Latest news with #LVMHWatchWeek
Vogue Singapore
23-04-2025
- Business
- Vogue Singapore
Flip the script, and enjoy these watches from the back
Courtesy of Bvlgari The dial of a watch is, quite literally, its face. It's the aspect that often gets the most decorative and aesthetic attention. But in the realm of fine watchmaking, it's the reverse that can sometimes draw, attract and intrigue connoisseurs and collectors. The reason is simple: finely crafted mechanical watches often feature a see-through sapphire crystal display caseback that shows off its inner workings. The point is obvious. If part of the premium you're paying for is—more than just design, reliability, and, let's face it, a brand name you enjoy—about horological finesse and capability, being able to see it is a big plus. That, and the fact that beautifully finished movements and components are a luxury only found in the high end. We're talking about edges—on almost every component—that are chamfered to elegant slants, to soften the harsh angles of sharp corners. Every conceivable surface—on almost every component—decorated and finished by hand with subtle stripes, circles, or other patterns, that play with and reflect light beautifully. What's exciting is the range of different expressions that can exist on these movements. A brand like A. Lange & Soëhne, for example, has movements so beautifully and intricately finished that they can at times be more entrancing than the dial. Patek Philippe, meanwhile, is never flashy, but always immaculately executed. And then there are newer entrants to the high watchmaking segment who bring unique perspectives: Tiffany & Co.'s as a jeweller, or Louis Vuitton's as a brand founded on travel. Consider this an invitation the next time you're looking at nice watches in person to flip it around and take in the view. In the meantime, though, here are seven watches—seen from the back—with stories to tell. Courtesy of Tiffany & Co. 1 / 15 Tiffany & Co.'s jeweller's vision Something interesting is happening at Tiffany & Co. The brand, which has so far and mostly stuck to its lane as a jeweller, is now knocking on the door of fine and high watchmaking. Just this year, the brand participated for the first time in LVMH Watch Week. The model that has emerged as its frontrunner in the game is the Bird on a Flying Tourbillon, a horological interpretation of Jean Schlumberger's famous cockatoo-perched-on-a-gemstone design. A flying tourbillon complication represents, for many entrants of high watchmaking, ambition, intent and capability. To wit, the Bird on a Flying Tourbillon, which is limited to 25 pieces, is the first by the brand to feature a bespoke flying tourbillon movement. This movement is crafted by the fairly young Swiss company Artime. Founded in 2021 in Les Brenets, Artime is led by six veterans of Swiss watchmaking with an impressive accumulation of experience in high-end movements and complications. Courtesy of Tiffany & Co. 2 / 15 For a jeweller, the design of the Bird on a Flying Tourbillon is unsurprisingly beautiful. The timepiece is set with nearly 900 diamonds, weighing more than 4 carats in total. The dial is crafted from wafer-thin slices of turquoise joined with marquetry, with a pair of miniature diamond-set cockatiels in flight. The exposed flying tourbillon is cased with clear sapphire that's faceted to resemble the table and crown of a brilliant-cut diamond. But the consistency of Tiffany's identity as a premier jeweller is to be found on the back of the watch. Where most brands are content to let finely finished metal speak for itself, Tiffany & Co. has instead used snow-set diamonds—a sophisticated gemsetting technique—to decorate the movement; and its pair of star-shaped bridges take inspiration from the house's famous six-prong solitaire Tiffany Setting. Tiffany & Co. Bird on a Flying Tourbillon in white gold with diamonds and turquoise marquetry dial Courtesy of Audemars Piguet 3 / 15 Audemars Piguet's svelte, slender flying tourbillon At Audemars Piguet, which turns 150 this year, innovation has never ceased. One of its under-the-radar endeavours is the RD, or Research and Development, series which was established in 2015. Here, the Swiss haute horlogerie manufacture pushes the boundaries of feasibility in watchmaking. The idea is that, in time, these advancements will make their way into their contemporary production models. One new design that is enjoying the fruits of this effort is the 38mm Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon. Cased in 18-carat sand gold, a new alloy the brand introduced last year, and set with diamonds on the case sides, crown, lugs and clasp, it is the first timepiece by the brand offered in this size with a flying tourbillon. Courtesy of Audemars Piguet 4 / 15 Sure, the complication might sound easy for an accomplished maker like Audemars Piguet. But the ultra-thin movement, dubbed Calibre 2968, is actually a result of the RD#3 project which shrunk the flying tourbillon into a movement just 3.4mm thick. As downsized watches evolve from trend to norm, mechanical movements that shrink in size but not capability become all the more important. For Audemars Piguet, it's a blend of state-of-the-art mechanics and beauty, and which opens the doors for future timepieces to feature the manufacture's sophisticated complications in smaller sizes. Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon in sand gold with diamonds Courtesy of A. Lange & Söhne 5 / 15 A. Lange & Söhne's masterwork of finishing A. Lange & Söhne timepieces are a connoisseur's dream. The German brand is the flagbearer of the grandest forms of Saxonian watchmaking and it is often said that Lange movements are some of the most beautiful in the world. A back view of the Datograph Up/Down's calibre L951.6 movement offers a horde of details worth appreciating. Gorgeous curved lines give mechanics sensuality. The colour palette is entrancing: bridges made of German silver that patinate to a warm golden yellow, levers and chronograph parts made of cool grey steel, vivid blued steel screws, and vibrant ruby jewels ensconced in gold chatons . Courtesy of A. Lange & Söhne 6 / 15 Each of these parts bears carefully chosen hand finishes that match its function. Wheels have a circular grain to echo their movement; chronograph parts have vertical brushing and polishing that suggest no-nonsense precision; and German silver bridges are finished with either traditional striped Glashütte ribbing or the overlapped circles of perlage . But the ultimate Lange signature is the hand-engraved balance cock that is a feature of every model it produces. Each is engraved freehand by one of the brand's watchmakers, with the minutest nuances of personality and the individual—a signature of the hand. A. Lange & Söhne calibre L951.6, on the Datograph Up/Down Courtesy of Louis Vuitton 7 / 15 Louis Vuitton's travel-inspired signature complication The sign for most that Louis Vuitton had started to take watchmaking seriously was its acquisition of La Fabrique du Temps, a manufacture and movement developer with serious cred. Founded by Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, La Fabrique du Temps is known for its creativity with complications. What's become a signature complication at Louis Vuitton is the Spin Time, a novel design in which 12 spinning cubes tell the time. It's a modern, inventive twist on a jumping hour display by Navas and Barbasini. Aptly, the Spin Time's rotating cubes invoke the flap displays of airports and train stations, spaces of travel that echo Louis Vuitton's heritage. Courtesy of Louis Vuitton 8 / 15 The latest generation of this complication is a new collection named Tambour Taiko Spin Time, a range of six limited-edition models that were developed anew and for the first time with in-house La Fabrique du Temps movements. Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time in white gold Courtesy of Richard Mille 9 / 15 Richard Mille's brutalist monolith The first skeletonised watch was created in 1760 as a way to reveal the mysterious mechanical workings of what was, in its time, cutting-edge technology. Not much has changed since then—fine watches are so intricately crafted, and on such a minute scale, that taking in even a time-only movement can spark awe. That idea of technics as beauty is at the heart of Richard Mille design, which explains why virtually every watch it produces is skeletonised. The latest to join the Mille family is the RM16-02 Automatic Winding Extraflat, a second generation successor to the RM016 from 2007. It's one of the brand's more uncommon rectangular rather than tonneau shapes, and features inside it the calibre CRMA9, a new in-house movement—and the 15th now for the brand—specially designed for this watch. Courtesy of Richard Mille 10 / 15 The CRMA9 is functionally straightforward. It is an automatic winding, time-only movement with a power reserve of around 50 hours. But as is the case with Richard Mille timepieces, simple is far from the truth. The design in this instance was meant to reinterpret some of the brand's well-established codes, with a particularly brutalist bend and the sense of monolithic geometry. What that means is a skeletonised structure in titanium with a maze-like design and almost 70 openings that simultaneously create a sense of openness and mystery. The deconstructed numerals on the dial are also created with snaking, cornered lines that evoke Ariadne's thread guiding Theseus through the labyrinth of the minotaur. And to complement these evocative details, the brand has crafted a platinum winding rotor in an unusual, squared-off ray shape that moves on ceramic ball bearings. Richard Mille RM 16-02 Automatic Winding Extraflat in titanium; above, in quartz TPT Courtesy of Patek Philippe 11 / 15 Patek