Archive for the ‘New This Week’ Category:
Wow Watch Wednesday: Jaeger-LeCoultre Haute Joaillerie Collection
We like to think we know our place here at The Watch Lounge, and that place typically takes us far away from the more mainstream brands. However, when we saw the gorgeous new Haute Joaillerie collection from master-watchmakers Jaeger-LeCoultre, we simply could not resist. Take one look at the photos and we’ll think you’ll understand why. If you have been looking for a sophisticated, elegant gift for that someone special than you may have just found it (assuming that it is, that you can choose just one!)
Decorative Art
According to the highly respected Marque this year’s new Haute Joaillerie models tell the tale of an enchanting time in which watchmaking magic is admirably expressed through that of the decorative arts.
Undoubtedly there is a little bit of PR fluff in there but we have to say that this is one of the most balanced collections we have seen in some time. For the most part the timepieces retain a level of mechanical complexity that will satisfy the true aficionados of the brand, including complications such as tourbillions and power reserves, whilst at the same time showcasing the exceptional talents of the craftsmen who have transformed these blank canvases into genuine works of art.
The exceptional attention to detail and hand-finished touches are apparent in every facet of these timepieces, and in conjunction with the creative yet mildly constrained designs, they come together to form a truly stunning range, offering potential clients a somewhat varied assortment of luxurious Haute Joaillerie pieces to choose from.
Certainly we won’t go as far as to say that there is something for everyone here, but for true lovers of aesthetically inspired timepieces this new collection certainly warrants a closer look.
The Final Word
Jaeger-LeCoultre will always hold a special place in our hearts, for no other reason than that they are, in our humble opinions, one of the best luxury watch manufacturers in the world. They craft sensational timepieces which are renowned for both their quality and complexity, and carry a name that is held in the highest esteem the world over.
The focus of this new Haute Joaillerie collection, as the name suggests, is primarily on the pieces’ superb aesthetic features. However, unlike so many other jewellery collections, you can be absolutely certain that you are buying both a work of art and an exceptionally well made timepiece.
And for us, that makes all the difference.
Check out the full collection at Jaeger Le-Coultre’s official website: www.jaeger-lecoultre.com
What do you think? Leave a comment. | Filed under New This Week, Wow Watch Wednesday
Horology And The Internet: When Will The Two Get Along?
The internet sometimes presents a strange paradox for luxury watch consumers and enthusiasts. On the one hand, it has become a daily, essential tool for millions of people the world over in little more than a decade, and yet on the other hand it is still considered with a degree of mistrust by many brands of horology.
The question is, why? And more importantly what will be the consequences of these drawn-out, toe-dipping exercises?
What’s Stopping Them?
Perhaps it is the speed? The internet is evolving at an incredibly rapid pace, at odds with an industry whose core business model is based upon time (and the slow passage of it). Maybe the internet is too vague, too broad? The watch-making industry is governed by laws of precision and the unpredictable nature of the internet is in direct contradiction with its well set standards, based upon personal relationships and confidentiality.
Whatever the reasons, the fact remains that the internet can (and will) easily survive and grow without the aide of the luxury watch industry, but is the converse true?
If Facebook’s most recent statistics are to be believed, there are over 500 million active users each month spending a combined 7 billion minutes interacting with their peers, catching up on all the latest news and trends, and most importantly learning about new products and concepts. Can any brand, luxury watch oriented or not, really afford not to be operating effectively in this space?
There is one thing for sure: no matter the brand positioning strategies companies have adopted, it’s hard (impossible even) these days to move forward without the internet. Ignoring it is a dangerous game, and just as bad is seeing it only as a simple tool without many real practical applications. However, the more innovative companies have embraced the issue and created special roles for Community Managers (see our interview with Jérôme Pineau, from Marvin Watches, here).
Marvin’s Community Manager Jérôme Pineau
And yet many of them still hesitate – taking a kind of wait-and-see attitude to see how things go. This is a dangerous bet on the future, as it implies that, one day, all the uses and habits of the web will finally be stable. There is nothing less sure, as the web is in a constant state of transformation.
In a bid to try and get some more insight from the industry players themselves, the Watch Lounge asked a number of mainstream horology brands one single question:
“In the process of the continuous growth of a brand and its image, can the Internet make the différence?”
