Carl F. Bucherer’s rise to success
Since 1888, the ‘Bucherer’ name has stood for quality, innovation, and passion. Established in Lucerne, the small Swiss company grew to become an internationally renowned entity that creates both watches and jewellery under two different branches; Carl F. Bucherer and Bucherer respectively
Today, the Bucherer Group remains a family-run business and is currently in its third generation, managed by the owner and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Jörg G. Bucherer. Under the leadership of CEO Sascha Moeri, a highly specialized team of 160 employees ensures that the company's philosophy is carried from Lucerne into the world. One of the portals used to introduce new watches to the public is the Baselworld fair, where hundreds of brands converge to showcase remarkable accessories. It was at Baselworld 2015 that‘Day and Night’ magazine caught up with Sascha Moeri, for a brief chat about the brand’s rising success, partnerships and future plans.
Can you tell us a bit about your booth at Baselworld 2015?
The booth concept for Baselworld was designed and implemented according to the slogan ‘Feel at Home’ in cooperation with La Cellula Lab. The design for this year features the same layout and décor as the stand we built for the 125th anniversary of the Bucherer group in 2013. Guests can wander around the stand, which is split on two levels and is complete with conference rooms and a kitchen with gourmet catering chefs. Because the stand is fairly new with a fresh modern outlook, we will continue to use this stand for the next few years.
Can you tell us about the jewellery collection Bucherer offers?
Bucherer is very famous for its jewellery that was first unveiled in 1888. It was only later in the company’s life that the watch line emerged as a separate branch under the name of Carl F. Bucherer. Since the brand launched its first line of sophisticated gems, it has grown into a thriving business that is still going strong today. Our jewellery is only sold through our own retail network and not through external parties, so it remains an exclusive purchase for those keen on fine jewellery.
In your opinion, what timepiece do you think will do well for the year2015?
I think several of our timepieces will do quite well this year, primarily, the Manero Tourbillon. The extraordinary timepiece is powered by an in-house manufacture movement CFB T1001 that allows on average, a 70-hour power reserve. It is a limited edition of 188 pieces and comes with a stunning chocolate brown dial that prominently illustrates the impressive Tourbillon. The other timepiece we expect high sales from is the sporty Patravi ScubaTec diver's watch, which is available in a pure rose gold case, and features black and blue ceramic inlays on the unidirectional rotating bezel. The final timepiece we are enthusiastic about is the Patravi TravelTec 2, which is powered by an automatic caliber CFB 1901.1 and features a chronograph function. The TravelTec 1 was unveiled around 10 years ago, so to mark a decade of the brand’s hard-work and success, the second part of the model has just been unveiled.
Are all of Carl F. Bucherer’s calibres produced in-house?
No, they are not. Currently we produce around 25,000 watches per year that are split into a men’s and women’s collection by a ratio of 60-40 in favour of the men. The former collection only bears automatic movements whilst the latter collection bears both automatic and quartz movements. Because there is such a vast amount of watches, it is difficult for us to create all our movements in-house and as a result we have to out-source them. Currently, we don’t have any plans to shift manufacturing movements entirely in-house from reliable external suppliers.
Which market does the brand have a strong hold in?
Carl F. Bucherer has a very strong hold in the Asian market, particularly in countries like China, where we are numbered in the top 10 luxury brands. Also in Europe, our sales are reaching the desired target, so we are very happy with our performance there – Just last year in 2014, we sold 9,199 timepieces in that region alone. However, sales in the Middle East could improve as we have not reached our desired target yet and we are working on a number of strategies with our partners in the Gulf to improve our brand’s presence in the market.
Does Carl F. Bucherer have an independent boutique in the Middle East?
Within the Middle East, Carl F. Bucherer does not have an independent stand-alone boutique. Working with our partners such as the Rivoli Group and the Behbehani Group, we distribute successfully throughout the Gulf. Our most recent point of sale in Dubai is under the umbrella of the Rivoli Group, who has opened a new store located at the prestigious Dubai Mall.
Who would you class as your biggest competitor in the horology field?
Carl F. Bucherer has been extremely lucky as in the last four years, as we have broken our own sales record and are heading towards our full growth potential. Currently, we have five product lines in our watch collection, which are vastly different from each other and which appeal to various types of clients. As a result we cater for a large customer base in several different markets, and therefore each product line has a competitor. Carl F. Bucherer as a brand, does not have a direct competitor as we provide a colossal range of product variety.
