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Dior’s Masculine Chiffre Rouge Watch Is Back, and It’s Pure Sleekness

Zen Love — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 09:00:07 +0000

Dior’s Masculine Chiffre Rouge Watch Is Back, and It’s Pure Sleekness

Can Dior be the next fashion label to capture watch enthusiasts’ hearts and minds with its reborn Chiffre Rouge collection?

News

By Zen Love

Feb 12, 2024

When you hear the name Dior, what do you think of? Perfume? Handbags? The type of watches that occupy the consciousness and Instagram feeds of so-called #watchnerds might not be the first thing the storied fashion label calls to mind.

Those who recall the early aughties, however, or who have plumbed not-so-vintage watch archives might recall a certain collection which marked the luxury label’s bid for watch enthusiasts’ attention: the Chiffre Rouge. Now 20 years since its introduction, it’s back in sleek black and red across a range of models offering everything from simple time telling and chronograph functionality to gemstones and tourbillons.

(Courtesy of Dior)

Dior has already proven itself in the realm of high- end and even complicated jewelry watches. They have the acumen, the knowhow and the name to compete for a slice of the luxury market and to get your attention. But can they win over persnickety watch collectors anew?

From a fashion designer’s perspective, watches are accessories. Obviously. The design sensibility for which prestigious fashion labels are celebrated can be applied to timepieces as well. Right? Alas, those who specifically collect and study watches are a grumpy bunch and don’t always see it this way. In this sometimes insular subculture, the term “fashion watch” was long something of a dirty word for mass-market, often white-label watches—the antithesis of what many enthusiasts value most. Lines have begun to blur, however, and this attitude seems increasingly antiquated.

(Courtesy of Dior)

Fashion and apparel brands face skepticism in the competitive world of watchmaking, just as even established watch brands do. Success stories such as Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Hermès and Chanel having broken into serious horology were hard-fought, but they’ve begun to soften collectors’ hard hearts. A famous name doesn’t get you a VIP pass to the watch enthusiast conversation, but the discourse is increasingly open.

A couple facts about Dior, however, should get watch lovers’ attention: it’s been making watches since 1975 and has its own development and manufacturing center in La Chaux- de-Fonds called Les Ateliers Horlogers Dior SA. The brand is serious about watchmaking, but its catalog is predominantly feminine. You can get the likes of fashionable quartz watches with precious metals, as well as those that qualify as haute horlogerie or haute joaillerie to echo the brand’s presence in haute couture.

(Courtesy of Dior)

In 2004, the brand aimed to expand upon that image. The creative director of Dior’s menswear division introduced the Chiffre Rouge as the brand’s first automatic watch and easily its most masculinely conceived to date. Its target audience was clear: watch guys. Made for a number of years, the Chiffre Rouge eventually faded from the brand’s catalog but has now returned for 2024 to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

The Chiffre Rouge is based on sport watch archetypes though it isn’t made for a specific activity. Rather, its posture is sporty and integrated with tool-watch characteristics: an asymmetrical architecture with a protruding 3 o’clock caseside (which Dior calls a “bumper”) is reminiscent of, say, the Omega Speedmaster. Other distinctive features include an uncommonly long crown at 4 o’clock and notches in its fixed bezel between 9 and 12 o’clock, and together they help give the Chiffre Rouge an unmistakable identity.

(Courtesy of Dior)

Those are the features which define the collection’s silhouette and character at a glance, but there are more details to appreciate on closer inspection. The dials and straps feature patterns that echo Dior bags’ quilted texture which it calls “Cannage.” The collection’s mainstays, the time-only and chronograph models, feature a date window with a red, round frame. Emphasizing the date window in this way is unusual. Said to be Mr. Dior’s favorite number, the date wheel’s number eight is the only date to appear in red. Rouge, of course, means “red” in French and is one of the signature colors of Dior. Chiffre, on the other hand, is usually translated as a numeric “digit,” but some have suggested the meaning can also be broader. Interpret the name as you will, but Dior has conceived the new Chiffre Rouge with a serious, all-black color scheme punctuated by touches of striking red. Some models feature elements of rose gold and gemstones to inject even more color.

(Courtesy of Dior)

The time-only and chronograph Chiffre Rouge watches will be the core of the collection, and they seem to distill the concept down to its essential elements. Past models, for example, sometimes had avant-garde features such as “inverted” movements which saw the automatic rotor on the dial side of the watch for a more animated effect. The new models with hearty 100m water resistance ratings, on the other hand, would seem aimed at practical—if stylish— daily urban wear.

Time-only Chiffre Rouge watches are 38mm wide and powered by a version of the Sellita SW300 automatic movement. Modified and rebranded as the Dior CD.002, this is a movement that commands respect among watch enthusiasts and which has been used as the base for a number of well esteemed watches. One of its best qualities is that it’s comparatively thin, which always helps a watch wear more comfortably.

(Courtesy of Dior)

Chronograph and tourbillon models are a bolder 41mm, the former borrowing El Primero 400 movements from Dior’s LVMH sister brand Zenith. The modern version of one of the first automatic chronographs, it’s also widely considered the most successful, famously beating at the uncommonly high rate of 5Hz (4Hz or less is most common) and here modified to form the Dior CD.001. The complicated tourbillon, of course, is often considered the highest expression of watchmaking and Dior flexes its watchmaking prowess with these models made for elite collectors.

(Courtesy of Dior)

With Swiss-made automatic movements, crowd-pleasing sizes, enthusiast-friendly details and the elegant panache that characterizes the brand’s broader product lines, the reborn collection is poised to break into the enthusiast watch conversation. When you hear the name Dior in the future, it just might be the moody, masculine Chiffre Rouge that comes to mind.

Tech Specs

Dior Chiffre Rouge Automatic

Reference: CD.002 automatic
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Case: 38mm, steel with black DLC coating
Water Resistance: 100m
Strap: Black rubber

Dior Chiffre Rouge Chronograph

Reference: CD.001 automatic
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph
Case: 41mm, steel with black DLC coating
Water Resistance: 100m
Strap: Black rubber

Reference

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Furlan Marri

Limited Edition

Furlan Marri x Auro x Revo - Flyback Chronographs 3188-A ‘Salmon Flyback

$3,175.00

TECH SPECS

Movement	Manual winding Sellita caliber AMT5100, with rose gold plating and custom bridge for Furlan Marri; 58-hour power reserve; heated blued steel screws
Functions	Hours, minutes, small seconds and flyback chronograph
Case	38mm (46mm from lug to lug); stainless steel with olive-shaped pushers for Honey Blue flyback, Taupe flyback and Tasti Tondi pushers for Salmon flyback; water resistant to 50m
Dial	Taupe, blue, or two-tone salmon and black (Revolution edition); double printed text with pulsations scale, polished applied indexes
Strap	Italian leather with quick release system
Limited Edition	270 pieces per reference + 30 collector boxes (including one of each references) in addition.

