AWJ Online conversation with Chopard Co-President, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele
Talking about Chopard’s 25 years of watch making, innovation, creativity, independence and future plans.
How important was the establishment of the Chopard Manufacture to secure the continuity and independence for the brand?
First of all, I would like to invite Nader to visit Fleurier for the 25th anniversary of Chopard’s Manufacture but this can be for another time in view of the pandemic situation. Well, today we have reached the level of independence which probably as you know, we conceive, we invent and we produce the movement entirely, including the finishing and polishing of all the hand-made parts that we have slowly but surely acquired over the years. I think, on the one hand we have the industrial side for the movements made for larger quantities at Fleurier, and then we have Chopard manufacture where we still make all the complications, all the movements that are made in small batches, including those we are presenting this year. This includes the quartz holder with the jumping hour.
What is the biggest asset of being a fully integrated manufacture of a family independent brand?
I think the biggest asset for us is that we are able to plan this manufacture well. If we were part of a big conglomerate we probably would not have done what we did. Today we could fully take advantage of this because as you know there are not many companies at present who make movements and we are one of them.
Was the decision to establish the Chopard’s manufacture in Fleurier region based on the influence of the region’s culture and heritage or was it just an investment opportunity in a close by area?
In fact the closest area would have been Vallee de Joux which is more popular and probably half an hour closer from Geneva, but Fleurier came up because we have this collaboration with my friend Michel Parmigiani and we were also looking at some small spaces for workshops. I really like Fleurier because its people have a high sense of confidentiality and I thought it would be interesting to develop something there. Fleurier completely look different from 20 years ago as a village. It’s still a village but things have improved a lot and a number of companies have established manufacturing facilities there and we are not alone anymore. Of course we were able to find very good craftsman, very good team members from the surroundings so that also was a very good plus.
You have expressed your desire to connect the heritage of Louis Ulysse Chopard and the next generation of Swiss watchmakers and artisans with a spirit of technical innovation and modern design. Moving forward, how do you look at the future expansion of Chopard in terms of physical expansion and new generation on board?
We want to pursue the same direction. We respect tradition, and traditional craftsmanship, but we try to put it in the service of innovative products and innovative ideas. So in a way the past always meets the present and the future and I think that is the best way forward.
Design, precision, functionality or material. What comes first for Mr. Scheufele and why?
I think when it comes to watches like LUC or Alpine Eagle a good watch without design is not an interesting watch, but a well-designed watch without a precise movement is also not an interesting one for me. It is always a combination of different attributes that makes a watch appealing. You need an interesting or captivating design that is alive and stays for a long run, and has a qualitative, accurate, well designed movement. Everything should go together in harmony. Last but not the least, you have to listen to the consumers, you must have ears constantly out in the market and take into account what they are looking for. For example the Alpine Eagle was the answer to the question we were asked for three or four years. “Why don’t Chopard come back with a sporty elegant watch like the St. Moritz?” So I decided to answer.
You have used the “Poinçon de Genève” in several executions of Chopard LUC watches. How did this help the brand? Do you see any disadvantages in terms of pricing?
I think using or conforming to a quality standard which is not your own whether it is a chronometer test, chronometer certification or Geneva Seal or Quality Fleurier is a very good exercise for any company because we are measured by an outside institution. I think this is far more credible but also, it is a good challenge. The Geneva Seal’s execution, in terms of finishing of the movement and so on, is an expensive exercise too because everything is hand-made and the bar is very high. At the same time it ensures that we keep the craftsmanship alive and we do have the craftsmen who can achieve that. I think it is like someone doing sports practice every day trying to improve his timing or whatever as compared to someone who let’s say is complacent and thinks he is good enough and doesn’t need any practice. Since we are talking about the future, what’s your view on the new applied technology of the 3D-in printing movements and cases and the entire watch? How do you feel about the “Blockchain” in the world of watches and Jewellery?
I think that 3D technology is very interesting when it comes to working on prototypes for us, or working on new ideas and getting results quickly. But today this technology is not precise enough to do what we need so we cannot produce any significant watch parts or components as the precision is not there. Maybe in the future, who knows? I think blockchain technology is interesting when it comes to maybe certification or ownership of a piece. You can trace back the history of the watch or you can certify ownership of the watch over many years, otherwise we don’t really see too much use for this at the moment. Obviously we are looking at new technologies and as soon as we find them suitable for ourselves we always embrace it. As this kind of technology becomes available from our suppliers it will be very interesting. For the moment it is not yet the case but I think the time will come.
