Hublot Big Bang Maradona

The watchmaking brand has just signed a partnership with Argentine footballer Diego Maradona. Argentina’s current national team coach is also known as the “player of the 20th century” in honour of his exceptional career which has left its mark on the history of world football. This genius on the pitch, who has always demonstrated his taste for fine watches, is now part of the Hublot family. And from today, it will be a Big Bang Maradona that can be seen on the wrist of the “Hand of God”!

There is no end to the names used to honour Diego Maradona: the “Golden Boy”, who received the Ballon d’Or in 1995 for services to football, has had an extraordinary career due to his unique footballing talent. A watch enthusiast, he is often seen with a Hublot on each wrist.

The meeting between this truly remarkable footballer and the Swiss brand’s management team naturally arose from the mutual desire to create a watch honouring Maradona and bearing his name. Today, Hublot and Maradona, each recognized as an icon in their field, will link their careers, both marked by passion, excellence and success. This alliance is illustrated by a stylized image of Diego Maradona, arms raised in victory, engraved on the back of the Big Bang Maradona’s case.

Hublot Big Bang Maradona

Beatrice de Quervain Blanchard

Born in Switzerland, de Quervain Blanchard studied economics at the University of Zurich and attended Sup de Luxe in Paris to gain additional luxury goods experience. In 1993 she started her career in the Swiss watch industry by working with Jean Claude Biver at the iconic brand Omega, where she worked her way through the various stages of Product and Marketing to oversee the U.S. Marketing Division. In 1999 she joined Chopard as its first Marketing Director and was instrumental in gaining brand awareness in the brand’s watch and jewelry divisions. In 2001 she created her own distribution company before joining Harry Winston in 2004. At Harry Winston she was brought on board to oversee its luxury timepiece sales division on the East Coast and in select Caribbean markets, and in 2007 was promoted to global marketing director to head its communications initiatives.

At Hublot, Beatrice de Quervain Blanchard will focus on gaining market share through a diverse marketing program that will include the opening of new boutique stores, a strong wholesale network and newsworthy communications initiatives. “I am very excited to join such a formidable brand as Hublot,” says de Quervain. “I have worked with Mr. Biver and Mr. Guadalupe before, and I am greatly looking forward to fusing our minds together to increase the brand’s presence in the U.S. market.”

HUBLOT Gold King Power Tourbillon GMT

About Hublot

In just five years, Hublot has become one of the most sought-after high-end watch brands with some of its timepieces making watch history, such as the One Million Dollar Big Bang, All Black Big Bang and Mag Bang watches. Jean-Claude Biver and his team is undoubtedly leading the company’s guiding principle of “Fusion,” which combines unusual materials such as gold with ceramic, tantalum, magnesium and titanium with a modern version of Hublot’s rubber strap.

Source: www.hublot.ch

Corum Admiral's Cup Chronograph

“All the good and beautiful things achieved by Men were built by their dreams..”
Bernard Moitessier, French navigator, La Longue Route

After having taken over the Latin American & Caribbean market in February 2009, Montres CORUM Sàrl now announces the new organization of an area with tremendous untapped growth potential. In order to give the market all the attention it deserves, Antonio Calce, Corum CEO, appointed Laurent Peccavé as Regional Manager for the Caribbean & Latin America in October 2009.

Corum continues its know-how and skills integration and its distribution network management strategy in order to reinforce its presence in its key markets. A strategy that is being implemented with a regional manager working directly in the market with local agents. In order to meet the need for strong market growth, Corum has decided to handle directly the Latin American market. Managed by Corum HQ located in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, the Latin American market is under the responsibility of Laurent Peccavé, appointed Corum Regional Brand Manager.

Founded in 1955, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, Corum displayed a determination to position itself in the forefront of the Swiss watch industry. Ever since, the brand’s primary objective has been to create long-term value. As an independent brand, Corum has focused on integrating the trades by promoting verticalization of its expertise, and has used this principle to guide its investments. The brand has endowed itself with the resources to do this by becoming the prime contractor for its movements and by handling the key stages of their creation and production.

Since 2005, Corum has been headed by brand CEO Antonio Calce. A firmly product-oriented, entrepreneurial and unifying figure, Antonio Calce is pursuing the long-term implementation of the product strategy initiated in 2005 and based on four key collections that have become the four pillars of the brand’s development. By highlighting its historical legitimacy and propelling the product to centre-stage, CORUM is enjoying strong sales growth.