The post Dior’s Masculine Chiffre Rouge Watch Is Back, and It’s Pure Sleekness appeared first on Revolution Watch.

Omega’s First Speedmaster of the Year Updates the Dark Side of the Moon Collection

Zen Love — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 16:48:47 +0000

Omega’s First Speedmaster of the Year Updates the Dark Side of the Moon Collection

The new Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 introduces key updates to the collection and details worth nerding out on.

News

By Zen Love

Jan 17, 2024

Omega is starting the year strong with a new version of its Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon. The brand and its Speedmaster collection are big for space fans, but the new model really nerds out—in a good way. Celebrating the Apollo 8 mission of 1968, it features accurate moon surface textures on its dial and movement and even a miniature rocket among more notable details. This is the newest version of the Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8, and it bodes well for a year of exciting new Omega watches.

Known as the Moonwatch, the Omega Speedmaster Professional is retro by nature, recalling the historic moon landing of 1969 when astronauts first set foot on lunar surface, accompanied by Omega Speedmasters. The Speedmaster collection, however, is vast and the Dark Side of the Moon brings a distinctly modern and edgy vibe for contemporary collectors. The historical cool factor is still baked in, but the Dark Side of the Moon watches feature ceramic cases with beefier dimensions and more conceptual designs.

The Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon-Apollo 8 features texture and details of the moon's surface as seen from earth.

Omega first created an Apollo 8 watch in 2018 for the 50h anniversary of the mission. Though this new model takes a similar approach, it’s packed with details and differences. Like the 2018 version, the new model has a dial that depicts the lunar surface as seen from earth with dial cutouts that hint at the movement underneath. It’s similarly highlighted with yellow elements and a sporty perforated strap.

The differences, however, are in the details. The dial features greater depth, texture and detail thanks to laser ablation technology which has improved in the years since to offer even higher resolution. This is cool, yes, but the coolest parts? There are two. First is that the literal flip side of the lunar landscape depicted on the dial is that of the surface of the dark side of the moon engraved onto the movement plates which are visible through the watch’s caseback.

The Omega 3869 movement is co-axial and Master Chronometer certified, and it features an engraving of the surface of the dark side of the moon.
The running seconds hand is a 1:19,000 rendering of the Saturn V rocket which took the astronauts to space in 1968.

What easily steals the show, however, is the three-dimensional miniature rocket which forms the main time’s running seconds hand. If this doesn’t tickle the space nerd in you, nothing will. Specifically modeled after the Saturn V rocket which took the astronauts into space in 1968, it’s made from titanium and its colors are achieved via varnish and laser ablation.

Along with these details are also subtle changes to both the watch’s case and movement. What makes the 3869 different from the 3861 is the above mentioned decoration. The case, on the other hand, is notably updated and based on another historic generation of the Speedmaster (the 105.012, fourth generation) with subtle contours that will be apparent when placed side by side with previous Dark Side of the Moon models.

Specs: Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 ref. 310.92.44.50.01.001

Movement: Omega 3869 hand-wound

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph

Case: Ceramic, 44.25mm × 50mm × 12.97mm

Strap: Racing style perforated rubber

Availability: Not limited
Price: $14,300

Learn more on Omega’s website here

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Atelier Wen

Limited Edition

Atelier Wen X Revolution Perception - XI

$3,400.00

TECH SPECS

Movement	Self-winding extra thin Dandong caliber SL1588; 41-hour power reserve
Functions	Hours, minutes and seconds
Case	40mm; grade 5 titanium; water resistant to 100m
Dial	Red guilloché with "Sunmao" structure; rhodium plated applied indexes
Strap	Titanium bracelet and white colored rubber strap
Limited Edition	Limited and numbered edition of 100 pieces

The post Omega’s First Speedmaster of the Year Updates the Dark Side of the Moon Collection appeared first on Revolution Watch.

Lange’s Perpetual Classic

Sheng Lee — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 10:00:45 +0000

Lange’s Perpetual Classic

The A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar “Salmon” puts a lively spin on a serious timepiece.

News

By Sheng Lee

Dec 4, 2023

Celebrated for its intricate chronograph execution, German watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne has recently unveiled one of its more high-end creations, the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar. It not only packs a chronograph but also integrates a split-seconds function and a perpetual calendar. And it is also given an unconventional “salmon” dial, a departure from the brand’s usual muted aesthetic.

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar in 18-carat white gold

While the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar was originally launched a decade ago, it has only seen a few iterations, which aligns with Lange’s typical restrained design philosophy. These iterations are mostly minimalist, such as pink gold or platinum versions with silver dials. An exception is the ultra-luxurious Handwerkskunst edition, which sports a dark blue champlévé enamel dial adorned with stars engraved in relief.

1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar Handwerkskunst in 18-carat white gold

Considering the limited yet distinctly varied dial options at hand, the addition of the “salmon” dial to the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar is noteworthy, even though it’s an update on style rather than mechanics. The “salmon” dial, or more precisely, the “pink gold” dial — the dial is made from pink gold to give it a natural rosy hue — bridges the gap between the plain silver and the elaborate enamel versions, offering something that’s appealing yet modest.

With a split-second chronograph, a perpetual calendar, and a “salmon” dial, the latest offering appears to be one of Lange’s most appealing chronographs. Yet, does it truly live up to this impression?

Solid gold salmon

Lange’s chronographs are typically known for their twin- counter layout. However, the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar breaks this norm with double the number of counters, immediately indicating it’s something unusual. Indeed, the only other Lange watches featuring a similar layout are the 1815 Tourbograph Perpetual “Pour le Mérite” and the 1815 Grand Complication, which stand as some of the brand’s most complicated creations — the latter holding the title of the most complex. This shared quadruple- counter arrangement adds elevated sophistication to today’s subject. As a result, the dial becomes a natural focal point of the watch.

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar in 18-carat white gold

Upon closer examination of the dial arrangement, a distinct sense of practicality becomes evident. Three of the four sub-dials feature dual hands, effectively displaying two sets of information. The co-axial hand setup on these sub- dials reduces the need for extra counters, resulting in a tidy layout within four symmetrical spaces. This stands in contrast to intricate watches with scattered indicators, arriving at a more serious aesthetic. In addition, the Lange 1815’s the two chronograph seconds hands stand out distinctly in contrasting blue and silver colors.

For those who appreciate Lange’s engineering but desire a livelier touch, the “salmon” dial version of the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar is a great choice. The pinkish hue immediately brings the dial to life, setting it apart from the usual silver versions.