Philippe's modern ease The august Swiss haute horology manufacture Patek Philippe made waves last year when it introduced Cubitus, its first new collection in more than 25 years. A squared geometric cousin to the Nautilus, it's meant to embody a sense of casual chic, chez Patek. The line-up of Cubitus models, after the introduction of a new 40mm size this year, is now five-strong. At the highest end is the Cubitus Grand Date, ref. 5822P-001. This Grand Date model debuts a new combination of complications that enhance day-to-day use: a large twin-aperture date display, a day display and a moonphase. Its intent is clear: fine, sophisticated watchmaking that is modern, direct and useful. Courtesy of Patek Philippe 12 / 15 To power this watch, Patek Philippe developed a new movement, the calibre 240 PS CI J LU, which is based on the prior calibre 240—one of Patek's more famous ultra-thin self-winding movements. This evolution involved filing six new patents on tiny technical advances to do with energy efficiency, making the indicators jump faster when it's time to change and ensuring the big date numerals are always perfectly aligned. Think of it as Patek's secret sauce—quality-of-life improvements made under the hood. Courtesy of Patek Philippe 13 / 15 If there is a notable upside this Cubitus can boast about, though, it is solving the age-old problem of the so-called 'danger zone'. For the longest time, you could not adjust or set the date on watches between 9pm and 3am as it would disrupt and damage the inner workings of the watch. With this new calibre, the problem no longer exists—a neat solution to something quotidian. Courtesy of Bvlgari 14 / 15 Bvlgari's little solution to a big problem The Serpenti line of watches by Bvlgari has always been associated with sensuous, decadent femininity. Tubes of flexible gold that wrap around the wrist with a snake head to encase the watch—almost always in quartz, save for haute horology or jewellery models—they existed as style statements. This year, the brand is bringing its iconic ladies' offer up to par with the mechanical innovations and advances it has been making over the past decade. Enter a new generation of Serpenti watches equipped with the Lady Solotempo BVS100 Automatic, an in-house self-winding movement. Courtesy of Bvlgari 15 / 15 Bvlgari wanted to upgrade and introduce automatic movements to the Serpenti collection. But the problem was that there were no options on the market small enough to fit into the unique shape of the Serpenti snake head. So the Roman jeweller set about on a three-year undertaking to design and craft its own at its Swiss manufacture in Le Sentier. Just 19mm in diameter, 3.9mm in thickness and 5 grams in weight, the diminutive movement provides 50 hours of power reserve. To match it to the collection, Bvlgari has decorated its oscillating weight with a snakeskin pattern and introduced it on the Serpenti Seduttori and Tubogas lines—with a new transparent caseback to show off this evolution. Vogue Singapore's April 'Movement' issue is out on newsstands and available online.
New York Times
12-02-2025
- Business
- New York Times
At Tiffany, Its Watch Director Shapes the Story
Tiffany & Company, the jewelry house of Holly Golightly and Beyoncé alike, made its debut last month at LVMH Watch Week, the luxury group's annual presentation of new watches, held this year in New York and Paris. Its appearance alongside the likes of TAG Heuer, Zenith, Hublot and Bulgari was just the latest in Tiffany's efforts to expand its profile in contemporary watchmaking since LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton bought the house for almost $16 billion in 2021. The Watch Week debut was a 'significant milestone,' Anthony Ledru, the chief executive, wrote in an email, that 'not only allows us to share our rich history of inventiveness in the world of horology but also to showcase our vision for the future of Tiffany watches. At Tiffany, every watch tells a story.' And the man behind those stories is Nicolas Beau, the vice president of Tiffany Horlogerie, the jeweler's watchmaking arm that now employs 50 people at its Geneva headquarters. Mr. Beau joined the house in 2021 after spending nearly 20 years in watches and jewelry at Chanel and earlier stints at Cartier and Baume & Mercier, both owned by Richemont. In a video interview from Geneva before the Watch Week presentations, Mr. Beau said that, when he was considering the move to Tiffany, he had been 'extremely surprised' to learn of its long and rich watchmaking past, including the establishment of a factory in Geneva in 1874. 'It had been leading the way in the late 1800s and early 1900s to a point that you'd expect from mostly Swiss, British or even French companies at that time,' he said. 