Hautlence’s Success Story

Fascinating and eclectic creations were launched by the independent Swiss watchmaker during this year’s Baselworld. Hautlence added dynamic new timepieces to its already exciting product portfolio, including reinterpretations of some of its classic models, and a limited edition chronograph, an interesting piece that was born out of a collaboration with football legend, Eric Cantona

CEO, Guillaume Tetu, sat down with ‘Day & Night’ magazine, following the presentation of the Hautlence 2015 novelties, to discuss Hautlence’s new timepieces, the brand’s Asian expansion, its performance potential in the Middle East, and a range of related topics.

Each year you have launched a Special Edition of the HL2.0; what can we expect from future editions and when will you launch a final model for this line?
The latest edition is the HL2.5, which is in black DLC with red varnish details. It is a very nice and unique edition. The white and red gold HL2 models are almost sold out, and because it has been so successful, we will likely have to produce another edition in white gold. In fact, there is a great demand on the HL2 models and as long as there is a demand for these pieces, we will continue to produce them. I cannot definitely say when we will launch a final version in this line, because it has been a real success story for us.

This year you unveiled the INVICTUS Morphos, the first chronograph movement that Hautlence has made; how is it being received and what inspired it?
We wanted to introduce another chronograph reference following the success of the Destination Dual Time. A chronograph is a really good commercial watch, we can sell it very easily because it’s masculine, it’s interesting and it is nice piece to play around as the functions are interestingly presented. So far the feedback is quite positive.

Hautlence has been significantly expanding in Asia; which other markets will you be concentrating on?
Hautlence is keen on the market in the United States as we believe our timepieces would do well there. I know that the Russian market is still very keen on Hautlence, so we will have to continue building on that to ensure we maintain and expand our clientele. Southeast Asia is very strong in terms of sales – we recently opened our first Hautlounge boutique in Jakarta in April, 2015, which goes to show the strength of the brand in this market. However, the focus will predominantly remain on these three markets for the moment.

What is the plan for the Middle East?
In the Middle East market, Hautlence is present in Dubai and Qatar, so there is still a lot of untapped potential in the region. We have to consider Oman, Kuwait, and one day perhaps Saudi Arabia. However, right now we are focused mostly on Dubai in the region, because that is where there is the most traffic, with the locals and expats, and all of the tourists. For me the priority is to continue to focus on achieving good sales results in Dubai – right now.

Can you clarify what the exact product pillars are for Hautlence?
This is something that we have now really clarified within the company. In fact, we have three different lines, we have the top end, which are the Concept watches, the masterpieces such as HL2, and another generation of masterpieces which is in the works. We have what we call Atelier (workshop), referring to our in-house movements which include the HLRS and HLRQ models. Now we have integrated the Signature line, which includes pieces like the Destination Dual Time and chronograph. To sum up, we have the Concept, Atelier and Signature lines, which makes sense, and it simplifies our product presentation.

Which line would you say might perform better?
To give you figures, I think that the Signature line should represent fifty to sixty percent of the production, because we are limited with the Concept and Atelier lines. We produce forty Concept models a year, that’s it, it is not possible for us to produce more, because they are complicated pieces and this is the figure that can be achieved with our watchmakers. With Atelier, we can produce 150 to 200 pieces a year, and that is the limit.

With the industry dominated by large groups, what are some of the difficulties that you face as an independent brand when it comes to finding your place with retailers?
We have found that there is a balance, some retailers stock brands from large groups with a few independent pieces, some retailers opt for just the brands from large groups, and others prefer to solely stock creations from the independent brands. It really just depends on the retailer and the customers that they are targeting. I think for me, it is nice to be able to compete on the same level with the brands from the big groups. It’s good to have competition, especially for a super-creative brand such as Hautlence.