Stepping ahead in time
Fine German watches make their debut on the Thai market
Thais have a long and well-documented love affair with Swiss timepieces and virtually every brand - from Rolex to Baume and Mercier to Tissot - can be found in the Kingdom so it takes a brave man to try and break the monopoly.
But Matthias Stotz, chief executive of Junghans, a leading 150-year-old high-end German watch brand, doesn’t lack courage. He recently introduced his timepieces to the Thai luxury watch market through an “Exclusive Night with Junghans” at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok’s Residence 320.
The brand’s arrival is via local importer and distributor World of Watch 2 and its chief executive Wasitpol Tanruengsri expects the brand’s classic elegance and exceptional technology to attract the attention of Thai watch lovers.
The launch event showcased a stunning array of the brand’s latest collection by timepiece designer Max Bill.
Since its inception in 1861 in the Black Forest, Junghans has been known for its long traditions, innovations and values.
Junghans attaches particular importance to an independent design culture. With the production of Junghans clocks designed by Max Bill - of “Bauhaus” for Max Bill technology fame - from 1956 on, this notion was developed further. The collaboration gave rise to a legendary watch collection, which went on to become a modern design classic.
Innovative design features were also launched in the form of the world’s first radio controlled watch, Mega 1, in 1990, a fruitful cooperation project with Frog Design. The years before were also very exciting and saw the company presenting the first German quartz wrist watch, the Astro-Quartz, in 1970.
“Additional milestones include the first radio controlled solar watch in 1993 and the use of high tech materials such as ceramics, the first multi-frequency radio controlled watch in 2004 and the expansion of the mechanical collection,” says Stotz.
Wasitpol underscores Junghans’s strength as a truly German creation reflected in exceptional mechanism and classic designs.
“It’s a great honour to have this opportunity to work with Junghans, from Germany that garners billions of euros in export value. While Germany enjoys 90 per cent of automobile exports in the global market, its watch exports are just 10 per cent, which is very low compared to Switzerland. Nevertheless, German watches are growing as fast as the Swiss ones,” Stotz says.
Find out more about Junghans timepieces at www.Junghans.de.
1. Junghans Bogner by Junghans Willy Chronoscope. Bt138,000.
2. Junghans Erhard Junghans Aerious. Bt350,000
3. Junghans Meister Chronoscope Anniversary model. Bt698,000.
4. Max Bill Chronoscope Black Dial. Bt118,000.
