Article #1
CHAUMET, Paris
- An accumulation of symbols -
#MaisonChaumet #Symbols #RoyalBlue #Tiara #Empress #Joséphine #Links #Love #Garden
The Maison Chaumet is a French jewelry house created in 1780 by Marie-Etienne Nitot. The story of the Maison Chaumet is following the story of France. When Napoléon get married to Joséphine de Beauharnais, Marie-Etienne Nitot instore its first studio creation at the 12th of the Place Vendôme. Their wedding brings to Chaumet some wonderful orders. The house wins the loyalty of prestigious customers, collections after collections. Then, at the end of the Empire of France, the successors of Marie-Etienne Nitot create romantic jewels inspired by decorative arts of the Italian revival. The expertise of the Maison Chaumet attracts a customer composed of sculptors, painters and writers. In 1853, Paris come back the place of the international luxury. Chaumet creates many sumptuous jewels to wear with magnificent ball gown. The tiara, which is a social symbol and a fashion accessory, contribute to an important part of the activity of the Maison Chaumet. That is why Chaumet has realized more than 1.500 different tiaras. (Chaumet.com) So, tiara is one of the most famous symbol of the house. We can see it in the last Chaumet advertising campaign:
Chaumet.com, 2018
At the end of the XIXe century, Indian princes come by boat to buy European creations. They bring by themselves their precious gemstones from India because they are known to be great jewels collectors. From their own gemstones, they want Chaumet to create jewels flexible in platinum. In 1920, Chaumet’s creation became more geometrical to follow the decorative art. The decorative art is characterized by some contrasts in, for example, the materials or the colors. In 1930, Chaumet brings a touch of modernity in its creation in order to follow the good taste of Paris. At the end of the XXe century, the House arrives in Asia. Today, Chaumet still a reference in the High Jewelry sector. In two words, Chaumet is the traditional modernity.
Chaumet is divided into the High Jewelry and the Jewelry section. The Maison Chaumet is the keeper of three universe: the garden (for the nature), the link (for the love) and Joséphine (for the empress). Those three symbols are still using by the House, as we can see in the website:
Chaumet.com, 2018
In terms of symbol, the link is a rope between two people and their destiny. It reminds each other to a relationship: with their family, with friends, with love, with external world, or even with yourself. The link talk about the sentimental and affective dimension. That’s why creations in the link universe express love and occur in several step or event in personal life: graduation, wedding, birth… In 2017, the House recreate the link with the "Liens Séduction" collection and its famous advertising campaign:
Chaumet.com, 2018
The Joséphine collection refers to empress Joséphine de Beauharnais. This collection is like Jospéhine: precious, light, elegant. The Maison Chaumet and Joséphine have the same vision of refinement from the draw to the colors of the gemstones. Two hundred and thirty-five years later, this tradition is an expertise of modern creativity.
The nature is also a big part of the identity of Chaumet. In reality, the empress Joséphine came from the colonies. In Martinique, where she grew up, the nature was omnipresent, and she wanted to feel again this entity through her jewels. That’s why, in the garden collection, Hortensia flowers grow up and bees are living free.
Apart from this three univers, Chaumet has a strong identity thanks to the color royal blue and the crowns. When you think about Chaumet, you think about a tiara. Actually, Chaumet has more than 1.000 representation of crown from its passed creations realized in maillechort.
Another symbol of the Maison Chaumet, which take part of its identity, is the “épis de blé”. The wheat is one of the older themes and the most recurrent in the Chaumet’s creations. From Marie-Etienne Nitot, the founder, to the muse Joséphine, the wheat is wearing as a ring, a bracelet, a necklace or even as a crown. Since 1811, Chaumet design and re-design the wheat at each period of time. The wheat is also the symbol of fertility and plenty which interested women at this period. Today, the “épis de blé” is also represented in the retail shop as an architectural code.
As we have just seen, Chaumet is an historic and precious French brand which has always follow the history of France. The identity of the brand is about the nature, the love and the empire. It’s a romantic brand which target a woman accompanied by a man at each step or event of her life.
- Victoire
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Article #2
The challenge of luxury watchmakers
The “Journal de la Haute Horlogerie” journal discusses ‘tabou marketing’, and how this method has been used in many luxury industries such as fashion and beauty. Tabou marketing is an original concept employed by many famous brands, which consists in exploring the limits of what acceptable or not in the opinion of the public eye. However, this article points out that the luxury watchmaking industry has not yet used this method, and for good reasons: “This means that brands have the opportunity to reinvent in their turn the concept of "taboo" without drowning in a market that is too saturated.” McNish states that brands should not consider their consumers as a "homogeneous entity", but on the contrary, they should consider that there are many different types of consumers with different values and opinions about products. This is the case for the luxury watchmaking industry. These brands no longer adapt their product strategy towards a mainstream type of consumer, because, says McNish, "their target audience has really changed"
At present, luxury watch brands are facing more than a few challenges. (journal.hautehorlogerie.org/fr/pour-un-marketing-horloger-transgressif/)
First, this article points out that today, many consumers are more and interested in buying Swiss made watches. This clearly represents a challenge for non-Swiss made watchmakers. McNish asserts that 50% of luxury watch consumers are willing to pay more if it is Swiss made. Due to this high score, he states that more and more brands are adapting their designs to make them more Swiss-like: "luxury watch brands are associating their own designs with Swiss movements".
