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sitanshi talati-parikh

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Tag Archives: SIHH

Discovering Design: Alexandre Peraldi for Baume and Mercier Watches

03 Monday Jul 2017

Posted by sitanshi talati-parikh in Brand Watch, Interviews (All), Interviews: Luxury Brands, Publication: Verve Magazine

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Alexandre Peraldi, Baume and Mercier, Interview, Interviews: Luxury Brands, SIHH, Verve Magazine, Watches

Published Vervemagazine.in July 3, 2017

Alexandre Peraldi has a fluid sense of fashion. He is passionate about ‘balance’ and is inspired by ‘everything and absolutely anything.’ Perhaps it is suggestive of the creativity that helps him keep the clock ticking at Swiss watchmaker Baume & Mercier (B&M), a brand that was founded in 1830. He’s been with the Richemont Group (a Switzerland-based company that owns some of the best luxury brands in jewellery, watches and writing instruments) since 1988, which incidentally is also when B&M joined the group. B&M are known for their sporty, classical watches in the ‘affordable’ mid-range luxury watch segment. Popular B&M lines include the Clifton Club – vintage watches based on the brand’s offerings from the mid 20th century, the minimalistic Classima, and Linea for women with interchangeable straps.

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Excerpts from an interview with the Baume & Mercier design director:

12 years at Cartier, 16 years at B&M. What has the journey been like?
“Patient. I’d like to use the line of the musician who said that, to be a good one, you have to learn classical music for 10 years and after that, you will be able to play jazz. I learnt ‘classical’ design at Cartier and I moved to Baume et Mercier to ‘play jazz’. It has been a very exciting journey.”

You believe in a fine balance with the tension of imbalance – how do you bring those two elements together to get that perfect jazz note?
“It’s difficult. First of all, it’s teamwork. At B&M, we try to design with the marketing, industry and design teams together. Being affordable is a very important constraint while being a great opportunity. You are obliged to go further in your design, to improve upon it and to be able at the end to find the best solution, with the best quality, with the best price. At Cartier, we designed directly and it reaches production without price constraint.

The other constraint is the aesthetics –  we try to stay classic with no extravagance. And yet, we have to find that touch of originality. Elements in design give this kind of balance between elegance, affordability and timelessness.”

Do you still sketch by hand?
“Yes. Less and less. I just engaged with two new designers, and it was very important that they are able to design by hand. When you have an idea in mind and when you work in a team, to explain something, you take a pen and like that… (sketches for Verve). If you don’t practice a lot, you lose your ability to design. We just spoke about inspiration – in the past, when I saw something, I always had a notebook to sketch in. Now, I have a phone to take a picture. While, now I can take a lot of pictures, later I may look at the picture and wonder why I took it – which wouldn’t happen if I were sketching what caught my eye.”

Does one design for the brand or for the market?
“The brand is nothing without the market. At the end, we have to be successful. We have to fit the needs of different markets, which is difficult. We are an old international brand and we have our own DNA. But, we have to adapt this design to the reality. So, we have to be aware of the competitors – not to follow them but to try to understand this market. The nightmare for us is that we don’t have our own boutique, so we can’t get direct feedback from the customer. Now, with social media, it will be a little bit easier because when the people don’t like something, they say it. (But when they like something, they don’t say it!)”

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What is the future of the wristwatch?
“I don’t know! I am not really pessimistic. It’s an old story in watchmaking, that we (watchmakers) continue to exist, albeit, differently. Let’s take a parallel of the car. In the past, cars were all the same. The only change we had for years was the front-wheel drive and automatic transmission, and now you have electric or driverless cars. But a car with the motor, engine, wheels and doors will continue to exist; and I think it will be the same for the watch.
Perhaps we would change some details within the watch: the movement, connection or connectivity. The first step is the Apple Watch, but it’s not the final step. We didn’t imagine it in science fiction, but now everything is possible. When you see Star Wars, it is not the future. It is now. It will not be the role of the designer to change the watch, but of the innovator, who may come up with new materials, perhaps.”

