the past 200 years are anything to go by, this is just the latest sign of an industry reinventing itself to maintain the status quo. How very Swiss.
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La Chaux-de-Fonds. Pamigiani headquarters
HORLOGERIE
REGATTAS ON THE WRIST WATCH BRANDS CONTINUE TO BE INSPIRED BY, AND SPONSOR, THE PRESTIGIOUS SPORT OF SAILING TEXT MATT MORLEY
PANERAI LUMINOR 1950 3 DAYS CHRONO FLYBACK Panerai CEO Angelo Bonati is a passionate sailor, owner of the 76-year-old Bermuda ketch Eilean and the catalyst behind his company’s various regatta sponsorships, including the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge. This particular interpretation of the ever-popular Luminor model makes use of a newly developed mechanical movement powering a regatta countdown function involving a push button at 4 o’clock that moves the orange chronograph minute hand back on the orange start zone between 11 and 12 o’clock on the dial. This allows the wearer to set the desired countdown duration before the start of each race, before recording elapsed race time. In a final flourish, the dial’s flange is enhanced with a tachymeter scale expressed in knots that, with a little patience, enables the wearer to calculate a racing yacht’s speed when measured over a fixed distance. Thanks to the practical, waterproof rubber strap and lightweight titanium casing, this is a watch aimed squarely at active sailors who don’t mind getting wet.
Corum Admiral’s Cup Ac-one 45 Regatta
Features: chronograph, regatta countdown Case: 45mm titanium with black PVD bezel Movement: CO 040 calibre automatic Strap: titanium Price: R149 500 Distributor: Bellagio Jewellers, 011 883 2215, bellagiojewellers.co.za
Panerai Luminor 1950 3 Days Chrono Flyback
Alpina Sailing Yachttimer Countdown
Features: bi-chronograph, enamel dial Case: 18ct white gold, 45.5mm Movement: automatic Manufacture movement LV175 Strap: black alligator Price: R700 000 Distributor: Louis Vuitton SA, 011 784 9854, www.louisvuitton.com
ALPINA SAILING YACHTTIMER COUNTDOWN Alpina’s CEO Dr Peter Stas is another sailing fanatic and is often found cruising Croatia’s Dalmatian coast with family in summer. His brand’s 44mm diameter stainless steel sports watch, launched this year, has a countdown timer from 10 minutes to one minute that gives way to a fluorescent start indicator when the regatta begins. A sensible black rubber strap that repels sweat and sea water, combined with a prominent orange chronograph seconds hand and the black dial all give the Yachttimer Countdown a practical, no-nonsense look. Alpina is known for its “accessible luxury” price points making it ideal for thrashing around in training and bad weather conditions without having to take out a new insurance policy for your wrist. Limited to 8 888 pieces worldwide.
Features: 10-minute countdown Case: 44mm stainless steel Movement: calibre AL-880 automatic Strap: black rubber Price: upon request Distributor: Picot & Moss, 011 669 0500, www.picotandmoss.co.za
Features: regatta countdown, flyback chronograph, knot scale Case: 47mm, brushed titanium Movement: P9100 calibre automatic Strap: black rubber Price: R169 000 Distributor: Vendôme Distributors, 0800 600 035, www.panerai.com LOUIS VUITTON TAMBOUR TWIN CHRONO Louis Vuitton had a 25-year association with the America’s Cup Challengers series until 2007 when it withdrew from sponsorship. This year it rekindled its partnership with the event once more. No surprises then that LV was also one of the first to set a course for dominance in the luxury regatta watch niche. The America’s Cup is a match race with two equal boats going head to head; in this LV timepiece a new “bichronograph” movement, four years in the making, allows for two distinct times to be measured simultaneously with the difference between them also displayed on the same dial. The white gold case, alligator leather strap and handmade enamel dial all put this timepiece firmly in the support boat camp, spectating from a safe distance. Limited edition to 30 pieces.
Tag Heuer Aquaracer Countdown Chronograph
Louis Vuitton Tambour Twin Chrono
CORUM ADMIRAL’S CUP AC-ONE 45 REGATTA Corum has developed its associations with sailing via sponsorships of sailors such as Frenchman Loick Peyron and British superstar Ben Ainslie, as well as numerous regattas around the world such as the Bol d’Or Mirabaud in Switzerland. Only this year though did it launch its first watch equipped with a regatta function developed entirely in-house in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. The timer in question is a jumping countdown located at 3 o’clock on the dial that is adjustable from 0-10 minutes depending on the race rules. After every 60 seconds the numerical aperture display ‘jumps’ to display one minute less before the start of the race. From 0, the chronograph continues running for up to 12 hours via a central seconds hand, a 30minute counter at 12 o’clock and an hour counter at 6 o’clock.