Notably, both the main dial and sub-dial have blue markers at the quarters. These blue markers, along with the blue hands, complement the salmon color beautifully, creating a contrasting and vibrant combination. The addition of blue on the dial underscores Lange’s keen attention to detail, as it represents a deliberate change from earlier versions that featured red markers. Red markers could have made the dial look overly warm and affected, whereas the choice of blue adds a refreshing coolness to the rosy dial.

A moderately sized case

In terms of aesthetics, let’s briefly consider the case size before exploring the main highlight — the movement. Lange’s intricate timepieces frequently face scrutiny due to their wide and thick dimensions. This time, however, the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar succeeds in maintaining a reasonably moderate size.

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar in 18-carat white gold

At 41.9 mm in width, it is substantial yet not excessively large, both within Lange’s lineup and in a broader context. Numerous contemporary automatic chronographs share a similar size or even larger dimensions. Consider the Breitling Navitimer, Omega Speedmaster, and Tudor Black Bay Chronograph, for instance.

Similarly, the thickness is quite moderate for a Lange, measuring 14.7 mm. In comparison, the Double Split, which boasts an additional split minute hand but lacks the perpetual calendar, is even thicker at 15.3 mm.

Notably, the case design cleverly incorporates intricate details to downplay its height. The construction involves multiple layers, prominently featuring a thick bezel and back, which results in a relatively slender mid-case or case flank. The domed back nestles into the wrist, leaving only the bezel and flank visible at a glance. The flank, which significantly contributes to the perceived case height, is horizontally brushed to create a noticeable contrast with the polished bezel. This contrast effectively directs attention to the sleek profile of the flank, further emphasized by the horizontal graining. In comparison to earlier versions of the same model that boasted a fully polished case, the current design indeed appears thinner and more refined.

Does the movement truly meet lange’s quality standards?

Let’s flip the watch over and examine its most significant highlight: the L101.1 movement. To maintain brevity, we’ll skip the discussion of the perpetual calendar, which is less interesting when compared to the split-seconds chronograph due to its module concealed beneath the dial. Instead, our focus will be on examining the execution of the chronograph components.

For those eagerly seeking a conclusion, yes, the L101.1 is indeed a commendable chronograph movement executed at an extremely high level. It’s evident that thought has been invested in the movement’s design, resulting in an exquisite and intricate look. This is attributed not only to the design of the chronograph levers, which has an old-school and elaborate essence, but also to the attention to decoration.

A. Lange & Söhne caliber L101.1

In terms of the chronograph’s construction, the movement exhibits multiple layers of complexity. This gives the movement an uncommon depth of visual, a characteristic not often encountered even in high-end chronographs from renowned brands. Here is where Lange distinguishes itself. Lange also shines when it comes to decoration, ranking among the top brands in this regard. This becomes evident through three elements. For instance, all chronograph levels are fashioned from steel and possess a brushed upper surface, flanked by polished bevels. This brushed finish gives the watch an elegant and understated demeanor that comes alive with a subtle gleam at the bevel’s edge. The same level of detail extends to the movement plate, adorned with Glashütte stripes (akin to Geneva stripes), complemented by delicate polished bevels that enhance its shape gracefully.

Additionally, a standout facet of Lange’s movement finishing is the hand-engraved balance cock. While manual craftsmanship doesn’t automatically guarantee superior quality, the L101.1 demonstrates intricate floral engravings. This adds a touch of romanticism to the robust movement, which inherently radiates the solemn precision of German engineering.

A. Lange & Söhne caliber L101.1

Lastly, the choice of colors enriches the movement’s palette. For instance, the use of blued screws and gold chatons injects bursts of color into the assembly of components. Incorporating German silver for the movement bridges also imparts an added warmth to the movement’s aesthetic.

However, in the spirit of thorough analysis, it’s worth noting that while the watch’s execution attains an incredibly high standard, there are a few elements we would like to discuss further. The exploration of the reasons behind this evaluation will be approached from three perspectives: function, execution, and architecture.

Let’s start with the functions. The split-seconds chronograph of the 1815 is a little different from other Lange chronograph models. First, the flyback function has been omitted, preventing it from being restarted before stopping. Second, there’s an absence of a jumping or instantaneous minute counter. Both these features had been present in the more intricate Double Split model as well as the Datograph. Regarding its execution, the construction of the split- second mechanism has been slightly simplified. In traditional split-second chronographs, you would typically find an isolator — a system designed to prevent the reset lever attached to the split-seconds wheel from “dragging” over the heart cam of the regular chronograph seconds wheel. This safeguard is crucial for preserving the accuracy of elapsed time measurement and the overall watch performance. Not featured in this watch, this system is usually identified by an additional wheel positioned atop the split-second wheel at the very heart of the movement.

Minute Counter Wheel

To compensate for the absence of an isolator, Lange uses a ruby roller to prevent dragging. Unlike an isolator positioned above the split-seconds wheel, the ruby roller is placed beneath it, reducing overall height. The ruby roller is tucked at the tip of the split-seconds reset lever, which is in contact with a heart cam. The ruby roller thus reduces friction when the split-seconds chronograph is in operation, thereby reducing drag. More on how the lever and cam work together for the split-second reset will be explained later.

Furthermore, Lange went with a more practical solution in establishing the setup of resetting the split-second wheel. Before discussing the mechanism, it’s important to note that the reset refers to aligning the split-seconds hand with the current position of the chronograph’s seconds hand, essentially catching up.

The resetting or catching up of the split-seconds hand is facilitated by the reset lever, which will snap back to the lowest point of the heart cam attached to the chronograph tube arbor and align the split-seconds wheel with the regular chronograph seconds. Importantly, the lever requires force to work, traditionally provided by a tension spring in the form of a curved blade spring.

A curved spring is an elongated piece of metal with a certain thickness to provide it with strength, and it is the traditional manner in which to make a spring. In place of a curved spring, the 1815 uses a coil spring, which is simpler to manufacture and performs its task perfectly, but arguably diminishes in aesthetics. Point to note, for a watch to bear the Geneva Seal (which is not a concern for this German watch), it cannot have a coil spring.

Shifting focus to the movement’s architecture, it’s important to note that the movement retains an appearance of exceptional intricacy and refinement. However, were one to look closely at the Datograph or Double Split, one could notice that the construction of the chronograph levers differs across these three watches, where the lever in the 1815 adopt a flatter and wider profile.

One plausible explanation for the aforementioned observations could be the pursuit of reduced height. The use of flatter levers indeed contributes to this goal, and the omission of an isolator wheel may also aid in reducing overall thickness. It allows the watch to be even thinner than the Double Split, for instance, which does not include a perpetual calendar function. In short, the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar is a remarkably thin high-complication watch from Lange.

It’s important to remember that Lange is no longer relatively “underpriced” (being more reasonably priced than competitors while offering superior execution). The latest 1815 comes with a price tag of USD 319,000, a significant increase from its previous cost of around USD 240,000 just a few years ago.

