Now that you are living in Dubai, how are you enjoying the show?
This is my first Dubai Watch Week because in 2021, I was based in the US. My father was here with my mum and my sister. So, you know, we figured I would stay in the US and they would come here. So, this is my first Dubai Watch Week and I think that it is probably my favourite watch fair. It is not just about seeing the timepieces and novelties, it is the level of activities, forums and panel discussions here. It is very interactive. This is also the show where I have seen the most people from around the world.
How important is Dubai to Bovet?
Our relationship with the Seddiqi family is more like a family friendship. I believe they were one of the first partners my father had when he started and this relationship has been steadily growing. So, from a market perspective and a business perspective, we have been also growing, you know, we now have five points of sales in the UAE – one in Abu Dhabi and four in Dubai.
You have been working full-time for three years now, is it everything you imagined it would be?
What I do is very different from what my father does. When I started, we kind of divided the tasks, you know, so before he used to do all the travelling, and then when I came on board, we decided that I could take on some of the travelling too, as he has been doing it for 20 years. He also likes to be more focused in Switzerland with the day-to-day operations of the house.
When I started in 2020, it was more a-learn-as-you-go kind of experience which was nice. I have a law degree so I told my father to look to see where I could add value. Because if I couldn’t add value, then there wouldn’t have been any point. I wasn’t going to come along just for the fun of it, and 2020 was the middle of COVID. My first trip for Bovet was in Mexico, and from there, things just happened naturally. I kept traveling, I kept meeting partners and learning.
Do you ever not agree with your father and what happens when you don't?
Yes, of course, it happens, but he is actually a pretty good listener. He doesn't always do what I advise, but he does listen. So, from that point of view, we don't clash so much.
Where would you like to see Bovet in the next five years?
Obviously, there is our family, which is wonderful, but there are also our timepieces, our designs and our artisans, as well as the assets that we have as a house in general, like the castle and the history, it is very complete. I want to be able to share this with the rest of the world as it is all very real; we are not just telling a story. I really want to be able to share it more widely.
What do you enjoy the most in your job?
I love meeting people in the watch business and collectors too. I love having conversations and sharing insights with them, listening to what they have to say as there are still a lot of things that I don't know.
Does this information inspire you in terms of ideas for future watches?
I don't participate much in the design process yet but I hope that one day I will. Up until now, it has mostly been my father. I have given some ideas, of course. I have also moved around a lot. I have lived in Spain, Switzerland, the USA and the UK. And during my time with Bovet, I have travelled extensively, so I am also inspired by all these places, the cultures I have experienced, the different styles and tastes people have, the colours, the materials, and so forth. We are a historic brand, and my father is a classic man, but I would love to integrate more contemporary ideas, all while keeping the Bovet identity and DNA.