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TAG HEUER AQUARACER COUNTDOWN CHRONOGRAPH As sponsors of the America’s Cup Oracle Team USA, TAG Heuer has built a strong association with the sailing world, something it hopes to capitalise on with the relaunch of its Aquaracer collection this year. The star of the show is this Countdown Chronograph model, as worn by the Oracle racing team. A five-windowed countdown timer at 12 o’clock incorporates a clever three colour system allowing the same counters to be used for five, 10 or 15-minute countdowns prior to a race start. The generous 500m water resistance guarantee and helium release valve will presumably only be useful for divers rather than sailors, unless things go drastically wrong during a race, but it is a sign of how seriously TAG Heuer has taken this nautical association. A fine all-rounder of a watch ideal for active sports fans.
Features: countdown function, helium valve Case: 43mm stainless steel with black ceramic bezel Movement: Calibre 72 Strap: stainless steel or black rubber Price: upon request Distributor: Picot & Moss
Salvatore Ferragamo Minuetto. Versace DV One Skeleton
INTERVIEW Paolo Marai, president
of Timex Group Luxury Division TEXT MATT MORLEY
Paolo Marai is president and CEO of Timex Group’s Luxury Division, responsible for producing watches under licence for Italian fashion brands Versace and Ferragamo. How did you start your career in watches? I was in consumer electronics for almost 10 years, then I moved into the fashion industry where I began to come into contact with luxury brands on a regular basis. In 2004, when Timex entered the luxury market, I was the guy with knowledge of the licensing business, some knowledge about watches and experience with luxury brands. A friend of mine was also CEO of Versace Watches, so I guess you can say there was an element of good luck in there too. What was the process behind the launch of the Versace and Ferragamo watch collections? For Ferragamo we had to go right back to understand the DNA of the brand, its history and heritage, then explain to our designers how to faithfully recreate that style in the form of a watch. There is a complicated approval process for all these designs as well of course as the Ferragamo team has to protect its brand but we all work well together. For Versace on the other hand, it already had some experience in the watch industry. The problem was that there was a lack of creativity within the company and we really had to rethink the entire product development process from the ground up. So that became more of a restructuring of the business followed by a relaunch, whereas Ferragamo was essentially a startup. Do you think consumers care whether a watch has been made in-house by a brand instead of under licence by a large company like Timex? It’s very simple. What you describe are just different approaches to making a watch. Whether you work with a small company or a big one the most important thing is that they are dedicated to your brand in every way. Timex is a mass volume brand. For our Timex Luxury watches we are totally separate in terms of manufacturing. Our price points are completely different. We do, however, have access to the credibility of the 150-year old Timex brand that helps us when negotiating with suppliers, for example. Some brands have decided to set up their own watch division without using an outside company like yours at all. What is your opinion on that strategy? There are some cases of that working and others where it has failed. The key point is the capacity to create a dedicated team who understands your product, that team can be internal or external; there isn’t much difference really. If you do it internally, you have complete control but your investment is very high. What are your plans for the future with the Timex Group? We are looking to bring on another watch license. I can’t tell you who it will be yet... I don’t know who it will be. Certain brands came to us and we’re still negotiating with them. We’ll have more news for you soon.
TW Steel and RAGE (Rhino Action Group Effort) have collaborated to produce a four-model watch collection incorporating the RAGE logo in an effort to raise funds for the battle against rhino poaching. Fifty percent of all proceeds from the sale of the Rhinorage collection will contribute directly towards the fight against rhino poaching in SA, with RAGE assisting in ensuring that the funds are used where they are needed most. www.twsteelrhinorage.co.za
JEWELLED COIFFURE
Graff Diamonds TEXT MATTHEW MCCLURE
What better way to commemorate your success than to reinvent a legacy? Marking 60 years in the fine jewellery industry, Graff Diamonds has relaunched the iconic 1970s image Hair and Jewels — a masterpiece of design that highlights some of the world’s most valuable and priceless gems and jewellery pieces. Photographer David Slijper and hair stylist Eamonn Hughes teamed up to give a modern shine to this revolutionary image, which broke the conventional boundaries of jewellery display by emphasising that even younger women can aspire to the luxury of owning diamonds. Twenty two pieces are incorporated into model Dalia Gunther’s exquisitely styled coiffure, including a 10.47ct fancy vivid blue internally flawless briolette diamond pendant.
Graff Diamonds, www.graffdiamonds.com
See behind the scenes as the team put this shot together at atlargewithwanted.tumblr.com 44 OCTOBER 2013
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