The second biggest challenge, regards the emerge of the vintage market. Indeed, more and more consumers are following the trend of buying second hand watches: "Vintage is by far the "watchmaking trend" of the year. In a word, the vintage is "cool", and it will remain so. It remains to be seen whether this fad has contributed to the slowdown in the markets"
Finally, this article underlines the fact that wealthy consumers habits have changed. Today, luxury watchmakers need to find innovative methods to attract the new wealthy consumer which is younger and younger. Brands need to create story telling’s around their products, more than ever heritage is no longer enough: "in other words, reaching neglected audiences by breaking out of the habit to better embrace the many growing sub-cultures." (journal.hautehorlogerie.org/fr/pour-un-marketing-horloger-transgressif/)
Sources:
https://journal.hautehorlogerie.org/fr/pour-un-marketing-horloger-transgressif/
-Camille
Article #3
Breguet – An ancient French watch brand
For this first article about Breguet, we will start to explain the story of the brand. Breguet is one of the oldest watch brand in the world. It has been funded in 1775 in Paris by Abraham Breguet. Mr. Breguet is a French watchmaker and physicist who revolutionized the world of watchmaking. As a matter of fact, he is the father of several inventions which make Breguet a pioneering brand in innovation (even today!). The brand now competes in the luxury industry and is an important stakeholder in the watch industry.
Over the centuries, Breguet managed to make a name for itself in the world of “Haute Horlogerie” and the brand is really proud of its historical and cultural heritage. Breguet had several prestigious clients such as the French Queen Marie Antoinette d’Autriche, Napoléon Bonaparte and his wife the Empress Joséphine, or Mr. Winston Churchill just to mention a few.
However, the Maison Breguet had a tumultuous past and risked bankruptcy in the 1970’s. Indeed in 1970, the brand was bought by the Maison Chaumet (French luxury brand also described in this blog), and I 1987 by the group Investcorp. 1987 is also the date of the relocation of the production at La Vallée de Joux in Switzerland. The good economic conditions allowed the brand to recover and to prosper in new markets (Asia and North America). Finally, in 1999 the brand is brought by the Swiss group Swatch and is now one of the biggest brand of this group.
The past of the brand allows us to understand better the identity of the Maison Breguet; based on historical and cultural heritage and “avant-garde” technology.
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- Yannis
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article #4
Breguet and Museums
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As we said in the previous articles, Breguet has a wonderful historical and cultural heritage. This background makes the brand legitimate in order to appear in museums. Indeed, the Maison Breguet produced so many pieces of art that a lot of its creations deserve to be exhibited in a museum. Some of the most prestigious European museums exhibit Breguet watches. Museums are especially interested in watches with the Tourbillon system (emblematic of the Maison Breguet). Le Louvre in Paris, the British Museum in London, or the Swiss National Museum in Zurich are the kind of museums where you can admire Breguet’s pieces of art.
In addition to that, the Maison Breguet created its own museums. At the present time, there are three Breguet museums: one in Paris, one in Shanghai and one in Zurich. The Paris Museum were the first one to be created. It has been inaugurated in 2000 by Nicolas Hayek himself (founder of Swatch Group). The brand exhibits its most prestigious creations in Breguet museums. The brand also redeems ancient pieces to private collectors or in auctions.
So, if you want to admire Breguet heritage don’t hesitate to go to the Breguet Museum in Paris located at place Vendôme and oppened from Monday to Saturday!
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- Yannis
Breguet museum in Paris
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- https://www.breguet.com/fr/histoire/musees-breguet/mus%C3%A9e-breguet-de-paris
- https://www.montres-de-luxe.com/Breguet-une-presence-dans-les-musees-totalement-unique_a14175.html
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Picture:
- https://www.breguet.com/fr/histoire/musees-breguet/mus%C3%A9e-breguet-de-paris
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ARTICLE #5
The beginning of ROLEX ​
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Rolex a name easily recognisable by everyone even by those who are not affiliated with the luxury industry. According to Forbes, Rolex is one of the top 100 most powerful brands in the world. For a brand to have such a great brand recognition and brand positioning, the journey from where it all started till now must be very riveting.
Rolex started gaining attention when it introduced OYSTER, the very first waterproof watch ever to be made in 1926. Now in order to promote such a timepiece which you know is going to raise lot of eye balls is a huge responsibility in itself and Rolex for sure did not fail. An English swimmer named Mercedes Gleitze wore the Rolex Oyster while making an attempt to be the first women to swim across the English Channel. What could be a better way of promoting a waterproof watch through a swimmer whose story was followed by everyone across the globe.
In 1933 a team of explorers flew over Everest all wearing Rolexes. In September of 1935, Sir Malcom Campbell set a land speed record of going at over 300 miles per hour wearing a Rolex and the list goes on. The idea was simple if you are an achiever, a winner, a record breaker, an adventurer Rolex is the brand for you. These were some of the examples of company’s excellent early branding and marketing strategies.
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- Darshan
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Article #6
What is the so-called Holy Trinity?
In the world of luxury watches, there’s always some arguments about the ranking of the brands. And the holy trinity is one of the most well-known concepts.
The holy trinity, also known as the big three, is the top three watch brands in the watchmaking industry: Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin.
What is the similarity these three brands share?
First of all, these brands are all from Switzerland.
Second, these brands have all been around for quite a long time compared to other brands. For example, Audemars Piguet was founded in 1875, Patek Philippe was founded in 1851 and Vacheron Constantin was founded in 1755 that is the oldest of the three brands in the Holy Trinity.
Third, during these whole time, they only make luxury products, which means they’re not only high quality but also using hand-finished movements, which is also the traditional finishing methods that greatly increase the value of these watches.
But where and when did this idea come from?
The truth is no one really know! That’s also why there’s a lot of people in the world of luxury watches start to have different options this list and starts to define their holy trinity with their own standers. What’s your top three watch brands?
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- Ling
