Corum or Hermes buy their finest calibers

His name sounds Italian. However, difficult to more Swiss than this brand of watches was born in 1998 in the canton of Jura. In twelve years, she has earned a place in the watchmaking. A universe where series limited, special orders and unique pieces are the norm, with prices measured in tens, even hundreds of thousands of euros. Guise of Parmigiani the authenticity. Where others were carry the bulk of the effort on the "dressing" marketing of watches juggling sports aesthetics or macho, bold overlays of material or non-conventional viewing time, Parmigiani has not neglected the "engine". Manufacture within the meaning of the term, she masters all of watchmaking techniques, design of movements (created 10 to date) to the final Assembly, through the manufacture of components: spiral, inner workings, box and dial. Corum or Hermes buy their finest calibers. Richard Mille, him that since 15 years revolutionized watchmaking with its designed watches as the F1!

250 distributors

Is no inflated to hormones in Parmigiani design. "Simplicity and discretion, in the image of our clients," summarizes Jean-Marc Jacot, his "chief executive officer", which recognizes that "the mark has a little suffered in recent years". If the neo-classical style is assumed, a Parmigiani is recognized by its aesthetic markers, rejected on twenty models: dials on several levels, needles delta, font of Arabic numerals, like water drop of their "horns" - shape metal parts connecting the bracelet watch casing. Advertising nor step, or so little. -Of-mouth is nexus, like relational marketing. Parmigiani identifies collectors of watches and invites them to visit its workshops.

The origin of the brand: the breaking of the quartz movements came to the Japan and then to China, mid-1970s, developed the Swiss watch industry to its knees. Particular claim, the Val-de-Travers, where workshops closed one after the other. Son of the country, the watchmaker Michel Parmigiani has the chance to cross the path of the Sandoz Foundation, which he restores pieces of the magnificent collection of clocks, precious automatons and music boxes. This Foundation, which manages since 1964 the fortune of the heirs of the pharmaceutical group (now by successive takeovers Novartis), a dedicated to investing in sectors considered strategic for the country, finance, hotel and clockwork including. "The Foundation has made the bet to preserve and develop the age-old know-how in creating or buying existing workshops", says Jean-Marc Jacot, patron of watchmaking of Foundation activities, become that of Parmigiani when it decided to launch the brand.

Some 150 million Swiss francs was invested in the project which is translated by the creation of a completely "vertical" Industrial Centre, as it is said in Geneva. Its four sites in La Chaux-de-Fonds Fleurier and employ today 450 employees (the number was multiplied by ten) in 50 trade. Numerical control machines are alongside the experienced artisans established end up hand all of the components. The polishing of a whirlpool bridge requires only fifteen to twenty hours!

The crisis has been brutally felt its effects last year. Sales fell by 20 with a clean production reduced to 4,000 against 5,000 on average, the manufacture on behalf of third parties used absorber. But its powerful shareholders ensure sustainability to Parmigiani, much to regain lost ground and even gradually pushing its production to 8,000 or 10,000 parts per year. Ambition justified by the appetite for emerging markets, China in mind, for the new marks and a taste for rarity among clients in mature markets. To achieve this, the brand has expand its distribution. In 2010, 30 points of sale will be added to the existing network of 250 distributors around the world, "the optimum is probably around 400 if is preserving the exclusivity of the brand", says Jean-Marc Jacot. Watch parts Ecrins and the more expensive jewellery, five new spaces called "Workshops Parmigiani" emerge, on the model of that of Dubai.