At Europa Star we’ve compiled a folio of 12 fundamental disruptions affecting the watchmaking industry and its future. We’re not going to ask you to find as many, but if we asked you to identify any waves of change that are likely to overtake the industry…
I’d mention three! First of all, we shouldn’t underestimate the capabilities of 3D production, which is set to challenge traditional manufacturing production, especially of watch cases. Current manufacturers are advised to think very seriously about it. 3D allows you to design very light structures with great flexibility. That is going to transform the whole appearance of watches. We already produce jewellery using 3D.
Another wave of change is the digitalisation of the world of luxury – including watches. Today, there’s nothing really conclusive in the way of digital watches, even if genuine watch brands like TAG Heuer, Frédérique Constant and Montblanc are also making smartwatches. In my view, the overall offering has expanded, with 15 million Apple Watches sold every year, but that’s ‘on top’. Even at Bulgari we’re continuing our projects for secure wearable devices with our partner Wisekey, but we’re waiting for a standard bank protocol for e-payment.
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