Philippe Dufour is setting salerooms alight; WatchBox has invested in De Bethune; Chrono24 has secured LVMH-backed funding; Watchfinder is presenting all the James Bond watches in its Paris showroom; Richard Mille has launched a certified network for its pre-owned watches… for watch fans, the moving and shaking is on the pre-owned market.
End of September in New York City, Luxury Daily hosted an all-day event focusing on the role of women in the luxury business. Titled "Women in Luxury", the conference, attended by more than 100 businesswomen and men, witnessed some impressive speakers in a host of luxury fields including automobiles, finance and timepieces.
The history and future of cars and watches seem to be inextricably linked. Both wristwatches and automobiles had their start in the early part of the 20th century, and both were about innovation, convenience and precision. Throughout the decades, many top watch brands have aligned themselves with the luxurious world of cars, from vintage to classic, muscle, sports and racers.
“Navigating my way to new horizons. Contrary to popular belief, the sky is NOT the limit; it is merely the beginning of something bigger.” This quote was posted by Georges Kern on July 18 to announce his arrival as CEO of Breitling. Bigger?
Opinionated, controversial, unpredictable… watchmaking's new ambassadors are moving the line between political correctness and audacity. All the better to provoke… sales.