How to give watch lovers more bang for their buck, according to Ulysse Nardin
For a long time in the Swiss sentinel industry, watchmakers adopted a slightly aloof attitude. They made watches, and watch enthusiasts were granted the privilege of owning them.
This is according to Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Ulysse Nardin, a 172-yr-sometime brand that became famous for its ultra-precise marine chronometers in the 19th century.
"Listening to the stop-consumer was not a big business organisation," Pruniaux told CNA Lifestyle, during a visit to Singapore on Thursday (Aug 16). The 60 minutes Glass is the make's exclusive retailer.
But times have inverse, and the barrier that one time separated producer and consumer has dissolved. Social media brought on – and accelerated – this dissolution.
With and then many channels of communication now open up between sentinel brands and sentry lovers, in that location is no escaping the dialogue.
It is all part of the zeitgeist of inclusivity, and no one knows this more than Pruniaux. Prior to joining Ulysse Nardin in Sep 2017, he worked at Apple during the launch of the Apple Watch.
His tenure at the now-trillion-dollar behemoth taught him the pros of a zero-ego culture.
"What matters is the make and what we do for the end-consumers and scout lovers. Today nosotros need to be fast and agile, and listen to the terminate-consumer and the market, non only in the sentinel industry, just also the rest of the world," he said.
And what the globe wants are watches that are practiced-looking, functional, innovative, and full of personality or have stories to tell.
More than importantly, they demand to offer value for money. Enthusiasts volition still pay top dollar for the most prized tickers, only they need to know they are getting more bang for their cadet.
"We make very complex, complicated watches, but making complicated watches only for the sake of it, I don't think it's relevant any longer. (Watches) should bring value to the end-consumer," said Pruniaux.
In January 2018, Ulysse Nardin appear the Freak Out, the get-go Freak picket to toll a five, not six, figure sum. At S$73,900, it is half the price of the make'south Freak Vision, which retails at Southward$146,300.
Freaks typically cost Southward$120,000 or more, with the damage on the nearly complicated versions amounting to S$200,000 and up.
The Freak is an icon not just for the make but for the entire watch industry. When it first appeared in 2001, it was the world'south first lookout man to brandish time using the movement itself. Curiously, information technology did not have a dial, a crown, or hands.
The mainplate – which housed the exposed movement parts – doubled up as a dial and an 60 minutes hand, completing a total rotation in 12 hours. In place of a minute hand was an arrow-shaped span that rotated once every hour. And the case itself was used to engage the motion, in effect becoming the crown.
The Freak was also notable for being the kickoff watch to use silicon in its movement, paving the way for others to follow adjust. Silicon allowed the motility to function without lubricant, which meant that the sentry needed less frequent servicing. This made it more than durable and reliable in the long run.
Before the launch of Freak Out, Freaks were usually cased in gold. But Freak Out is sheathed in titanium, making it sportier and lighter both on the wrist and on the wallet.
Besides making prices more amenable, Pruniaux believes that in social club to add together value for consumers, watchmakers like Ulysse Nardin need to apply an innovative approach to every attribute of the watch. Even something bones similar the power reserve can be improved upon.
Freak Vision, for example, is not merely the first Freak with automatic winding, only information technology is likewise the starting time sentinel in Ulysse Nardin'due south lineup to feature Grinder, a new, patented winding system that is purportedly twice equally efficient as regular winding systems.
Essentially, the winding machinery'southward architecture is more sensitive to motion, so even a tiny jolt from your wrist will activate the rotor. Less effort is needed to wind the watch. When fully wound, the power reserve lasts 50 hours – enough to concluding the weekend.
Fans of the Freak volition exist happy to know that Pruniaux plans to develop a full collection.
"(The Freak) used to be an iteration every couple of years. Every two or 3 years, there would exist a new material or new design. At present, we're preparing for the Freak to be a larger collection, with differentiated movements and slightly differentiated designs. The Freak has a very potent make name, as well every bit a very clear story, design and movement. It has true potential to become much more," he said.
We are already looking forward to January.
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/lifestyle/ulysse-nardin-patrick-pruniaux-freak-out-freak-vision-watch-238211
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