What should an Indian buyer know about a B&M watch before buying it?
“They should know that it’s a very comfortable watch.
1. It fits the wrist well. It’s a sports watch, but you can wear it with anything. If someone says to me, ‘I forget the time while wearing your watch’, then my work is done.
2. The second comfort is that of aesthetic appeal. We are a classic, elegant brand. We are not aggressive or extravagant. We pay attention to details that would make a difference to the wearer.
3. And the third comfort is that of the wallet. We have to be affordable.”

 

Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), Geneva 2016 & 2017

01 Wednesday Feb 2017

Posted by sitanshi talati-parikh in Brand Watch, Interviews (All), Interviews: Luxury Brands, Publication: Verve Magazine

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Audemars Piguet, Baume and Mercier, Christophe Claret, Geneva, Interviews: Luxury Brands, IWC, SIHH, Verve Magazine, Watches

VERVE’S HAUTE HORLOGERIE STORY (SIHH 2017)

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Excerpt: In sub-zero temperature, Geneva became the hotbed of haute horlogerie. This was also the first time the exclusive, invitee-only fair opened its doors to the public on the last day, to experience the pleasure of fine watchmaking. And yet, surrounded by chicly-attired attendees (the cold seemed to bother no one, in fact the wardrobe worked it’s magic in stunning layers), the watches sparkled and shone in all their new glory. Perhaps the mood was a bit muted, perhaps the markets are not what they used to be, but the will and passion burned bright. A big take-away is IWC coming up with a sophisticated and dedicated line (Da Vinci) for the ladies… (we wished and you heard us!) Sonam Kapoor as brand ambassador was a ballsy move to pull in a big chunk of the unexplored market for the brand. Here’s a recap of our Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2017 journey (Snapped from Insta Live).

WATCHES FROM GENEVA’S SIHH 2016: TICKING FAST

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Excerpt:

The Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), Geneva, is considered the crème de la crème of watch fairs, with it’s invitee-only entry, extremely selective offerings and some of the world’s most exclusive watch brands in attendance.

Systematically designed with country-based media slots to watch the unveiling of the year’s novelties, even the bracing cold (rumoured to be the coldest SIHH ever) could not dispel the passion emanating from the warm recesses of the Palexpo fair area, even though the hallways held whispers of the fair being a milder version of it’s earlier glory.

The booths may have been cookie-cutter for most part, but the window displays were innovative and some were just breathtaking in their intricacy. The presentation that took the cake, however, was hands-down the Audemars Piguet virtual reality tour of their manufactory with the humour, wit and infectious enthusiasm of the CEO François-Henri Bennahmias, that made even the sleepiest journos wake up at the fag end of the day.

This year saw a new lot of 9 independent watchmakers presented in a separate Carre des Horlogers section, some with some standout pieces. After 25 years, this year, SIHH saw 24 exhibitors and a museum display ‘Square of Clocks’.

Meanwhile, our evenings remained busy with cocktails at the A Lange and Soehne booth, the Jaeger-LeCoultre gala affair to celebrate 85 years of the Reverso watch with a mesmerising live installation and a Christian Louboutin pop-up, and the ever-elegant Cartier dinner. Not to mention, an exclusive première of the exhibition Breguet, A Story Among the Greats, at Cité du Temps.

Also, interviews:

Why you should buy a vintage IWC watch and which one

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With Audemars Piguet’s creative director Claude Emmenegger

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Christophe Claret’s Gaming Collections

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Discovering Design: Alexandre Peraldi for Baume & Mercier watches

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Founder’s Tales: Christophe Claret

31 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by sitanshi talati-parikh in Brand Watch, Interviews (All), Interviews: Luxury Brands, Publication: Verve Magazine

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Christophe Claret, Interview, Interviews: Luxury Brands, SIHH, Verve Magazine, Watches

Published, Verve Magazine, October 2016

‘In watchmaking, everything has already been done, and everything has yet to be invented.’

