Luxury Watches

Miss Fance 2008 and Luxury Watches

2008-06-05T08:35:00.000-07:00

Bertolucci's Brand Ambassador and Muse Valérie Bègue will continue to represent the brand throuot the year including the JCK Las Vegas trade show:

"The beautiful Valérie Bègue, Miss France 2008, will be present at Booth 54 in the Prestige Promenade"

"Valérie Bègue, 22, won the 2008 Miss France competition by over 10 million votes; her elegance, sensuality, and feminine qualities ideally align her with the romantic qualities that define Bertolucci timepieces.

During the recent Baselworld exhibition in Switzerland, she hosted a glamorous gala dinner attended by VIPs and Bertolucci partners."

Link: Bertolucci Watches And Miss France 2008 At JCK Las Vegas

Luxury Watches Sales Strong Even if the Dollar is Not

2008-05-29T13:50:00.000-07:00

A weak dollar, economic slowdown and the global economic downturn affects many things but there's something that always seems unaffected by this: the need for luxury items and other high end products.

"Sales of the Louis Vuitton brand along with watches and jewelry are doing well in the United States despite an economic slowdown and a weak dollar, said Toni Belloni, group managing director at LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world's largest luxury group.

Investors have been looking at luxury goods makers for signs of cooling demand for the likes of watches, designer clothes and jewelry amid fears of a global economic downturn.

"Jewelry, watches continue to do very well," he said at a luxury goods conference in Tokyo. "We haven't seen a significant slowdown in the United States."

Do you still buy luxury items in a weak economy?

Link : LVMH says Louis Vuitton sales in U.S. doing well

Photo by bizmac

Timex Plans to Expand its Retail Presence in India

2008-05-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

India is growing and that's great news especially for luxury brands, the demand for luxury watches is increasing and Timex wants to be a big part of this:

"watch maker Timex plans to introduce premium brands like Ferragamo, Versace and Valentino in the country soon, besides expanding its retail presence."

"We are thinking of bringing global luxury brands Ferragamo, Versace and Valentino to India. At least one or two would be available here in the next twelve months," Timex Group Asia Pacific Senior Vice-President Kapil Kapoor told PTI.

"The company which makes watches in segments like fashion, sports, outdoor and youth lines under its flagship brand 'Timex', also manufactures, markets and distributes internationally several other brands like Guess, Opex Paris, Nautica and Marcecko."

"Timex, which has about 59 'Time Factory' outlets selling Timex watches, plans to expand its retail presence across India by taking the number to 120 by the year end."

About Time Factory Outlets
The Time Factory is an avant-garde multi-brand watch store concept and has been positioned as the coolest one-stop destination for mid priced to premium international watch brands.

About Timex Watches Ltd.
The Timex Corporation is headquartered in Middlebury, Connecticut, USA with affiliate offices located throughout North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. For over 150 years, Timex has been providing innovative, well-designed, affordable, and reliable timepieces. With hundreds of styles among its Fashion, Sports, Outdoor and Youth lines, Timex is the largest selling watch brand in America and has sold more than one-billion watches worldwide. While every Timex produced since then has retained the virtues of those early watches, in the intervening 50 years, the company has introduced a steady stream of technological advancements including:

Ironman Triathlon, the first full-featured performance sport watch.
Indiglo night light, the unparalleled watch illumination system
Data link, the first watch to interface with a personal computer
Ironman Speed + Distance system, the first watch to use global positioning technology to accurately answer the questions; ''How far?'' and '' How Fast?

Watch the Photo Galleries:

Versace Watches:

Valentino Watches:

Full Article: Timex to bring luxury watches to India

The Baume et Mercier Diamant Lady Watch, Diamonds for Every Occasion

2008-05-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

Baume et Mercier has been a distinguished luxury watch brand since 1830, this watchmaking company is renowned for it's sporty chronographs but also for it's beautiful lady watches such as the Baume et Mercier Diamant:

"The women’s Baume Mercier Diamant series provides a sleek fit and is ideal for any dress occasion. Although it certainly can be worn at any event, the class and style definitely make it a valuable authentic piece of jewelry. With its polished stainless steel and the sparkling diamonds, this series is ideal for every woman to have. It can be difficult looking past the expensive price tag, but this is one series that offers a reasonable price for what you get. "

Baume et Mercier Diamant Gallery:

Baume and Mercier Diamant Ladies Watch 8739:

Baume & Mercier Diamant Womens 8696:

Baume & Mercier Women's Diamant Watch 8568:

Baume & Mercier Diamant Womens Pink Strap Watch 8667:

Link: The Womens Baume et Mercier Diamant Series

Wikipedia: Baume et Mercier

Official Site: Baume et Mercier

Philippe Charriol Talks About Luxury Brands in Vietnam

2008-05-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Charriol Lady Jet Set

Philippe Charriol is the President of the Philippe Charriol Group, he first succeeded in japan and south east Asia rather than Europe so he really understands these particular markets, in the next interview he talks about an emerging market of great potentialfor luxury watches, Vietnam.

