Building work on the Manufacture Harry Winston has begun in Plan-les-Ouates; what will this construction mean to the company?

The first advantage consists in uniting the three sites on which we work into one, which will enable us within one year to vastly improve the organisational flow and to facilitate internal communication. Since the initial architectural project mapped out prior to my arrival was based on two buildings, one for production and the other for administrative purposes, I decided to embed them by creating a certain number of bridges between them, particularly according to the “overlap” principle. We will thus have areas shared by various professions, as well as zones designed for exchanges and plenty of interconnections. The internal layout will feature significant flexibility, because Harry Winston is very much on the move and we need to be able to adjust rapidly.

Will such a facility enable you to considerably increase your production capacities?

The idea is not so much to increase production capacities as to raise the added value of our products and the reaction times of our teams. These premises will indeed lead us to incorporate new professions. Nonetheless, this will not be done to the detriment of our historical suppliers (most of whom have been working with us for ten years), since the latter will in fact experience a reinforcement of their partner status: we continue to work with them, but they train our personnel in their specialities in order to respond even more precisely to the demands linked to brand expansion.

What is the current state of play with the Opus saga?

I wanted to be sure not to break the cadence of the Opus models, and the incredible Opus 6 by Greubel & Forsey is currently in the delivery phrase. All six of these watches will be produced before the next Baselworld, during which we will present Opus 7. For the latter, we are working in tandem with two brilliant independent geniuses, according to the Opus philosophy, and the first truly functional project will become Opus 7. The Opus saga is thus continuing in harmony with the same creative and innovative drive that has always been in the concept’s very genes, and that ensures its enduring exclusivity.

What about the other collections?

The Opus platform is a tremendous communication vehicle and our product portfolio is already substantial in terms of both men’s and ladies’ watches. We do not really need additional collections, while the existing ones will of course be regularly enriched. Nonetheless, we are working on a huge project in the shape of a new platform intended for women and that might well be equal in scope to that of the Opus watches. Expect a clear nod in this direction at Baselworld next year.

Will the spread between men’s/ladies’ products change?

We do not intend to modify the current balance, which stands at around 60% ladies’ watches and 40% men’s watches. However, I am determined to create a watch that is both radically feminine and intensely horological.

Are you experiencing particular developments on any particular market?

We basically strive to maintain a global balance. We could easily tip the scales in certain countries, but we prefer to keep an harmonious spread between our current markets. A good deal of work has already been done in Asia, where Hong Kong and Taiwan now represent one quarter of worldwide sales, and efforts are now directed towards western Europe. For example, we have just opened a salon in London and a point of sale in Geneva. Here too, it is not a question of totally changing the existing equilibrium, but merely of reinforcing the network. Harry Winston has twenty or so salons and points of sale in Western Europe, and this number will not grow beyond twenty-five. This will serve to counterbalance the weight of Eastern Europe, which is extremely fond of the brand. The only obstacles we are meeting in our expansion phases relate to the geopolitical situation of certain brands, which is a variable we naturally can not control.

Are you exploring parallel communication channels, Taormina style?

Our partnership with the Taormina film festival in Sicily perfectly illustrates our approach in the field of communication. First of all, we develop longterm partnerships, since only they can guarantee the necessary quality in terms of promoting our brand image. The second parameter to which we are strongly attached is that of exclusivity which meets our clients’ aspirations. In this respect, we develop carefully targeted programmes intended for a limited number of guests sharing the brand’s emotional values. Such is the case for the “rare moments” we organise around the world, the next of which will take place in Singapore in association with Rolls Royce. As we do not do “general public” events, people do not enter the Harry Winston sphere by accident; it is instead always the result of a deliberate approach stemming from an interest that has been sparked by the originality of our watches. Since Harry Winston was the first to adorn stars in diamonds, this interest has never waned. And without being at all pretentious, I can truly say that it is not Harry Winston that comes to you, but you that come and become a member of the Harry Winston family.

In a few words, how could one define the major thrust of your communication strategy?

It is absolutely clear: it involves conveying our creativity in terms of the development of our watches through the tone and the means of communications we use to make them known to a potential highly targeted clientele. This is an ambitious objective which explains my recent decision to hire a new marketing director who does not come from the watchmaking sector, but from the world of luxury automobiles. Together, we are going to develop innovative concepts that must enable us to communicate about what constitutes the difference, the substance and the legitimacy of the positioning of the Harry Winston world.