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Born to a wealthy family in Lyon, and from the Geneva watchmaking school, Christophe Claret trained with Roger Dubuis and studied corporate management. With 25 years of experience in manufacturing for watch brands including Ulysse Nardin, Claret, who’s currently wearing his Maestoso watch, decided along the way to use his Neuchâtel operations for his own brand, where he ‘reinterprets haute horlogerie’. Besides the traditional and extreme lines with complications is his range of gaming watches. For example, while the Poker allows a real three-player Texas Hold ’Em game, Baccara doubles as a miniature casino with three games: baccarat (baccara in French), roulette and dice, each one of which also engages your audio, visual and tactile senses. Created especially for women are the Margot and Marguerite, romantic watches with a play on the ‘He loves me, he loves me not’ game, and the latter can have a personalised secret message.

Your watches are unique. How much importance is placed on art and design?
It is important to produce something with innovation. If I take inspiration from the watch industry, I would be recreating the same old design. It is very important to do something new. I am a perfectionist and for me, it’s perfection for detail and the aesthetic together that’s important.

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You’ve launched a gaming collection. Do you play?
No. Never. I’m afraid to play! Some people can bet a lot of money and boom — that can go away! It’s crazy. The watch works for those who play, and those who don’t can enjoy the technicality of the complication.

What drew you to complications for women?
I’ve wanted to produce pieces for women for a long time. Despite what the other watchmakers thought, I’ve always believed that they are a big market for speciality products. That’s why I created Margot — a very complicated watch. We sold many pieces! And Marguerite happened. Today, many other brands are designing big complications for women. Though I was the first!

Do you see an audience in India?
I am very interested to sell in India. It’s a little complicated to open something there because you have tax issues. I’m sure there is a market for us. For the Marguerite and X-Trem-1, for example. I think we will be looking at India very soon.

Discovering Design: Claude Emmenegger for Audemars Piguet

30 Tuesday Aug 2016

Posted by sitanshi talati-parikh in Brand Watch, Interviews (All), Interviews: Luxury Brands, Publication: Verve Magazine

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Audemars Piguet, Claude Emmenegger, Interview, Interviews: Luxury Brands, SIHH, Verve Magazine, Watches

Published in Verve Magazine, August 2016

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Last year, Claude Emmenegger became the new creative director of Audemars Piguet. After a stint with the brand from 1999 to 2003, he left to establish his own design consulting company. Twelve years and working with 40 brands later, he is back, firm in the belief that his appreciation for the brand has not changed a bit. He’s the creator of the Royal Oak Concept (2002) and the Tradition of Excellence models 2, 3 and 4; currently his main objectives include the development of the women’s category, high-tech concepts and new functionalities. ‘Break the rules in order to revolutionise horology’ is Emmenegger’s philosophy. Find out more:

Design vision
“Audemars Piguet is known for its classical points, along with innovation. I would like to take the design in a more modern direction inspired by contemporary art: make it evolve — though, not change — from what it is now.”

Audemars Piguet philosophy
“Diversity in excellence. When Audemars Piguet does something new, the idea is not to stop things halfway; it is to do something innovative and to finish it in the right way.”

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Creative inspirations
“We live in a world where we are bombarded by sounds, images, perceptions…. The strength of a designer is to be able to hear in all that mass of information — what is interesting, what could be combined, what is of essence — and bring that together into something new. Once you have passed the stage of mood boards where you filter out the things you want to focus on…then, what the world is doing and what the noise is saying doesn’t matter anymore. Then you just have to get it done!”

Advanced complications for women
“We are in the middle of progress into that field. It’s really a big project right now — there are things in the pipeline and on the board, to see how the movements can evolve.”

When design meets technology
“It’s a bit like two brothers with different characters…. When you have a dream that you want to transform into a reality, it takes quite a bit to follow a road and make it happen. Even if you want to, tech may say, ‘No we can’t do it!’ You have to be able to stimulate them and persuade them…we are going to bend the iron a little bit more, but we are going to make it work!

What has really changed is the team spirit. You have people from design, from production, from the technological world, having discussions as early as possible. And rather than ‘No, it’s impossible to make it’, to agree on ‘Let’s find out if we can do it!’”

