Breitling CEO Georges Kern visits Manila and talks about how the Swiss luxury watch brand is keeping up with the times.
When the Swiss luxury watch brand Breitling replica watches for sale was acquired by leading private equity firm CVC Capital Partners in 2017, Georges Kern had more than being the youngest CEO within the Swiss luxury goods group Richemont as his reputation. At the time, he was the head of watchmaking, marketing and digital at the said company. Kern later proved again his business acumen and passion for sustainability efforts when he helmed Breitling SA as its CEO and one of its shareholders. Determined to bring one of the world’s most established watch manufacturers to today’s market that is penetrated by a new worldview on luxury, Kern led Breitling’s historical re-edition of the UK AAA Breitling Navitimer fake watches to demonstrate that being rooted in heritage matters despite the dynamic demands of the market.
Breitling entered the new decade leveraging digital technology while also being mindful of sustainability efforts. Veering away from traditional watch fairs, the company started launching its products digitally, and even introduced a digital passport based on blockchain technology for all its new cheap replica Breitling watches.
Coming from the challenges brought upon by the 2020 pandemic and a world torn by wars in Ukraine and Palestine, Kern is conscious of how consumer behaviour has drastically changed in recent years.
“All this has an impact on society,” Kern says in a sit-down with Tatler. “[It has affected] consumer sentiment and the way we do business, or how we communicate things,” he continues. Kern further shares how Breitling is known to champion less traditional sports in its partnerships throughout its history.
Since Breitling launched the first SuperOcean dive watch in 1957, the brand has established a unique relationship with the surf community. In April, it released The Breitling Book of Surfing, an illustrated journey through modern surf culture highlighting world-renowned surfers like Kelly Slater and Amuro Tsuzuki. This is in line with Breitling’s launch of new deep-water 1:1 UK copy Breitling SuperOcean Automatic watches and other varieties under the said collection.
“[Besides surfing], we have partnerships with people involved in triathlons. Not necessarily athletic partnerships but more carpe diem—enjoying life, being on the beach, knowing that you should enjoy every moment because you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow,” Kern says.
Kern asserts that Breitling has been one of the fastest-growing companies in the Swiss luxury watch market over the last couple of years, and it stems from communication. In 2022, Breitling celebrated the opening of its new boutique right in the heart of Greenbelt 5, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of its iconic Swiss made replica Breitling Navitimer watches. To be more inviting, inclusive, and sustainable, the boutique exudes a youthful, industrial design that appeals to all ages and genders.
The CEO traces this paradigm shift to when a private equity company took over the then-family-owned business. With a new vision for Breitling, Kern intuitively addressed the needs of today’s market. For example, Kern noted Modern Retro, Breitling’s much-appreciated design identity, as something they must keep doing.
“In an over-digitalised world, [marked] with insecurity, you’d like to grab some elements of tradition if you want,” says Kern. “I think since then, even before COVID happened, we have done many things right—in terms of product design, product style, boutique style, and sponsorships—not only to differentiate us from our competitors but also to be resilient in a period of crises.”
What sets Breitling apart from its competitors is being a cool alternative to traditional watch brands. It boasts a clear design identity and versatility, as is evident in its varied range from conventional to electronic luxury Breitling fake watches.
“We also have what we call a ‘neo-luxury’ set of values—casual, sustainable, and inclusive,” says Kern. “After the pandemic, people now have a different view on what luxury means. Not only are we utilising blockchain technology to allow each watch to come with a digital passport and an NFT, it offers us to be transparent along our supply chain, such as where we source our precious materials and lab-grown diamonds that go into our wholesale Breitling super clone watches. And lastly, we want to be approachable and accessible for our clients with no barriers between us,” Kern explains.
The Breitling CEO believes that every luxury brand needs to appeal to the global market and must be successful worldwide in terms of revenues. However, he admits that the brand was late establishing its presence in China, one of the largest luxury markets in the world.
Conscious of the brand’s tactical problems, Kern accelerated Breitling’s efforts to penetrate the markets of countries formerly beyond its radar.
“It will take a couple of years,” Kern says. “I know that in any cultural area, we are successful, but then we just have to do our job right.”
Kern shares that in the 2023 Morgan Stanley report, Swiss movements Breitling replica watches ranked ninth in the global luxury market. He credits this growth to the company’s use of a proven concept in its business strategy.
“What we have to do is more of the same, because the impact of a brand is the cumulative investment. It’s not because you invest one year you can say you’re already successful. You have to invest over years and years consistently, especially when you know that it works,” Kern says.
What challenges Kern today and his colleagues is that 10 per cent of Breitling’s target group knows the new 2024 online Breitling fake watches. “Which means 90 per cent still have that image of big, bulky, polished, loud, aviator watch while we have totally changed over the last couple of years,” Kern continues. By aiming to expand the percentage of awareness of the new Breitling, Kern believes that it would later lead to conversion.
Kern finds leveraging iconic timepieces to be something other globally renowned luxury watch brands see as key to their success in the market. “But it’s not about reviving,” he says. “When something is good, why change it? People want the roots, the reassurance… so it’s an evolution—the shape design remains, and you would recognise it immediately.”
Asked which Breitling replica watch appeals to him the most, Kern mentions the Navitimer. “I’m also a big fan of the Breitling Classic Avi, which I am wearing today. I like the heavy, aviator’s watch that is the product of the 1930s to 1940s period. I’m an aesthete, so I like it for its design and beauty,” Kern says.
As to how the complications in the watch were brought upon, Kern leaves it to the engineers and watchmakers. But for acquirers and collectors of such impeccable timepieces, Kern advises to understand the concept of the technology and be able to appreciate their top fake Breitling watches for their form and function.
“I always buy a watch for its appeal and because I like it. I would never recommend someone to buy a piece of art or watch purely for investment purposes,“ he says. “You have to appreciate the design. You might know particular brands of good investment value, but that should never be the motivation in my opinion.”
Now in his seventh year as CEO, Kern sees destiny as having guided him on his path to the luxury watchmaking industry. He started a business involving coffee and chocolates, but when another Swiss luxury watch brand called him to join its company, he found himself turning his life around to pursue a passion that has always resided in his heart.
Kern’s father was a jeweller, so he was always connected to these kinds of products growing up. Later in life, he was educated in style, taste, and design, but it was never his father’s objective to bring him into this industry.
“In French, we say affinité. I think I’ve always had that towards craftsmanship. It’s sensitivity to the things around you, so growing up in that kind of environment, the affinity to best Swiss Breitling replica watches and jewellery really grew on me, and then the rest is destiny,” Kern says.
