Thanks to Jack Heuer, TAG Heuer, the modern iteration of what was once his family owned company, is a household name in the watch industry. Jack Heuer was always an innovator, he introduced eight world firsts in the watch industry (including the first automatic chronograph, the first low cost electronic timing instrument accurate to 1/1000th of a second, the Microtimer, and more), and that spirit of innovation is directly responsible for the brand’s success today.
The great-grandson of Heuer watch founder Edouard Heuer, Jack Heuer is currently serving as the Honorary Chairman of TAG Heuer. “I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs in my life,” Heuer admits. "I probably was a bit too avant-garde for the times and I was severely criticized during those years. Today, people are slapping me on my shoulder and telling me how great it was that I did this or that. At the moment itself, we tried to be extremely creative and innovative, but at the end the market wasn’t ready for it.
“I am optimistic about the future of the luxury watch industry, there is an obsessive interest in the reassuring ticking of the watch with all the complications around it,” he continues. “In addition, the watch has developed into a status symbol of the man who can show who he is and how much he can afford with the watch on his wrist. The latest developments of the Swiss watch industry have proven that the top-end is growing strongly, suiting the explosion of wealth worldwide.”
Jack Heuer recently received the Jewelry Information Center’s Gem Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Congratulations, Jack. You deserve it. (KWS)

At the beginning of the 21st century, handcrafted mechanical watchmaking is already an anachronism in and of itself. And, in the economic ‘jungle’ of timekeeping, a family company such as Patek Philippe (in the hands of the Stern family since 1932) is another anachronism.
But, with these two anachronisms, Patek Philippe is unanimously considered to be THE reference brand in the domain of haute horlogerie both in terms of its technology and in the quality of the workmanship.
Philippe Stern, the grand ‘Lord’ of this realm is nonetheless a quiet, affable, modest, and a little bit secretive person. Although he won’t shout it from the rooftops – it is not his style – the Swiss watch industry owes him a great deal. Despite many obstacles, he has been able to conserve the essence of tradition while not hesitating to innovate, and even sometimes to surprise. A guardian of some of the most ‘sacred’ values of timekeeping, he did not, however, hesitate to slide silicon gears into his watches.
An astute businessman (he is not a watchmaker by training but holds a degree in economic and commercial studies from the University of Geneva), a person well versed in the realities of the field (checking stocks and making the rounds of retailers during three years in the USA), a seasoned professional from the time spent in all the departments of the enterprise (from supplies to accounting), Stern is piloting the large vessel with the skill and science of the skipper that he is. Having succeeded in getting rid of the somewhat ‘protestant’ image of Patek Philippe, and having been the first to regroup all the brand’s activities under one roof, Philippe Stern understands how to skillfully use auctions (where Patek Philippe is the champion in all categories) to affirm the long-lasting preeminence of his brand in the global watch landscape. Among his first master strokes was the opening, in Geneva, of one of the most beautiful museums dedicated to timekeeping that has ever existed. (PM)

Dominique Baron studied art at the University of Strasbourg before specializing in enamelling. She is one of the few remaining enamel artists who is experienced in the ‘Geneva Technique’, the art of putting transparent enamel on top of an enamel painting. It doesn’t sound complicated, but as Dominique explains, “If the Geneva Technique isn’t done correctly, all the colours can disappear or the dial can bubble. Sometimes I can work on a miniature painting for three weeks and then the Geneva Technique will ruin it.” The complete technique, requires up to 3 layers of enamel and 15-20 layers of transparent enamel and 20-25 firings in the furnace at 900 degrees, almost died out as artists kept their secrets close to their chest.
Ms. Baron has worked for watch companies such as Jaeger-LeCoultre, Roger Dubuis, Delaneau and Van Cleef & Arpels. She is now working independently and spends at least one day a week training young artists at the renowned dial manufacturer, Stern Créations.
"Enamel is more popular than ever before,” says Baron. “Companies want to bring back these old, artistic techniques, but I think we should adapt these techniques to the modern day.” (SF)

Jorg Hysek made his reputation as an independent designer of some of the best known watches in the industry: the Marine for Breguet, the Kirium for TAG Heuer, the Shanta for Ebel, the AD 2000 for Dunhill and many more. Then, he started his own brand and designed some incredible watches, including the V-King, the V-King Tourbillon, the X-Ray, the XX-Ray and more. In February of 2006, the designer Jorg Hysek officially severed ties with Jorg Hysek the brand and promptly began HD3, a design house that creates design forward, complicated and very limited watches.
“I really am enjoying what I am doing, it’s only pleasure,” Hysek says. “We are very small now, there are very good relationships and I can control it all. It feels like a hobby.”
HD3 is part of a charge of many independent brands and Hysek is optimistic about the future of the watch industry. “The bigger companies are developing their own distribution and the independent retailers are looking for independent companies rather than working only with the large groups, which gives nice opportunities for the special work that we do,” says Hysek. “The independent watchmakers are much more creative because we can do things faster.”
Hysek didn’t set out to become a watch designer. “I started first as a sculptor and a painter, but I couldn’t make any money,” Hysek remembers. “I decided to go into design and because I was in Switzerland, I went into watches, which is the most important industry in Switzerland.”
It was certainly a good move, both for Hysek and for the watch industry. (KWS)

