The archetypal British firm is bridging the class gap
That most quintessentially British of brands Alfred Dunhill might seem a little out of place at a Swiss watch trade fair. But under the creative guidance of watch aficionado Tom Bolt, Dunhill's watches are moving up in the world.
'Dunhill watches are a bridge between oversize sports watches and classy dress watches,' Mr Bolt said. The collection was moving into the twin avenues of cars and facet watches and positioning itself as a serious watchmaker.
'We are getting away from an unwanted fashion-watch image,' Mr Bolt said. That meant all Dunhill's men's watches would feature mechanical movements and, aside from one exception, they would all be automatic.
But serious watches did not necessarily have to be boring.
'Although we're making especially high-end watches, we also believe that watches should be fun. We are exploring the innovative side of watches,' he said.
Last year's smash hit was the CityTamer, a bold rectangular watch with a case split horizontally in two. A visible black gasket traced the line through the join where the two halves were clamped together. This year, the watch is back, with 400 pieces being made in both gold and steel versions. This year's model of the watch comes with easily interchangeable bracelets.