5 Questions for Guillaume Têtu, COO of Ralph Lauren Watch & Jewelry Co, About New Strategy For Growth
In 2009, a new brand made its debut to the SIHH, the Ralph Lauren Watch & Jewelry Co, a joint venture between the iconic lifestyle brand and the Richemont Group, the watchmaking giant. Yet, the path has not been simple and after several unclear collections and hesitations in positioning the brand, the brand was absent from the SIHH 2016. Though, this was not the end of the story. New teams, repositioning of the collections, appointment of industry veteran Guillaume Têtu, first as Product Development Director and as COO since October, finally a discreet comeback of the brand at the SIHH 2017. It was perfect timing for us to sit down with our long-time friend Guillaume and to understand his vision for the Ralph Lauren Watch & Jewelry Co.
Longines was making stellar heritage reissues well before it was cool. Case in point is the stylish ’60s-inspired Legend Diver, first released way back in 2007. And while it’s become de rigueur for most major brands to release one or two retro pieces a year, the Longines Legend Diver (LLD) pioneered the reissue genre, and still holds its own, thanks to a well-balanced trifecta of timeless good looks, clear vintage style and cracking value. First off, let’s tackle the style. The internal rotating bezel and twin crowns of the Legend draw their inspiration from a type of dive watch that was popular in the ’60s and ’70s called the Super Compressor. Most dive watches rely on thick cases, crystals and gaskets to create an impermeable wall to keep moisture out. The Super Compressor’s approach however, was slightly different. Developed by case-maker E. Piquerez SA (EPSA), it relied on the external pressure of the water to aid the water resistance of the watch – the deeper you went, the tighter the seal. It’s a clever system and was widely used by a range of watchmakers from the ’50s through to the ’70s – with notable examples including Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC, Hamilton and of course, Longines. A…