How would you propose to celebrate the Chopard’s 25th manufacture anniversary apart from the recent releases of an elegant sector dial in limited edition, the Chopard L.U.C. QF Jubilee, the very first L.U.C stainless steel timepiece with Fleurier Quality Foundation certification? Will there be a new special reveal such as a new advanced calibre or a manufacture expansion plan?
First of all this year is the 25th anniversary of the manufacture and we had planned an event in September but unfortunately we have to cancel it for the reasons you know. So we pushed it further down to January. We are aiming it for next year because then we also have the 25th anniversary of the LUC collection. The foundation of Chopard manufacture was in year 1996 and the first LUC watch was introduced in 1997. What I can tell you is to expect something at the beginning of next year. Also during the course of this year, there will be more releases. For the time being, we will release our novelties mostly digitally and we didn’t want to release everything during the Watches and Wonders show.
How important it is for a luxury brand to be engaged in sustainability?
I took part in a panel discussion on the first day of Watches and Wonders. It was about sustainability and the CEO of Panerai was there too and it was very interesting because we decided afterwards that we will exchange information. Sustainability should not be treated as an exclusivity for anyone. I do think it is significant. Chopard was a pioneer in the field because we started long time ago but we can still learn a lot. It is an endless journey that is what I would say, so we are on this journey and if we find companions on the journey and we do things together I will be very happy. We introduced the recycled steel on the Alpine Eagle and you can be sure that the recycled steel will go into other Chopard watches too soon because our aim obviously is to constantly improve our sustainable footprint. There is still a lot to do and I think going forward the young generation will find this a new norm for them and questions are being asked today. You have to be transparent you have to be able to explain what your company does or how your company outsources materials and so on.
Do you agree with the statement that there is no wedding in the Middle East without Chopard? What does this mean to you?
I don’t know your source of this statistics but if it is the case of course I’m more than proud and happy to hear. We have a very interesting new marketing campaign coming up which is all about happiness and you will surely discover it now. I think it is quite befitting Chopard to be part of all weddings. It is a great news that you give me.
Being a multi-talented entrepreneur you are involved in the Haute Horologie, wine making and wine distribution, and you are also known for you passion for art and vintage cars. How do you split your time among these activities? Which among the above would be your future retirement plan?
Right now watches come first and the rest only if I have time basically. Speaking of retirement I don’t know when this will take place but if it happens I will definitely go more for wine making. Wine making is a very difficult exercise. Our wine just froze when we had a major cold wave in Europe and a lot of wines froze and we lost about 30 percent of stock this year. When freeze hits as the vines start to flower then you’re done and it’s the second time this has happened to us.
Recently, Chopard opened a new Boutique in Jeddah - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. How comfortable are you with the expansion plans in the Middle East?
We are constantly looking at opportunities to enhance and improve our presence. You just mentioned an example, and we are also looking at Kuwait where we will probably expand one of our boutiques adding a second floor. There is always an opportunity that we look for, and we think that although we have a reasonably good presence there’s still a lot to be done.
Do you feel that the next big expansion plan for the brand will be in hospitality – launching a new hotel chain similar to other jewellery brands - especially after the takeover of 1, Place Vendôme Paris from Mouawad?
Well, I can tell you this, we don’t want the brand name Chopard venturing into hotel business. Place Vendôme will reopen hopefully by the beginning of next year. It will be a beautiful hotel but the name will be Vendôme not Chopard and Chopard will stay true to its core business of jewellery and watches. Some association is fine, but this is our core business and if we venture into our brand of hotels then it will be a different business. Nevertheless I can share one secret with you. The Vendôme hotel will have one Chopard suite and this will be the most exclusive suite in the hotel.
I don’t want to ask how Covid 19 has impacted your plans but I would like to know how Chopard adapted itself to the current situation to become much closer to your customers globally and in the Middle East?
I will make it very short. We transformed almost overnight into a digital company and we managed to communicate digitally to the extent we never expected. We introduced some e-commerce platforms for example in France and Germany, and we are working on such platforms in the Middle East as well. We also developed a digital way of doing business where our boutique staff could reach out to clients who are at home so they could connect with the boutique that is close by. This way they manage to stay close to their customers and make sales. Adversities teach us that there’s always another way. I think there is a lot more we could do digitally and probably will keep going forward.
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