Ever wonder how watches get into movies? There are a number of ways, certainly, but the person who often chooses the watches and always puts the watches on the actors is the prop master. Doug Harlocker has been the prop master on such projects as ‘War of the Worlds’, ‘Oceans 12’, ‘Spider Man 2’, both ‘Men In Black’ movies, ‘The Patriot’ and many others. “Product Placement is an integral part of the movie making process,” he says. “Think of it in this way - let’s say that I am working on a film where an A List actor has been cast in a role where his character can afford anything, one of the obvious accessories to express this with is his watch.”
How watches actually make it into any given movie is sometimes pure luck. “The Hamilton Ventura in Men in Black was a watch that I saw by accident just before a fitting with the actors and thought it perfect for that movie, the actors agreed....but it could very easily have been one of the other watches I had picked to show them,” he says. “Just because I like it doesn’t mean that they will.” As for final decisions, some directors will want to see what the prop master is offering up but most agree that the actors should choose, as it is, after all, their character.
“I love my job - I get exposed to the best that the world has to offer or has offered in the past,” Harlocker concludes. “Whether that means being sent to the Smithsonian (for ‘The Patriot’) or meeting a representative from Patek Philippe who has just flown in from Geneva to meet me in Rome to show me a watch, it’s a great job.” (KWS)

Legendary watchmaker Roger Dubuis started his horological career younger than most. As a schoolboy in Corsier-sur-Veyey, he had special permission from his teacher to leave school before his classmates to go and wind the weights of the church clock and ring the bells at noon. At 12 years old he was already spending more time in the village watchmaker’s workshop than outside playing with his friends.
His studies took him to the Geneva Watchmaking School followed by positions at Longines and Patek Philippe. During the depression of the quartz era, he continued working at Patek Philippe but had an atelier at home where he would work on his own projects in the evening. He went on to assist the Musée d’horlogerie and the Galerie d’Horlogerie Ancienne, better known today as Antiquorum, in repair and restoration work. However, he is best recognised for co-founding the company SOGEM that went on to become the Manufacture Roger Dubuis.
Although he is retired from the Manufacture that carries his name, none of his passion has gone; on the contrary, he is now dedicated to transmitting his knowledge to the next generation. “I wouldn’t say that I am at the end of my life, but there are still things I have to do - to transmit what was taught to me to others,” Dubuis says. “If I have done it in a practical sense throughout my career, now I am giving lessons on the history of watchmaking, or more, the history of the life of a watchmaker and his metier.” (SF)

Suryia Hill manages the public relations for a number of luxury brands. Her watch clients include Ebel, Jean Dunand and Volna. During her History of Art studies, Suryia worked for a number of jewellery brands before taking on the responsibility for international public relations at Mouawad Group and then Franck Muller. She founded Sparkle in 2005 by herself, and now, two years later, has a dynamic team of four ‘ambassadors’ for her clients.
“The reason to go solo was because I had friends in the industry who were working in niche brands and were looking for assistance - they needed to find a service which had privileged relations with the press and someone to organize events in the high-end segment,” she explains.
With a bustling office in Geneva’s old town, Ms. Hill org-anizes events, photo shoots, conferences, worldwide press relations, advertising management and much, much more.
She couldn’t have chosen a more appropriate name for her agency – after all, who in our industry doesn’t want to ‘sparkle’! (SF)

Ruediger Albers, President of American Wempe and one of the USA’s most respected watch retailers, was born in Hamburg Germany in 1963. He started his apprenticeship as a watchmaker in 1979, finished it successfully in 1981 and worked as a watchmaker in his parent’s watch and jewellery store for two years. After completing his German military service, he went back to his job and school, becoming a Master watchmaker in 1987. He joined Wempe in Hamburg that year and went to New York as a master watchmaker/sales professional in 1988. He became General Manager of American Wempe Corp. in 1991, Vice President in 1992, then President in 2002.
“A fine timepiece is a work of art,” Albers says, explaining his love of watches. “As a master watchmaker I can appreciate the love and attention to detail that goes into the making of a fine watch. A watch is a solid product that can deliver reliable service, pleasure and retention of value over generations, hence justifying the investment.”
Albers loves what he does in part because he gets to meet an interesting array of people - CEOs, celebrities, Heads of State, you name it. “In December I had Robert De Niro call me on my cell phone before visiting me in my office,” he remembers. “Last week, John Travolta enjoyed an espresso as he was posing in front of the Breitling display just for the fun of it while waiting for his limo to pick him up.”
Albers is very optimistic about the future of the watch industry. “More and more people are discovering watches as a work of art and therefore as a form of self-expression,” he explains. "Our clients are particularly interested in quality aside from name recognition, longevity and price-value relation.
“The big issue in the future will be undoubtedly service,” he continues. “Today, it takes many brands several weeks to just get an estimate and even warranty repairs can take months. Few customers are willing to part with their one month old timepiece for longer than they were able to enjoy it.” (KWS)

Source: Europa Star April - May 2007 Magazine Issue