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar in 18-carat white gold

Concluding thoughts

The 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar emerges as one of Lange’s more visually intricate chronographs, characterized by a serious aesthetic featuring four symmetrical counters. And the new version with a “salmon” dial adds a nice change to how the watch looks. The cheerful rosy color, along with light blue details, gives the watch a new lively feel, making it interesting even though it is mainly a color update in this 2023 novelty.

While the watch could have pushed further with key features like a classical isolator, it does bring about new benefits to the watch collector, specifically, its slimness. Lange has already offered many technically impeccable watches, but few have offered such a fair balance of slimness and complexity as this timepiece does.

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar in 18-carat white gold

Tech Specs

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar Ref. 421.056FE

Movement: L101.1; manual; 42 hours power reserve
Functions: Hour, minutes, seconds, split-seconds chronograph and perpetual calendar
Case: 41.9 mm x 14.7 mm; 18k white gold; water resistant to 30 m
Strap: Alligator leather strap with folding buckle
Availability: At boutiques and select retailers; limited edition of 100 pieces
Price: USD 319,000

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ANGELUS x REVOLUTION CHRONODATE "ANGELS' SHARE"

$23,800.00

TECH SPECS

Movement	Self-winding caliber A-500; 60 hours power reserve
Functions	Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph and date
Case	42.5mm; titanium; water resistant to 30m
Dial	Salmon (6N gold plated) with gené or frosted area; Super-LumiNova filled Arabic numerals
Strap	Ballistic gray rubber; titanium folding clasp

The post Lange’s Perpetual Classic appeared first on Revolution Watch.

Louis Vuitton is ready to participate in the big league of high watchmaking

Oliver R Müller — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 01:00:04 +0000

Louis Vuitton is ready to participate in the big league of high watchmaking

The fashion maison has decided that watches are not just accessories anymore

Business

By Oliver R Müller

Oct 23, 2023

If there is just one single case study in luxury management that needs to be taught in any business school, then it would be LVMH. Not so much for the magic of revitalizing wearied brands, but more for consistently aligning powerful marketing decisions with financial engineering. And what the group can’t achieve from scratch, they’d just buy the necessary competencies. The watch business unit — which is, in fact, under one roof with the jewelry — is no exception to the rule.

Even though watches are by far not the main business unit within the LVMH empire, its importance is growing. As of today, LVMH’s main watch brands and the jewelry brands also propositioning watches account for ~6% of the group’s sales and ~4% of its EBIT. Comparatively, Louis Vuitton Horlogerie represents not even 1% of the brand’s sales*, which not only indicates significant latent potential, but also that taking any bold moves — such as repositioning the watch offering at a much higher price point — doesn’t put the brand at risk.

Modest origins in a new category of products

In 1995, LVMH bought Fred Joaillier; this is followed in 1999 by Chaumet, Ebel, TAG Heuer and Zenith. Bulgari’s watches — which account for ~12% of the brand’s total sales — are very successful, though not to the same extent as the jewelry, and are a good example of the group’s long-term vision. Nevertheless, the group hasn’t yet fully achieved what it needs to build up a leading position in the watch business.

As of 2022, the market share of the five brands selling watches accounted for a consolidated ~6.3% of the Swiss watch industry, placing it in fourth position behind Richemont with one-third of the competitor’s sales. In fact, the group even resold EBEL in 1999 after having tried to relaunch a mythical brand of the 1980s and ’90s. The acquisition of Hublot in 2004 then signaled that LVMH did want to muscle up, but the potential growth by acquisition is very limited due to the scarcity of major brands to be potentially acquired.

LVMH will certainly be amongst the first bidders when new opportunities arise for acquisitions, but for the time being it has chosen to build up the fundamentals to become an even more serious player in the watch industry.

The strategic repositioning of Louis Vuitton timepieces

One strong signal coming from the empire of luxury that shows it has ambition in the field of watches is the fact that two of CEO Bernard Arnault’s sons are working in the watch business unit: Frédéric Arnault at TAG Heuer (who is said to be leaving his CEO job there at the end of this year), and Jean Arnault, the youngest of the five siblings. Jean Arnault has already created a lot of goodwill for himself and the group in a watch industry which generally doesn’t appreciate too many new players entering the turf.

Jean Arnault

Very business savvy and genuinely passionate about watches, Jean has learned a lot in a very short timeframe. Rather than entering the playground with arrogance and disdain for the competitors, he has launched quite a few initiatives reflecting positively on the brand’s ambitions in watchmaking.

Creating the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize, for instance, is a very good way of becoming a de facto institution for new independent watchmakers and thus monitoring anything arising on the radar with the potential to become the “next big thing”. The whole concept of this prize is very clever, with the winner not only getting a title and a trophy, but also a mentorship, allowing him/her to learn all the trades that are needed, beyond the product, to become a successful brand.

LVMH Watch Prize

And what shows the cleverness of the young patron is the fact that the quite eclectic composition of the jury — comprising recognized watch experts and other personalities — also includes the director of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, which gives it institutional legitimacy.

The watchmaking know-how of Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton bought a small R&D and prototyping atelier in 2011 called La Fabrique du Temps. This was not LV’s first acquisition in the field of watchmaking, but it was certainly a significant one laying the groundstone for the brand’s ambitions in hard luxury. Since then, the small workshop became almost a fully integrated manufacture dedicated to Louis Vuitton and sister brands in need of production capacities for métiers d’art artisanship. La Fabrique du Temps is now capable of manufacturing high-grade enamel or hand-engraved dials, having hired the best artisans to establish the know-how in-house rather than buying finished components.

La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton

It will also integrate the guilloché technique in due course to propose new dial versions and use this hand-turned technique for other components as well.

The manufacture produces fully in-house conceived mechanical calibers and will eventually — in the not-too-distant future — even master the escapement including the hairspring, which is, for the time being, sourced from Atokalpa. The manufacture also produces cases with the ambition to master the whole value chain to produce high-end watches fully in-house.

From a small team of just a dozen people back in 2011, La Fabrique du Temps now employs almost 200 staff — and is still hiring. On top of that, based on its commitment to be part of the watch industry’s eco-system, the company is offering apprenticeships to help absorb the scarcity of qualified people in the Swiss watch industry. This is not only a sustainable and long-term strategy to ensure the planned growth, but also a way to silence the critics saying that Louis Vuitton is behaving in an opportunistic manner to recruit talents from other manufactures.

Enter the new Louis Vuitton Tambour

In 2002 Louis Vuitton launched its first watch collection Tambour with a very daring design referencing the first portable watches of the 16^th century. The name also refers to the shape of a drum, tambour in French. The collection was very coherently combining LV’s DNA with bold colors and a mix of mechanical and quartz-powered watches. Using both standard ETA movements and then enhancing the collection with in-house movements such as the Spin Time, the watches were quite successful given the fact that they were sold exclusively through brand-owned boutiques which number 460 doors worldwide.

