Rendez-Vous

MANUEL EMCH

PRESIDENT, MONTRES JAQUET DROZ SA

Globally, we had a very good first two months in 2009. Overall, we have posted very strong double digit growth. It’s difficult to predict the future. These cycles of growth and depression are part of the market dynamics. We have done exceptionally well in India. We are one of the first brands to invest in India. We came in directly and didn’t depend on agents. The sell-out is not very difficult but the sell-in is difficult. Lot of the big distributing groups are scared to buy in. There are brands that don’t work any more but others are quite innovative and working on reinventing themselves. These brands are communicating their history, brand equity, historical, technical features, craftsmanship and aesthetics. Everything in our watches is Swiss-made and these components are available within a specified area closer to our facility.

We have been exploring new vistas. We are soon going to open exclusive brand outlets in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Vietnam-Hanoi and Beijing. In India, we are looking at 2-3 more stores. We are building new manufacturing facility encompassing 2,500 sq mt building 6,000 sq. mt. of land. It will finish by the second half of 2010. We are investing during this crisis. Crisis helps gain market share.

Our new collections are inspired by themes. Last year, it was all about interactions and relationships. This year, the whole collection is inspired by music and songs. This year, there was a song on the cosmos, the stars, the planets, the universe and that’s what inspired me to create the new collections. The brand is going in different directions such as rubber straps and ceramics. In 2001, we did the Grand Techin collection endowed by history, craftsmanship, technical know how and design wrapped up in intimacy, privacy and uniqueness. It’s like a square in the circle and the circle is a stone. We threw this stone into the water and this leads to concentric circles. Whatever we do, is wrapped around the core. The latest innovation is the links which are emotional and philosophical as they are inspired by environment and time. Time is abstract but the environment is real. Our brand is all about philosophy. The brand philosophy has to be infused with new vigour. We are presenting links and automatics in a new way. I wanted to take something from the past and make it contemporary. The idea was to create a camera that captures time. It is a mechanical technological marvel, which is unique, marvellous and incredible. It has a strong design and wonderful craftsmanship. There is nothing more intimate and private than time.         

I would study the person and choose a product based on personality traits. The person and watch have to match and be in sync. There is a watch based on different hourly timezones. I love the power reserve watches with colours as they communicate. In the men, I like the black and white collection. In the women, I love the Celeste with planetary connotations.



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