Watches

The Big Four watchmaker will slow or even suspend production increases as new leader Ilaria Resta works to ‘solidify the company.’

For years, the French luxury brand has been seeking a prime location along Manhattan’s storied Fifth Avenue.

The slim timepiece known for its trompe-l’oeil gold strip design is a watch-industry icon. Relaunching the model could help Richemont-owned Piaget jumpstart excitement around its watch division after years of leaning on jewellery to drive the brand’s image.

Higher-than-expected export figures fuelled hopes that the industry can avoid a downturn. At LVMH’s Watch Week gathering Miami, the chief executives of Bulgari, TAG Heuer, and Hublot and Zenith spoke to The Business of Fashion about adapting their strategies for an uncertain market.

Christian Dior Couture hopes to reinvigorate its watch division by relaunching its early 2000s Chiffre Rouge line — this time with fancier complications and a price to match.

Sales rose 8 percent year-on-year for the three months ending December 2023 to €5.6 billion, beating analyst expectations.

With global demand in flux, brands ramped up their presence at concert tours, Formula One races, tennis championships and more. New creative directors debuted at Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Burberry and Tom Ford.

In partnership with Scott, Audemars Piguet is set to release a limited-edition version of its Royal Oak watch and a capsule collection of co-branded merchandise from the watchmaking house and Cactus Jack Records.

Shares in the Cartier-owner fell 6 percent after first-half profits missed forecasts.

Timepiece start-ups like Baltic, which went from Kickstarter campaign to producing $50K collector grade watches, and Christopher Ward, who is on track to reach $40 million in sales this year, are leveraging collector communities and innovation to take on high luxury watchmaking.

With a new campaign fronted by Charlize Theron, the watch brand is deepening its connection with a group it’s still relatively new to: female consumers.

Strong demand for the Swiss luxury watch brand’s pricey timepieces has put sales on track to hit fresh highs.