Classic Creations holds mini watch fair

by eyetee | November 7, 2011 1:36 pm

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If you can’t bring your clients to BaselWorld, bring BaselWorld to your clients, at least that’s the idea at Classic Creations.

The Toronto-based jewellery and watch retailer held its second annual watch fair, where 12 brand managers from as far away as Switzerland gathered for an evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and fine timepieces.

It’s a way of showcasing high-end watches to Classic Creations’ elite clientele, while also promoting its diamond and gemstone jewellery, all made by the store’s team of goldsmiths, designers, and master diamond setters. Now in its 28th year, Classic Creations was founded by brothers Ami and Sam Freiberg.

The retailer invited 400 serious watch clients to the soirée, the first gathering of the four-day event. An additional 11,000 invitations were sent out to clients, while advertisements placed in The Toronto Star, National Post, and Globe and Mail also spread the word.

Ami’s son, Daniel, says having brand managers attend allowed customers to get up close and personal with watches they wouldn’t normally see.

“We wanted to give everyone in the city who enjoys watches the opportunity to come in to see the models and get their questions answered,” he said, adding preparations for the fair began back in March at BaselWorld when brand managers were approached to participate.

Daniel—who heads up Classic Creations’ advertising and media relations—said fairs of this kind are more popular south of the border, but instead of creating an event around one brand, several are invited. Clients get to see many brands in one evening, rather than two or three a few times a year.

Kuldip Rupra, president of TimeRevolution.com[2], says he sees the value in mini watch fairs in helping grow a business.

“It also allows people to interact with the brands themselves,” said Rupra, whose company is official service centre for several of the companies at the fair, including Gucci, Bedat & Co., Perrelet, and TechnoMarine.

So what are consumers looking for in a high-end watch?

Daniel says men are looking for smaller cases with thinner and more classic designs, as opposed to the big, bold look of the past several years. Ladies’ models, on the other hand, are leaning toward automatic movements.

“Some ladies’ watches reach $15,000 to $20,000, but in the past, it was just about the esthetics,” he says. “Now we’re seeing more automatic movements because at those prices, the watch should be automatic.”

Johnny Wizman, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Luxury Montres, agrees, adding men buy watches as status symbols and women are now following suit. They want a high-end piece that creates an air of exclusivity.

However, it was exclusivity of a different sort that was also a topic of discussion, as the debate over whether independent repairers should be allowed to purchase spare parts from luxury watch manufacturers continues.

Wizman—whose company distributes brands like Bedat & Co., HD3 Slyde, and Franc Vila—says he has mixed feelings, citing the manufacturers’ right to have control over their brands.

“But I think the downside is the turnaround time does increase when the brands take over and customers lose a little bit in pricing”¦.It’s very difficult to foretell what’s going to happen.”

Source URL: https://www.jewellerybusiness.com/news/classic-creations-holds-mini-watch-fair/

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