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Lesson #1: “What differentiates us is that we are not repeating tradition”

Article Overview: “In 1980, the whole Swiss watch industry was oriented to develop and present its collection of Quartz watches,” says Biver. “Even prestige brands like PP, AP, VC had in those days a proportion of 70% more or less quartz movements in their collection. The Swiss watch industry had its biggest crisis and many watchmakers couldn’t find a decent job and as a consequence left the industry.”

Lesson #1: “What differentiates us is that we are not repeating tradition”

"In 1980, the whole Swiss watch industry was oriented to develop and present its collection of Quartz watches," says Biver. "Even prestige brands like PP, AP, VC had in those days a proportion of 70% more or less quartz movements in their collection. The Swiss watch industry had its biggest crisis and many watchmakers couldn't find a decent job and as a consequence left the industry." According to Biver, the watch industry was at a breaking point; it needed to be turned on its head and he was just the one to do it.

"When we came out in 1982 with the statement that we had never made a quartz watch and that we would never make one, the statement made a lot of noise," Biver recalls. "The entire philosophy and concept of Blancpain was based on the revival of the traditional art of watch-making."

After Blancpain achieved success, Biver's competitors followed suit. "The resurrection of mechanical watches was on track," says Biver, "and we can admit today that myself through Blancpain was the drive behind it."

But it was what came next, the changes that Biver made at Hublot that demonstrated his true entrepreneurial savvy.

"More than a watch, I recognized in Hublot the incredible strength of its concept: the fusion of the watch-making art...the link between tradition and vision."

It was this vision of Biver's, and his fearlessness in implementing it, that brought Hublot to the top of the industry. "I believe a tradition remains alive not only through its repetition, but much more through the combination of present and future," he says. "I believe in this fusion not only in watch-making, but also in other fields."

From watches to even cheese, one of Biver's keys to success was in his interpretation of the modern with the traditional.

"With Hublot I took the same traditional approach I had 20 years ago with Blancpain and fused it with new elements that traditional watch brands do not usually do," he says. "I added new elements of the future, like new materials.

"In 1980, it was the first brand to create a fusion between gold and rubber. This visionary concept that was entirely unexpected at the time (mixing gold with tires?) has since become a norm...To make a complication watch in a ceramic case is also unconventional as the majority of brands place complications in gold or platinum."

Hublot has achieved success because of its very concept - the fusion of tradition and future; the constant research of new colours and new materials, which, says Biver, "in the end makes our watches look different and unique."

To that end, Biver stresses the importance of vision, and not product. "I am fascinated by concepts," he says. "Brands that make watches just to sell them are of no interest to me. As soon as they encompass a concept and I have a mission within that, I love getting involved."

"As far as Hublot is concerned, the concept is extremely clear; this is not about a watch-making yardstick, but about a watch-making fusion."

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Article Tags: breaking point, cheese, decent job, fearlessness, hublot, keys to success, mechanical watches, prestige brands, proportion, quartz movements, quartz watch, quartz watches, repetition, resurrection, revival, swiss watch, traditional approach, traditional art, vc, watchmakers



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