Reply With QuotePerhaps they will do luxury hampers for the well heeled, with fine wines and spirits, leather goods,watches and pies. That's after they buy Greggs the bakers. :wink:
EddieIn an extraordinary move, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world’s leading luxury Group, has just announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the Geneva-headquartered Hublot Group, a high-end range watchmaker riding the crest of very strong growth.
LVMH will acquire Hublot from Carlo Crocco, who founded the premium brand in 1980 and a company controlled by the irrepressible Jean-Claude Biver, who has managed Hublot since 2004.
“I am happy that Hublot, an innovative brand since its creation is joining the LVMH Group, the world leader in luxury goods whose creative passion is beyond doubt,” said Carlo Crocco, Hublot’s founder in comments on the recent acquisition.
Jean-Claude Biver, the architect of the success of the Big Bang collection and recent strong growth of Hublot commented: “I am delighted that Hublot will be able to benefit from LVMH’s support and strategic leadership in the luxury goods industry and this will enable us to maximize our own growth potential in the years to come”.
Philippe Pascal, CEO, LVMH’s Watches & Jewellery Business Group added: “Hublot is a strategic and an important acquisition. Its high-end positioning, selective distribution, financial performance and growth potential make Hubot a rising star. We are happy to welcome Mr. Biver along with the dynamic management team from Hublot and look forward to continuing this remarkable journey together”.
Hublot is a brand that is highly complementary to LVMH’s existing watch portfolio comprising TAG Heuer, the world leader in prestigious sports watches and chronographs; Zenith, Dior Montres, Louis Vuitton watches sold exclusively in Louis Vuitton stores and the watch collections of jewellers Chaumet, Fred and De Beers.
Hublot, renowned for its iconic Big Bang collection, offers a range of exceptional watches that are innovative, differentiated and combining fusions of materials, alloys, precious metals (gold, platinum), technological metals (titanium, tantalum), ceramics, diamonds and natural rubber. Recently, Hublot launched a new Big Bang collection for women at Baselworld 2008.
Hublot’s well balanced geographic footprint spans worldwide and the company has registered strong growth in the Middle East, the Far East, North America and key European markets.
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
Perhaps they will do luxury hampers for the well heeled, with fine wines and spirits, leather goods,watches and pies. That's after they buy Greggs the bakers. :wink:
F.T.F.A.
Hey, they left out "Hublonium"!Hublot, renowned for its iconic Big Bang collection, offers a range of exceptional watches that are innovative, differentiated and combining fusions of materials, alloys, precious metals (gold, platinum), technological metals (titanium, tantalum), ceramics, diamonds and natural rubber.
/Stefan
Just starting to get an appreciation for Hublot, but I wonder if that will last long after this ..
:lol: it's true ..Originally Posted by S.L
/vince ..
They should hire Lord Percy and make cases from "the finest GREEN" , it sounds about as credible! :roll: :wink:Just starting to get an appreciation for Hublot, but I wonder if that will last long after this ..
:lol: it's true ..
:lol: I remember that episode. IIRC, it's the Alchemist one. :DThey should hire Lord Percy and make cases from "the finest GREEN" , it sounds about as credible! :roll: :wink:Just starting to get an appreciation for Hublot, but I wonder if that will last long after this ..
:lol: it's true ..
Yes, that was the best series by far, IMHO. :D:lol: I remember that episode. IIRC, it's the Alchemist one. :DThey should hire Lord Percy and make cases from "the finest GREEN" , it sounds about as credible! :roll: :wink:Just starting to get an appreciation for Hublot, but I wonder if that will last long after this ..
:lol: it's true ..
Perhaps they could put Thierry Nataf in charge of Hublot (a brand I couldn't care less about) and try and rehabilitate the Zenith name........
Yes, but the way their prices will go even higher up, their models will be made out of "Unobtenium"...
:lol:
VA
Nice idea.
Another brand for the Zenith treatment then... :D
Mind you, I don't much like anything Hublot do now, so I don't really care.
I await the pics of the launch party. I expect gender ambiguity and plenty of silver and gold satin.
:lol:
Not to mention the mineral "pretentionite". I believe they use it instead of sapphire in the crystal :D
With that thought I think I'm going to cancel lunch.......
Damasko hold all rights to that metal! :wink:Yes, but the way their prices will go even higher up, their models will be made out of "Unobtenium" ...
:lol:
VA
A lot of blah, blah, blah.
Nothing to rave about, prices are already high, and their claims dubious.
Own movement my, all made by Le Joux de Perret I believe?
LVMH certainly have their jewel in the crown now :roll: .
Cheers,
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
Oakley used to used that - well, UnobtaniumTM to be precise - on their adverts back in the early/mid 90's.Damasko hold all rights to that metal! :wink:
For CHF$ 350 million, anyone would cash out... :bounce:
Kudos to JCBiver & CCrocco... proof that a mountain is in fact or used to be a molehill... :roll:
Ouch, another one fallen. Though it's not as devastating as when they acquired Zenith since I consider most of what Hublot puts out as rubbish, it still pains me in principle to see the evil empire expanding.
