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You studied finance but quickly moved into marketing. How did you get started in the watch and jewellery world? For me it was good luck. I finished my studies in finance and was fortunate enough to get a job at Cartier where I was a Product Manager. Here, I was able to develop my knowledge of gemstones and the craft behind the jewellery making. It really was a great place to learn.

 

Why is high jewellery so important to a Maison? High jewellery is very aspirational. It’s what I refer to as the ‘creative lab’ of the brand. It is where a Maison pushes its creativity and technical expertise to new territories. What you create here often paves the way for the more accessible jewellery lines. It’s also where the identity of a Maison is best expressed.

 

You are relatively new to your role at Piaget what drew you to the brand? At Piaget, I met the most wonderful and extremely passionate people. The manufacture is here, in house. Piaget is also unique as it started out in the business of watch-making and now has an amazing collection of high jewellery and jewellery. Usually, it’s jewellers who later go into watch-making. The Maison is very rich and full of hidden treasures.


For those who don’t know much about Piaget, can you tell us a little more about the brand? Piaget is a very contemporary brand. It speaks to the clients of today and is always adapting to the moment. It’s very rich when it comes to gold crafting and pushing the limits of watchmaking expertise; Not only are we specialists in the mechanical side of things but we are known for ‘liberating creativity’ — we are a very creative and joyful Maison.

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As a marketer, what do you think gives a brand iconic status? There are different elements. For me it’s really about what the brand can bring to the client as well as its specific stylistic identity. It also needs to have some sort of specialisation in its field to become a reference. I think the style and identity is really what makes a brand iconic. It is about creating an easily recognisable style.

 

As Global Product Marketing Director at Piaget, how close do you get to the development and evolution of the products — or is it your position to market them once created? It’s a mix of both. In the process of creation, we analyse our targets, the trends, our offer and the environment in which the collection will live. When we brief the creative teams, it’s for a specific crowd or client that we have in mind. At the same time, the design team can come up with a great idea and from there, we figure out who might be our target market and how we can include them in our strategy.

 

How do you deliver value to the customer? Today the customer is very well informed and aware, so for all the Maisons, there is a question of trust, quality and sustainability. As a luxury brand, we need to ensure we meet these standards. I also believe it’s the ‘coup de foudre’ (love at first sight) with a brand or a product where you feel the emotional connection.

 

How does your background in finance impact what you do today? Of course, we always have in the back of our head the ROI element of a project. Creativity is the key for a luxury Maison as much as productivity, so we want to have a return on investment as a validation of the creative and marketing process.

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What are some of your plans and goals for the Maison in the near future?
As I mentioned, Piaget really is a hidden treasure. We want to push and reveal what Piaget is really about. When you look at the archives, it’s amazing the richness of the creations and variety of savoir-faire, from gold-crafting and chain making to watch making. To give you an example, the Palace Décor that we have on our gala bracelet is a technique that is handmade and therefore every bracelet is unique and different. Our goal for the short term is to propose these special details to our clients.

 

Your career has seen you work for some big brands and has taken you all around the world. What are some universal lessons you have learnt about the jewellery and watch world?
 Exclusivity and offering something different to the client is very important especially in luxury and mature markets. Exclusivity, scarcity and differentiation is very important especially in high-end luxury. But at the same time, when buying luxury, clients search for status and recognition — being part of the group. There is a rise of icon products in all luxury categories. The more mature and educated they get, the more they search for something exclusive.

 

What inspires you outside of your work?
I am very curious about art, design and architecture. I enjoy simply strolling in a city, discovering its architecture or going to an art exhibition.

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Partridge JewellersPartridge Jewellers

What do you love most about what you do?
It’s the creative process — from the first idea and concept to the final piece.

 

What is Piaget’s claim to fame?
It’s a joyful, elegant and extravagant brand and one that celebrates life. The 70s were the peak of Piaget’s story where we had a pinnacle of creativity with long watch necklaces and unique and memorable watch cuffs. Piaget holds two elements that makes the brand unique: the rigour of a watchmaker and the creativity of a jeweller.

 

Is there any one product by Piaget that you love the most?
There are so many! Piaget’s creativity is amazing. But if a had to hero a watch, it would be the Polo Skeleton for its everlasting design, integration of colours on the movement, and it is ultra-thin which makes it very comfortable to wear. For women, it is the Gala timepiece. The gold bracelet is amazing, it’s like a second skin. For jewellery, it’s the new Possession Palace Décor ring. Its turning mechanism is addictive; and an expression of playfulness.