Corum Building in La Chaux-de-Fonds

In 2010, CORUM is celebrating three major anniversaries with the 55th anniversary of the brand’s creation, the half-century of the Admiral’s Cup collection and the 30th anniversary of the Golden Bridge. The time for Corum to celebrate its watchmaking legitimacy and pioneering spirit. A time to UNLOCK & CONQUER. At Baselworld, Corum will launch a 2010 collection displaying jubilee models that will pay tribute to creativity, and sophisticated technical and horological content.

If we focus on the following five countries (Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela), and according to the FHS statistics, they accounted for 3% of worldwide watch exports in 2009, equivalent to 300 million Swiss francs. Incidentally, those five countries grew by 7.5% between 2007 and 2008.

For Corum, they constitute a promising area which will be a focus of attention for the brand and the countries we must be in to achieve an orchestrated winning back.

With ten sales outlets in the Mexican market, Corum is relying on its 20year brand presence and strong brand awareness to swiftly develop and assert its business. A first goal that will be achieved as a duo with one of the best agents in this area.

In Brazil, Corum must regain new sales outlets and will thus deploy its reconquest strategy by winning over the major players in this sector. With strong demand in the market, Corum must find the retailers that will become its reliable spokespersons.

Regarding Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela and other top Latin American markets, Corum will work either with a local distributor or with the major retailers.

From Admiral’s Cup Tourbillon Minute Repeater to Admiral’s Cup Tides, from Ti-Bridge to Golden Bridge Tourbillon, Corum is now perceived as a high-end watchmaking company with strong, complicated and technical models which have returned to the select haute horlogerie circle.

Antonio Calce, CORUM CEO Photo: Stephane de Bourgies

Antonio Calce, CORUM CEO said:

“In 2005, we established a strategy to conquer whole new horizons, while remaining faithful to the pioneering and independent spirit on which the brand has built its success. A strong repositioning process has been initiated, leading to successful product development, a brand dna strengthening and a significant improvement of our image and brand awareness on a worldwide level. Thanks to this work we have now started on a new market management policy, we are now at the head of 6 subsidiaries, with the U.S. take-over last October and that of the South American market in February 2009. Like the legendary Cape Horn, topping all the challenges, the Latin American market is a market for Corum to regain. Our brand flagship vessel has and will take on board all the technology products and the best navigators who will win this challenge successfully.”

Laurent Peccavé – A Short Biography

As a successful regional manager with over 15 years’ experience in retailing and wholesaling of jewelry, watches, accessories and luxury watches and jewelry in the Caribbean and Latin America, Laurent Peccavé was appointed Corum Regional Manager for the Caribbean & Latin America in October 2009. After spending 8 years in the Richemont Group, working for several brands from brand management to sales management, Laurent Peccavé gained a comprehensive view of this market by working as an independent agent for Oris in South America for 4 years. 3 years before joining Corum, Laurent strengthened his experience at Chopard as Sales Manager of the Caribbean and Area Manager for Central Asia.

Today, having been entrusted with the position of Regional Manager for Latin America & the Caribbean, Laurent is expected to expand significantly the brand image of CORUM and its sales in Latin America, achieving the success the brand deserves.

CORUM

Positioned as an exclusive brand, CORUM offers high-quality watch collections featuring an innovative and distinctive design, and equipped with sophisticated mechanical movements. Its 150 current references, spread between four key pillars – Admiral’s Cup, Romvlvs, CORUM Bridge and Artisans – enjoy a legitimacy rooted in the brand history. The full set of collections comprises models ranging from 5,000 to 1 million US$ in retail price and giving pride of place to precious metals and horological complications. Founded in 1955 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, CORUM has since 2005 undergone a complete renaissance that has enabled it to achieve a perfect match between the product and the demands for quality and creativity that are the very foundations of its credibility. Its firmly upmarket move is a logical result of the brand’s efforts to recapture its historical standing while significantly reinforcing its horological substance. CORUM’s substantial investments have led to the integration of watchmaking craft trades, the development of production tools, the enhancement of human resources and the promotion of staff training. The result is a brand once again entirely in tune with its genetic heritage.

Source: www.CORUM.ch