Universal Genève

We were not the inventors of the micro-rotor.

The inventor of the micro-rotor is Buren, who sold a license to Universal Genève.

And we just imagined that micro-auteur has a tribute to loving watches, loving haute horlogerie, making the nicest finish in a very strong way, in a way that would resist to shocks.

So I did shocks.

In fact, I identify a few brands that, uh, for me, uh, as a, as a collector, also as a vintage collector, I, I identify a few brands that, uh, I think deserve to be, to be revamped or to be, uh, to be relaunched in a, in a good way and not do, um, like a, a revamp, uh, with, uh, bigger watches, thicker watches and, uh, didn't respect the, the heritage.

So I, uh, I identify, uh, Nivada, Excelsior Park, Vulcain, Universal Genève, Gallet.

But the book, Chronomaster only book, uh, ring a bell.

When I was speaking with Rémi, when I, I, when I told him, uh, "I owe you, uh, €150,000, and I, I don't know how to reimburse you." Uh, in, in his, in the, in the discussion, I don't, I don't remember why he spoke about Nivada and that he knew the, he, he knew the, the owner.

It was, in fact, the most, uh, the easiest probably, uh, candidate.

It was less known from...

if you compare to Universal Genève, but, um, in the end, it was quite popular already in the US, in, in Italy, uh, even in South America, in the Middle East.

So the, the brand has been a bit of everywhere and a lot of, uh, people, uh, knew from their grandfather or grand-grandfather, uh, what Nivada was.

brands to specific markets and audiences and really nailing the narrative there.

I think he did a phenomenal job with Universal Geneve and that relaunch.

But with Galet, I think what they've done is super interesting where I will put this on the record, don't care for like outdoorsy-esque watches.

They don't speak to me.

One modern example is obviously Galet's reintroduction onto the Breitling umbrella.

So the new house of brands with Universal Geneve, Breitling, and Galet representing three different price points.

Galet is now coming in as the adventurer's watch, the field watch, the chronograph watch.

at a more attainable price point than any other Breitling in the catalog, while still offering robust calibers, while still offering a more commercial design language.

Yeah.

Universal Geneva.

Fine movement.

He'll like it.

So, uh, when you look at the, the Hou- And this I just find interesting from like a marketing standpoint.

When you look at the House of Brands- Okay? You've got the Universal Geneve at, at the high end-

Mm-hmm

... which borrows nothing from Breitling.

Yeah

...

in a way that they're not doing that with Universal Geneve.

Well, it begs the question, one of the things you brought up is like, oh, well, where are they gonna go with the product? How is the product portfolio gonna develop and expand and all that stuff over time? And I think it raises the question of, well, which direction do things ultimately go and shake out in? Do they continue to explore the Gallet-ness of Gallet or does Gallet the modern brand become more of a vessel for a baby Breitling?

well um you know a lot of these people on this list are very close to me none more so than mr ryan reynolds himself and you you can check you can go onto my instagram he follows me that's real um as he does many watch things because he likes watches He attended Geneva Watch Days.

You didn't see him because you're too busy flapping around at Universal Geneve trying to lick their boots.

I didn't see him because I wasn't there.

I was on a beach somewhere else.

Our last celebrity on this list is someone who I think is very well placed to represent watches in the community and does indeed represent Breitling already.

And I think his style, his look, his demeanor, his whole personality, I believe really sets him up along with his relationship with House of Brands.

I think if Universal Geneve are going to pick one ambassador and only one, because I think they should only have one.

I don't think they should overdo it.

Yeah

... hard to separate the business context of, uh, a large sort of private equity company being involved with, with Breitling and sort of the, the financial goals that they presumably have on that, on that asset or on that property, and Gallet and Universal Geneve being a part of that.

Um-

Yeah

...

Universal Geneve I would put apart, though I think it is more well executed than some of the others.

Agreed.

But Zach, I appreciate you taking the time to talk micro brands with me.