Rubbish? You dare to label this rubbish??? :evil: :evil:
:lol: :lol:
I guess more to cum? [Ahem...]
Well, I think it's rubbish - the more I pay, the more slight niggles put me off [e.g. FOAS marks on a non-chrono]
When the bezel is covered in bloody great screws, they should make the effort to get the heads aligned.
Even better. Does the bezel turn? If not, why the knurled outer edge, which leads one to believe it should? If it does, why? A playful, post-modern joke at the expense of the purchaser, suggesting that there something a bit funny in going for particularly industrially shaped things in very high end jewellery? Well, that's all right, on my view. I like a joke as much as the next guy.
Best wishes,
Bob
LVMH already own Tag, Dior and Zenith
They're not shy about splashing the cash!!
They decided they needed to release some clarification.
EddieDear Sir/Madam,
We are pleased to provide you with further information about Hublot’s change of ownership, announced last week. The LVMH group has acquired 100% of the capital of Hublot, previously 80% held by Mr. Carlo Crocco with the remaining 20% held by a company belonging to Mr. Jean-Claude Biver.
For several months there had been rumours that Mr. Jean-Claude Biver wished to acquire a majority of the shares. This was rendered impossible owing to the exceptional performance achieved by the company’s management in 2007 and 2008, which placed it beyond Mr. Jean-Claude Biver’s means.
LVMH offer accepted
Consequently Messrs Crocco and Biver decided to act upon the offer of the LVMH group. They chose to negotiate exclusively with LVMH, convinced that it was absolutely the best partner to guarantee the future of the Hublot brand.
Good fit
We re-affirm that LVMH, the world’s leading luxury goods company, represents the best solution for the future of the brand and its management. We are also convinced that this is the best way forward for your relationship with Hublot.
Continuity assured, no Management shake-up
The entire management team remains in place and there will be no significant changes in the medium or long-term. Mr Ricardo Guadalupe will continue in his position as Managing Director under the leadership of Mr Jean-Claude Biver, CEO.
We would also like to stress that middle-management will continue in its role and that there will be no changes at that level either.
In agreement with our new shareholder we are today therefore in a position to give you complete assurance that Hublot’s policy at all levels will continue unchanged, including all projects and the guarantee of our managerial independence. However we will be able to benefit, where appropriate, from all synergies which might subsequently be developed between Hublot and the watch and jewellery division of LVMH which may help us to achieve our growth objectives.
Acquisition bodes well for both constituents
We are keen to clarify these issues so that you better understand how this transfer of ownership has taken place and the new opportunities that our company can derive from it. We are convinced that the choice is not only good, but indeed the best. Many of our ambitions will now be realised faster.
Thank you for being part of this adventure, which suddenly takes on a global dimension, and we eagerly anticipate the successes that we will help one another to achieve.
I look forward to seeing you again very soon,
With best regards,
JCB/RG
(Jean-Claude Biver / Ricardo Guadalupe)
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
Aha: I thought so. Hublot have been sourcing all their watches from Timefactors. I knew there had to be a good reason for the delay with some of your new creations, Eddie. :)
Will they hand out a Bottle of Hennessey With it, and I mean the vintage with the amount of money it will cost!
By this time next year Mr Biver will no longer be working for Hublot and he would have started his own brand.
john
Every watch a story.
I wonder what "global dimension" means :? . Non- Swiss?? Oriental ??? Hmmmmm
I believe you are correct about JC Biver. I met him in Boston in 2005 and he struck me as a brilliant man with a mind full of new ideas for watches. He was here as part of a US tour to introduce the Big Bang watch and look for dealers.By this time next year Mr Biver will no longer be working for Hublot and he would have started his own brand.
john
The above picture of the column wheel chronograph with the column wheel at the 12 position was a design he had in mind then. We specifically talked about it and he drew a sketch of it on the menu for the diner that night.
He had resurrected Blancpain for Swatch Group and said he went with Crocco because he was promised complete freedom. I think he left Swatch because he was tired of working for Hayek. He wants to be the center of attention at all times and never seems to run out of energy even after a good meal and several bottles of wine.
If JC didn't get enough for his 20% of Hublot to start his own company, I think we will get what he needs from Hayek.
And don't worry about the wine. Bivier bragged about his huge wine cellar when he was here and Mike Margolis nameda few of the rare vintages he had, some worth high 5 figures a bottle.
Six figure bottle of Whiskey they say from my pre-prohibition Scotch, and Whiskey Collection!
Still sealed from the first year of prodcution, and first production run for America in Prohibition…originally part of the Al Capone estate, as he was the major smuggler of Hiram’s Whiskey!
Notice, only two Royal Warrants!
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