L'Heure Asch : I want to sell emotion

Under the title of `L'Heure AscH', Denis Asch has just opened a new boutique in Geneva. A watch store in a city that already has so many? Well, yes, but what L'Heure AscH offers in its windows is atypical. The same can be said for its owner, defining himself as one of the rare `salesmen' who is also a qualified watchmaker, perfectly trained in the profession.

Denis Asch could, like most of his competition, open a store and offer the world's most famous watch brands. He had everything it takes. He is a professionally trained watchmaker. He knows the market, thanks to his experience with Rolex. He is judicious and he has the necessary funds for investment. But Denis Asch decided to look beyond the norm. He preferred to take the risky route by proposing five brands, well known in the watch milieu but nearly unknown to the public in Geneva. These are Vincent Calabrese, Antoine Preziuso, Chronoswiss, Eberhard and Clerc.

A void to fill
As incredible as it may seem, L'Heure AscH is the first store to offer these brands in the Swiss Romande part of the country, even though this is a region par excellence in the realm of fine timekeeping. This fact adds to the belief that the Swiss market is ultra-conservative, excluding some of its greatest and most talented creators. “There was a void to fill,” explains Denis Asch. “We are drowning in brands,” he continues, “but many of the large brands have recently adopted a very commercial attitude, too commercial. I prefer the technical and emotional approaches. I want to emphasize the values of real watchmaking but at the same time, I want to offer models that are new and different, even surprising.”

Looking for something new
For the opening of his boutique, excellently situated at the foot of Geneva's Old Town, Asch has not skimped on his marketing efforts. He has launched an advertising campaign and has organized an impressive reception. “I quickly realized that my clientele is made up of all sorts of watch aficionados, people who immediately appreciated the beauty of these timepieces and who understood what makes them different.”
It is obvious that a window containing a tourbillon by Antoine Preziuso, a piece of `mechanical poetry' by Calabrese, a Chrono 4 by Eberhard and a Delphis by Chronoswiss certainly would intrigue the passer-by.
Denis Asch has faith in his new endeavour.
“I am sure that people need something new. The watches that I propose are not status symbols. They are strong, singular and superb pieces for some people. We should invent a word that expresses this overall description, perhaps something like emotiono-technical or technico-emotional...” says Asch with a broad grin.
The rapid success of Asch's boutique seems to indicate that in these times of `standardization', the strategies of the niche brands are paying off. Of course, it helps that they are carried out with the impeccable professionalism demonstrated by someone like Denis Asch.
Briefly...
The watch virus took hold of this young man at a very early age. In his boutique, one can see a picture of the young Denis Asch, at the age of 9 years in his native Paris, with his arms covered in watches. “This was my own collection,” he says. After studies in mathematics and computer science, Asch decided to follow his passion and enroled in the Watch School in Porrentruy, Switzerland. With his diploma in hand, he was hired by Rolex where he remained for several years before striking out on his own timely adventure.

For further information: www.heure-asch.com

Source:Europa Star magazine
March 2002 issue