In a comeback that watch lovers have been lengthy dreaming of, watchmaker Breitling has introduced its acquisition of Common Genève and in doing so, marking the revival of the Swiss watchmaking Icon. Lengthy identified for its famend horological artistry, progressive in-house actions and legendary fashions Common Genève was as soon as hailed because the “couturier of watchmaking”. Nonetheless, the appearance of the quartz disaster considerably challenged the corporate, marking a shift in its trajectory. With Common Genève acquisition from the Hong Kong primarily based Stelux Group, Breitling goals to revive the storied model to its former glory, grounding the model in its Swiss custom whereas maintaining it poised for modern relevance.
In keeping with Joseph Wong, chairman and CEO of Stelux Group, the administration at Breitling has demonstrated that it’s 100% dedicated to making sure that Common Genève lives on, not simply in title however in spirit. “Rebuilding a model with such a wealthy narrative is just not a fast endeavor—it’s a meticulous labor of affection that we anticipate will unfold over the approaching years. A devoted crew shall be introduced on board to permit Breitling and Common Genève to function as separate maisons,” defined Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling. Kern additionally defined {that a} devoted crew shall be introduced on board to permit Breitling and Common Genève to function as separate maisons.
Common Genève has wealthy histroy since its founding in 1894 but it surely was the model’s technical prowess within the early to mid-Twentieth century that noticed Common Genève rise to prominence. Within the Nineteen Twenties, Common Genève’s crafted the reversible Cabriolet, a primary of its form. The Forties noticed the model go from producing elegant girls’s cocktail watches and progressive males’s jewellery timepieces to providing a powerful number of its Compax chronographs with manufacture actions, together with the legendary Tri-Compax full calendar launched to rejoice the model’s fiftieth anniversary.
Within the Nineteen Fifties, the model launched a revolutionary self-winding motion often known as the Microtor. Commissioned from a 23-year-old Gérald Genta, The Polerouter watch was designed to face up to any local weather, from the pole to equator. Within the Sixties, the model efficiently relaunched its Compax collection as sports activities watches and in 1966, Common Genève launched the world’s flattest computerized motion in its Golden Shadow.
As Hodinkee stories, Breitling CEO Georges Kern has invaluable expertise in revolutionising a model as since heading Breitling in 2017, gross sales have surged, changing into one of many 10 largest Swiss manufacturers by income. In 2022, gross sales approached USD 1 billion, growing about 40 % year-over-year in keeping with Morgan Stanley. With Common Genève’s wealthy historical past in thoughts, Breitling now has a pivotal position in restoring the status of a hallowed title on the planet of luxurious timepieces.
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