Louis Vuitton Tambour Gold

Apart from the Emprise collection designed by Marc Jacobs and launched in 2008, the brand has kept a coherent design language. Thereafter, the Tambour collection has become if not iconic then at least a very recognizable reference in the watch world..

Ascending the upper league

It is understandable that Louis Vuitton has carefully studied the successful strategy applied by La Montres Hermès in recent years. Hermès has been in the watch business a lot longer than Louis Vuitton, having started selling watches in 1928, but at the time it was considered an accessory rather than a product category per se. About a decade ago, Hermès was still selling watches below the €1,000 price point with quartz movements and producing way too many pieces that could be found also on the gray market, which is very detrimental to its brand equity.

Change came with the acquisition of a 25% stake in the Vaucher Manufacture in 2006 and the launch of a new collection of mechanical timepieces. The first attempt to climb the price ladder was — to put it mildly — not very successful. But then product director Philippe Delhotal totally revamped the product lineup through a more coherent strategy that includes developing the métiers d’art dials and incorporating design details coming from the brand’s DNA.

Hermès has since then very successfully changed gears for its watches by eliminating most of its quartz watches, keeping only a few references in its Cape Cod and Arceau product families. The consolidation of the collection has been done very extensively by ousting all entry-level watches that were not in line with the brand’s overall core positioning — a key decision for any luxury brand that wants to move up the luxury ladder. Reducing the number of SKU’s and product families and focusing on high-end watchmaking brought tremendous success to the brand, with sales being tripled in the last five years. The key success factor? A realignment of watches with all other product categories.

The transformation of Louis Vuitton

Why would anyone want to reinvent the wheel at LV? Probably intrigued by the competitor’s major success, Louis Vuitton managed by a watch aficionado — Jean Arnault — has decided to go the same route by taking an academic approach, applying this strategy of aligning the product category with the core price positioning of the brand. The new Tambour that was unveiled in July this year is jumping on the trend of sports chic watches with an integrated stainless-steel bracelet. For the time being, it is offered only in two dial variations at quite a hefty price — although this is understandable due to its intrinsic horological value — of €19,500.

Louis Vuitton Tambour

For the product review itself please read this story by Revolution founder Wei Koh.

I partially agree with Revolution founder Wei Koh’s enthusiastic review of this new watch, because of the great finishing and architecture of the movement, and the strong product identity. However, I’m left wanting more. La Fabrique du Temps is a manufacture with talented watchmakers and an enormous amount of expertise accumulated by the two master watchmakers Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, and yet LV decided to go to Le Cercle des Horlogers, owned by Speake-Marin, to develop a new movement? I know I’m setting the bar high, but it’s justified when the brand’s ambition is to become a serious player in a league where there is Audemars Piguet boasting an R&D heavyweight such as APRP (ex-Renaud & Papi and also serving the needs for Richard Mille in which AP holds 10% equity) or Vacheron Constantin with the extraordinary grand complications made by its “Les Cabinotiers” ateliers.

Louis Vuitton Tambour Gold

When I met Jean Arnault in Paris before the presentation to the LV staff, he was very humble by saying that he was hoping that the clients would adhere to this substantial price repositioning compared with the previous product offering. My only question is about the market’s sustainability of continued demand for substitution products compensating for the scarce offering of the grail watches of sports chic, such as the Nautilus and the Royal Oak.

Louis Vuitton Tambour Gold

We have seen the prices on the secondary market come down substantially since March 2022, indicating that the demand is now reflecting the “real” watch buyers and not only the “flippers”. The demand, for instance, for the Girard-Perregaux Laureato has decreased significantly in recent months and will probably continue to do so.

Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini

But the strong points that could help the new Tambour become a huge success are its very distinctive design, and the beautifully designed and decorated caliber, which is a certified chronometer by the Observatoire Chronométrique de Genève (Timelab). Again, here I would have expected the brand to be more ambitious by applying for the Observatoire Chronométrique OC+ certification, which not only includes precision testing of the watch head (rather than the movement before casing), but also resistance to magnetism, waterproofness and power reserve, in conditions representative of modern life.

And, in an ideal world, to top it all off with the Poinçon de Genève hallmark, which is the knighthood for any high-end movement, and for which today very few brands apply. The technicality here is that, as mentioned above, the movement is not being manufactured at La Fabrique du Temps in the canton of Geneva and can’t be therefore certified with the Poinçon de Genève.

A bold and coherent move to tick all the boxes

Louis Vuitton is following the successful path initiated by La Montre Hermès, but with a slightly different approach — at least for the time being — by capitalizing on the high-end, massively phasing out existing SKU’s (80%), and most importantly, not using anymore third-party movements. The brand has all the credibility to play in the champion’s league of high-end watchmaking, having launched such extraordinary timepieces as the Tambour Opera Automata, which is a feast of micromechanics and artisanship by using engraving and enameling techniques.

Tambour Opera Automata

Collaborations have become very popular between luxury brands, and the watch industry is no exception to this. Collabs are especially interesting when brands with polarized DNA’s associate on a specific project in which each one imparts its own values. One of the best recent examples of such collabs is the MoonSwatch, where Omega and Swatch partnered on a watch paying tribute to a watch icon — the Speedmaster Professional — associating it with specific characteristics of the partnering brands.

Independents to foster the horological content

For its first collaboration — because Louis Vuitton will undoubtedly revisit the exercise — Akrivia is certainly the best choice, because the man behind the brand, Rexhep Rexhepi, is considered to be the leader of a new generation of independent watchmakers. The spectacular Louis Vuitton x Akrivia LVRR-01 Chronographe à Sonnerie is quite a statement in every aspect.

Rexhep Rexhepi

One, for the first time Louis Vuitton is merging its iconic logo with the one from Akrivia. Two, the movement was developed by Akrivia and the dial was enameled at La Fabrique du Temps. Three, Rexhepi deserves a lot of credit for having developed a very sophisticated mechanism with two barrels — one dedicated to the timekeeping functions and the chronograph, the other one for the chiming function. Four, the movement includes a five-minute tourbillon.

Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Antimagnétique

All said, I’m not a huge fan of the dichotomous design with one side using the Louis Vuitton codes and on the other side the Akrivia design codes. The case seems also a little bit bulky in trying to keep it below the 40mm mark, which is a deal-breaker for some watch collectors. I think it would have made the watch a lot more elegant with an additional 1–2mm in diameter to cope with the thickness of the movement.

