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Perrelet Tristan Boyer de Bouillane sets out his stall

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— After less than three months in his new role, the General Manager of Perrelet presents his overall vision for the replica watches brand.

Tristan Boyer de Bouillane © Perrelet

Industry veteran Tristan Boyer de Bouillane has spent twenty years in the Breitling replica watches industry, notably working for Charriol for eight years and at the high-end brands Daniel Roth and Gérald Genta for ten years until they were eventually fully absorbed into Bulgari’s watchmaking division.

One of the cornerstones of Perrelet’s communication up until now has been its disputed heritage as the inventor of the self-winding movement. Mr Boyer de Bouillane admits that this claim is contested and is therefore seeking to redefine the positioning of Perrelet as a “horological brand with its own movements, but not high horology”. We can therefore expect the product offering to broaden in scope, the new boss suggests.

The main thrust of the brand’s new strategy will be the exclusive use of in-house movements produced by the MHVJ (Manufacture Horlogère de la Vallée de Joux) on Soprod base movements. Like Perrelet, both the MHVJ and Soprod are subsidiary companies of the H1 Festina Group Switzerland, the Swiss branch of the Spanish watchmaking conglomerate that produces some 4.5 million Swiss replica watches per year, generating sales of 237 million euros.

All models in the 2015 Perrelet collection equipped with mechanical movements will therefore use an in-house movement. “I am not ruling out quartz movements altogether,” says Mr Boyer de Bouillane, “but they must be intelligent quartz movements”. The price range for this reorganized collection will span from 2,500 to 8,000 Swiss francs.

The distinctive spinning blades of Perrelet’s Turbine rotor will remain one of the cornerstones of the brand’s collection. But Mr Boyer de Bouillane has his own ideas about how this collection should evolve. “The Turbine should become functional, for example to arm a power reserve,” he says. The latest incarnation in this collection, presented ahead of Baselworld 2015, is the Turbine Skeleton. Although not functional in itself, the aluminium turbine in this model combines the playful element of the spinning effect with an insight into the mechanical movement, since once the blades reach a certain speed of rotation, the skeletonized movement is revealed in all its glory.

 

Perrelet-Turbine-Skeleton-A1082_1A.jpg

Turbine Skeleton ref.A1082.
© Perrelet Replica Watches UK

The Perrelet Turbine Skeleton has a 44mm diameter case available in steel with a black PVD coating or a 4N pink gold bezel. The inner bezel ring ensures optimal readability thanks to luminescent Arabic numerals and hour-markers. The hour and minute hands are coated in Superluminova, while the red seconds hand stands out clearly against this backdrop. The timepieces in the Turbine Skeleton collection are fitted with innovative black bi-material straps: calfskin leather with a polyurethane core to guarantee ergonomics and a comfortable feel on the wrist; or black rubber for a resolutely sporty look.

Time for a reboot at Perrelet

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Under the tutelage of Miguel Rodriguez and the Festina group since 2004, the brand has weathered the past few years with a slightly vague strategy. But apparently things are set to change, or at least that’s the aim of new General Manager Tristan Boyer de Bouillane, who arrived at the helm of the company in December. This will be no easy task, as he intends a thorough clean up on all fronts: internal organization, products and markets.

Perhaps it was written in the stars. In any case, two of the founding fathers of modern new Breitling replica watchmaking share the name “Abraham-Louis”: Breguet and Perrelet. Two centuries after the deaths of these illustrious watchmakers, their names continue to grace watch dials. But let’s not dwell on the well-known fate of Breguet within the Swatch Group; today, we’re interested in Perrelet’s story, as the brand is rumored to be taking a new direction. In any case, Tristan Boyer de Bouillane, who has been at the helm of the brand since December, says that he has the necessary resources to deploy a clear strategy that he intends to implement over the long term. The general manager isn’t new to the industry; he has been working in watchmaking for around twenty years, during which he moved successively from Charriol to Roth and Genta, and then to Breitling before being entrusted with this task by Gérald Roden, General Manager of the Swiss Festina Group.

Before going into battle, you must first develop a plan of attack by analyzing not only the strengths and weaknesses of your adversaries, but also your own. What are they in Perrelet’s case? Among the Maison’s strengths, Tristan Boyer de Bouillane mentions its industrial equipment and, of course, the brand’s ability to produce its own movements. “In this respect, we are already independent. In 2015, all the best Breitling replica watches we sell on the market will be equipped with in-house calibers. To do this, we rely on Soprod for basic movements and on MHVJ (editor’s note: Manufacture Horlogère Vallée de Joux) for exceptional pieces. We have absolutely everything we need to work well,” he explains.

Reviving the double rotor

As Perrelet intends to develop its middle range situated between 2,500 to 8,000 Swiss francs, the brand will be working mainly with Soprod. With this in mind, is the brand considering introducing quartz movements into its collections? “Not for the time being. But why not in the future?” asks the CEO. “If need be, so-called ‘intelligent’ movements could really be of interest to us.” In other words, smart watches? “Yes, if you like. The Group is quite advanced in this area and, personally, I believe in the concept. In any case, I believe in original smart cheap Breitling replica watches that aren’t dependent on smartphones,” he explains.

