Watchmaker sees time for a new product
Swiss watchmaker H. Moser & Cie unveiled its new product in cooperation with Alpine Motorsports. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Nearly a year after opening its first store on the Chinese mainland in Shanghai, Swiss watchmaker H. Moser & Cie unveiled its new product in cooperation with Alpine Motorsports last week.
The watchmaker hosted the Shanghai event titled "GET ON THE FAST TRACK" and unveiled the Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton Alpine Limited Edition together with Alpine F1 driver Pierre Gasly, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix.
Limited to 100 sets, the launch celebrated H. Moser & Cie becoming the first global partner of Alpine Motorsports in February.
The cooperation will enable the watchmaker to be present across all of the Alpine Motorsports programme, including the BWT Alpine F1 Team, the Alpine Endurance Team, and the Alpine Academy, according to Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie.
Swiss watchmaker H. Moser & Cie unveiled its new product in cooperation with Alpine Motorsports. [Photo provided to China Daily]
"We want to get more visibility, and Formula 1 is an amazing platform. And together with Alpine, they are pushing their brand in very strategic markets for us, like the Chinese mainland, the US, and the Middle East where we want to continue to develop," Edouard Meylan said.
He further pointed out that the cooperation, more importantly, gave H. Moser & Cie the possibility of developing a sporty and bold watch that hadn't been attempted before.
From its foundation in 1955, modifying Renault cars for racing, Alpine created one of the most iconic rally cars of the 20th century. H. Moser & Cie, with its almost 200-year history, is the challenger in the watchmaking world.
Besides being similar in heritage and genetics, there is also a very strong emotional connection between the two brands, since the Meylan family, owner of H. Moser & Cie has a profound history with Alpine cars, owning and racing them.
Swiss watchmaker H. Moser & Cie unveiled its new product in cooperation with Alpine Motorsports. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Being cautious about a new market, H. Moser & Cie has been waiting for a long time before entering the Chinese market.
Edouard Meylan explained that the global trends indicate that people are discovering more independent brands like H. Moser & Cie have accelerated their moving to China. The brand achieved unexpected success by launching the first Chinese mainland boutique in Shanghai in April 2023.
"In year one of launching that boutique, we achieved the number that we were expecting for year three," said Bertrand Meylan, co-owner of H. Moser & Cie and CEO of MELB Luxe subsidiaries.
To further bond with Chinese consumers, the watchmaker launched a new watch-Endeavour Chinese Calendar Limited Edition- last year, enabling consumers to view traditional Chinese calendars.
(From left to right) Bertrand Meylan, co-owner of H. Moser& Cie. and CEO of MELB Luxe subsidiaries, Alpine F1 driver Pierre Gasly and Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie pose with the brand's new products. [Photo provided to China Daily]
"A lot of brands would put a dragon or other Chinese zodiac signs on the design, and we thought that as the master of movements, complications, and escapement, we want to make something that is technically innovative not just in design," Edouard Meylan said.
H. Moser & Cie now has boutiques and stores in both Shanghai and Changsha, Hunan province. In addition to opening its third boutique in Beijing on May 1, it is expected to open five stores in the next two to three years, Bertrand Meylan revealed.
"We think for us China is the number one priority market and the most strategic for the future. And we believe there are a lot of people who like what we do but don't know us yet. We will make sure that they will discover our brand, and we will continue to focus on this market for the future," Edouard Meylan added.