Of Movements & Masterpieces

& MASTERPIECES 56 July 2014 Bejewelled Tell us about your journey, so far, with Carl F. Bucherer. ‘Journey with Carl F. Bucherer’ conjures up a picture I love. The very idea sums up everything so well: When you go on a journey, you need a vision, a goal. You also need a good team to manoeuver through situations and make the visions come true. When I started as CEO at Carl F. Bucherer in 2010, my goals were to develop the brand internationally, to strengthen its market position, and to make it more profitable. My team and I have achieved all of these goals and, in some cases, exceeded expectations. We have increased the number of watches sold from 6,500 to 20,000!

How would you define Carl F. Bucherer and the brand’s DNA?

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As an independent luxury watch brand, Carl F. Bucherer has a lot to offer. According to me, it's the perfect mix of tradition and innovation that makes our products so impressive. The watches are a combination of first-class jewellery-making and watchmaking. They are beautifully designed and feel fantastic on the wrist. Along with the extraordinary exterior, they are also special on the inside, and are equipped with our own in-house movements. What is your vision for the brand?

Our target is to keep to the promise our founder Carl Friedrich Bucherer made over 125 years ago—to continue to create exclusive, high-end, luxury timepieces with exceptional aesthetic designs combined with the highest functional integrity and best quality. Building upon this, we hope to achieve sustainable growth and, of course, higher sales figures, worldwide.

What all goes into the conception of a timepiece? I believe one needs a visionary spirit to create a new timepiece. Once the basic decision has been made, the next step is to decide on the necessary features. Many proposals are rejected or modified and then, on the basis of sketches and models, the first prototypes are produced. Finally, when everything is tested and turns out perfect, the production starts. In the end, our watches are a perfect combination of advanced technology, traditional watchmaking and outstanding design. It´s impossible not to fall in love with them.

What should we look forward to in the Basel World 2014 collection?

Well, we’ve got some innovative new products. The outstanding Pa traviS cuba Tec, for example, is a reliable, high-performance sportive diving watch. Also, we show our new version of the Manero Tourbillon. It’s a masterpiece that embodies the discreet but powerful elegance of a Manero timepiece and brings it to perfection with the extremely delicate complication, the tourbillon. We have integrated further special features into the watch: The date is shown by a central hand and the remaining run time can be seen on the power reserve display at 9 o’clock. The final sophisticated function on the dial is a 24-hour display at 12 o’clock. Which is your favourite timepiece from the collection? The Manero Tourbillon, definitely. I´m also a big fan of the Pat ravi Travel Tec Fou rX, a watch designed for upmarket travellers. This timepiece is perfect for journeys because it provides the possibility to pre-select the direction you are travelling in–East or West–and jump over time zones by just pressing a button. It is not only for frequent flyers but also for anyone who communicates with the entire world.

What do you feel about India as a luxury market? No matter which country, consumers want to win great recognition within their social network and to be appreciated for their individual personality. And India is a very strong market for luxury goods like watches and jewellery. We plan to further invest in this region by opening new points of sales.

What is your personal style like? What timepieces do you wear?

Style always depends on who you are and what you want to express. So, if I go skiing, my style is rather sporty, while on a business dinner it’s classical. You can emphasise your style by wearing the perfect accessories. In my case, the eye catcher is a watch. As I mentioned before, I love the Manero Tourbillon, but I am also a fan of the Pat ravi Travel Tec Fou rX. At the moment I am wearing the Pa traviS cuba Tec, a timepiece that I can wear on both occasions–at work and in my leisure time.

If you could conceptualise a watch for the L’Officiel woman, what would it be like? I think our new concept watch is perfect for the L’Officiel woman. The Pathos Diva combines a jeweller´s craft with the art of watchmaking. With its noble garland of faceted steel, it is a timepiece of extraordinary beauty.

Our target is to keep to the promise our founder Carl Friedrich Bucherer made over 125 years ago—to continue to create exclusive, high-end, luxury timepieces with exceptional aesthetic designs combined with the highest functional integrity and best quality.

July 2014 57 Jaquet Droz is known for its creative prowess and watchmaking brilliance. And the five new additions to the Petite Heure Minute collection showcase magnificently elegant timepieces. FEMME FATALES Bejewelled 58 July 2014 Jaquet Droz timepieces have always combined design, materials and expert knowhow with unprecedented refinements of watchmaking mechanics. The brand presented a new vision of femininity in watchmaking when it unveiled the Petite Heure Minute two years ago. This year, the watchmaker has extended the lineage by adding five new spectacular timepieces to this delicate collection. The new femme fatales—with a case measuring just 35mm and a change in scale for the hours and minutes dial, off-centered at twelve o’clock—embody the brand’s elegant, outward looking philosophy.

Each of these new watches showcases the expert skills of the Jaquet Droz artisans. The collection features dials that play on materials and minerals, displaying exclusive colours that sing with every swing of the wrist. At once intimate and elegant, the new versions cover both day and evening wear with a choice of cases in white and red gold along with stainless steel. The two models with stainless steel cases are perfect for daywear and encompass all the possibilities that a day can hold. A disc of blue-black aventurine claims the night, enhanced by diamonds, which evoke a veritable crown of stars in a poetic journey that continues with a strap of equally intense blue.

Another model embodies the softness of dawn with a dial cut from pale blue mother-of-pearl. The timepiece features eight stars—a motif and a number dear to Jaquet Droz— together with a bezel set with 160 diamonds. The white gold model has a white mother-of-pearl dial with a sunray structure—a feat of true craftsmanship when considering the sheer fragility of this natural material. Its blued steel hands echo the blue alligator leather strap.

Finally, shades of garnet and rose in a ‘ruby heart’ dial embrace the warm tones of a red gold case, ring, hands and an ardillon buckle. Jaquet Droz’s use of such precious materials is also on display in a version with the dial, bezel and lugs entirely set with brilliant-cut diamonds. It is accentuated by the iridescence of the rolled-edged handmade satin strap. We don’t know about you, but we are hooked!

The new models are unique in their own right and showcase the watchmaker's skill and expertise in creating magnificent timepieces.