The Transfer Window Opens - At Parmigiani

Watch Town is a funny place. Parmigiani has bid its current CEO, Davide Traxler, arrivederci and in a shrewd move did so while the majority of Watch Town's members of the press have been preoccupied with LVMH's dog and pony show. So before he barely had a chance to sling his hook and take it on the arches, his replacement had, in fact, already been installed. So in the same breath, congratulations to Guido Terreni, until very (VERY) recently a very senior executive in Bulgari's watch division.

News broke in pretty much every branch of the press, except... the watch press, that Mr. Traxler would be pursuing "other professional opportunities" and curious to relate? His replacement had already been vetted, approved by the board of directors and appointed.   

Watch Gods, you do move in mysterious ways...

Now it is also interesting to relate that more than one press outlet portrayed Parmigiani as "struggling". And that is a hard one to quantify as Parmigiani is an independent company owned by what is, essentially, a family trust. What remains unsaid is whether Parmigiani is:

A.  In better shape than when Traxler took on his role as CEO.

B. In worse shape than when Traxler took on his role as CEO.

C. No better, and no worse than when Traxler took on his role as CEO.

But as that other great commentator on the watch business, Darryl Dawkins once opined -

“When everything is said and done there is nothing left to do or say.” 

So we wish Davide Traxler the best of success moving forward, and wish Mr. Terreni Godspeed in his new role.

When everything is said and done...

there is nothing left to do or say.

Darryl Dawkins

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

And suffice it to say, as far as Bell & Ross is concerned, there is plenty left still to say.
 
Bell & Ross has done something very, very few brands have been able to do in recent memory - write a second chapter and reassert their relevance.  And this didn't just happen this past BaselWorld.  It really began a few years ago with the release of what was, at the time, a rather daring choice for Bell & Ross.  A chronograph with a blue dial with gold indices and hands was definitely not in the B&R wheelhouse at that time. 

Since their founding, Bell & Ross had established themselves (primarily) as a brand that made (primarily) watches with black dials.  That is not to say that is all that Bell & Ross made.  But it is safe to say that when the average person (watch enthusiast, or Joe Public) thought about B&R, they tended to think of black, military style watches.

When they came out with the BR V2-94 AERONAVALE, it was a bit of a risk.  But looking back, it is clear that this was a very worthwhile departure.  It opened the creative (and marketing) doors to the possible opportunity of swimming in a slightly different direction.  And it, in turn, gave rise to the BR V2-94 GARDE-CÔTES -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

And the BR V2-94 BELLYTANKER-

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

Tudor, Omega and others simply grab the checkbook and look for new brand ambassadors or events to label.  Bell & Ross has shown with their latest efforts that to grow a watch brand beyond that first burst, you need to be evolutionary - not necessarily revolutionary.