“We’ve been doing Fairmined gold to attract attention to the issue [of fair trade in gold mining]”

are so much drawn to fashion and symbols like the ladies. If I understand the context, the craftsmanship, the background, the quality, how it’s made, I’d buy the product not because somebody else is wearing it. DA: How do you expand the brand to reach out to the online generation? KFS: We have doubled, if not tripled, our efforts [to expand our] social media reach. We have e-commerce initiatives in the U.S. and now in the U.K. I think that it won’t be long before we spread that to Europe. It doesn’t replace a visit to the stores, mind you. In fact, it’s an addition to that because when you buy luxury goods, you want to touch and feel the products. Going to a boutique will continue to represent the main mode of purchase. The clients expect more of an experience. We have to be more creative. This may involve a manufacture visit, wine tasting—there’s so many things you can think of and each is very much appreciated by the client. There’s not one day in a week that you don’t receive someone from somewhere around the world for a tour around the manufacture in Fleurier. DA: Is there the slightest possibility of the brand venturing into digital watches? KFS: I really don’t believe in digital watches. I don’t see their value as luxury goods; it’s simply electronics. We cannot compare what we do to a smartwatch; different business altogether. it’s a DA: All in all, where is Chopard in the luxury industry right now? KFS: We’re in a unique position of representing a family-owned brand in a world full of conglomerates. We also have a strong offering in both watches and jewelry, and I think this is a pretty good position to be in today. We’re not under pressure to please the shareholders. We can look after our own quality; we don’t need to double sales, etc. We can simply continue our course and try to stand among the best. DA: How’s the manufacture going? Any hint of the new movement to be introduced soon aside from what’s shown at Baselworld? KFS: We are always working on new movements. I can’t tell you what will come in two or three years’ time, because we would like this to remain a surprise. What I can tell you now is that we’re working on a ladies’ automatic movement, which will be introduced next year. It’s not for an L.U.C watch, and it’s going to be a strategic element for us.