Lastly even though there is a competing watch which came out recently — the Omega Chrono Chime which set the bar very high in terms of movement architecture, finishing and beauty of the dial (the Speedmaster version) — the first Louis Vuitton collaboration is most probably already sold out. Proceeds of the sales will fund the LV Watch Prize, which is one more argument for the watch on top of being ultra-rare with only 10 pieces being produced.

Louis Vuitton x Akrivia LVRR-01 Chronographe à Sonnerie

Please read here for the full review of the Louis Vuitton x Akrivia LVRR-01 Chronographe à Sonnerie.

LVMH’s choice to use its flagship brand to venture into high-end watchmaking is clever because it’s not putting the brand at risk, yet it enables the group to build up a real legitimacy in the horological field, even though Bulgari can already boast a legitimacy acquired over the last three decades. The core strategy of Louis Vuitton is not only targeting the product or industrial competencies, but building up a 360-degree project with know-how, manufacturing capacities and a long-term vision — just as the group has done before in soft luxury.

This is a very clever way of associating Louis Vuitton with genuine craftsmanship content made in collaboration with an artisan watchmaker. Such drops will help to foster the value perception by the collectors who might be questioning the legitimacy of a brand lacking the horological heritage of competing brands.

Louis Vuitton is the base of LVMH’s push into the watch industry

Even if in terms of sales, LV’s watch business is marginal for the brand’s revenues — an estimated 0.75% — the repositioning into the haute horlogerie market segment is significant because it will allow LVMH to push its other brands, foremost TAG Heuer and Zenith. It also lays the ground for the relaunch of Gérald Genta and Daniel Roth — two brands that had been absorbed by Bulgari, which were subsequently acquired by LVMH in 2011.

*LVMH does not publish figures at brand level and all figures indicated in this article are based on estimates by Morgan Stanley’s research.

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The post Louis Vuitton is ready to participate in the big league of high watchmaking appeared first on Revolution Watch.

Under the Lens: A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar “Salmon”

Lee Sheng — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 08:00:01 +0000

Under the Lens: A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar “Salmon”

A lively spin on a serious timepiece.

Reviews

By Lee Sheng

Sep 11, 2023

Celebrated for its intricate chronograph execution, German watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne has recently unveiled one of its more high-end chronographs, the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar. It not only packs a chronograph but also integrates a split-seconds function and a perpetual calendar. And it is also given an unconventional “salmon” dial, a departure from the brand’s usual muted aesthetic.

Considering the limited yet distinctly varied dial options at hand, the addition of the “salmon” dial to the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar is noteworthy, even though it’s an update on style rather than mechanics. The “salmon” dial, or more precisely, the “pink gold” dial – the dial is made from pink gold to give it a natural rosy hue – bridges the gap between the plain silver and the elaborate enamel versions, offering something that’s appealing yet modest.

A classy yet lively blend of rose and blue

Solid gold salmon

Lange’s chronographs are typically known for their twin-counter layout. However, the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar breaks this norm with double the number of counters, immediately indicating it’s something unusual. Indeed, the only other Lange watches featuring a similar layout are the 1815 Tourbograph Perpetual “Pour le Mérite” and the 1815 Grand Complication, which stand as some of the brand’s most complicated creations – the latter holding the title of the most complex. This shared quadruple-counter arrangement adds elevated sophistication to today’s subject. As a result, the dial becomes a natural focal point of the watch.

Upon closer examination of the dial arrangement, a distinct sense of practicality becomes evident. Three of the four sub-dials feature dual hands, effectively displaying two sets of information. The co-axial hand setup on these sub-dials reduces the need for extra counters, resulting in a tidy layout within four symmetrical spaces. This stands in contrast to intricate watches with scattered indicators, arriving at a more serious aesthetic. In addition, the Lange 1815’s the two chronograph seconds hands stand out distinctly in contrasting blue and silver colours.

Two colors for two chronograph seconds

A romantic moonphase with starry background

A moderately sized case

In terms of aesthetics, let’s briefly consider the case size before exploring the main highlight – the movement. Lange’s intricate timepieces frequently face scrutiny due to their wide and thick dimensions. This time, however, the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar succeeds in maintaining a reasonably moderate size.

Notably, the case design cleverly incorporates intricate details to downplay its height. The construction involves multiple layers, prominently featuring a thick bezel and back, which results in a relatively slender mid-case or case flank. The domed back nestles into the wrist, leaving only the bezel and flank visible at a glance. The flank, which significantly contributes to the perceived case height, is horizontally brushed to create a noticeable contrast with the polished bezel. This contrast effectively directs attention to the sleek profile of the flank, further emphasised by the horizontal graining. In comparison to earlier versions of the same model that boasted a fully polished case, the current design indeed appears thinner and more refined.

Does the movement truly meet Lange’s quality standards?

Lange also shines when it comes to decoration, ranking among the top brands in this regard. This becomes evident through three elements. For instance, all chronograph levels are fashioned from steel and possess a brushed upper surface, flanked by polished bevels. This brushed finish gives the watch an elegant and understated demeanour that comes alive with a subtle gleam at the bevel’s edge. The same level of detail extends to the movement plate, adorned with Glashütte stripes (akin to Geneva stripes), complemented by delicate polished bevels that enhance its shape gracefully.

Lastly, the choice of colours enriches the movement’s palette. For instance, the use of blued screws and gold chatons injects bursts of colour into the assembly of components. Incorporating German silver for the movement bridges also imparts an added warmth to the movement’s aesthetic.

The L101.1

Regarding its execution, the construction of the split-second mechanism has been slightly simplified. In traditional split-second chronographs, you would typically find an isolator – a system designed to prevent the reset lever attached to the split-seconds wheel from “dragging” over the heart cam of the regular chronograph seconds wheel. This safeguard is crucial for preserving the accuracy of elapsed time measurement and the overall watch performance. Not featured in this watch, this system is usually identified by an additional wheel positioned atop the split-second wheel at the very heart of the movement.

The resetting or catching up of the split-seconds hand is facilitated by the reset lever, which will snap back to the lowest point of the heart cam attached to the chronograph tube arbour and align the split-seconds wheel with the regular chronograph seconds. Importantly, the lever requires force to work, traditionally provided by a tension spring in the form of a curved blade spring.

Notice the coil spring just under the split-seconds wheel

From left to right: the Datograph, 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar, and the Double Split

One plausible explanation for the aforementioned observations could be the pursuit of reduced height. The use of flatter levers indeed contributes to this goal, and the omission of an isolator wheel may also aid in reducing overall thickness. It allows the watch to be even thinner than the Double Split, which does not include a perpetual calendar. In short, the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual is a remarkably thin high-complication watch from Lange.

