By Jacquie De Almeida
Designing a watch for the world traveller may seem straightforward.
There are a select group of cities common to most world timers. But when it came to designing an exclusive Frédérique Constant for Maison Birks, deciding what major Canadian cities would make the cut became a challenge. Specifically, would Toronto or Montreal represent the Eastern time zone.
“It was a struggle to pick one over the other, and since there was enough space on the dial, we decided to include both,” says Jean-Christophe Bédos, Maison Birks’ president and chief executive officer (CEO), from the company’s Toronto flagship store.
In town for the unveiling of a partnership with the Swiss watch brand, Bédos doesn’t hold back on his enthusiasm for the latest watch company to sign on with Maison Birks.
Frédérique Constant’s CEO and managing director, Peter Stas, is also on hand, keen to talk about the 42-mm Manufacture Worldtimer ‘Maison Birks Edition,’ an automatic available in rose gold-plate or stainless steel and housing an FC-718 Manufacture calibre movement.
It’s one of several models that will grace a shop-in-shop display to be incorporated into the store’s redesign in 2014. Frédérique Constant’s sister brand, Alpina, will also be joining Birks next year.
The new partnership is the latest in a string of announcements Birks has made over the last few months as it revamps its corporate and retail image. Stas says the overhaul was one of the main drawing points to teaming up with the retailer.
“When we met, there was an immediate click,” he tells Jewellery Business. “They are looking for brands that are more exclusive and not necessarily over-distributed and over-represented in the market. And we are looking for quality retailers with a strong network, which includes the United States.”
Bédos says test markets have responded positively to the collection.
“It’s an emerging brand as far as Canada is concerned, and it coincides with a classic look with affordable price; it’s a very high-value proposition in terms of manufacture movement. When you look at the watch business in Canada, it fits perfectly with the Canadian consumer profile. We wanted Birks to be the number one distributor and to have a partnership with Frédérique Constant to guarantee that we are the jeweller of choice for the brand.”
Stas’s visit to Toronto is happening on the heels of an announcement by the Swiss Competition Commission (Comco) that Swatch Group will reduce its supply of ETA movements gradually over the next six years. Using the average number of movements delivered in 2009 to 2011, supply will drop to 75 per cent of this level in 2014/2015, 65 per cent in 2016/2017, and 55 per cent in 2018/2019.
The announcement was confirmation of a previous ruling, Stas says, however, there was one new development: Comco’s decision stated that Swatch Group and ETA must put all its customers on equal footing.
“The immediate effect is that our partner, Selita, will get 300,000 more movements next year,” Stas explains. “It makes a huge difference.”Â
Over the last few years, Stas has been extremely outspoken against Swatch, even testifying at the Swiss tribunal on the impact a reduction of supply would have on smaller watchmakers, who cannot develop in-house movements. Since 2001, Frédérique Constant has worked to position itself independent of Swatch with two proprietary manufacture calibres. It has also ramped up production at its atelier in Geneva to 2200 pieces per month, and plans are in the works to expand the facility.
“In terms of movements, we have pretty much crossed the bridge already,” he adds.
The next battle, he says, will revolve around spirals, for which a patent is owned by Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Swatch.
“What is happening with spirals is that [the monopoly] stifles innovation and it is purely intended to remove competition to the detriment of the consumer,” Stas explains. “This needs to be settled, just like the reduction issue. I believe eventually fairness will prevail.”
Bédos—whose previous stints include Cartier and Richemont—says Stas’s stance on Swatch Group brings value to the new partnership.
“We made a strategic decision at Birks to partner with brands like Frédérique Constant, who are truly independent,” Bédos says.
