The CEO of Melb Luxe Subsidiaries, which operates Hautlence, tells us about his favourite watch produced by the brand this year, why he wants to create unconventional products—and what he really thinks about Hong Kong and Asia’s watch collectors
Hautlence debuted two limited-edition watches, the Linear Series 1 and Vagabonde Series 4, at Geneva Watch Days earlier this year, much to the delight of luxury watch collectors.
The two watches challenge the rules of haute horology, which is something of a signature move for the brand. Since its inception in 2004, it has been widely recognised as a luxury watch brand that constantly pushes the envelope.
The Linear Series 1 allows you to read the minutes in a traditional circular display, cut by the flying tourbillon, while the hours are shown in a vertical patch on the left side of the TV screen-shaped dial. The Vagabonde Series 4, however, follows Hautlence’s wandering hours model, where a retrograde jumping hour disc rotates on a central axis to mark the passage of time; the hours are displayed in three apertures in the centre of the dial. The sapphire minute dial stands out on a brass base dial as it revolves around the jumping hours, making it easy to decode the time.
Here, we talk to Bertrand Meylan, the CEO of Melb Luxe Subsidiaries, which owns Hautlence, on the releases, his thoughts on watch collecting in the Hong Kong and Asian markets, and more.
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The Linear Series 1 and Vagabonde Series 4 really caught the attention of watch lovers. Which one do you like the most?
I love the new Linear. It is very much in the DNA of Hautlence, with the TV shape case and different ways of reading time with a flying hour and a linear hour. At the same time, we wanted to have a sportier look and a watch that can be worn on every occasion—on the beach, [or in a] tuxedo.
It is very much back to the basics with a look that [is reminiscent of] the original Hautlence, but at the same time is a completely new complication with this unique linear hour.
Your thoughts on Hong Kong’s watch collectors—how are they different from those in other Asian markets?
Hong Kong has always been one of the key places for watch collecting, but it used to be more traditional. I find Hong Kong collectors have evolved a lot in recent years towards new brands and new experiences. They are opinion leaders for all the [other Asian] regions.
What have you noticed about the Asian market that’s different from the rest of the world?
Asian customers have amazing knowledge and passion for watchmaking that you don’t find as much in the rest of the world. They like to understand and learn about the products, their movements—and the philosophy of the brands.
In case you missed it: Geneva Watch Days 2022: Tatler’s Picks of the Best Timepieces