The classic balance cock engraved with a floral pattern

Concluding thoughts

The 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar emerges as one of Lange’s more visually intricate chronographs, characterised by a serious aesthetic featuring four symmetrical counters. And the new version with a “salmon” dial adds a nice change to how the watch looks. The cheerful rosy colour, along with light blue details, gives the watch a new lively feel, making it interesting even though it is mainly a color update in this 2023 novelty.

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar
Ref. 421.056FE Specs and Price

Movement: L101.1; manual; 42 hours power reserve

Functions: Hour, minutes, seconds, split-seconds chronograph and perpetual calendar

Case: 41.9 mm x 14.7 mm; 18k white gold; water resistant to 30 m

Strap: Alligator leather strap with folding buckle

Availability: At boutiques and select retailers

Limited edition: 100 pieces

Price: USD 319,000

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FROM THE SHOP

Bell & Ross

Limited Edition

Bell & Ross x Alessandro Palazzi x Revolution & The Rake Bellytanker Chronograph "Vesper"

$5,250.00

TECH SPECS

Movement	Self-winding caliber BR.CAL-301; 42-hour power reserve
Functions	Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph and date
Case	41mm; CuAI7Si2 bronze; water resistant to 100m
Dial	Sunray brushed with applied, gold-plated indices
Strap	Black calfskin; satin polished bronze folding clasp
Limited Edition	Limited edition of 50 pieces

The post Under the Lens: A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar “Salmon” appeared first on Revolution Watch.

TAG Heuer is muscling up with two of its strongest watch icons, Carrera and Monaco

Oliver R Müller — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 11:38:21 +0000

TAG Heuer is muscling up with two of its strongest watch icons, Carrera and Monaco

With strategic changes in the offing, the avant-garde watch company must seize every opportunity.

Business

By Oliver R Müller

Aug 24, 2023

Rumor is that changes will take place at the helm of TAG Heuer with CEO Frédéric Arnault moving to another role within the LVMH Group and Julien Tornare — currently the CEO of sister brand Zenith — replacing him in due course. Which makes this a good opportunity to analyze a brand which has repositioned itself in recent years vis-à-vis its main rivals such as Tudor, Breitling and Omega. Morgan Stanley and LuxeConsult estimated that the brand lost half of its luxury watch market share from 2017 to 2022 from 4% to 2%. In comparison, during this same time, Breitling tripled its own market share from 1% to 3% by increasing its sales by a factor of 2.7x and capturing margin by integrating their own retail.

Nevertheless, the brand has recently regained momentum by getting back on its home turf and reinterpreting its two main icons, the Monaco and the Carrera. And it has done a stringent work of cleaning its collections by eliminating some existing SKUs and being careful when launching new collections.

TAG Heuer: a brand with two faces

TAG Heuer has an incredible brand DNA which is bicephalous with Heuer for the tradition and TAG for the innovation. But at the same time this represents a daunting task to balance the product offering from icons to disruptive timepieces. Heuer also has a strong legacy of sportscar chronometry and has established strong historical bonds thanks to Jack Heuer — a marketing genius ahead of his time — in the 1970’s. Signing Steve McQueen and placing the “Monaco” Heuer watch on the film set of “Le Mans” was probably the foundation for this watch to become an icon. Launched just the year before in 1969, the Monaco was the first square cased automatic wristwatch chronograph ever made. A groundbreaking design with a circle inside the square, the Monaco contained all the ingredients to become a design icon.

TAG Heuer Monaco from 1971, worn by actor Steve McQueen in the movie Le Mans

The extraordinary asset of having a product icon is the potential of rejuvenating it with new colors, lay-outs and functions as TAG Heuer has done with the launch of new models linked to the movie “Gran Turismo”. With its vintage looks and very unique case design, the Monaco is just the perfect timepiece to link up with the Gen Z in search of referential timepieces, both vintage and new.

The new TAG Heuer Monaco Racing Blue

The Carrera is the other iconic watch

TAG Heuer might not have as many iconic watches as some of the other leading brands, but nevertheless it has another classic icon with the Carrera, born in 1963… just like the Rolex Daytona and both watches once shared the same base caliber, the Valjoux 72. The Carrera was in fact the continuation of the brand’s chronograph heritage of the 1940 and 1950’s. And the watch is also related to car racing, just as the sister product Monaco, and the Rolex Daytona… and the Omega Speedmaster which had been launched earlier in 1957 with a tachymetric bezel to measure the speed of a car.

The design of the Heuer Carrera has evolved over more than 60 years

But the brand must stay coherent in its strategy of establishing hero products. One thing which TAG Heuer must handle with more discipline is sticking to certain basic rules. One product family equals one product territory but that’s a rule the recent launch of the Carrera Skipper doesn’t fully comply with. A remake of a 1968 model, the Heuer Carrera Skipper ref. 7754 which was affectionately named Skipperera, it stands out in a family of strong auto-inspired timepieces.

TAG Heuer Carrera Skipper

A long story with the racing car world

Heuer’s links with the racing cars go way back, and was followed by a collaboration with the Ferrari team. Their drivers — Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni — became brand ambassadors. The timepiece marking Heuer’s entrance to the world of car racing was the Carrera Automatic in 18k gold which is today one of the most sought-after collectors’ pieces. At the same time the team managing the time keeping at the races developed a new device called the Centigraph which was a very innovative electronic timing system.

Yet, the diversification of Heuer into electronical timing systems was an unfortunate mishap as Jack Heuer recalls in his autobiography The Time of My Life. The quartz crisis of the late 1970’s till the beginning of the 1980’s forced Heuer to pull-out from the sports chronometry business which they sold for a bargain price to… Longines. All these paved the way to the common thread of collaborations which relate to sports cars with for instance Porsche.

Choosing Porsche as a partner is a very smart move, because more than just selling cars, the German brand is the epitome of a company managing to create the magical bond between the brand and its clients. The German carmaker is in my humble opinion also the epitome of manufacturing precision or I should say perfection. The potential of this collaboration has yet to be fully exploited as the special editions linked to Porsche still have much room to grow.

TAG Heuer and Porsche: a partnership made in brand building heaven

The interesting comparison between Porsche and TAG Heuer is also the fact that the German carmaker manufactures the most iconic sports car overall, the 911 (sorry for all the Ferraristi reading this, although I must confess that I’m also a huge fan of Ferrari). The 911 is the best example of an ever-evolving base design where nothing changes, but everything evolves and each new version is more accomplished than the one it replaces. And here’s another lesson to be taken from Porsche — for all watch brands and not only TAG Heuer — don’t be afraid to go your own path of innovation.

The die-hard fans of the brand almost quit their love when for instance the brand moved away from air cooled engines for the 911 or launched the four-wheel drive. However, the brand is stronger than ever today and is announcing its major shift to EV by 2030 (80% of its product offering). Which brings us to the smartwatches made by TAG Heuer…

Why smartwatches at TAG Heuer?

