Very good month for Swiss watch exports

Swiss watchmaking in August 2010: Faster growth

(09/2010) August was a very good month for Swiss watch exports. Their value exceeded one billion francs (1.07 billion), nearly equalling the 2008 result. Monthly growth peaked at +24.1%. With two-thirds of the year now behind us, the branch is 20.1% higher and has grown at a sustained pace since last January. Gold watches set the tone in August with a gain of almost 40% in value. Bimetal timepieces also reported a better than average sales rise. In terms of the number of pieces, all the materials moved ahead. The increase was more pronounced for precious metals and bimetal watches.

Strong and competent partner

Longines title partner in the SESF Ride to Pride initiative

(08/2010) The Swiss Equestrian Sports Federation’s initiative entitled Ride to Pride aimed at promoting the Swiss delegation at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky (USA) will enjoy the large-scale support of the famous Swiss watchmaker Longines. Longines will be eminently present in the various “Ride to Pride by Longines” promotion projects during the lead-up to the departure of the Swiss delegation for Kentucky. The brand will also be actively involved in devising different media campaigns.

Temporary Boutique in Munich

Jeweller Bucherer to become a Jaeger-LeCoultre Boutique

(07/2010) From July 16th-24th, take advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to purchase the watch of your dreams in a Jaeger-LeCoultre Boutique in Germany. For ten days, Bucherer in Munich’s Weinstrasse will be transformed into a Jaeger-LeCoultre Boutique, from the shopfront to the interior design and even the watches themselves.

Location perfection

Tissot opens a monobrand store on Paris’s Champs-Elysées at number 76

(07/2010) For its latest monobrand store, Tissot has chosen a location on ‘the world's most beautiful avenue', the famous Champs-Elysées in Paris. Neighbouring the flagship stores of the world's leading brands, the 100 square metre boutique opened its doors for the first time on July 8, 2010. An elegant Parisian facade encloses two floors of products. These accommodate eye-catching displays, as well as interactive presentations that enable visitors to experience the diversity and energy of the Tissot brand. And wrapping up the monobrand store package are a terrace and a café, where shoppers can relax and refuel.

Watch movement assembly

Takeover of the operational activities of Tanzarella

(07/2010) The Swatch Group Ltd. and Tanzarella Ltd. signed a contract for the takeover of the activities of Tanzarella Ltd. in Riazzino/Locarno taking effect on July 12, 2010. The takeover will take place by transferring the assets into a recently founded Swatch Group company. The new company called Assemti Ltd. will be at the present location in Riazzino / Locarno. The Swatch Group Ltd. will acquire the building used until now by Tanzarella from Credit Suisse.

Antiquorum’s Hong Kong June auction

Patek Philippe timepieces achieve remarkable results

(06/2010) Antiquorum’s summer auction “Collecting Modern & Vintage Timepieces”, held at the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong on Saturday 26 June, achieved excellent results totalling HKD 36’897’120 (CHF 5’243’080; USD 4’743’125), with 81% of the 431lots offered being sold, representing 120% by value. In addition to the strong in-room presence, the auction enjoyed very active Internet bidding, with 270 bidders registered online in addition to the many telephone and commission bidders. International interest came from across the globe, including the United States, Turkey, Spain, Japan and France.

Celebrity guests join the festivities

OMEGA opens a glamorous new boutique in Via Condotti

(06/2010) OMEGA celebrated the opening of its new boutique at Via Condotti 38-40, one of the world’s most glamorous shopping avenues. The new boutique, OMEGA’s second in Italy, was officially opened by Stephen Urquhart, president of OMEGA, who commented on the event, “We are very happy to have found such a prestigious location for our boutique in Rome. The new space in Via Condotti is the ideal setting for our brand and is the perfect complement to the other great OMEGA Boutiques in the world including those in Paris, New York, Tokyo and Shanghai.”

Interview with CEO Jordy Cobelens

TW Steel – 5 Years of Big Time

(06/2010) TW Steel, the Dutch watch brand specializing in oversized watches, celebrates its fifth anniversary this month – highlighted by a beach party on Sunday 20th June at The Bloomingdale Club on the beach at Bloemendaal. While the occasion will be celebrated appropriately, with a stellar line-up of DJ’s to keep the party going, for TW Steel CEO and co-owner, Jordy Cobelens, it marks a remarkable accomplishment for ‘The Watch in Steel’.

JCK Las Vegas 2010

BUBEN&ZÖRWEG PHANTOM HIGH FIDELITY was the highlight of the show

(06/2010) The management board at the House of BUBEN&ZÖRWEG was very satisfied with the JCK 2010. "To us, the success of the trade show in Las Vegas represents both a confirmation and an important step towards building a broad distributor base in the United States. The Objects of Time® distributed by our house were met with particular interest and obviously have huge potential in the USA," says a happy Harald Buben.

Exceptional prices were achieved

Antiquorum sells Patek Philippe Ref. 5104 for $ 576,000

(06/2010) Watch collectors filled Antiquorum’s auction room in New York City on June 10th for its sale of Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, Pocket Watches & Clocks which achieved $ 4,511,268 resulting in a combined spring sales total of $ 9,511,656. Enthusiastically competing with the collectors present in the auction room were 420 registered internet bidders in addition to the many phone and commission bidders.

The main markets fared well

Swiss watchmaking in May 2010: Growth at an average rate

(06/2010) The Swiss watch industry appears to have found its cruising speed in the spring. The value of exports in May grew at a rate close to the average for the first four months of 2010, rising by 13.0% to a level of 1.2 billion francs. This two-digit increase also had a strong positive impact on the moving average over twelve months, which should see a return to growth towards the end of the summer.

A little bit crazy, a bit of an adventurer!

Blancpain ranked as Top Luxury Watch Brand

(06/2010) Blancpain has proven time and time again that it ranks as the best amongst the best. In a recent survey conducted by New York City-based The Luxury Institute, their 2010 Luxury Brand Status Index survey, rated Swiss brand Blancpain as the “most luxurious” watch brand. Remaining faithful to the tradition of pure craftsmanship, thirteen generations of watchmakers have passed down their creativity and expertise for more than 275 years.

Hublot will sponsor completely free access to FT

Financial Times launches App for iPAD

(05/2010) The Financial Times today announces the launch of its new app for iPad, on the day the iPad goes on sale in Switzerland. The app takes advantage of the iPad’s unique interface and provides interactive access to a broad range of Financial Times content, including video, markets data, investment portfolios and news and analysis.

Swatch Art Peace Hotel: Boutiques Opening

Brequet, Blancpain, Omega and Swatch open flagship stores

(05/2010) The opening of the ground floor of the Swatch Art Peace Hotel took place at 26th May 2010 in Shanghai with four exceptional boutiques in a grandiose architectural environment. The Swatch Art Peace Hotel, an emblematic historical building located at the corner of the Bund and Nanjing Road, reopened today after several years of restoration work that will enable it to welcome the public in the boutiques of four of Swatch Group’s most prestigious brands – Blancpain, Breguet, Omega and Swatch.

At the Swatch Art Peace Hotel

Blancpain opens the doors of its second boutique in Shanghaï

(05/2010) As part of its celebration of the 275th year since its founding, Blancpain is opening its second boutique in Shanghai. This is the 37th Blancpain’s boutique world-wide. The new Blancpain boutique at The Swatch Art Peace Hotel may be located in China’s most bustling and modern city, yet the rich wood tones of the walls and farm house windows of the display cases breathe Switzerland and, indeed, are inspired by the finishes of the workshops and watchmaker work benches found in Blancpain’s atelier in Le Brassus.