Above and beyond the encounters with the media and partners, representatives of these nine brands were clearly delighted to convene in the same locations. The group encompasses two distinct sets of historical and more recently acquired brands; while at the same time, an industrial strategy with regards to watch movements is clearly taking shape.
Optimism and dynamism
Bulgari, Hublot, Louis Vuitton, TAG Heuer and Zenith are evidently adopting a proactive approach, with the three brands in the middle of this list of five presenting many new products divided into distinctly structured collections (check them out on our worldtempus.com website). When questioned regarding 2025, Hublot CEO Julien Tornare said: “First of all, I would like to be optimistic and as it happens, the end of 2024 and the start of 2025 have been better than expected. I'm working on the assumption that the economic context will remain complex during the year, but that it will improve and that our redeployment will give Hublot the momentum required to make a success of 2025 despite the economic situation – with a real upturn in 2026.”*
Benoit de Clerck, CEO of Zenith, which is celebrating its 160th anniversary this year, is enthusiastic yet realistic: “Like most of the watch industry, we’ve faced some turbulence in recent months, although having an integrated Manufacture has helped us navigate our way through it. Our 2025 goal is to maintain focus on our core priorities while leveraging our 160th anniversary. We have some exciting projects planned that showcase Zenith’s authenticity and expertise. While Zenith is not the only centenarian watchmaker, we are unique in that we’ve occupied the same premises for 160 years, continuing to produce watches throughout that time. Visitors can still see the original furniture and tools from our founding era, making our Manufacture truly one-of-a-kind. *
As for Bulgari, Jean-Christophe Babin evokes a record year in 2024 despite the economic situation and is strengthening the brand's manufacturing autonomy with the creation of a 1.9 cm-diameter automatic caliber for small watches, which could be made available to other brands within the group. Moreover, Frédéric Arnault, CEO of the LVMH Watch Division, confirms his intention to invest in the development of movement production for his brands, capitalizing on Manufacture Zenith’s capabilities and expertise.
The redeployment of new entrants
Relaunched in 2023 under the leadership of the Louis Vuitton Fabrique du Temps and highly prized by collectors, the Daniel Roth and Gérald Genta brands are consolidating the achievements of their new lease on life. Both have presented a reinterpretation in a very limited series, aiming for peak Haute Horlogerie through their finishes. Another niche brand and the most recently acquired by LVMH, L'Épée 1839 has seen its reputation skyrocket thanks to unprecedented media exposure. The Jura-based Manufacture, which had brought along part of its collection of highly creative clocks and mechanical accessories, unveiled a transparent case for the first time. Since its acquisition by LVMH last year, L'Épée 1839 has embarked on an expansion of its Manufacture. Discover this mechanical gem by taking part in our next GMT Watch Safari.
Finally, in a completely different dimension, Tiffany & Co. organized an exhibition of historical items and a presentation of very successful new women's products across all price ranges, the first of this magnitude since the acquisition of the brand by LVMH in 2019. Nicolas Beau, Vice-President of Tiffany Horlogerie since 2021, was visibly pleased with this creative achievement. Whether exceptional timepieces combining Haute Horlogerie and Haute Joaillerie or watches costing a few thousand francs, each one is derived from a piece of Tiffany jewelry. While the subject was not raised at all, could it be that the next LVMH Watch Week will comprise ten brands?
*Discover more than 30 articles relating to the LVMH Watch Week on WorldTempus, including interviews with CEOs Antoine Pin (TAG Heuer), Benoit de Clerck (Zenith) and Julien Tornare (Hublot).