I made that lengthy comparison with Porsche because any watch brand today with a similar market positioning as TAG Heuer should investigate, or at least should have investigated around 2010-12 if smartwatches could be a new product category to conquer. The likeliness of smartwatches to stay for the long term is very questionable due to their limited lifetime and hence lack of sustainability. But one thing for sure is that in 2022, 15.8 million traditional Swiss made watches were exported, while more than 90 million smartwatches have been sold during the same period. Of that number, Apple sold more than 40 million.

At TAG Heuer, the former CEO and head of the watch division, industry legend Mr. Jean-Claude Biver, decided that the brand should venture into this new market to avoid missing out on a new Eldorado. Biver decided to partner with two major players from Silicon Valley, Intel and Google, to make sure that the technology would be provided by market leaders and always up to date, as it is common knowledge that technology product life cycles are short in the world of high tech.

The strategy was on combining high value materials with hybrid technology, meaning that they would look like conventional watches with analog time displays with hands, thus justifying the substantial price premium compared with their Asian and American competitors. The first series was quickly sold out due to the cleverness of Biver’s launch campaign during BaselWorld.

But then the wave of success soon stopped, as the potential market for people using smartwatches targets a price level which is closer to something below CHF 500 retail, which is a segment that harmed massively the entry level brands of Swiss watchmaking such as Swatch and Tissot. Even though TAG Heuer is regarded as an avant-garde brand, such a product category is very opex (operating expenses such as salaries or licenses) intense, with huge teams of IT specialists updating permanently the system and looking out for the next bug or breach.

And even though TAG Heuer chose to outsource most of the technology — unlike the very strange choice of Swatch Group to maintain its own OS for Tissot’s smartwatch — the smartwatch venture in general has a marginal impact on the topline (sales), but a major negative impact on the bottom line (the operating margin or EBIT).

Frédéric Arnault has been involved in TAG Heuer product development and marketing since 2017

Refocusing on the brand’s natural territory

The product offering has been refocused on the brand’s “natural ground” or territory by eliminating very expensive ventures into the world of high-end watchmaking. The V4 or the Mikrograph have been certainly extraordinary communication vectors, but also major cost centers with investments going into the eight figures with no tangible positive long-term outcome.

The Carrera Chronograph Tourbillion has been repositioned on a more sustainable price level — thus becoming profitable — unlike when it was first launched, where it was assumed that once you have written off the R&D for the first series, the cost of goods sold is only the manufacturing cost.

A new CEO for new impulses

Meanwhile, Julien Tornare — current CEO of sister brand Zenith — is set to take over the helm of TAG Heuer and based on his track record, we can probably expect a hand-over with minor changes. His 6 years as CEO of Zenith have allowed the brand to stabilize and strengthen its product offering. His predecessors had all tried to kick start the brand, meant to bear a tremendous, unexploited potential, although Zenith has yet to establish itself as a brand that a vast majority of watch aficionados dream of.

The question for Tornare, thus, will be to decide if smartwatches deserve to remain in the collection and if so, how should he navigate the challenges of this ever-changing segment.

What we will probably see at TAG Heuer is an accelerated transition back to the icons such as Carrera and Monaco which are the brand’s “bread and butter” business. To regain lost ground from its main competitors, it will need to show consistency around a clear product offering. The recent product initiatives were very well received and are showing a clear path back to growth. And even in areas where TAG Heuer can’t compete in terms of horological legacy, it still has potential to revive its strong roots in sports chronometry, especially in the field of racing cars.

Julian Tornare is set to take over the helm at TAG Heuer this fall

On the journey to success

Are the recent changes in the product strategy sufficient for the brand to regain the momentum it had definitely lost in recent years? The recent product launches suggest that owners of the brand and its management have understood that stability is a key value to survive in a very competitive market with strong competitors. Pushing icons like Monaco and Carrera, clarifying the product offering and connecting with Gen Z through more contemporary messages are certainly some of the ingredients needed. Re-evaluating its strategy for smartwatches will probably be the next important step to regain the positive momentum the brand had until mid 2010.

And being owned by the luxury industry’s no. 1 – LVMH – which is starting to flex its muscles in the field of watchmaking will certainly help to restart a virtuous circle. As a whole, the group did lose some ground in terms of consolidated watch market share (LVMH watch division plus Bulgari watch division) of 7,9% in 2017 to 6,3% in 2022. But the chairman of LVMH Mr. Bernard Arnault is always known to play on the podium rather than stay in fourth place — just ahead of mono-brand company Patek Philippe with 5% market share. So all things considered, TAG Heuer is definitely an exciting brand to watch in the years ahead.

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FEATURED FROM THE SHOP

Sold Out

Laurent Ferrier

Limited Edition

Laurent Ferrier × Revolution Classic Micro-Rotor “Amazonia”

$57,500.00

TECH SPECS

Movement	Self-winding caliber FBN 229.01 with natural escapement; 72-hour power reserve
Functions	Hours, minutes and small seconds
Case	40mm; stainless steel; water resistant to 30m
Dial	Verdant green, with sector track; applied, white rhodium treated gold Arabic numerals and hour markers
Strap	Brown calf leather with Alcantara lining, stainless steel pin buckle; additional Milanese bracelet in stainless steel
Limited Edition	Limited edition of 15 pieces

The post TAG Heuer is muscling up with two of its strongest watch icons, Carrera and Monaco appeared first on Revolution Watch.

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Dior’s Masculine Chiffre Rouge Watch Is Back, and It’s Pure Sleekness

Dior’s Masculine Chiffre Rouge Watch Is Back, and It’s Pure Sleekness

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Omega’s First Speedmaster of the Year Updates the Dark Side of the Moon Collection

Omega’s First Speedmaster of the Year Updates the Dark Side of the Moon Collection

Specs: Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 ref. 310.92.44.50.01.001

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Lange’s Perpetual Classic

Lange’s Perpetual Classic

Solid gold salmon

A moderately sized case

Does the movement truly meet lange’s quality standards?

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Louis Vuitton is ready to participate in the big league of high watchmaking

Louis Vuitton is ready to participate in the big league of high watchmaking

Modest origins in a new category of products

The strategic repositioning of Louis Vuitton timepieces

The watchmaking know-how of Louis Vuitton

Enter the new Louis Vuitton Tambour

Ascending the upper league

The transformation of Louis Vuitton

A bold and coherent move to tick all the boxes

Independents to foster the horological content

Louis Vuitton is the base of LVMH’s push into the watch industry

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Under the Lens: A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar “Salmon”

Under the Lens: A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar “Salmon”

Solid gold salmon

A moderately sized case

Does the movement truly meet Lange’s quality standards?

Concluding thoughts

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar Ref. 421.056FE Specs and Price

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A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar
Ref. 421.056FE Specs and Price