With the recent unveiling of new mono-brand boutiques in Copenhagen and Stockholm and with more to come, Breitling’s presence in the region is set to soar
“I just finished 70km on the bike in two hours fifteen,” says Georges Kern. The CEO of Breitling is dressed in a smart suit with a crisp white shirt, and a silk pocket square in his jacket pocket on this sunny Monday morning. Although I’m used to seeing him in lycra, he has dressed up for the occasion. “I am training hard for the upcoming Qhubeka charity race which is more than 200 km long,” he says.
I am here to interview the CEO about the recent unveiling of three mono-brand Breitling boutiques: one in central Copenhagen and two in Stockholm. When I ask him why he decided to set up shop in a mall – albeit the luxurious Biblioteksgatan and Mall of Scandinavia – the answer is simple. “We don’t need the most luxurious neighbours. Some of our customers prefer to shop in a mall, others like the centre of a city. But all love the physical service and being able to try the watches on.”
Breitling's new store on Biblioteksgatan in Stockholm.
In September this year, the Watches of Switzerland Group opened a new Omega and a new Breitling Boutique at Østergade in Copenhagen marking a significant milestone for the watch giant, as well as both the brands’ first official mono-brand boutiques to open in Denmark.
But why is a recognisable brand like Breitling working with a partner and not opening their own boutiques?
“I have been in Scandinavia many times and noticed no mono-brand boutiques, but surely there’s room for it,” he says. “Watches of Switzerland is not a family-owned store, I acknowledge that. Rather they are private equity and hence more powerful. With them we have a strong partner, and we could not be any happier,” Kern says in reference to the partnership with the London Stock Exchange-listed company founded by Eric van der Griend, who now acts as chairman for the group.
Georges Kern, Breitling's CEO.
Breitling has enjoyed impressive growth since Kern took the helm in 2017 with the annual production of 140,000 watches rising to almost 250,000 watches in only five years. This number will increase once the brand can produce a higher volume of their inhouse B01 chronograph movement.
“I think we have one of the best market chronograph movements and I expect the production of several hundred thousand movements in the future, simple complication movements as well. Right now, we are also using Sellita and Kenessi movements for our three-handler watches. But we are working on that and should be ready to produce all our movements ourselves in two or three years.”
Until then, Kern will continue doing what he does best: nurturing and growing the brand he loves and, of course, there are plenty new store openings to plan for, in fact there are 30 new openings set before the end of the year. But in a world where luxury items are for the few, is it a case of if you build it, they will come?
Kern admits that his watches are ‘exclusive’ in price (the average price tag is €6,100), but Breitling aims to be ‘inclusive’ in terms of communication and messaging; Breitling’s Surfer Squad (and Explorers Squad counterparts) is a great example. The idea, launched back in 2018, involves three-person groups (the Squads) whose members – all true masters in their respective professions – forge strong bonds and work together toward a common goal.
The Copenhagen location.
There is a strong Nordic contingent – Swedish pro-surfer Fred Meadows, Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland and Danish pro-skating legend Rune Glifberg – reinforcing Kern’s genuine interest in the Scandinavian capitals and the company’s desire to grow these markets.
“During Covid, we realised that nature, friends, and family were what mattered,” he says. As an anti-metaverse company, we know the importance of communicating sports that are not as elite as golf, Formula 1, or sailing regattas,” says Kern.
Everyone can go to the beach; everyone can take a surfboard and learn how to surf – surfing is a great lifestyle sport that fits the Breitling brand well,” he says. “It is all about enjoying the moment – red carpets and champagne are not needed to live the good life. We don’t want to be seen as artificial luxury.”
And with Watches of Switzerland acting as financial midwife, Kern proves that the future of retailing sits with mono-brand stores run by close associates and supported entirely by the brands.