Maurice Lacroix - Marc Gläser as new Managing Director
DKSH, the leading Market Expansion Services provider with a focus on Asia, creates the function of Managing Director Maurice Lacroix to position the Maurice Lacroix brand and product development even closer to the market and to the needs of the rapidly growing customer groups.
Following the acquisition of a majority shareholding by DKSH in the Maurice Lacroix Group in summer 2011, the expectations of overproportional growth in sales, particularly in the Asia region, have been fulfilled. To position the Maurice Lacroix brand and product development even closer to the market and to the needs of the rapidly growing customer groups, the function of a Managing Director Maurice Lacroix is being created, which will be independent of the management of the long-established watch case manufacture Queloz in Saignelegier and that of the producer of movement components, La Manufacture des Franches-Montagnes. Effective January 1, 2012, the newly created role of Managing Director Maurice Lacroix will be assumed by Marc Gläser, who has held various executive positions at Maurice Lacroix over the past seven years.
Joerg Wolle, President & CEO of DKSH, commented: "Our expectations of overproportional growth in sales have been fulfilled, particularly in the Asian markets, where we are benefiting from the rapidly growing middle class throughout the entire emerging Asia region and their appetite for high-quality luxury and lifestyle products. We are convinced that through this new organizational structure and the enhanced focus on the diversity of core competencies within the Maurice Lacroix Group, we will be able to satisfy customer needs even faster and hence, accelerate our growth."
Gonpo Tsering, Member of Group Management DKSH, and Chairman of the Board of Maurice Lacroix, stated: "I am delighted to take this opportunity to extend my thanks to Martin Bachmann, the long-standing CEO of the Maurice Lacroix Group, for his outstanding expansion efforts of the recent years. Following the successful integration of Maurice Lacroix in the DKSH Group, he has decided to leave the company at the end February 2012. Our very best wishes accompany him."
As an independent Market Expansion Services provider for the marketing, sales, distribution, and after-sales support for high-quality luxury and lifestyle products, DKSH operates blanket-coverage networks in a diversity of markets throughout Asia for the benefit of premium brands such as Harry Winston, Graham, Breitling, Corum, and Ulysse Nardin.
Las Vegas Show - Highlighting Watches
WORLDTEMPUS - June 7, 2011
When it was announced at the close of last year's shows that the 2011 JCK Show would not be held at the Sands Convention Center, many were up in arms. It moved to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, located at the opposite end of the Strip from the Wynn, where the Couture show is held. Shows organizers and exhibitors feared that retailers would not know which show to attend, certain they couldn't split their time between both. The shows opened as scheduled - with Mandalay Bay and its adjoining convention center the new home for the Swiss Watch by JCK, JCK, and Luxury shows - sort of.
The Logistics
The Swiss Watch by JCK show was predominantly held in suites of Mandalay Bay's hotel. The LVMH Group opted to exhibit at Swiss Watch by JCK at this venue, while Breitling and a few others elected to participate at the Four Seasons Hotel. These two hotels are connected through the lobby of the Mandalay Bay. Since it was a real time commitment to get from the Couture Show at the Wynn to the JCK show at Mandalay Bay and vice versa, Couture provided shuttle bus transportation between both shows during show hours. The JCK show, with new floor organization due to the new venue, took some getting used to for routined retailers and journalists.
JCK Show Floor
On the show floor, the Hall of Time watch exhibitors seemed somewhat disgruntled. Certain brands wishing to remain anonymous were disconcerted with their position. Several even mentioned that they were asked to pay a premium for a space close to the doors, or for another supposed high-traffic area, though in reality the area left them hanging at one end of an aisle. Still, traffic seemed up and buyers I spoke to - when they weren't grumbling over the time they were losing because of being lost or shuffling between four hotels and various suites - seemed interested in scoping out new product.
Exhibitors at the JCK Show on the show floor included newcomers such as Vulcain, back on the U.S. market for the first time in years, exciting new fashion brand IZOD, and Rumba Time, an incredibly affordable brand with creative new ideas. Other exhibitors included established brands such as Luminox, Reactor, Modus and Timex.
"We have been very busy. There has been a steady stream of retailers coming through," said Yanir Gvirtzman, CEO of Divino, North American distributors of Italian-made Officina Del Tempo timepieces.
Swiss Watch by JCK
Swiss Watch by JCK is concurrent with the JCK Las Vegas Show and held in luxury suites of varying sizes. Exhibitors here typically rented their suites for Friday, Saturday and Sunday (even though the show floor was opened from Friday through Monday), and worked via appointment-only meetings with retailers and press. As previously mentioned, this year instead of the suites all being in one hotel, they were somewhat scattered - at the request, it would seem, of the brands. The majority, however, were located in the Mandalay Bay hotel.
"We are very pleased with the Mandalay Bay suites, they are new and spacious. We know some of the retailers are unhappy about the location this year, but everyone hates change initially. It will take some getting used to," said Ron Stoll, head of Carl F. Bucherer in the United States.
