The twin legacies of Carl F. Bucherer

An indomitable presence in the world of horology since its inception as a watch and jewellery shop in Lucerne in 1888, Carl F. Bucherer has time and again astounded men and women with their captivating masterpieces. “Day & Night” magazine sits down for an exclusive chat with their CEO to find out what makes the brand tick

Harking back to its past with golden and minimalist Baroque elements in its new presentation, “Distinctly Golden”, Carl F. Bucherermanaged to dazzle its aficionados at Baselworld 2016. The brand’s offerings for women draw on the maison’s twin strengths of jewellery and watches, making its products an irresistible hit with the fairer sex. Sascha Moeri, CEO of the brand, talks to “Day & Night” magazine on their recent launches and plans for expansion, while giving us insights on how the brand works.

Among your collections, why did you choose to house the Manero line with your new movement?
Our new movement called the A2000 has been created totally in-house. Our A1000 had a peripheral rotor, while the A2000 is not only a caliber, but can be used as a base on which we can build other models. It has been in development for 3.5 years. The A1000 is a very expensive movement and is like a Ferrari, while the A2000 is like a Mercedes – very reliable, very strong. It still has the same DNA with a peripheral rotor. All the main parts of the A1000 can also used in the A2000. It is a fantastic movement, which is much less expensive than the A1000. We built up the whole Manero line from the scratch in 2010 and it is our most successful line, with the Tourbillon, the Chronoperpetual Calendar, the Moonphase and the normal three-hand watch. This collection reflects the values of the brand and epitomises the Bucherer family creed.

Do you expect the Manero to be the bestseller in the men’s line?
Yes, the Manero will definitely be our bestseller. In the US, the TravelTec and the ScubaTec will rank number one, but on a global level, Manero will lead.

How is the reception for your recent launch, the Patravi TravelTec Black?
The response has been overwhelming, especially in the United States, Russia and the Middle East. It is a stunning watch and completes the TravelTec collection. We felt there was something lacking in the Patravi, but this is now complete with the DLC.

How has the reception been to your ladies’ collections?
We unveiled a new line, Pathos, for ladies in 2010. When I took over, we were sellingaround 6,000 watches a year, out of which 80 percent were men’s watches, while women’s watches came to only around 20 percent.Now we are selling 25,000 watches a year, of which 60 percent are men’s watches, while 40 percent are women’s. So our business has really grown, thanks to the ladies. The Bucherer family originally started with jewellery and, today, we have around 400 employees, including some of the best jewellers and goldsmiths. It is logical that we produce ladies’ watches, since we have the expertise and experience. There are many watch brands that produce smaller versions of their men’s watches for the ladies, but we really create timepieces dedicated to the ladies.

How difficult is it to create a ladies’ watch?
It took me 24 months just to design the petals – much longer than for any other watch. A ladies’ watch needs to be feminine, desirable, elegant and must have its own unique look. It is a challenge because women have a different approach. For women, it is all about materials, design and how it makes them feel. It took me a lot of time and energy to create this and I am very happy with the result.

In terms of sales, how would you rank Europe and Asia?
Both Europe and Asia together account for 70 percent of our sales. In US, we are really developing, whereas we just maintain a presence in South America, which accounts for only 20 percent of our business. We are focusing on Europe, Asia and North America now.

What are your plans for the future?
We are opening our own production plant soon, with everything under one roof, in which we have invested heavily. The opening is slated for the mid of this year. We will have the whole movement factory in the basement; the first floor will house the service and workshops, while the second floor will have the production units. Earlier, we were limited by production capacity, but in the new structure, we can easily aim for 30,000 pieces.

Obviously, we are planningfor expansion in Asia and Europe. We are very strong in Asia due to our retailers and the position the brand enjoys there. In Europe, we have a history and 45 outlets in the best places, Paris, Vienna, Lucerne, and so on, with new ones to come. We have had very strongfeedback from our US team. Middle East is, of course, an important market and our presence is required, but the growth this year will be in the other markets.

Do you have plans for any new boutiques?
No, I am not a big fan of the boutique culture. When we do a boutique, we will have a partner as we did in Middle East with Rivoli. We do plan to open a few, but you will never see us open 20­-30 boutiques.  

Can you tell us about how the performance of your company has been affected by your leadership?
I changed around 80 percent of the staff, the production portfolio and the whole distribution strategy. We now have a fantastic staff working in all the teams – from production to sales, marketing and development. We have quadrupled our figures and are doing great. But the greatest change is that we now focus on the Bucherer legacy by stressing its history and independence. I also think we just had the right people and been lucky the last few years