Francois Nunez: Photo Courtesy of Victorinox Swiss Army
For mining industry executive Greig Young, watches hold special meaning. They mean family and a memorable rite of passage.
His parents gave him a timepiece of his own on his 21st birthday.
“I lost it a few weeks later in Europe. It cost me a fortune to replace it, and then I lost that one a few years later,” says the Australian who is married to an Indonesian and has lived in Indonesia for more than 20 years.
Despite his surname, Young jokes he is a “boring old fellow”. He favors function over snazzy looks when it comes to his choice of watch, wanting one that he can swim with and that will not break easily.
“I’m always suspicious of anyone wearing a fancy, fashionable or expensive-looking watch,” says Young. “Is it fake? If so, are they?”
Watches are no longer simply meant to dutifully keep time, and probably never were. They also are look-at-me status symbols, telltales of the wearer’s concerns, vision and priorities, or at least the ones he or she wants to present to the watching world. They represent an intrinsically personal decision; we size up others by the timepieces on their wrist, and feel solidarity with those who share our preferences.
For some men, a watch is as important in his overall appearance as a branded bag or killer heels are for some women.
Motivational speaker and counselor Zae Hanan views watches as accessories. His BlackBerry or laptop are sufficient to tell the time, but his collection of 11 timepieces — ranging in colors, brands and quality — are mixed and matched according to his attire and the event he is attending.
“I bring out the expensive one, my Rolex, for a very important event. Likewise I will wear a more conservative watch for a different type of gathering, such as teaching on campus,” says the 39-year-old.
World of Watches
Watches were the main topic of conversation in Basel, Switzerland, last week. An estimated 100,000 visitors descended on the Swiss city for BaselWorld, with the vast majority from watch companies ready to show what they had to offer. They met the media, bargained with buyers and took a strategic time-out with their competitors in the industry at the annual event, which ended on Saturday
“By being the most important watch fair in the world, BaselWorld obviously is a crucial moment for the timepiece sector. More than anything, it helps to feel the pulse,” Francois Nunez, the product director of Victorinox Swiss Army (VSA) watches, said in an exclusive e-mail interview with The Jakarta Post.
But Nunez added that the event, which also brings together jewellers and precious stone dealers, is not the place to determine design inspiration.
‘That comes from a more global perspective. Answering market needs is about identifying what people want. And that does not happen in a professional fair but in the real world.”
He also believes that, while some members of the younger generation have never worn a wristwatch, the time-honored meaning has not changed.
“From a pure time measurement function, we moved to a more emotional one. You consequently don’t wear a watch today like you wore it some decades ago. Still, watches count among our most personal possessions. We therefore believe that the idea of owning a watch will grow on a younger generation too. Isn’t it all about belonging to certain tribes and social context?”
He also feels that, in a rapidly changing world, the core values invested in a good watch remained.
“It means taking time to do things right. And we believe that this is what makes a watch valuable: the patience and the attention that it requires. Customers appreciate being treated with respect.”
Nunez says VSA has “very active plans” for investment in retail expansion and marketing in Indonesia, with its population of 230 million, and the Swiss brand also sees the potential from Chinese travelers in the archipelago.
He says the brand’s customers, wherever they come from in the world, are “value seekers”, drawn to the company’s history of more than a century of producing the Swiss Army Knife.
“We started designing and producing watches in 1989, more than 20 years ago. Since the beginning, our ambition was to stick to our brand values. That is to say, offering a reliable, functional, innovative and great design combined with the highest quality standard.”
It sounds like the kind of brand that would fit well with Young and his emphasis on form and function. For Hanan, whose business is helping people make their dreams come true through positive thinking, a timepiece is only one part of the whole package.
“A watch helps accentuate your appearance. But a Rp 500,000 [US$57.50] watch also will look really striking if the wearer himself is good looking,” he says with a smile.
