During the Geneva Watch Days, we had the opportunity to sit down with Georges Kern.
Breitling has been under your direction since 2017. What has changed under your direction since then?
We defined a new strategy to reposition Breitling to a casual, inclusive, and sustainable brand, restructured the product offering across the universes air, land, sea, and professional, and we introduced our distinct design style “modern-retro”, a heritage-inspired design with a stylish modern twist. One of the highlights is the growing number of Breitling boutiques across the world. From just 50 boutiques six years ago, we’ll hit 300 worldwide by the end of this fiscal year. This boost will amplify our presence worldwide. And it’s not only boutiques—or watches, for that matter. Today’s Breitling experience is phenomenal. When you visit one of our boutiques, designed in a relaxed, industrial-loft style, you embrace the whole world of Breitling. Our flagship store in Seoul, South Korea (the largest Breitling boutique in the world), is a two-story townhouse with a wine bar and restaurant. The look and feel of this retail and lifestyle space say everything about our casual, inclusive, and sustainable approach to luxury.
How would you describe the identity of the brand? What is the distinguished side of Breitling in the watch industry?
We’re distinguished by our clear positioning as the leader in what we call “neo-luxury” in the watch industry and our unique modern-retro design style is what sets us apart. The brand embodies three fundamental values that will shape the watch and luxury goods industry in the coming decades. Breitling’s success is built on a wide product offering with strong products in all segments ranging from 3’000 CHF to above 30’000 CHF. We are a uniquely generalist brand and one of the few luxury watchmakers that can offer attractive products to such a wide range of customers. In the past couple of years, we have broadened our offering with a wide range of new products, from the sporty Endurance Pro, at the entry-level of our collection to the more refined and complex Premier and Super Chronomat lines.
Could you tell us about the novelties of Breitling for the Geneva Watch Days?
To commemorate Breitling’s 140th anniversary, we have released three limited editions at Geneva Watch Days. Additionally, we have some exciting surprises in the pipeline, including the launch of our “140 Years in 140 Stories” book. We kickstarted the celebrations with the launch of the Aerospace B70 Orbiter, followed closely by the Navitimer GMT and Automatic 41, and the Navitimer Cosmonaute B12. In June, we introduced new Chronomat models, and at Wheels & Waves, we unveiled two new Superocean collections. Starting at the end of August, we will host a pop-up museum in Zurich, showcasing the evolution of our brand through rarely seen watches and artifacts. This is just the beginning of many launches this year, as there are many elements to the Breitling story that we have yet to reveal, making this anniversary the perfect opportunity to share them.
In the beginning of this year, Breitling launched a collection in collaboration with Victoria Beckham. What’s the story with that?
With the collaboration with Victoria Beckham our main goal was to appeal to fashion-savvy women in general. The women’s market is more important than ever, and we see enormous potential. Breitling always had a strong history in the female segment. Those watches ranged from chic and streamlined timepieces for everyday wear to elaborate jewelry-like pieces. Today, Breitling is the “cool and relaxed alternative” in the watch industry in regard to product design and advertising, steering away from the conventional notion of the purely romantic and classic timepiece. Victoria Beckham is a brand that defines and embodies modern and quiet luxury, everything is considered and elevated but with a real ease and meant to be worn for every part of a woman’s life. With the collaboration with Victoria Beckham, Breitling will tap into the world of fashion, something not every watch brand could do. Her relevance within the fashion industry enables us to speak to fashion-savvy women, while simultaneously reaching a broader female audience.
How do you evaluate the current situation of watch industry?
Despite the challenges faced due to the macro-economic and geopolitical environment, the luxury and watch industries has proved to be resilient. There are trends that also present opportunities for growth and success. There is a clear trend of premiumization, with larger brands continuing to gain market share. This indicates that there is a continued demand for high-end luxury goods. Additionally there is trend towards iconization in the watch sector which plays into the hands of a brand like Breitling with an incredible back catalogue and 140 years of history. At Breitling, we have a clear and proven strategy in place that allows us to continue to scale our business to become one of the top 5 watch brands globally. We are confident that our unique positioning and core values resonate strongly with today’s consumers. Overall, we can be satisfied. Especially in the light of today’s unstable geopolitical climate and we are convinced that there is tremendous growth potential for our brand in the future.
Could you tell us about some cues to predict the near future of the Breitling? Has Breitling got different collections or new collaborations?
As we continue our 140th anniversary celebrations, we will have more products launching throughout the year across different watch segments. Breitling is young in its potential for growth, and we are still developing and growing our presence around the world. As we always say at Breitling, “this is just the beginning” – so stay tuned, there’s still more to come.
As last question, could you please choose a Breitling that you have an emotional connection?
It’s very tough because all Breitling watches are special to me. For years, we’ve been working and re-working all the series, and I love them all. If you ask me which one I wear the most, it’s our iconic Navitimer with the salmon-colored dial. It’s just such a beautiful timepiece that every time I see it and wear it – I’m in awe.
