The best of times with MCT

Priding itself on its ability to tell time differently, Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps, or MCT as it is more commonly known, has been making waves in the field of horology since its inception in 2007 by Denis Giguet. “Day & Night” magazine, in an exclusive interview with the CEO of the brand, discusses the brand name and its plans for the future

MCT’s Collection represents the innovative approach of the manufacture, while a traditional watchmaker spirit connects the brand to its legacy, according to Pierre Jacques, CEO of the brand, who spoke to “Day & Night” magazine on the sidelines of Baselworld 2016.  The brand aims to combine bold design and smart savoir faire, while demonstrating the technical brilliance behind the design. The brand’s catalogue includes the Sequential One and Sequential Two collections, in addition to the Frequential.

What would you say is MCT?

Our brand name MCT stands for Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps. Manufacture means we are making watches the way they should be done, with innovation and development combined with traditional watchmaking skills of our own in-house movement. MCT means a contemporary manufacturer of time. We have Manufacture in our brand name because we are involved in the development, movement and finishing of our watches. We are one of the few brands that have our own calibre, made totally in-house. By Contemporaine, we mean that the designs and materials we use are state-of-the-art such as titanium, our second shell that shows time, etc. We have included Time in our name because we want to show time in a different way. Everybody shows time in the same way – with hour and minutes hands, or using the same kind of complication, digital or non-digital – we developed this calibre with a prism and a second shell to show the time, with four sequence and each of these sequences show three different hours and so when you multiply four by three prisms, we get the 12 hours. So, MCT means tradition, contemporary innovation and a different way of telling time.

Which markets is MCT in right now?

Globally, we work with approximately 25 retailers. We will be opening shortly in the Middle East with Seddiqi and Sons; we are working with Blue Salon in Doha, with Westime in the US, and Rich Time in Russia. We are quite strong in Asia and a few countries of Eastern Europe and in South America. We have a global distribution, but with very few retailers.

What is your production figure?

Right now, we produce less than 100 pieces a year, so we are very, very exclusive.

What numbers are you aiming for?

Our aim is around 150, with a maximum of 200 pieces. At that price point, we do not have to push production. It is better to produce less to maintain our exclusivity. Less is beautiful.

What are the different ways you can expand your line to tell time, without using the same means that the S1 and the S2 do?

We introduced the round case because of our new offering – the new automatic calibre with off-centre micro rotor. The main difference between the S110 and the S210 is the automatic movement. The S110 showed the minutes in the C-shaped disc; in the S200 and the S210, the minutes are indicated on the bezel. There are so many possible ways to tell time in the future evolution of MCT.

Where do you want to see the brand in five years?

We want to be recognised as one of the leading, independent watch companies. We are not looking for scale, but to be known as a real watchmaker, as one of the role models in the industry.

Why did you choose MCT after leaving De Bethune?

I like challenges, therefore, if I had moved to a brand that is already established, I would soon be bored. Here, every second is a challenge – to find new retailers, new products and designs, new teams. In these difficult times, it is a real challenge to run a small but innovative brand. Five years from now, I hope that I will be able to leave my imprint on the brand; this may not be possible with established maisons.

What do you think is the right amount of markets to be in, with retailers?

For a brand like MCT, there could probably be a maximum of 30 retailers who can actually understand the brand, explain it to the customers and evoke the emotions of the customers. For a normal product, you need to invest in marketing and advertising to sell the product. But for a brand like this, it is different. So, there the retailer has to explain the product and its nuances to the customer.