'That very strong heritage and past is a chance for the future.' Five jewelry watches were introduced at the Watch Week presentations, two of which were inspired by the famous Bird on a Rock brooch first created by Jean Schlumberger in 1965. (The bird has become something of a touchstone for Tiffany recently, even appearing in festive lights on the flagship Fifth Avenue store in December.) Jewelry watches, Mr. Beau said, are one of the three categories that now make up the horology division's streamlined offerings. The others are a classic collection, which includes the Atlas watch line, introduced in 1983 and inspired by the New York store's signature Atlas clock; and a playful line of table clocks called Time Objects, referencing Tiffany's clock making heritage but in the shapes of planes, sports cars and New York's signature yellow taxis. As part of the change, he said, some watch models will be discontinued, including the 1940s style East West design, which has a horizontal dial, and the oval Cocktail collection. During the interview, which has been edited and condensed, Mr. Beau talked about his strategy for Tiffany watches, where the industry is going and the differences between fathers and sons. What does the LVMH Watch Week debut mean to you, as a watchmaker? It's obviously very important. The reason we haven't been there until now is just because we were not ready. The company was acquired nearly four-and-a-half years ago and our strategy was to go back to our roots — the roots of which are in Geneva. To showcase that change, it was important to give ourselves a little time. What is the strategy for the watch division? Because we are a jeweler, when it comes to creation, we have a design-first philosophy. And within that philosophy, we are creating watches that are related to that history and jeweler's DNA, and obviously incorporating some serious elements of watchmaking. Being a jeweler is a bit different from being a pure watchmaker. It's about always trying to find this right balance between being a jeweler and watchmaker — it's a subtle balance. Tiffany still is mainly known as a jeweler. What are the challenges in positioning it as a watchmaker? The challenge is to make the public know about our rich history and heritage. Traveling in New York, I find that people know, as well as those in some key cities in the U.S. where Tiffany was so strong for so many years. In the rest of the world, it is sometimes totally unknown for watches. We need to combine this focus on the past and build the future. The company is evolving very fast, transforming in many directions, and we are within that transformation. I like to call it 'back to the future.' What is your outlook for the watch industry right now? When I look at the market today, I find two very interesting things. There are two types of companies which are successful — or staying pretty successful — in a time that's not great economically. You have very traditional watchmakers, most of which are independent. They can be big and part of a group. But they can also be very small. And there are jewelers. When you look at the great jewelers, they all are doing pretty well today — and we are doing pretty well, too. I think there is this search for very authentic, traditional watches incarnated by those independent brands. And a search for very jewelry-related timepieces. One of the new jewelry watches from LVMH Watch Week was the Eternity by Tiffany Wisteria, part of a collection that features diamond hour markers in different cuts, from princess to heart shape. The floral motif dial recalls the famous Wisteria lamp created by Tiffany Studios in the early 20th century. What does the design represent? When I was talking about the connection between the art of watchmaking, the art of jewelry and Tiffany's various histories and DNA, here you have a watch that is inspired by the Tiffany lamps and all the work on the diamonds with the 12 different cuts. And with a LTM mechanical movement. You'll also find the crown set with a diamond in the six-prong Tiffany Setting. This watch illustrates what I am trying to evoke. How did you get into watches? My father was an electrical engineer, a pure engineer, and the only thing he was interested in was technique. Ever since I was young he was always bringing me electronic watches, mostly from Japan at the time, and being so proud that they could measure temperature, the altitude, the weather. But this was not speaking to me. Years later, when I was working in watchmaking, I bought him his first luxury watch for his birthday. It was only telling the time and had to be rewound every 24 hours. I remember his face, thinking 'What is this?' He thought I was crazy. It was more a culture shock for my father, who was so much about technology, while I was much more about art and hand craftsmanship. That's why I went into watchmaking actually — I'm so passionate about hand crafting, even a piece of furniture — and I think it was also about wanting to go in a different direction than your parents.
