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In what most fashion industry professionals and financially oriented observers believe to be very difficult economic times, both Gucci’s and Versace’s watches seem to be bucking the trend. Each watch manufacturer is reporting very positive sales numbers, which is reinvigorating the fashion and luxury watch industry during a time when it certainly needs to be reinvigorated.

Gucci, which is controlled by PPR, a French luxury goods conglomerate that specializes in luxury watch brands and retail shops, has revealed to Wall Street and beyond that their fourth quarter sales have risen 3.4 percent, to approximately 640 million euros, which has raised its share values by about 7.1 percent. And Versace has had positive fourth quarter sales as well, going up approximately 8.2 percent. These are quite surprising and encouraging numbers indeed, especially considering that earlier this month, Dow Jones reported that luxury watch and jewelry sales in general are going down.

It is apparent that both Versace and Gucci are utilizing market strategies that are primarily focusing on their respective brand’s integrity as opposed to jiggering their marketing tactics in such way as to deal with (or compensate for) the global economic downturn/recession.

The chairman of PPR, Mr. Franois-Henri Pinault (the son of the company’s founder, Mr. François Pinault) believes that the global recession may alter the speed with which Gucci et al would like to implement their plans but it will certainly not affect their company’s overall global strength.

The Chief Executive Officer of Versace, Mr. Giancarlo Di Risio seems essentially to agree with his contemporary, Mr. Pinault. He has said that it is very important not to make tactical maneuvers and decisions that could negatively effect the positioning of a company’s brand, and that more than anything, companies always need to be consistent with their existing strategies so that they can continue to function as a “precise reference point” for their clients. Furthermore, Mr. Di Risio went on to say that when the current period of economic crisis comes to an end, important clientele will tend to remember the brands that have maintained a certain degree of consistency with their marketing and brand strategies.

It will be interesting for followers of the high-end jewelry and luxury timepiece industries to see if rival brands of Versace and Gucci will follow their leads and adopt similar market strategies.

Both Versace and Gucci will be showing their autumn and winter 2009-10 collections next week in Milan, Italy.

Technorati Tags: Gucci Watch, Gucci Watches, luxury watch, Luxury Watches

It’s the pride of Schaffhausen, Switzerland. Well, I assume it is because other than being the home of IWC, I have no idea what else Schaffhausen is known for. Actually, I think we accidentally bombed it in World War Two, but I digress… Now what was I writing about, oh yeah… The IWC Portuguese Automatic watch.

IWC, which stands for International Watch Company, has been making world renowned timepieces since 1868, and its motto, “Probus Scafusia” which is Latin for “good, solid craftsmanship from Schaffhausen” is as true today as it was when the company started. It is certainly true with the Portuguese Automatic, which is a truly magnificent wristwatch.

The Portuguese Automatic is about as esteemed a luxury watch as you’re going to find on the market. It’s a watch that watchmakers want. That is, the kind of people who pay close attention to craftsmanship almost always give it high praise. And it has basically earned that reputation without resorting to gimmickry. This is a clean, elegant and traditional timepiece. Take a look at its Arabic numerals and you’ll get a sense of its many charms… none of which blink, ring, or distract. On the other hand, it is not the least bit archaic. Of its timeless and contemporary features, this watch has the following: Mechanical movement; an automatic winding system; a seven-day power reserve; a power reserve display; very small seconds hand; a Breguet spring; a rotor that comes with an 18 carat yellow gold medallion; a date display; convex sapphire glass; a sapphire glass back; and the one I am looking at has a dark brown crocodile leather strap.

To sum up: The IWC Portuguese Automatic doesn’t try to show off. It doesn’t have to. It’s already close to perfect.

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Did you ever see “Le Mans”? Probably not. Unless, of course, you are some sort of gear-head or film freak. So for the record, “Le Mans” is the 1971 film starring the one and only Steve McQueen, as a racecar driver in the eponymous French auto race. Anyway, it is a cool movie that quite accurately depicts the auto racing culture of the day, and in the film, Mr. McQueen chose to wear a Tag Heuer Monaco wristwatch while driving his Porsche 917. And as you would guess, sales went through the roof.

But then the watch gradually slipped away from the scene. In fact, Tag Heuer stopped making them for a little while. Well, with our cultural longing for a return to all things vintage, classic and retro, it’s back. And that is a very good thing.

The Tag Heuer Monaco watch was the first chronograph ever manufactured to have a micro-rotor and automatic movement. It also had (and has) a water-resistant square case and matching square dials that, in my opinion, would have made this timepiece a hit with the luxury watch buying public even if Mr. McQueen had never worn it. But alas, he did… and now it’s a classic.

