Olivier Muller over at The Watch Lounge did some research about innovation in the watch industry and explains how brands move forwards while looking backwards. Olivier analyzes whether some of the brands are more or less obliged to look backwards while others are benefiting from this. What to think about new brands (like Romain Jerome) that have no history at all and need other ways (e.g. innovation) to get in the spot lights? The Watch Lounge did a 4 part article about this topic and it is a must-read for everyone interested in the watch industry!

Olivier Muller also took Montblanc as an example in his essay, because the recent Minerva take-over enabled them to become a serious player in high end/haute horlogerie with their Villeret line of watches.

Make sure to read “How to move forwards while looking backwards – innovation in the watch industry” over at The Watch Lounge:

• Part 1 (Hublot)
• Part 2 (Montblanc)
• Part 3 (Romain Jerome)
• Part 4 (Audemars Piguet)

Besides Romain Jerome, all mentioned brands in this article have a history with watches. Montblanc is discutable, but their ‘Minerva’ definitely has one. Romain Jerome has another ‘trick’ going for them, using special materials that will work on the emotion of their buyers. Titanic, Moon-Dust…

So, how about the brands who doesn’t have the ability to look back because there is nothing there? I definitely think that having a watch history or even better, in the case of Audemars Piguet, an iconic time piece is a big (very big) advantage compared to (new) brands who need to use other ways to draw people’s attention and trust. Trust? Yes. Trust. People spending serious amounts of money on watches are very hesitant to spend it on a brand that nobody knows and have no track record (yet), perhaps despite the fact that they are very innovative.

Last friday, my first article (chronicle) for WorldTempus has been published. It is about the Hublot Aero Bang Morgan, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the UK based sports car company Morgan. The Morgan AeroMax has been the inspiring factor for the designers over at Hublot. Have a look at the WorldTempus chronicles to read the entire article.

WorldTempus.com is part of Edipresse Luxe. Edipresse Luxe is dedicated to watchmaking, luxury and fashion and offer a broad range of high-end magazines (Revolution, Tribune des Arts, GMT), websites (WorldTempus.com) and events (Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve).

Would love to get some feedback on the article, please send me an e-mail or leave a comment.

As I wrote in a post on the 29th of November 2004, involvement of a brand’s CEO is a mighty marketing weapon. Not only Angelo Bonati (CEO Panerai) got the hang of it, also Jean Claude Biver of Hublot seem to know how it works. Hublot, which is present on the TZ forum since may 2005, is responding to a long winded post by a dissappointed customer of the All-Chocolate Hublot Big Bang watch. Forum moderator Mike Margolis (also Sales Director of Hublot for North-America) and Jean Claude Biver (CEO Hublot) give a fair response to fellow TZ visitor and Hublot-fan Ron (a.k.a. WatchRon). The full post by Ron can be read here: http://forums.timezone.com/index.php?t=msg&goto=3867474&rid=37687#msg_3867474.

In short, Ron ordered an ‘All-Chocolate’ Hublot Big Bang wrist watch, as pictured below. This watch was introduced during the Basel 2008 expo in Switzerland. As you can see, it is an all-brown Hublot Big Bang (44mm). At least, that’s how it was presented during the Basel fair. On the TZ forum, Ron complains that the watch he got delivered turns out to be not so all-brown.. The chronograph second hand is red and the date disc is white. Both should be brown, according to the prototype that was demonstrated to him. Ron had sent this watch back to Hublot to get the correct brown second hand and date disc wheel. Free of charge.

Both Mike Margolis and Jean Claude Biver react on the message posted by Ron, saying that they are terribly sorry and that it was purely a business decision to send out these not-so-brown watches, because not all parts came in on time at Hublot. Dealers wanted it now, they didn’t care about these details. Right or wrong, up to you… It is clear that JC Biver and his Sales Director of the USA create a lot of respect and goodwill amongst Hublot (Big Bang) adepts by participating actively on TZ.

Note: Mike Margolis used to be the Hublot Forum moderator, this task is now done by AMR_KSA. Thanks for the info Ron.