For Perrelet’s new general manager, the brand’s other strength is its products. However, its ranges must be clarified, diversified and showcased differently, as it is currently difficult to navigate among its various models. For instance, it is not always easy to distinguish between Rolex replica watches sale equipped with a double rotor movement and its famous Turbines. Remember that while the latter’s turning helix is spectacular, it is not functional. “The developments I’m mentioning won’t be visible this year. And for good reason—I’ve only been managing Perrelet for three months,” continues Tristan Boyer de Bouillane. “Things will become a lot clearer in 2016, when the collections are better segmented. We are going to restore the double rotor to its former glory. In addition, we have a whole series of small yet extremely interesting complications up our sleeves, which have been put aside over the years for some unknown reason. We are going to revive them.”

A lot of work remains to be done and perhaps the most important task, which will require significant time and investment from the brand, is the reorganization and development of its distribution channels. “Truth be told, there’s a lot to do in that respect. Uncertainty has reigned for several years, and all the markets have basically been doing as they wished. In short, we haven’t supported our partners enough, coached our retailers sufficiently or trained our after-sales service managers adequately. I’m going to take advantage of Baselworld to reassure all the partners in question. We’re back with a clear doctrine,” assures Tristan Boyer de Bouillane.

Ultimately, the head of Perrelet—a brand that is currently selling some 10,000 watches per year—claims to be confident, despite the economic climate and the strengthened Swiss franc. “We are one of those brands that have a certain charm. We are capable of offering original, distinctive products that are perfectly suited to a more mainstream clientele made up of people who already own an Omega or a Rolex. There’s enough room for everyone in latest Breitling replica watchmaking,” he concludes.

Infinitely high standards at De Bethune

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In Geneva, the brand presented three new Breitling replica watches and revealed its production secrets: pursuing its verticalization strategy and fostering old friendships!

De Bethune has unveiled three new products during the most important week of watchmaking in Geneva. The first, the DB25T Zodiac—technically demanding with its tourbillon, jumping seconds and five-day power reserve—appeals to the emotions with its twelve signs of the zodiac finely engraved in solid gold. The second, the DB28 GS, which stands for “Grand Sport”, features a titanium case and rubber strap. For this model, the DB28’s characteristic bridges have been given a guilloché finish and the small, spherical two-tone moon has been replaced by a power-reserve indicator at 2 o’Clock. Finally, the DB28 Maxichrono Titanium offers a new version of the single push-piece chronograph presented last year at Baselworld, adorned in titanium for 2015.

The De Bethune business plan can be summed up by one short maxim, which the brand cites readily: don’t do more, do better. “It is by concentrating on quality that we can achieve long-term development,” explains CEO Pierre Jacques. The future lies in innovation and the quality of the products and their components, rather than in the number of pieces leaving the Manufacture—around 400 in 2014. In consequence, everything depends on the brand’s control over the various stages of production and on its choice of partners.

Opposing the industrial way of thinking

From the very outset, the brand has produced most of its Omega replica watches sale  in-house, but it is now stepping up this shift. “Over the past two years, we have verticalized a great deal,” confirms Denis Flageollet, co-founder and technical director. “If I need a specific screw, I can now produce it as and when I want.” In its Manufacture based in La Chaux l’Auberson, nestled on the slopes of the Jura Mountains just a few miles above Sainte-Croix, De Bethune has already excelled in electroplating, polishing and decoration. Now it also produces 100% of the brand’s hands, most of its dials, and all the pieces needed for its limited editions.

Even components produced by external suppliers, such as sapphire crystals, are sometimes made on-site to meet the specific criteria of some commission pieces. To better illustrate his point, Denis Flageollet opens his inside jacket pocket and pulls out a watch featuring a Mayan head sculpted in jade emerging from the center of the top Breitling replica watches crystal. A sapphire crystal with a hole in the middle was needed to house it, and this was produced in-house. For this same piece, “we installed a small workshop in order to cut the stones.”

However, verticalizing production isn’t an end in itself: “As long as external solutions satisfy me, I won’t press the issue. But as soon as there is a problem with quality, we won’t hesitate to internalize the process. By paying attention to every detail and continuously raising our standards, we are opposing the industrial way of thinking that is dictated by brands focused primarily on production volumes.” While explaining the purchase of an automatic lathe, Denis Flageollet also stressed the difficulty of having certain pieces produced in small quantities. “Our expectations sometimes mean that an operator has to be constantly present, and that machines are not left operating alone.” This decision is difficult to accept for sub-contractors, whose profit margins are under constant pressure.

Yet, this doesn’t just concern the processes; the raw materials are also affected. For example, it is difficult to find very high-quality leather for an alligator-skin strap. De Bethune therefore sources its leathers itself, before entrusting a supplier with the strap’s production. “In this field, there are still excellent professionals out there who take the time to stitch neatly by hand, and who stand by high-quality work.” Denis Flageollet has gradually surrounded himself with a whole network of Artisans, personal acquaintances and friendships that considerably predate De Bethune, founded on passion, drive and a mutual fascination for the work of the other. “The quality of our partnerships could never be attained in the context of a purely commercial client-supplier relationship.”

Some crafts that require rare expertise and experience are in fact outsourced, such as hand guillochage, gem-setting and the treatment of certain dials. The same is true for engraving, an essential element of the DB25T Zodiac, which showcases the work of Michèle Rothen with whom Denis Flageollet has worked for a long time. To illustrate her working method, he looks through the photos on his cell phone and finds the first pencil sketches she sent him. From the index, he flicks back to the photo album and shows his reply: the same sketch with a few suggestions in blue pen, which the artist then interprets—without copying—to express the essence of his ideas in a cheap replica Breitling watches  new draft. And this continues, adjustment after adjustment, until the final version is reached.

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