Interviews

What is your background, how long have you been with Victorinox?

Since 2004, so almost 10 years, and 20 years in the watch industry. Prior to that I had brief experience in the jewelry business.

What is the focus for Victorinox in 2013 and beyond?

Our focus is to become a companion for life. Now, let me elaborate so it is not just a marketing statement. A ‘companion for life’ is like when you have a Swiss Army knife in your pocket, maybe you will not need it now, but maybe you will need it later in the day, maybe you will need it next week, maybe you will need it in a months time. But you are sure that the moment you need it, it won’t let you down.

It will deliver what you need because it is made with the highest level of quality and functionality.

And our inspiration, and it is a challenge, is to replicate these values in the timepiece business. Our mission is to pursue quality with no compromise. This is why we have reviewed our design, our engineering and our manufacturing process.

Today I am quite proud to say that in terms of quality in our price segment, we are unmatched.

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Nicky Hayden, pictured far right

Earlier this week I had a chance to interview 2006 MotoGP World Champion, and Tissot ambassador, Nicky Hayden. The interview took place over the phone, as Hayden was already in Qatar preparing for the first MotoGP race of the year which takes place this coming Sunday.

How are you recovering from your recent wrist surgery, any difficulty going 100% on the bike?

No difficulty, should be 100%. This is my second carpal tunnel surgery and it is not that bad. It affected me during a recent practice in Spain but it feels fine now.

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When did you start in watchmaking?

I started in 1975. At a time of crisis for watchmaking, a very dark time. Everyone was trying to discourage me from taking that path at the time. Watchmaking was completely devastated in Switzerland. There had been a tremendous crisis. My beginnings were very difficult but I really believed in what I was doing and went against the tide. And it wasn’t a bed of roses. I started my activity at the time in the region where I was born…and the economy was completely devastated at the time. The only watchmaker that had remained active at the time was Piaget, at the time, all the others had had to close down. And they managed to weather the storm and not disappear. And even that was an inspiration to me because Piaget being a high-end luxury brand, I thought that if they had succeeded there was still some hope and that I was on the right track.

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Sofisti holding the new GP DLC Titanium Bi-Axial Tourbillon at Timecrafters. Photo courtesy of Roberta Naas of Atimelyperspective.

(This interview was originally run September 17, 2012 - the image and caption above have been added.)

Michele Sofisti took over as CEO of the Sowind Group last year, after French luxury group PPR took a majority share (50.1%) of Sowind (which consists of Swiss watchmakers Girard-Perregaux and JeanRichard). Since becoming CEO, Sofisti, a watch industry veteran, has publicly indicated that he has plans to further develop Girard-Perregaux and to reposition JeanRichard.

1 - What does being under the financial umbrella of the Gucci group mean to Girard-Perregaux and JeanRichard going forward?

A very, very important move. Most important because it gives a total security of the future, total security for our partners on the industrial side, they know it will be long lasting. Also for our partners in distribution and our retailers. A company that has a bright future in front of it, this is the most important. The second important thing, we entered into a group that is run with a lot of respect from brand history, quality and heritage. This is really very important for a brand like Girard-Perregaux with 210 years of history.

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1- How did you get started in the watch industry?

I started in the watch industry because my father gave me an interest in watches because he was a watch addict. When I was 27 I opened my shop as the shop of our dreams, only watches and only the brands I like. It was a mixture of institutional, historic brands and niche brands right at the beginning with an opulent choice.

2- What are some of your best selling timepieces so far this year?

Hublot, Urwerk, Panerai, Greubel Forsey

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1- Please tell us a little about your new brand Xetum.

We launched Xetum's collection in late 2009, with the objective of offering distinctive Swiss automatic timepieces in an accessible modern aesthetic. Each piece in our collection is designed to draw your attention in an understated and nuanced way.

A watch is something that many men wear every single day, so it needs to really embody your personality. It has to do so in a way that is noticeable, but not distracting, and it needs to be suitable for many different situations (for example, professional and casual occasions). Mechanical watches, in particular, are something that people keep for a long time, so the aesthetic needs to have endurance, and not be driven by fleeting trends. At Xetum, we have tried to balance these, and many other factors into a distinctive timepiece collection.

2- Which timepiece are you currently wearing?

I am currently wearing our Black Tyndall, which has an instrument-style design with a subdial second hand). The other family in our collection is the Stinson, which features a more minimal dial design and sweep second hand.

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1- As a CEO at Concord, what did you learn about the watch business that might help you revitalize Technormarine?

Believe in what you do and live your ideas with passion, without limit and without external pressure. My team and I have never feared not to succeed. This is a real freedom and a state of mind that I always had in my previous experiences. So, the story continues with TechnoMarine... !

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