When did you first come here (Vietnam)?

Philippe Charriol: I first came here in 1973 and 1974 during the war.

It was quite an extraordinary experience.

I was just a young businessman.

I didn’t do any business here, but I had a good time.

I came here again more than 10 years ago to visit a friend from Hong Kong who opened a restaurant here.

Then I felt the time was coming for better merchandise and we found a distributor and opened our first store here in 2005.

Since then, many brands have started to come but it is still an emerging territory compared to some countries around it.

But don’t worry.

It will come very fast.

It is like a plague.

It will come all at once.

[There will be] French, Italian and Swiss brands – Swiss for the watches and jewelry.

Charriol Lady Jet Set

What is special about watches?

For many years, having a watch on your wrist was very important.

It showed you the time.

Today, it is less and less important.

First, everybody has a watch – cheap or expensive.

Second, everybody has things like computers or cell phones and the time appears everywhere and it is extremely accurate.

Today, the object by itself – in its shape – is more important than giving the time.

The trend is changing and whether for men or ladies, we are talking here about better merchandise, not basic merchandise.

We are talking about elegance and luxury watches, if you want.

It’s where brands are very important.

Charriol Lady Jet Set

Why did you target the Asian market when you first started Charriol?

It was easier for me to invest in smaller countries and territories like Hong Kong and Singapore than in major territories.

Smaller countries react faster than big countries.

If you are a distributor in Japan or the States, you have to plan.

But in places like Singapore, it happens [quickly].

I was also accepted in the Middle East where the countries are small but they are very important buyers.

Everyone is rich.

But it’s not because they are wealthy that they buy.

If they don’t like, they won’t buy.

I was very lucky.

In the 80s, gold color was very popular.

At that time, I came into the market with [gold].

So people, especially in the Middle East, became crazy with this new style.

How different is doing business in Vietnam compared to other Asian [markets]?

In [markets] like Singapore and Hong Kong, most people know about us.

In this country, we have to do a lot of promotion to inform the Vietnamese that we [sell] beautiful watches, jewelry, writing instruments and eyewear.

The challenge is to be associated with the right people to do the right promotion for the brand.

Full interview: Luxury brands will come to Vietnam like the ‘plague’

Another Reason To Get a Luxury Watch

2008-05-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sea Dweller

When you read that a watch is water proof does that mean can you take it do swim or not maybe here's the answer:

watches with water-resistant mark are only meet the terms of NIHS 92-10 standard (corresponding to international standard, ISO 2281). They are designed for everyday life .So, a few rain drops shouldn’t be a problem. But not to be used under the water such as diving activity.

While the luxury watches are different. They come with a guarantee to a measured water depth. In other words, the casing and seal have passed a certain test.

Have you ever jumped into a pool with a luxury watch?

Link:
Water resistant watches

Rolex to support watchmaking craftsmanship

2008-05-16T13:11:00.000-07:00

Watchmaking it's a profession of great tradition and respect, it is a highly specialized skill that takes years to master.

In recent times the demand of luxury watches has been growing and with that the need for watchmakers to take care of them or even manufacture them, so a skilled certified watchmaker is a rarity in today's digital world.

But the problem is that not enough people is choosing this career path.

Fortunately there's people who, like us, appreciate this art and is doing something to keep watchmaking and it's tradition alive and that's Rolex:

"In an effort to keep the industry ticking, Rolex Watch USA Inc. recently gave a $1 million grant to Oklahoma State University’s Okmulgee campus. The five-year partnership will provide funding and logistical support to the school’s watchmaking program."

"Oklahoma State-Okmulgee uses the American Watch and Clock Institute course of study, which is designed to specifically service high-grade watches, officials said. The watchmaking program started in 1946 when the college opened."

"Charles Berthiaume, senior vice president of technical operations for Rolex, said that in the 1970s there were 45 watchmaking programs nationwide; that number has dwindled to about 12. He said several closed when electronic watches caused a shift in the marketplace and many potential watchmakers chose other career paths."

"But the early ’90s saw a resurgence of interest in luxury high-grade watches."

“They remained in the market and customers were looking for a watch of this level and looking at mechanical watches because it represents craftsmanship and more value,” he said. “That interest has not decreased; if anything it continues very strongly.”

“Rolex is one of the companies that enjoy a strong market sale and we noticed these schools needed professional support,” he said. “We are supporting and giving back to the future of the profession.”

Links:

Oklahoma State University

OSU-Okmulgee watchmaking program receives a Rolex