Since it is a Tag Heuer, the “modern day” Monaco is certainly a reliable luxury watch but more than that, it is also vintage and quite likely to become a collector’s item (In fact, for all intents and purposes, it already is) and when you see it up close, it will be hard not to notice how much personality and character is imbedded in this classic timepiece.

Technorati Tags: Luxury Watches, Steve McQueen, Tag Heuer, Tag Heuer Monaco

You know, after a while, bells and whistles are just bells and whistles. It sometimes seems as if too many of the luxury watch manufacturers are loading up their timepieces with features and complications best suited for science fictions conventions rather than the adult, professional male’s wrist.

That’s the main reason I found the Tissot Heritage Sovereign so refreshing. It went back to basics – or rather, back to elegance.

This is not a wristwatch that you should wear on your boat or at the picnic or for that matter, at the sci-fi convention. This is a timepiece for the evening, the wedding, and the important business dinner. In other words: It’s a watch for grownups who care about style more than whether or not their watch can give you a weather update in Tokyo.

Don’t get me wrong. It is not an old-fashioned “grandpa” watch that may have been popular during the Truman administration. It is simply elegant, sophisticated, and fashionable.

Tissot has a well-earned reputation for craftsmanship (They have been at it since 1853) and this watch does much to confirm it. But again, style points matter too. And the Heritage Sovereign has it in spades: it has Roman numeral hour markers as well as a see-through back. Also, it is available in three different models with either a rose gold or a stainless steel case and a black leather band. It has a beautiful silver dial and is water resistant to 30 meters. (But again: If you want to take this watch to the beach, you probably shouldn’t have it in the first place).
This watch is flat out classy.

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As one of the pioneers in the field of premium watches, it comes as no surprise that Omega would be trying out all sorts of new and even unusual stuff. In 2009, however, they probably did a couple of unusual things too many for their latest update to the Omega Seamaster brand – the new Aqua Terra collection.

Before going on, it must be noted that the Seamaster brand is already one of the most popular in the Omega portfolio. It’s due in no small part to the fact that this is one of the standard watches that the character James Bond wears in most of the James Bond movies from the last couple of decades. It does, however, have a good number of its own merits aside from just having star status on the silver screen.

Now, the fact that the new Aqua Terra collection is largely mechanical didn’t raise a lot of eyebrows, or at least not as much as it did when Omega began the trend several years ago. They’re still at it, and some of ladies’ mechanical from this collection will be the first to have the new Si 14 balance springs made from silicon. Engineers at Omega see it as the next big thing in watchmaking because the non-magnetic property of the silicon allows it to perform much better than the typical materials.

Unsurprisingly, the hour markers and hands were all made from brushed 18-karat gold. What was unexpected, though, was the use of teak in this collection’s concept dials. Using teak, according to Omega, harks back to the materials commonly used in yachts and sailing boats. Considering that, these new concept dials are an even more faithful tribute to the nautical lifestyle.

This new collection of luxury watches comes in two flavors. The 38.5mm Co-Axial watches are available in 18-karat red or yellow gold, or with a blend of gold and stainless steel. The 41.5mm models have about as many options, except that yellow gold is not available for the latter. There’s also a choice of matching bracelets or brown straps made of alligator leather, which really complements the color of the gold.

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The year was 1984. Michael Jackson’s Thriller was at the top of the charts and the cheesy glitz and glam of the eighties was in full swing. It was also the age of the digital watch. Everyone had one and while perhaps they lacked a certain soul, they sure kept good time. And unlike some of the more ornate of today’s analogue timepieces, one could actually read the time on them easily.

Well, Tag Heuer has revisited that era with its “Tag Heuer Diamonds Fiction” ladies watch, but can I tell you something: it’s not nearly as lame as the eighties. In fact, it’s a pretty beautiful, even stunning timepiece.

Sure, not just any woman can get away with wearing it. You’ll need a certain sense of fun, not to mention a good measure of fashion forward-ness, but if you have that… you will really adore this watch.

One thing this watch brings to the table is the sparkle factor. It is chock full of diamonds. 879 Top Wesselton full-cut diamonds to be precise, through which you can see the high def, red digital display. This red color perfectly matches the satin strap, thus giving a warm appearance which contrasts perfectly with the brilliant diamonds. This Tag is actually much more of a fine – and I mean FINE piece of jewelry than it is a conventional timepiece, but if you have the means and the longing for an era that doesn’t necessarily have to be “gone by” this could be an extraordinary, yep, digital watch for your collection.

