features


Contemporary luxury by Scalfaro

April 2003





Founded by two brothers just a couple of years ago, Scalfaro is now beginning to introduce its watches into the European and American markets.

Alexander and Dominik Kuhnle were brought up in the world of jewellery where creativity and craftsmanship were as much a part of life as eating and breathing.
During their numerous travels, the two brothers, Alexander is 30 years old and Dominik 28, developed an enthusiasm for maritime sports, the Mediterranean Riviera's way of life and a passion for watches - all of which have found their way into the contemporary and luxurious styling of the Scalfaro collections.
Founded just two years ago after some period of gestation, the watches not only offer what the brothers term 'contemporary luxury', but also they represent the innate blend of traditional craftsmanship and sophisticated techniques that they learned in their formative years.

A characteristic blend
“Luxury doesn't follow a logical set of rules or sane definitions,” explains Alexander Kuhnle. “It is more the indefinable interplay of many aspects. The art of luxury lies in the sophisticated and masterful composition of beauty, flawless workmanship and exceptional quality of design. Coupled with the spirit and constant search for excellence in every aspect, these values come together to achieve a unique and characteristic blend.”
The first couple of years have seen the development of the Scalfaro watches in the Middle East and Asia. However, the Kuhnle brothers hope that 2003 will be the year the brand spreads its wings in Germany, the USA and Italy - which is currently being negotiated. The production figures of the brand's Swiss Made watches are between 1,500 and 2,000 pieces with retail prices ranging from 2,500 and 6,500 Euros.
“We aim to achieve 8,000 watches a year by 2008, but we will never mass produce since all we want to make are mechanical watches with complications,” Alexander Kuhnle admits.

The two collections
Scalfaro's concept is to use only the finest Swiss mechanical movements for its watches, with Côtes de Genève hand decoration, perlage patterning and blued screws. All the watches have sapphire crystals front and back and are water-resistant to 100 metres.
There are two collections, Cap Ferrat and Porto Cervo. In the Cap Ferrat collection, which have four-sided chamfered bezels, there is a Small Second model, a Second Time Zone and a Chronograph all of which are equipped with automatic movements. There is also a Cap Ferrat Grand Tour collection comprising a Small Second model and three chronographs - one equipped with a Calibre ADK 149 BiCompax movement, another with an ADK 150 TriCompax movement and the third is a Big Date Flyback Chronograph.
The Porto Cervo watches have hexagonal chamfered bezels and offer more or less the same variations of functions as the Cap Ferrat - but with a different visual aspect.
The Riviera and the world of yachting play an important role in the positioning of the brand and also act as a source of inspiration to the brothers. As they say, “We are the 'living' heart and soul of the brand.”
The Kuhnle brothers' passion for exclusive mechanical watches combined with their interpretation of the luxurious spirit of the Mediterranean Riviera in the Scalfaro collections along with their sporting elegance, offers today's discriminating retailers an independent alternative niche brand.