As a first point, it’s quite significant to note that many brands decided to simply ignore our request. Although it would seem they are quite happy to talk to us about any number of other topics, internet strategies evidently is not one of them. This very first observation reveals a web which is still a quite unknown object, one in which brands identify doubts and fears more than opportunities.
Why these fears? Firstly, because brands can’t comprehend how a channel governed by complete opposite rules to their own can, in the end, help them achieve their goals. Major watchmaking houses try to build their reputation upon luxury: the luxury of taking his time, the luxury of final pieces, the luxury of booklets and stores, the luxury of customers. On the contrary, the web is based upon various other values, such as real-time, non mastered exchanges, large consumer audiences, and uncertain futures. How do you reconcile these two seemingly conflicting universes?
These are questions that Ludovic Ballouard simply sweeps away when considering the inestimable added-value the Internet brought to his business : “The internet really makes the difference! It allowed me to launch my brand and stay independent! I would never had the means to launch my business only with paper. If people like my watch, they freely talk about it and spread positive news about it all over the world“.
In fact, this phenomenon of third party endorsement is what each and every brand desperately seeks. But by fear of the opposite phenomenon, wide-spread denigration, many prefer to stay away from social media. The precautionary principle, some would say. But many times, despite this precaution, Internet users will in the end talk about the brand, even if they are not invited to. And this is where negative comments can pop up…
“Indeed, if web users disliked my watch and if negative comments had been posted, I could have considered a brand new strategy, from scratch, of my brand and it’s awareness ! Internet is all about criticism”, continues Ludovic.
Still, managing criticism when you’ve spent the two last centuries working with a top-down communication model can be quite a touchy exercise.
For Jérôme Pineau, Community Manager of Marvin Watches, “the Internet has had a significant impact on brand and image building in the luxury world, and horology is no exception.”
So why are brands are so reluctant then? Because for too long they’ve been focused on their own products, and sometimes, on their related environments (such as sport, culture, etc.). But for Jérôme, the rules have changed:
“Brand building can only be accomplished around the customers. The customer IS the brand and its image is their perception of it. And if the customers are online, then this is where it makes sense to reach out to them. This phenomenon is planetary in nature. It reaches across geographic and cultural boundaries.”
The Final Word
In the end, the last psychological barrier for a real web strategy is the fear of an omnipresent web, that will take the priority over the other channels of communication. A statement that Jérôme quickly refutes: “It makes sense to leverage channels like Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube without neglecting the classical ones as well. Because a balanced strategy is typically more effective as long as all efforts are integrated and aligned around a consistent message. The objective is to be no longer talking AT the customer, but WITH them”.
UPDATED: Rafael Nadal’s $525,000 RM 027 Tourbillon Stolen?
UPDATE: We have just received an update from professional watch journalist Miguel Seabra who has confirmed that Nadal’s watch was stolen during the Masters 1000 Toronto event, that went from 9-15 August, and that the star athlete then played watch-less the following week at the Masters 1000 Cincinatti.
We are still waiting for confirmation though if the timepiece was recovered, or if in fact Nadal has received a replacement. Stay tuned.
Rumours have emerged that the highly complex Richard Mille 027 Tourbillon gifted to tennis superstar Rafael Nadal was stolen a few weeks ago at the Toronto Tournament. The timepiece (which we first wrote about here) gained worldwide fame when it was first announced that it would adorn Nadal’s wrist during every game of every tournament he played.
The $525,000 price tag didn’t hurt either.
However, it remains unclear as to whether the timepiece was actually stolen or if perhaps this is a PR stunt to renew interest in the product, as we have tracked down conflicting reports (and photos) that show Nadal wearing his favorite new timepiece at the US Open Nike Primetime Knockout Event as well as during training sessions ahead of the start of the US Open.
Picture via Nadal News
Picture via Nadal News
Alternatively, it is highly possible, as our favorite tennis journalist Miguel Seabra points out, that Richard Mille has simply given Nadal a replacement timepiece to fill the half a million dollar gap left on his wrist.
We should all be so lucky!
We’ll keep you posted as soon as we hear more news but so continues the interesting, and sometimes controversial, story of the Richard Mille 027 Toubillon.
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