Others exhibiting in suites this year included Ulysse Nardin, Cuervo y Sobrinos, Frederique Constant, Maurice Lacroix, Tissot, Hamilton, and Longines.
Couture
At the simultaneously competing Couture show taking place up the Strip at the Wynn, it was fairly status quo. While some watch brands such as Breitling and Fendi left Couture to exhibit at JCK, others including Bell & Ross and a host of independents such as those distributed in the USA by Totally Worth It (Hautlence, Linde Werdelin, Armin Strom and Ladoire) migrated to Couture, where brands exhibit either on the show floor, in suites or in luxurious "villas."
"We moved here to take a villa because we wanted a truly luxurious setting," said Stacie Orloff, president of Bell &Ross in the United States. "We are very happy here."
Among the brands on the show floor were Tutima, Ernst Benz, Ball Watch, SEAH, Philip Stein, and newcomer Gerge. Brands exhibiting in suites included Ellicott, Franc Vila, Bedat, Peter Speake-Marin, Totally Worth It, and Bremont.
Show Time
New this year was the Couture Time by Watch Journal concept - created and sponsored by the magazine of the same name- to bring more attention to the watch companies. Under this umbrella, the inauguration of what will become an annual event took place: the Couture Time watch contest. This juried event was open to all watch exhibitors, each of which was allowed to enter one watch for one of three categories: Watch Architecture; Technical Excellence; and Innovation. Nearly 100 percent of the brands exhibiting participated. Winners honored at the award presentation included Peter Speake-Marin with the Marin 2MK1 Thalassa for Technical Excellence, Ladoire with Mr. Green for Architecture, and Christophe Claret with 21 Blackjack for Innovation.
Hanhart - Thomas Morf
After completing his basic technical education, Thomas Morf's career soon led him abroad, where he was responsible for managing projects focusing on the commissioning of thermal turbomachinery. He was then attracted to the IT business for a while, undertaking a period of on-the-job training to gain a qualification in business administration. As an ardent lover of timepieces, he moved to the Swiss watch brand Maurice Lacroix in 1995 and spent time living in the Far East in his capacity as the Director Asia/Pacific. Equipped with this valuable experience and knowledge, he joined the Bucherer Group in 2001 as CEO of Carl F. Bucherer. He not only developed the brand into an independent company within the group, but by taking advantage of the brand's own movements and manufacture workshops for producing mechanical calibres and functional modules, he also developed it into a widely recognised manufacturer.
On 1 October 2010, Thomas Morf took over as CEO of the watch brand Hanhart, which has its registered offices in Diessenhofen in the Swiss Canton of Thurgau and in Gutenbach, Germany. He is also a shareholder in the company.
Tradition and expertise in precision timekeeping
The Swiss-German watch brand Hanhart is known for its high-precision, 100% reliable and robust instrument watches for use in the air, on the land and on the sea. It combines cutting-edge Swiss and German knowledge and skills with the long-standing tradition and expertise of its own manufactory, which has its origins in the watch business established by Johann A. Hanhart in Diessenhofen in 1882. The company, which remains the leading manufacturer of premium timepieces to this very day, not only launched the first affordable mechanical stopwatch in 1924, but it also began manufacturing wristwatches at an early stage at its production site in Gutenbach, southern Germany. These included the single-button "Calibre 40" chronograph as well as the legendary "Calibre 41" and "Tachy Tele" pilot's chronographs, which date back to 1939. These chronographs are steeped in history, and today their replicas have become coveted collector's pieces and connoisseur's items for those with a penchant for fine precision watches.The design and technology of the Pioneer watch models are based on Hanhart's long tradition and its legendary chronographs. They therefore include features such as the unmistakable red reset button, the typical "bicompax" dial design as well as the asymmetrical button arrangement - which has been the trademark characteristics of the brand's chronographs right from the start. Just like all Hanhart watches, they stand out thanks to their perfect functionality and immaculate readability.Working in close collaboration with the brand's own manufacture workshops in Gutenbach and highly specialised suppliers from the Swiss watch sector, a new, progressively designed collection of mechanical chronographs was developed under the name "Primus" in 2009. It combines historical features - such as the unmistakeable red button, which has distinguished Hanhart watches since 1939 and was previously intended to prevent pilots from unintentionally resetting the stop time - with the latest technology and progressive design. The Pilot, Racer and Diver models are based on the brand's core competence: competence: high-precision, extremely reliable and robust instrument watches for use in the air, on the land and on the sea.High-quality mechanical stopwatches under the name ClassicTimer, manufactured over several production stages in the Gutenbach factory, still represent a key product segment for Hanhart. Used in the past at all the important motor races, today these stopwatches are most popular among ambitious vintage car rally drivers.Over the next few years, the further expansion of Hanhart's home markets of Germany and Switzerland as well as key export markets will become increasingly important. Both the wristwatches and the mechanical stopwatches from the ClassicTimer collection are already available from selected specialist retailers in many countries.
[Rating: 5 / 5 stars]
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