OMEGA wins the war on magnetism
Luxury Swiss brand, OMEGA has unveiled an array of delightful timepieces for the year 2015, such as the limited edition Seamaster Aqua Terra 150m that has been unveiled in anticipation of ‘Spectre’, the new James Bond movie. Another innovative release by the Grande Maison is the Globemaster Chronometer that defies the effects of magnetism
In partnership with the Behbehani Group, the brand is celebrating a long-term successful relationship between the two brands with the inauguration of OMEGA’s third boutique in the city of Kuwait.
Day and Night Magazine were one of the lucky few who attended the inauguration at The 360 Mall, where renowned Brand Ambassador, Abhishek Bachchan joined friends of the brand to welcome guests. Among the crowd was OMEGA’s Vice President & Int. Sales Director, Raynald Aeschlimann, who enlightened us with innovative details about the brand’s progress in Kuwait and other interesting facts.
What is the reason for your visit?
The reason for my visit this month is due to the celebration of the long-term partnership OMEGA shares with its partner, the esteemed Behbehani Group that represents the brand in Kuwait. As a result, OMEGA has opened its third boutique in the region with the full support of the Behbehani family behind it. Opening a third store within a small city is a remarkable milestone, as this shows that OMEGA is in demand and the Behbehani Group is doing extremely well to ensure we receive the attention its products demand from horology enthusiasts. The opening of the new store at the 360 Mall was a huge success OMEGA’s Brand Ambassador, Abhishek Bachchan was in attendance and managed to rally the crowds and caused quite a stir.
How do you feel Kuwait is progressing in terms of luxury purchases?
Since my last visit, the city of Kuwait has progressed rapidly over the last few years, so I think it is doing extremely well. I have experienced first-hand how fast a revolution is coming, where knowledge about luxury Swiss timepieces is spreading. Unlike Europe, Kuwait has a mall dedicated to the local consumers interested in high-end goods; for example, The 360 Mall houses some spectacular products that are represented by powerful brands, which have secured a large following in Kuwait and we hope the European market follows suit just as quickly.
What does it take for a timepiece to be Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC) certified?
It’s not easy for a timepiece to achieve the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres certification, which has been approved by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS). Our latest 2015 Globemaster is a remarkable timepiece that features a co-axial escapement and has been certified as a Master Chronometer. To achieve this title, the movement was put through a rigorous testing regime, which consists of eight independent tests set within the parameters of the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC). Not only do the tests measure the performance of the watch in daily wearing conditions, but they also ensure that the Globemaster’s movement functions properly when exposed to magnetic fields of 15,000 gauss.
Is the co-axial escapement something OMEGA will employ in all its watches?
At present, almost all our timepieces feature a co-axial escapement, except for the Moon-watch as that timepiece houses a 40 year old movement that is still popular to date.
How about the Master Chronometer certification? Will that be secured for all OMEGA’s watches?
OMEGA will continue to secure a Master Chronometer for its timepieces for the foreseeable future, and within the next 5 – 10 years we hope all our watches carry this exclusive certification.
Why did OMEGA get involved with James Bond movies?
The collaboration began around 20 years ago under the leadership of the late Mr Hayek, who wanted to create an exciting image of OMEGA. Driven by the passion to re-structure the brand, he arranged to meet with the James Bond representatives and discovered that they shared the same goals where both wanted to shed the old image of the brand and focus on a modern out-take that centres around innovation and excitement.
How did OMEGA secure the sponsorship of the Olympics?
Precision timing is the key to success of the Olympic Games, and both the Swatch Group and the Olympic Game’s organisers realise that. OMEGA has to guarantee precision timing as an Olympic event can’t be repeated twice over – timing has to be captured correctly from the first go. As we are an experienced brand, we are able to guarantee what is needed to be the Official Timekeeper and reached upon an agreement where both parties are happy with the outcome, which has resulted in a successful collaboration of 26 Olympic Games between both entities to date.
How difficult is it to be technically innovative within a particular selling price bracket?
It is extremely hard to be inventive when keeping in mind our price positioning of a particular watch. OMEGA wants its customers to enjoy precision timekeeping with other particular functions that appear on the dial, as well as new designs and fascinating materials within an affordable price segment. If our watches were priced excessively then we would lose valuable custom; one of the ways we have kept costs reasonable is by employing an internal vertical integration structure where all our components are crafted close to the ‘hub’ of OMEGA’s production facility, as opposed to an external supplier.
What is the sales ratio between the men’s line and the ladies line?
We are aiming to increase sales of women’s watches and are using new designs and marketing strategies to entice particular clientele. However, currently the ratio is around 50% for both sexes and we are proud to say that we are one of the few brands who can boast such a figure.
