Philippe Charriol
Philippe Charriol, the founder of luxury watch brand Charriol, lives life to the fullest and he’s not afraid to be different. It’s in this same spirit that he created the DNA of his Swiss luxury watch label Charriol and its fitting slogan “L’art de Vivre La Difference (which means “the art of living differently” in French).
The Frenchman has participated in international motorsports events and was even once named French Champion in the GT3 category. This passion led him to develop sporting timepieces like the Charriol Chrono SuperSports and Charriol Gran Celtica Chrono. Charriol is also a connoisseur of fine arts and this deep interest was the basis for creating the Philippe Charriol Foundation in Asia dedicated to promoting contemporary art by providing young Asian artists a platform for their work.
We had the pleasure of asking Charriol about current watch trends and more, through email and this is what he had to say.
Charriol Colvmbvs Lady Precious
What is one must-have Charriol piece this season?
Among the new watches Charriol introduced this year at Basel, the latest Colvmbvs Lady Precious automatic is one piece that embodies perfectly the spirit of the house; 169 diamonds are displayed in waves on the dial. The watch exudes perfect elegance and is very feminine, very precious and still very Charriol.
How have the latest watch and jewellery trends been incorporated into the current collection?
The most interesting feature and trend of the season is the omnipresence of automatic movements on most of men’s and many women’s models. The demand for automatic movement from China buyers has incredibly impacted what Swiss watchmakers are offering.
Charriol Cuff bracelet set - Forever Young
The term “arm party” has been coined to describe the piling of many watches, bangles and bracelets on one wrist. What are your thoughts about the “arm party” concept?
The “arm party” is very trendy. Stacking bracelets makes a great fashion statement and offers great visibility and shows the diversity of the products. The four bangle design, Forever Young, in the Charriol 2013 collection, is a good example and comes in silver steel, steel with Rose Gold, steel with Black Cable and steel with Yellow Gold. Wearing all four on one arm is absolutely stunning.
Charriol Saint Tropez in Plum
You have been in the watch business for a long time. How have watch trends evolved?
I have been in the business for over 40 years. Ladies used to wear tiny precious watches, but today, they are wearing oversized timepieces. Elegant men are enjoying extremely complicated watches that were not so fashionable some years ago. So while many new styles have emerged, the classic design is still the best bet. That’s why at Charriol, we still offer our best-selling model: The Saint Tropez in sizes 20, 28 and 30 that’s adored by ladies all around the world.
Charriol has a huge presence both in Europe and Asia. What are the main differences between the European and Asian women’s watch preferences?
The main difference is in the jewellery size. The European frame is bigger than the Asian frame so European ladies do wear more statement pieces of jewelry. In addition, in Europe, I noticed ladies are wearing less and less precious pieces, whereas in Asia, the women cherish pieces that are valuable.
Charriol boutiques are located at #01-36G Raffles City Shopping Centre, tel: 6659 5717; and #01-55A The Shoppes At Marina Bay Sands, tel: 6688 7417.
For more information about Charriol, go to www.charriol.com. Follow the brand on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CharriolOfficial and on Twitter @Charriol_Geneva twitter.com/Charriol_Geneva