A year of the rabbit for watch brands?
China, which weighed on watch exports at end 2022, will be the key to activity in 2023, a year that opens with mixed prospects. Will China’s impact on luxury sales be as great as in 2021?
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What next for the pre-owned market?
Once dismissed as a hang-out for unscrupulous traders touting fakes, in little more than a decade the pre-owned watch market has grown to remarkable proportions and is expected to surpass sales of new watches. Consultancy firm LuxeConsult predicts this reversal in roles for 2033.
Swatch breaks the mould with its new HQ
Not known for architectural swagger, Swatch Group has cut the ribbon on the new Swatch headquarters. The snake-like building is like nothing ever seen before in the branch. For Nick Hayek, it's about sparking the emotions and arousing curiosity.
Breitling’s dive into surfer-dude culture
On the road with CEO Georges Kern, Breitling stopped off in California to meet champion surfer Kelly Slater. While there, the brand had plenty of new releases to show, with the Aviator 8 Mosquito, a revisited Avenger line and a new range of straps in Econyl, a yarn made from recycled fishing nets.
David Candaux, a rare talent
It's not every day you meet a mountain-climbing, free-diving, Alpine-horn-loving watchmaker. David Candaux carries on not just a family tradition but that of the region he calls home, giving a fresh twist to the heritage that runs through Vallée de Joux. Introducing the newest member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI).
Why sell more watches?
For certain brands, growth isn't about selling more but selling better. Audemars Piguet was first to put a limit on production, successfully so. Now Roger Dubuis and Panerai are following suit.
On influencers
Returning to the subject of influencers, perhaps they don't all deserve to be tossed out with the trash, however great the temptation to reject them all as good-for-nothings.
Bucherer intends to "revolutionise" the pre-owned market
Bucherer's newly-opened Gallery in Geneva is entirely focused on pre-owned watches. As well as buying and selling, this lounge space will host events aimed at renewing the purchasing experience for a new generation of watch enthusiasts, through a concept Bucherer plans to roll out to other locations.
