The past few years have been tough ones for Graham London, but the company has emerged from challenging economic times and uncertainty into the sunlight, poised for growth with some spectacular product.
Eric Loth, co-owner and founder, Graham of London, explains: “This year, we have been doing very well. Between 2009 and 2011, there were some shaky times. It was the global crisis, and we had internal issues between owners, so changes were made, and now everything is back running well. We now have a much clearer shareholder structure and I have the full control of the company, so I can plan for the future without interruption or interference. The brand has to stay independent and free to move quickly.
“I feel really good about where the brand is going – I’m more excited than ever, it’s like a new life for me and for the brand,” he continues. “After 15 years of hard work, building up Graham from nothing, now we are restarting and I am better at managing the brand now. We make 6,000 watches a year and we can grow to 15,000 in two years without sacrificing our quality and control.”

SILVERSTONE STOWE RACING, CHRONOFIGHTER OVERSIZE

Two key introductions – just an appetiser
Graham London this year is introducing two watches, the Chronofighter Oversize and the Silverstone Stowe Racing. The 47mm Chrono-fighter Oversize is a column wheel chronograph with bi-compax display, along with a black and orange colour scheme, and the 48mm Silverstone Stowe Racing brings the Graham colours, black and yellow, into the timepiece collection.
“These two products are just an appetiser, extensions of existing lines,” Loth says. “The Silverstone Stowe Racing takes the hallmark of Graham, black and yellow, and this is the first time that we really do a watch that uses the colours of the brand. It makes it a little wild, but I like it very much. Colours play a big role in our strategy, because you can make the best complication, use the best materials, but colours finish the watch.
“We have created a new kind of Chronofighter with the Oversize, which is so British in style and so Swiss in technique,” he continues. “This version is very elegant and extremely classic, and we are clearly targeting clients who can’t wear something too sporty, but want to have something different. I think we found a very nice way.”
BaselWorld is an important show for Graham London. “We want to be a significant brand to our retail partners,” Loth concludes. “The US is very strong for us right now, and also Latin America is extremely good. We have gotten fantastic returns from the Emirates and we have great expectations with our new models in China. Chinese customers are not yet in the segment of very sporty and big pieces, and we think with the new pieces, we will be able to bring in the Chinese buyers, finally making some sales there.”

Source: Europa Star April - May 2012 Magazine Issue