Hublot fuses tradition and modernity in luxury timepieces
The store opening of Swiss watchmaker Hublot at the Tianyi International Shopping Center in Ningbo was a landmark event that sealed the brand's avant-garde character and remarkable growth in China. As one of the mainland's oldest trade cities, Ningbo symbolises the fusion between tradition and strong economic momentum. It draws numerous timepiece connoisseurs, most of whom are newly empowered young, middle-class consumers eager to buy the latest luxury goods.
The store opening of Swiss watchmaker Hublot at the Tianyi International Shopping Center in Ningbo was a landmark event that sealed the brand's avant-garde character and remarkable growth in China. As one of the mainland's oldest trade cities, Ningbo symbolises the fusion between tradition and strong economic momentum. It draws numerous timepiece connoisseurs, most of whom are newly empowered young, middle-class consumers eager to buy the latest luxury goods.
As a luxury brand that emphasises individuality and non-traditional aesthetics since its foundation in 1980, Hublot is shaping the way people wear and view a luxury watch in Asia and worldwide.
"Our consumers want to be part of this dynamic energy that the brand is offering," says Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO. "Our brand shows people that the future is positive - they can be an entrepreneur or an athlete. They can aspire and do things. It is a way of being, and a Hublot watch represents that."
Targeting the rising echelon of watch aficionados and collectors in Asia, Hublot is strengthening its grasp on markets in Hong Kong, Macau and Southeast Asia. It showcases its Big Bang and Classic Fusion collections in 10 boutiques on the mainland and also in shops in Thailand and Singapore.
Hublot captures the interests of its target markets by being a partner in high-profile events such as the World Cup and working closely with Ferrari in China. "We talk to our consumers through football, race cars or music," Guadalupe says.
Renowned for combining technology and unconventional materials such as gold and rubber to create elegant yet chic timepieces, Hublot reinvented the way people wear luxury watches. It replaced big and heavy instruments with light, complicated and hi-tech materials, making its timepieces more durable yet comfortable to wear.
Hublot bridges Switzerland's watchmaking tradition and Asia's emerging status as a modern consumer powerhouse. Chosen as the exclusive Swiss brand to create the official watch commemorating China and Switzerland's bilateral free-trade agreement (FTA), Hublot designed the Classic Fusion Sino-Swiss FTA Limited Edition watch last year. Featuring the Swiss and Chinese flags combined with engravings commemorating the event, the special-edition watch celebrates the increased co-operation between the two countries. The Swiss watchmaker also developed another commemorative watch honouring the 150-year trade relationship between Japan and Switzerland.
"We create watches that respect the past but connect you to the future," Guadalupe says. "It is the art of fusion in watchmaking."
http://www.hublot.com
