Product Releases
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Ralph Lauren makes lofty watch entrance
By Joseph Dobrian
April 15, 2009
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| Designer Ralph Lauren has entered the watch arena, with three eponymous collections, including the "Sporting Collection," distinguished by functional screws and Roman numerals--rarely seen on sports watches. |
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Geneva--Fashion designers have entered the watch and jewelry businesses before, but usually they've done so at popular price points, positioning their merchandise as casual or sporty accessories.
Designer Ralph Lauren's recently announced collaboration with the Richemont Group, by contrast, is a bold entry at the high end, consisting so far of three watch collections with price points from $9,000 to $68,500, and available, at least for now, only at Polo flagship stores.
Guy Chatillon, chief executive officer of the newly formed Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewelry Co., says the company is "a baby born on January 19, 2009" that will grow slowly over the next few years.
"We'll focus on watches this first year, then launch jewelry when the time is right," he says. "Our first objective is to establish a credible limited distribution worldwide, in selected markets with the best independent retailers."
Ralph Lauren watches will become available this spring at Lauren's flagship stores, where they will be displayed in dedicated areas. The company also plans to open watch and jewelry boutiques.
A few independent retailers will start offering the watches this spring, but most will hold off until fall, Chatillon says.
Within the three Ralph Lauren watch collections there are a total of 23 SKUs. All will have mechanical movements by Piaget, Jaeger-LeCoultre or IWC.
"The 'Stirrup Collection' is inspired by the company's equestrian heritage, with a stirrup-shaped case in three sizes, in 18-karat white or rose gold or pave diamonds, plus a platinum edition limited to 67 pieces," Chatillon says. "The 'Slim Classique' collection features a traditional timeless design. It's very thin and elegant--a 42-millimeter case with a thickness of 5.35 millimeters--with a round dial in white or rose gold or platinum, with a Piaget movement of 2.1 millimeters and guilloche finishing on the bezel. Due to the complexity of the engraving, we can only make two of those per day."
Meanwhile, the "Sporting Collection," designed to combine both performance and style, consists of three pieces, including the "Chronograph" and the "World Time," both featuring Jaeger Le-Coultre movements. The third piece, the "Classic," boasts a large IWC movement.
Of the three collections--which the makers hope will appeal to men and women alike--the Stirrup is positioned to become the iconic Ralph Lauren timepiece. It's available with a black, chocolate or brown alligator strap, or a brown calfskin strap (all of which the company says have been engineered for exceptional fit and comfort), with specially designed buckles, starting at $12,000. The chronograph model with full pave diamonds will retail for $53,000. The limited-edition platinum (which features blue hands and an enamel face) will command the top price.
The Slim Classique, in gold or platinum, is emphatically formal and features a highly polished reflective back, suitable for engraving. The platinum model has blue hands and a black diamond on the crown.
The Sporting Collection is available in gold or stainless steel, with a strap or bracelet. The cases feature distinctive functional screws on the front, and the faces bear Roman numerals: unusual for a sports watch. The Classic model is finished off with a skeleton back.
Chatillon says the partnership between the fashion designer and Richemont Executive Chairman Johann Rupert was five years in the making and grew largely out of Lauren's passion for collecting watches.
"He'd been approached with the idea of starting a watch line before, but he never thought it was the right time or place," Chatillon says. "By this partnership with Richemont, Mr. Lauren can offer the finest materials, the best Swiss-manufactured movements, the highest level of craftsmanship. We'll compete at the high end, and we'll offer these watches only to jewelers of the best reputation and the highest skills. We want retail partners who understand the concept and want to develop a long-term partnership with the brand; that's why we're focusing on developing strong foundations in our first year."
Several U.S. retailers placed orders on Ralph Lauren watches at their unveiling at the 2009 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, Chatillon says, "and the feedback was beyond our best expectations."
Chatillon joins the Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewelry Co. from Piaget, where he worked for the past 18 years, most recently as international director. He played a major role in expanding Piaget's global presence and says he'll bring some of Piaget's marketing techniques to the new company.
"At Piaget, we focused on selling Piaget watches in individual boutiques, as we'll do with Ralph Lauren," he says. "Piaget started with five boutiques; there are now 66 worldwide. Piaget has spent 135 years building its reputation on quality, authenticity and respect for tradition, and I find the same values in this new company."
Editor's Note: This story first appeared in the March 2009 print edition of National Jeweler.
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