Technorati Tags: Luxury Watches, Tag Heuer, Tag Heuer Diamond Fiction

Alberto Santos-Dumont was a Brazilian aviator. In the early part of the 20th century he had a recurrent complaint: the pocket watches that were available at the time were simply insufficient for flying. They were unreliable as well as impractical. He shared his lament with his good friend, Louis Cartier, of the eponymous company, and shortly thereafter, the first men’s wristwatch was born. (For the record, Patek Phillipe made the first ever wristwatch, but alas, it was for ladies). Furthermore, the watch was a huge hit, not just with Mr. Santos, but with Cartier’s growing clientele.

And now, over a hundred years removed from that initial inspired effort, the Cartier Santos is still a hit – an even bigger hit, in fact, than it was then.

The modern day Santos is a bold, huge, strong and sturdy luxury watch, that comes with a gold or steel block, an enormous screwed-in bezel with luminous hands. Indeed it is evocative of the original model – it is just a more contemporary version of it. (Why tamper with the classics?)

The one I am most in love with is the Cartier Santos 100, which has a stainless steel case with a band made of black alligator leather. It has a silver dial, a steel octagon crown, mechanical movement, and it is water resistant up to 100 meters.

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Full disclosure: I didn’t know much about this timepiece at all before I started looking into it. All I knew was that it looked sporty, comfortable and cool. But the more I checked it out; I quickly found out that I am far from the only person who feels that way. This is a fun watch. Swiss in construction, American in its soul.

How American, you ask? Well, as American as NASCAR. Tissot has a long affiliation with the American racing industry (car and motorcycle) and indeed it is the official timekeeper for NASCAR events. Which is no surprise – it is one of the most accurate timepieces out there. The reason why the NASCAR affiliation did not surprise me, though, is the actual look of the watch – specifically the Tissot PRS. The band caught my eye first. It is pierced, real leather, that is not-so-coincidentally reminiscent of the look and feel of a high-end sports car. It also has a perfectly transparent case-back and an all around sleek design (including a red second hand and luminous dials), which all lends further validation to its intended sporty, young, and innovative image.

It’s a great watch – and a particularly great watch for the money.

Technorati Tags: Tissot, Tissot Nascar Watches, Tissot Watches

Breitling Emergency watches live up to their name… literally. They each contain radio transmitters that can send signals that can be picked up as far as 90 nautical miles. In fact, as was reported in Reuters, quite recently, when two British pilots crashed their helicopter in Antarctica, they were able to be located and rescued because of the distress signals sent out from their Breitlings.

If you know any pilots, or for that matter, next time you’re at the airport, check out what the flight crews are wearing on their wrists. Here’s what you’ll find: Breitlings, Breitlings everywhere! By the way, if you ever watch the show “Man Versus Wild”, the host, Bear Grylls, wears a Breitling as well. Obviously, the transmitters must never be used for any frivolous reason (in fact, it is illegal to do so) but these watches can literally be lifesavers for people with lifestyles and careers that put them on the edge.

But form and function work together on the Breitling line of wristwatches, and that is certainly true of their Emergency watches. They are not just for emergencies. They have a very sporty look. The Emergency Black Dial model has Super Quartz LCD Digital Display, a titanium case and bracelet, with a flip lock clasp and a case diameter of 43 MM. It’s water resistant up to 30 meters and its crystal is scratch-resistant sapphire. And did I mention the built in transmitter?

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After a tough 3-day media cycle and a now infamous picture that has circulated the entire world, sponsors are standing behind bong-forsaken swimming legend Michael Phelps. Swiss luxury watch maker Omega has deemed the indiscretion a private matter of Phelps’ personal life. The watchmaker was the first to pardon the incident, after which a series of sponsors publicly declared they supported the Olympian in this difficult time.

Difficult in the sense that the greatest athlete in Olympic history finally peered his head through the pile of sponsorship money, fame, and glamour that had characterized his media coverage during the Olympics, and was caught doing something awful: HE WAS PHTOGRAPHED BEING A REAL PERSON. A 23 year old kid that parties like everyone else, and occasionally has a run in with controlled substances in social circumstances. Does it mean he is destined for rehab? I don’t think so. If Obama was elected president after suffering his fare share of “experimentation” during his youthful years, I’m sure fans, sponsors and the bong patrol can find it in their hearts to let the kid be a kid.

Omega was courageous in being the first to speak out in support of their athlete, without being fully certain of the PR implications it might yield. Not to mention intelligent, as I’m sure eager marketing vultures at Tag Heauer and Movado would of leapt at the opportunity to sign a shunned swimming god. So lets be honest. Phelps gets paid to promote high end luxury watches like the Planet Ocean, Seamaster and Speedmaster, not to be a role model. Can we cut the guy a break?

By the way, the person who took the picture and sold it is a real SOB!

Technorati Tags: Michael Phelps, omega, Omega Watches