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Exclusive interview with Mr. Nicolas Garzouzi, CEO Middle East, Audemars Piguet
You have been with Audemars Piguet for quite a long time. What brought you to the AP brand?
After I graduated in 1992 from HEC in France, I joined the Lebanese distributor of Audemars Piguet in Lebanon. Since I first met with Audemars Piguet in Le Brassus more than 10 years ago, it was love at first sight.
Few years later in 2003, we founded Audemars Piguet Moyen-Orient sal, a subsidiary of Audemars Piguet Holding, distributing AP in the Middle-East, Africa, and the Caspian Sea markets.
How is Audemars Piguet faring in the Middle East? and in particular the Royal Oak?
AP is doing extremely well in the Middle-East whether in Dubai which is more a tourist market than in Saudi which is more a domestic market.
Alike most markets worldwide the Royal Oak and its extreme, the Royal Oak offshore line, represent the bulk of the business.
In the sports watches segment of the high-end market, we are but far the leaders of the industry whether in the Middle-East or else where.
Which of your watch models is the most popular in the Middle East? And Why?
The Royal Oak offshore line is the most popular model in the Middle-East because of its recognizable unique design, virile and sexy look, and surely reliable movement.
How popular is the Haute Joaillerie time pieces in the region?
We manufacture very few pieces of high jewellery watches set with top wesselton flawless diamonds, burmese rubies, colombian emeralds or ceylan sapphires. We also create exceptional pieces made to order for royal courts both for men and ladies.
Do you propose to open more independent Audemars Piguet boutiques in the Middle East?
The Middle-East currently is the smallest region in the world that concentrates such a number of AP boutiques. We indeed have 6 AP boutiques and will soon open our 7th in Doha.
Could you please describe the Audemars Piguet customer profile in the Middle East?
75% of our customers are men.
They are successful, free spirits, educate
What is your favorite Audemars Piguet watch?
The one that I am wearing, a Jules Audemars time equation in pink gold exhibiting in addition to its perpetual calendar functions, the sunset and sunrise for Beirut city and bearing my initials.
Which Middle Eastern market is the biggest for Audemars Piguet? What are the markets that you think Audemars Piguet still have a lot of potentials?
The biggest market for Audemars Piguet in the Middle-East is the UAE followed by the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and this is reflected as well in the statistics of the Swiss watch federation.
Both Kuwait and Qatar also are very interesting markets for us and the Sultanate of Oman has a very big potential as well.
What kind of impact does SIHH have on a premium brand such as yours in the Middle East?
We consider our relationship with our retailers to be a very important pillar for our continual success. The SIHH 2013 offers a valuable opportunity for us to enhance this relationship and create tighter bonds with our partners.
What are your expectations at SIHH 2013?
The SIHH concentrates more than 50% of our retailers orders. The region is doing well in spite of the crisis and we expect to have a growth over 10% over last year SIHH
What are the foreseen trends and directions with watches in 2013? Any particular trends that your brand is particular keen on in terms of movement and or designs?
As we take pride in our unique know-how, we will be focusing in the coming period on returning to the basics of time making. As we build on such solid ground, we will be able to guarantee the exceptional quality that has always characterized our timepieces.
What are Audemars Piguet “star” novelties for this SIHH?
Every year, novelties are launched at the SIHH to push the boundaries of watch making a little bit further. In 2013, the world will be pleased to discover the ROO GC and the Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph.
When would we expect the SIHH novelties to be available at boutiques and POS in the Middle East? Will you display the new collection at the Doha Jewellery and Watches exhibition in Doha in Feb 2013?
Novelties are delivered simultaneously worldwide in our network of boutiques Doha fair comes too short after the SIHH; yet we will bring some novelties which delivery date is 1st semester 2013
What is the AP new resolution for 2013 in the region?
Quality, quality, and quality
NOVELTIES:
Vacheron Constanin unveils Malte tourbillon high jewellery
Symbolizing the cultural bridge between the arts, engineering and creative genius, Vacheron Constantin’s Malte tourbillon high jewellery brings together the magic of watchmaking and the mystery of gem-setting. This exceptional piece is a vibrant dedication to the Métiers d’Art, which here border on the sublime. With the invisible settings all entirely hand-crafted, it is dressed in 418 baguette diamonds (totalling approximately 19.6 carats), creating a supreme illumination of time. Such an exceptional watch deserved an equally exceptional movement, and this model is duly equipped with mechanical hand-wound Calibre 2795, comprising 169 parts and endowed with an almost two-day power reserve. This new tonneau-shaped movement – making a perfect fit with the case – is entirely developed and crafted within the Manufacture.
Master Ultra Thin Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon watch by Jaeger-LeCoultre
The Master Ultra Thin Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon stems from research on two iconic horological complications. It is indeed the slimmest minute repeater in its category at just 7.9 mm thin. This watch capitalises on seven separate patents, six of which are entirely new. Its entire development process was governed by two watchwords – ingenuity and performance. Its quintessence lies in a successful bid to achieve extreme slenderness while making no compromises on reliability. Hybris Mechanica Eleven is equipped with an original tourbillon, a high-performance new balance-spring, a peripheral automatic winding system, a retractable single pushbutton, as well as a new minute repeater equipped with a silent-timelapse reduction system. As the latest addition to an illustrious and fertile saga of Jaeger-LeCoultre striking watches, this model consolidates the brand’s leadership in this field.
A. Lange & Sohne presents the new Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase
The new Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase gives the moon-phase display, which, by the way, is designed to remain accurate for 122.6 years, distinctive prominence on the dial. A patented coating process for the lunar disc endows this astronomical complication with a remarkably lifelike appearance. Since its restart, the manufactory in Saxony has presented twelve models with this complication. But never before has the moon phase been as prominently showcased as in the new Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase. A spacious stage has been reserved for the popular astronomical indication on the dial. It provides vividly realistic proof of how closely the moon-phase display tracks the actual orbit of our planet’s companion. This is because the display is connected with the hour-wheel continuum. As a result, it is constantly in motion, just like the moon itself. The increments are so small they cannot be detected by the naked eye.
Hommage Double Flying Tourbillon with Hand-made Guilloché by Roger Dubuis
This masterpiece of the Hommage collection highlights the traditional art of guilloché bearing the unmistakable Roger Dubuis imprint of sophisticated modern elegance. In this instance, the RD100, a new movement composed of 452 individually hand-finished parts and endowed with a 50-hour power reserve, called for 1,200 hours of manufacturing and six full weeks of controls. Such an accomplished mechanism naturally deserved to be showcased to its full advantage. The new Hommage Double Flying Tourbillon with Hand-made Guilloché achieves exactly that in a spectacular new demonstration of Roger
Dubuis’ equally intense concern for the inner and outer beauty of its models. Endowed with historical design codes including long slender lugs, a concave bezel, large Roman numerals, a fluted crown and a distinctive folding clasp, it also features a range of subtle new touches.