It was at the invitation of Raymond Weil that we travelled to Shanghai. The Geneva brand, which is celebrating its 30 years of existence, decided to organize a lavish anniversary party. Why in China, and why in Shanghai? Raymond Weil is currently repositioning its products and its image towards the high-end. This huge effort involves all the components of the brand, its communication, its marketing, its products and collections, and its distribution networks. Raymond Weil has thus decided to close a large number of its sales points, notably in France, Germany, and Austria, and will conserve only those in the highest category. It will gradu-ally reopen new ones that are at the level of “what Raymond Weil must become,” explains Olivier Bernheim, the brand’s CEO.
From this point of view, China, a relatively virgin territory (even if the brand has been present there since 2003), allows the Geneva watchmaker to position itself on a high footing right from the beginning, and to set up a very selective distribution network. Between now and the end of 2007, Raymond Weil’s distributor in China, the Jebsen group, is counting on opening 15 new high-level sales points (in addition to about a hundred already established). A very important group based in Hong Kong, Jebsen also distributes Porsche automobiles, and for Raymond Weil, the group has created the Jebsen Watch Co Ltd. From now on, the average price of Raymond Weil timepieces sold in China will be 43 percent higher than the average prices in Europe. Importantly, also, is that these sales are in balance throughout the country. The Beijing region represents about 25 percent of sales, Xian about 25 percent, with Shanghai accounting for 18 percent and the Harbin-Chennai region about 12 percent.




Three generations (left to right): Olivier Bernheim, Pierre Bernheim, Raymond Weil



Helmut Hennig, Group Managing Director, Jebsen & Co. Ltd.
Trevor Yong, Divisional Director, Jebsen & Co. Ltd. Raymond Weil



Olivier Bernheim, Sheron Tang, Moses Chan Ho, Gigi Lai Chi, Bowie Lam Po Yi, All leading actors in the famous TV series Jin Zhi Yu Nie


Advantages of being independent
“There are many ways to be present on the Chinese market,” explains Olivier Bernheim. “You can try to ‘force the door’ by making a lot of noise, or you can work in a more sustained fashion by constantly creating the closest possible relationships with the retailers.”
The latter strategy is obviously the one chosen by the brand. If Raymond Weil has thus decided to celebrate its 30th anniversary with much pageantry in the Chinese metropolis, it is mainly to emphasize what it considers, in the current context, as one of its main strengths: its familial and independent identity.
Since the brand’s founding, this strategy, based on the meticulous creation of direct and personal relationships with the markets, has totally succeeded and has permitted the brand to develop on the international level. In a China that is culturally sensitive to its values, the family brand intends to repeat and emphasize this singular approach.
Observing the reaction of the two or three hundred retailers who attended the grand anniversary gala held at the very futuristic Shanghai Science and Technology Museum towards the presence of the three generations of the Weil family – Raymond Weil himself, his son-in-law and brand CEO Olivier Bernheim, and the young Pierre Bernheim (soon to be in charge of the UK market, the brand’s second largest market) – makes quite an impression. (As an example, a group of retailers from the north east of China politely asked Raymond Weil: “Can we call you ‘uncle?’”)
In the words of the Jebsen management team in charge of the brand’s distribution, “The quality of direct relationships is capital for harmonious and long-term development in China. The fact that Raymond Weil is an independent enterprise also seems like a guarantee of continuity in a market that is still looking for its bearings.” Olivier Bernheim unceasingly insists upon the cardinal importance that he gives to the personal and “continuous” presence on the markets. In his opinion, it is such a presence that allows the brand to enjoy an exceptional growth rate in this market. As an example, he cites the more than 150 percent growth realized this year with the Harmony chain. All these qualities, however, do not prevent the ‘glamour’ side, as witnessed during the gala evening. You only had to have seen the crowd of excited photographers rushing to get pictures of four stars from a famous Chinese television series as they arrived at the event. The actors Sheron Tang, Moses Chan, Gigi Lai and Bowie Lam all came to demonstrate their interest in Raymond Weil watches.
The brand’s anniversary in China is the prelude to a year that heralds great development for the Geneva enterprise. Thus, 2007 will see a change in the corporate identity of Raymond Weil, with a new logo, a new campaign, and with an accent, after a ‘Shine’ year dedicated to women, that is on the brand’s new automatic masculine models. This next year will also see the launch of an international survey on the brand’s reputation and image, and the expectations of consumers, as well as a very innovative new initiative, the opening of the RW Club on the Internet. (Europa Star will cover this in detail in its next issue.)


Market Focus Shanghai: Major watchmaking changes in Shanghai


Source: Europa Star October-November 2006 Magazine Issue