NBC News
31-01-2025
- Business
- NBC News
LVMH watch and jewelry CEOs see luxury sales picking up in 2025
After a year of declines, sales of watches and jewelry at luxury giant LVMH rebounded in the latest quarter and continued to shine into January, according to several of the company's brand CEOs. In its earnings call this week, LVMH reported that sales for its watches and jewelry group increased 3%, after falling in the previous quarters. The division outperformed the company's core fashion and leather goods segment, which was down 1% during the quarter, as well as wine and spirits, which declined 8%. In interviews during LVMH Watch Week in New York, the CEOs of several of the conglomerate's watch and jewelry brands said they're increasingly optimistic about 2025. While China remains slow, they said a rebound in spending by Americans — both in the U.S. and Europe — is driving strong demand for both watches and jewelry. 'I have to say that I've been positively surprised by the start of the year,' said Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari, which is owned by LVMH. Anthony Ledru, the CEO of Tiffany & Co., which LVMH acquired in 2021, said he's also seeing renewed consumer confidence among the American wealthy after the U.S. presidential election. 'I think it brings clarity and probably a greater consumer confidence,' Ledru said. 'We need that feel-good factor to succeed in the luxury world.' Of course, there are risks to the bright outlook. U.S. tariffs are the big unknown for high-end watches, which are mostly made in Switzerland, as well as for French luxury goods. The Trump administration has threatened across-the-board tariffs in Europe. Yet for now, watch and jewelry makers are launching a barrage of new products in hopes of a strong 2025. Louis Vuitton's watch division launched its new 'Tambour Taiko Spin Time' collection, which features 'jumping cubes' for numbers that were inspired by old airport flap displays. The company's Gérald Genta line launched the new 'Gentissima Oursin Fire Opal,' made from 137 orange and red opal gems, mined from Mexican volcanoes. Jean Arnault, director of Louis Vuitton watches, who also oversees the Genta and Daniel Roth brands, said he has a decades-long plan to make Louis Vuitton one of the most respected watchmakers among top collectors — known for high complications and craftsmanship, and commanding high prices. 'Before Louis Vuitton rhymes with watchmaking in the wider world, we'll probably wait a whole generation until that happens,' he said. 'What's important to me is making sure that they know when Louis Vuitton makes watches, they know they are very high quality, that they have no doubt. We are focusing on high complications and pieces with high price points.' TAG Heuer, which just announced a partnership with Formula 1 to replace Rolex as the official timekeeper, said it's already seen a boost in sales since the announcement in October. At LVMH Watch Week, the company launched a new Formula 1 collection, with bright dials and chronograph movements. Antoine Pin, CEO of TAG Heuer, said the sales benefits from the F1 announcement were literally 'overnight.' 'My surprise was that any announcement we're making with F1 is immediately leading to significant reactions,' he said. 'And clearly, the beauty of social media is that you can quickly measure the impact. And we've seen massive expansion of reaction and very positive reactions. So it was a very good decision.' On the jewelry side, Tiffany saw a 9% increase in same-store sales in the fourth quarter, LVMH said during its earnings call. Tiffany's flagship 'Landmark' store, on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, saw strong sales over the holiday season with long lines from visitors. The newly renovated store, which LVMH spent hundreds of millions to reimagine, now features a popular Blue Box Cafe by Daniel Boulud and a new VIP suite on the 10th floor, offering views of Central Park, fine art, rare Tiffany lamps and high-jewelry pieces priced for six or seven figures. Tiffany CEO Ledru said the company's average price point has doubled since LVMH acquired the jewelry maker. By upgrading the company's retail stores, focusing on high-end jewelry and launching its new 'icons' collections, based on historical Tiffany designs, the brand has been able to quickly move up-market. Its hottest seller is the 'hardware' collection, especially its gold chain-link necklace that sells for over $19,000, Ledru said. 'It's a pretty drastic transformation,' he said. 'We went after a client that spends more, spends more time in the store and engages at a higher price point. It's demanding. It's a very particular ecosystem. The more you go up, the more you need to have amazing stores, amazing staff, amazing products, amazing events and communication that aligns with all of that.' Bulgari, whose largest market has traditionally been China, is hoping to see a sales lift during the year of the snake in the Chinese zodiac, which officially began with the Chinese Lunar New Year on Wednesday. Bulgari CEO Babin said that while the Chinese economy is 'tough' right now, there are signs that government stimulus could start rebuilding consumer confidence this year. He said Bulgari's popular 'Serpenti Viper' collections, modeled after viper snakes, are top-sellers. 'Serpenti is the icon of Bulgari, and this is the year of the snake, so this should be the year of Bulgari,' he said. The rising wealth held by women around the world, from higher earnings, entrepreneurship and inheritances, is also reshaping the company's client base. While a large share of sales used to be to men buying jewelry as gifts, now women are buying for themselves. 'Today you have a real gender equality in most countries,' Babin said. 'Women's purchasing power is very similar to men's purchasing power, which is a revolution in luxury.' On the subject of tariffs, LVMH CEOs said they have to wait and see what policies are announced before making plans. Yet they said they work with tariffs and duties in countries around the world, so a hike in the U.S. may not be too disruptive. What's more, Americans are already traveling to Europe to buy luxury goods, driven in part by the strong dollar. If tariffs become high enough in the U.S., wealthy Americans might start choosing to buy their Bulgari bracelets or Louis Vuitton watches in Europe. 'A lot of our clients travel around the world,' Jean Arnault said. 'So if they buy a piece in the U.S. or they buy a piece in Europe, it's the same for us.'
