January 25, 2013
Watchmaker Breguet is celebrating its founder’s tourbillon innovation through a month-long exhibit in Geneva that will later tour other cities worldwide.
The exhibit titled “Breguet, the innovator. Inventor of the Tourbillon” is honoring Abraham-Louis Breguet’s invention of the watch regulating tourbillon in 1801. Consumers can also learn about the exhibit and the tourbillon on Breguet's Web site through images and a video.
“Exhibitions are a great strategy to generate awareness and create a buzz around the direct target market,” said Dalia Strum, president of Dalia Inc., New York.
“Especially when it comes to timepieces, that is a relevant part of every consumer’s life, whether for function or fashion,” she said. “The target market intertwines between the male and female demographic.
“This strategy is a great approach to give first views to Breguet’s loyal clientele and engage with them in person about the brand and upcoming releases.”
Ms. Strum is not affiliated with Breguet, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.
Breguet, a brand in the Swatch Group family, declined to comment.
Making history
The exhibit kicked off with an event Jan. 23 that coincided with the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie event in Geneva.
The interactive exhibit is designed to immerse consumers into the invention and teach them about the ways it works.
In addition, the exhibit will showcase the invention through contemporary Breguet timepieces that use the tourbillon.
The tourbillon was invented to solve the problem of the effect gravity has on timepieces' display and ability to keep the current time. Mr. Breguet addressed this issue by inventing the tourbillon, which is a tiny mechanism addition to the watch escapement that counters gravity's effects when the timepiece moves.
The exhibit will take place in Geneva Jan. 21 to Feb. 24 daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
After its stint in Geneva, the exhibit will move on to other cities in Europe and then travel to Asia, the Middle East and the United States.
Breguet is promoting the exhibit through its Facebook page and Web site.
The watchmaker has already posted a few images on its Facebook page from the opening of the exhibition and its president/CEO, Marc A. Hayek.
Marc A. Hayek at the exhibition
Consumers can also visit Breguet’s Web site to learn the details of the invention of the tourbillon through a five-minute-long video that highlights the details of the history of the invention and its importance in watchmaking.
Breguet Tourbillon
Honoring the past
Breguet tends to focus on its rich history to showcase its brand.
Recently, Breguet immersed historians and brand enthusiasts in its world of watches through the iPad edition of its corporate magazine, “Le Quai de l’Horloge.”
The iPad edition offers a 360-degree experience pertaining to the brand and Breguet founder Abraham-Louis Breguet with text, audio, video, images and animations throughout the issue. This platform gave Breguet the opportunity to reach its customers through another medium (see story).
Flaunting an impressive history could make the brand more attractive.
Also, the consumer engagement available through the exhibit also could attract affluent consumers.
“Affluent consumers resonate with exhibits because it gives them an opportunity to connect with luxury items in an interesting and engaging manner,” Ms. Strum said.
Final take
Erin Shea, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York
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