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Bovet Fleurier SA, the luxurious Swiss brand famous for its supremacy in the decorative arts of watchmaking is successfully innovating in perfect harmony with its tradition celebrating its 190 anniversary this year. In this interview, Mr. Pascal Raffy, owner of Bovet Fleurier SA talks about his passion to sustain the skills inherent in the art of watchmaking and continue to manufacture timepieces that will fire the passion and curiosity of the future generations.
Nearly all Bovet watches honor the heritage of Swiss watchmaking. Why do you insist on this commitment?
Because it is precisely here that we find the true essence of the House of BOVET, whose 190th anniversary we celebrate this year. Genuine luxury is above all a question of education. It can only be magnified if it is manufactured to the highest quality and in discretionary quantities. Bovet timepieces reinforce these criteria indispensable to the most beautiful expression of time, thanks to our incredible wealth of techniques and decorative arts. This unrivalled expertise is the legacy of pioneers who, like Edouard Bovet, laid the foundations of luxury watchmaking. With the prestigious history of the House of BOVET and my passion as a collector, I naturally feel it is my duty to sustain the skills inherent in the art of watchmaking, to continue to manufacture timepieces that will fire the passion and curiosity of future generations.
How do you protect the ethos and DNA of Bovet in a modern world of fast changing preferences and shifting lifestyles?
BOVET’s identity is based on the manufacture of timepieces that magnify the arts of watchmaking. Beyond fashion trends, which by their very nature are ephemeral, our watchmaking art is increasingly respected for the authentic values and the cultural dimension it conveys among an ever growing body of collectors.
How would you describe Bovet’s performance in the Middle East?
The Middle East is one of the regions where the history of our House began. Historically, Edouard Bovet delivered his first timepieces to China. However the Middle East was already an important breeding ground for collectors for whom Edouard Bovet manufactured specific timepieces, as witnessed by certain pieces in our private historic collection. For our House to have received such a welcome in the Middle East over the decades is scarcely surprising when you consider that it was here that the basic sciences of measuring time had their origins, namely mathematics and astronomy, themselves closely bound up with the artistic dimension.
Several Swiss watch brands are focusing on the younger generation by launching collections dedicated to them. Where does Bovet stand in this respect?
BOVET owes its enduring existence to the fact that it has continually manufactured timepieces according to time-honored rules, taking infinite care over the smallest details. The idea has never been to manufacture a timepiece that will supposedly please a particular segment of the population at a given point in time. The philosophy of the House of BOVET is above all to attain excellence in each and every one of its creations.
It is the informed collector’s understanding of BOVET’s exceptional mastery of watchmaking skills that leads him to respect the emotions they convey, allowing the House of BOVET to serenely celebrate its 190th anniversary.
What are the current and future challenges facing BOVET as an independent watch manufacturer?
To see through the policy of vertical integration of our production. I have set the wheels in motion ten years ago when I acquired BOVET and subsequently Les Manufactures DIMIER. Our desire is to sustain the art of watchmaking so that prestige timepieces can continue to enchant collectors for many decades to come.