Breitling

With a new campaign fronted by Charlize Theron, the watch brand is deepening its connection with a group it’s still relatively new to: female consumers.

At Geneva Watch Days 2023, CEOs of Bulgari and Breitling fuelled the fire of an ongoing rivalry with Watches and Wonders. The comments come as Swiss watchmaking’s calendar fills up with more events both in Switzerland and abroad.

In China, branded cafes, bars and restaurants are a marketing sweet spot for luxury players like Burberry, Cartier and Tiffany but navigating an unfamiliar sector amid strict lockdowns isn’t easy.

Though direct-to-consumer is becoming much more important to watchmakers, Breitling CEO Georges Kern is spreading investment across several channels, rebalancing store networks and refusing to give up on trusted third-party retailers.

$2.4 billion in annual revenues are set to shift from retailers to brands by 2025 as consumers demand better online shopping experiences and brands aim for higher margins.