 

Why You Should Buy A Vintage IWC Watch, And Which One

20 Wednesday Jul 2016

Posted by sitanshi talati-parikh in Brand Watch, Interviews (All), Interviews: Luxury Brands, Publication: Verve Magazine

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Interview, Interviews: Luxury Brands, IWC, SIHH, Verve Magazine, Vintage, Watches

Published, Vervemagazine.in July 8, 2016

Find out which vintage IWC watch their own historian recommends, along with how to check authenticity and make the right purchase

The first Special Pilot’s Watch left the IWC (International Watch Company) factory in 1936. It was the start of a unique relationship between IWC Schaffhausen and flying.

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Today, 80 years later, Verve speaks to the IWC historian, David Seyffer, about the tradition of the Pilot’s Watch and about becoming an IWC collector.

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What does 2016 mean for IWC?
“Eighty years (of the pilot’s watches) – and we have now really made happen with a huge collection! With a different variation, really to please all needs or tastes of watch lovers but still hold onto the main characters of the heritage of the Pilot’s Watch.”

IWC at one point targeted the next male generation with the ‘father and son pilot’s watches’ – is this still a trend and has your target customer changed now?
“I do not think so. Interestingly, I have met people, where the man had the Big Pilot’s watch and the woman was wearing the son’s edition. Today, the youth knows and appreciates the nostalgia associated with the mechanical watch. With all that is going on in the world, people want something out of history.”

If there is one vintage IWC watch that any collector must own which would it be?
“I would really recommend (since it’s on my wrist) the Mark XI. The reason: it’s affordable as a collector’s piece, and we have huge quantity of spare parts if it comes for servicing. The movement, Caliber 89, is like an all-running system. It’s impressive how precise these movements are which are made in the 1940s, 1950s, and it has really a cool-looking feeling. So if somebody wants to start with collecting wristwatches, this is really a nice timepiece to start with.”

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Approximately, how much would it cost?
“This depends on editions. You could potentially find a vintage watch within 4-5 thousand dollars, but then if it is a rare piece and is in good condition, possibly used by BOAC, then it could go to 15 thousand dollars or so. Also, authenticity…are they all the parts 100% authentic or not?”

If somebody in India wanted to buy one of the vintage watches, where would they go? How could they check the authenticity?
“Now we are living in the world of international business, so you can really get it everywhere. For example, if you find a nice offer on the Internet. But, then it’s the point of the authenticity. IWC offers a ‘certificate of authenticity’: you send your watch to IWC; there is a team of 3-4 watchmakers (and myself) and if everything looks fine, then you get an official certificate. Also works for people who want to sell antique or heritage timepieces. Interesting for all are the auctions (worldwide from the famous auction houses) where you may find a MARK XI Pilot’s watch!”

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If you could get a carte blanche to create a pilot’s watch based on the history that you are so well versed with, would it be very different from what the brand currently has?
“Not really…because this year’s collection is so strongly related to the original design. Probably a small change I would recommend, as a conservative person, would be to skip the date, to make the watch look like a Mark XI.”

What is the one takeaway that you would leave a new watch buyer with when it comes to IWC’s rich history and tradition?
“IWC is located on the eastern part of Switzerland, therefore the design is different. It’s this east German-Swiss approach with the watch – you can find it in the way the bracelets are made. And in the way the cases were made. And of course, traditionally, what IWC was always about: precision and quality.”

Who is the IWC watch collector?
“The typical watch collector is in a certain way, a freak, highly knowledgeable, with a diverse background. We have very, very rich people and we have students who save every cent they earn just to get a historical timepiece, or a new timepiece. Bottom line is, the interest to learn as much as possible about the watch. Recently, in the collector’s meet, there were people from the USA, Europe. And, there was Captain Vishal who flies Air-India A-330 for several years and guess what he wears—An IWC Pilot’s watch! So you see, meeting people from all over the world, and really with that passion, feels great!”

|  Filling the gaps between words.  |

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