Interview Edouard Meylan CEO Moser & Cie throughout Dubai Watch Week

On the event of Dubai Watch Week 2021, we sat down with Edouard Meylan of H. Moser & Cie. Since he was named CEO in 2013, the model grew to become one of many outstanding gamers amongst high-end impartial watchmakers, with an unique strategy combining conventional Haute Horlogerie, distinctive design and disruptive advertising initiatives. 

Xavier Markl, MONOCHROME – What does Dubai Watch Week represents for Moser?

Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie – I first got here in 2014. Again then, we met a number of folks and many of the questions had been like: “What’s Moser? The place do you come from, I by no means heard of that model?”, We had dialogue, there was the discussion board, folks would come and hearken to us throughout the panels… The second time, we offered a restricted version, slightly bit extra folks got here and we’ve been six instances now into it. Everyone is aware of the impartial manufacturers. Everyone is aware of precisely what merchandise they need. Individuals know lots about our historical past… It’s a tremendous platform. Plus, this can be a particular 12 months, as a result of there weren’t many different watch occasions. However we’ve folks coming from the UK, from Europe, even a handful managed to return from Asia, and naturally folks from everywhere in the Center East… It’s approach past a regional occasion. The viewers is now international.

May you inform us in regards to the restricted version watch you might be presenting right here?

We’re launching the Heritage Bronze “Since 1828”. We like once in a while to create one thing round our historical past. Heritage is the platform for that. And this 12 months we determined to do a capsule utilizing our Cyrillic brand, which is a brand we solely used as soon as in recent times, in 2017. It’s a brand that was utilized by Moser when it was fairly highly effective within the nineteenth century in Russia. And we really feel it’s an attention-grabbing approach for us to specific that Moser will not be a Twenty first-century model however has roots going way back to 1828. We by no means actually use our creation date. When you have a look at the signature, or declare of Moser Watches, it’s “very uncommon”. It doesn’t incorporate a creation date as many different manufacturers do.

A phrase in regards to the model itself. We now have been 2 years into the pandemic and Moser appears stronger than ever?

I believe it’s not due to the COVID19 pandemic particularly, however I believe it was the time for Moser to shine. We’ve been working very onerous over the previous years in creating one thing related in all points. Specifically for our assortment, now with of 4 pillars, the Endeavour, the Pioneer, the Heritage and the Streamliner. The providing is unbelievable for an impartial model. I believe from a advertising standpoint, we’re very digital, very engaged. We now have an enormous group, and all these issues out of the blue come collectively after which make the model shine in a optimistic approach.

The launch of the Streamliner was an vital step in that respect?

In all probability, sure. It introduced a brand new viewers, positively. I believe it’s the similar for all of the manufacturers which have captured the phase of built-in metal bracelet watches. However nonetheless, the overwhelming majority of what we promote is the normal product. 

However certainly, the Streamliner purchased a brand new viewers. The Streamliner was the primary assortment to commerce on the secondary market above retail value after which Pioneer and the Heritage adopted. I believe it contributed to a sort of snowball impact. Extra folks see it, the extra they need it, the extra they need it, the extra they discuss it, the extra they discuss it, the extra folks hear about it, the extra folks hear about it, the extra folks need it. Then out of the blue you’ve gotten this big crowd and it’s loopy. It’s one thing that we by no means anticipated, and it’s wonderful to expertise that. It’s a totally different approach of managing your online business.

This leads me to ask about your advertising. Wouldn’t it be right to say that if Moser nonetheless feels a model off-the-beaten-track, you’re a little bit much less unconventional or “provocative”?

To me, a model is sort of a human being. There’s a life cycle. There may be the childhood, the teenage years, and that’s the place emancipation is vital. After which that you must make your individual area, to claim your independence, to claim who you might be. In 2012, after I took over, the model was well-regarded however no person knew it. It was vital for us to get folks to know what we stand for. What’s independence for us? What are our values? What’s the worth of conventional watchmaking? We tried to specific this our approach, typically in a provocative approach. That was, I’d say, the teenage years of Moser. 

At the moment it’s a bit totally different as a result of I believe most different folks know Moser and perceive what Moser stands for. The questions are actually “How can we discuss what we do properly?” “How can we discuss our heritage?” How you can specific these items utilizing the Moser tone, we much less must be activists. We don’t consider in that or that is the best way we must always go. I believe we expressed that till 2019, and I believe now we’re in a section the place it’s extra about ourselves.

What’s the subsequent problem now for Moser?

It’s getting direct-to-consumer. I believe it’s attending to proceed to interact with our group, supply even higher service, nearer to them with boutiques and with our companions. In order that’s the method that we’ve began out with my brother.

What number of watches are you manufacturing at present?

we’re producing 1,500 watches by 12 months. The quantity would possibly continue to grow, after all. However most of all, rising the perceived worth is vital to us. That’s what we’re specializing in. Integrating the few crafts that we had been typically outsourcing. Manufacturing dials is likely one of the subsequent steps in our integration. We’re investing in our manufacturing software. We grasp the hairspring and the entire regulating organ, the bridges, the principle plates… and we hold working to go even deeper into proudly owning, mastering all the pieces we’d like in-house.

For extra data, please go to www.h-moser.com.