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Interview with the owner of ELYSEE brand

Interviewed: Timur Baraev
Translation in English: Andrew Babanin

Reiner Seume, 48 years old, the owner of ELYSEE brand.

at the Moscow Clocks&Watches salon 2002- I’ve bought ELYSEE brand in 1992 and started changing its image at once.

- If there was smth wrong with previous one?

- It was too conservative like all German, was orientated on the domestic market. Besides the Company tried to produce only expensive watches, hardly comparing with Junghans brand.

- So you decided not to change a trade mark? Btw what does it mean?

- Oh its a Greek word...(With some blues) How can I explain you... ELEISION (means from heaven)

- A paradise garden, where there are living righteous souls?

- Oh! You know what does ELYSEE mean! Complimented. You can hardly find such kind of people.

- Thanks but we studying at school poems of Russian poet Tutchev, the author of the words: “My soul – Elysium of shades”. Let's slide slowly to ELYSEE brand. Why did you generally decide to buy this brand?

- The matter is – I’m a fanciful admirer of watches. From my childhood. I’ve got a big collection of vintage watches. Probably my hobby is derived from my forefather. He was a famous German writer, Johann Gottfried Seume 1763-1810. Not as famous as Lev Tolstoi , but still well known in Germany. He had written an essay about time, in which he tried to understand, what does the Time mean, what is its essence, what is the difference between human and philosophic times etc. Only when I was 15 I could read his works and estimate them. But since that time watches became my desire. Once upon a time in NYC I’ve seen a very old watch and bought it: it was worn hard, dirty and not expensive. But when it came back to me after refurbishment and cleaning – I was amazed with its beauty – a real treasure. It was the first watch in my collection. I was 20, I studied economics. Later I became a banker, but always dreamed to deal with watches. My dream got real in 1992. The bargain formalised for a year or so, I authorised all matters to jurists and became studying watch designing.

- You wanted to surprise public with a superwatch?

- Of course no. To that period I’ve got some business experience and I understood I won’t be able to compare with big brands. So I decided at first to find my consumer among young people, who is in the beginning of their carrier, drive BMW of 3d or sometimes 5th series. Its very interesting and extraordinary public: everybody minds his own business, wants to have his own unrepeatable style. Such person won’t buy watch which everybody wears, he fends for his image and wants like the British say: “Something special”. Besides this watch should be of high quality and reasonable price – from 80 till 1300 Euro.

- Is your production oriented on males?

- We produce 50/50 gents' and ladies' watches. That’s why we make the equal qty of quartz and mechanical watches, despite of the fact the most benefit we’ve got from selling the last ones. It's because of we, Germans, do not like quartz. Even if there is a quartz movement inside of the watch, we won’t ever point it out on the dial. The most popular model now is 7844107. It's a classic automatic chronograph in the big size steel case. I have to note that 99.9 percent of our watches are made of stainless steel.

- And what about very fashionable titanium?

- I hate it! IMHO titanium watches are ugly. The material is to light, goods look cheap. Admit, titanium now is in fashion, and some models of ELYSEE watches look like titanium. But it's not so. We just finish stainless steel in a way to look like titanium.

- You are not about to use gold and platinum?

- No, trespassing the higher price level of the market is not in my plans. We will increase producing of complex mechanical watches because of higher demand and decreasing of making cheap quartz watches. ELYSEE even made several ladies chronographs, which are in grate demand.

- How many models does your brand produce?

- Seems to me 156. Generally about 150.

- Who’s your general competitors?

- Not for long ago our main market was Germany and we don’t have direct competitors there. Many brands here and there come to our segment but nobody works there task-oriented, so we feel positive.

- What countries would you like to conquer later?

- France and...Switzerland. Yes-yes, won’t be surprised. We got exporting ELYSEE watches to the native of watchmaking last year. Its too hard to trade there, I was called a mad person. But I am still optimistic.

- With what feature will you conquer Switzerland?

- Design and quality, what else? What we see – we buy watches in Switzerland, take them to Germany and after finishing send back. While being in Germany we’ve got a chance to make smth special with watches to sell them best in the native.

- In other words you as if demonstrate the German sight on their watches?

- That’s right: German design, German eagle on a dial, stainless steel, all lettering in German, including principal one - Dusseldorf.

- Who excluding you participates in ELYSEE designing?

- Two in Germany, one specialist in Switzerland. First two develop, the last one tries to bring their ideas to our suppliers in original style, makes our ideas real.

- Does your visit in Moscow mean you are interested in the East market?

- Sure, and the main aim here is, of course, Russland. Besides we come here not to earn money during several years and go away. We, Germans, are conservative. We like to do anything thoroughly, scrupulously, well and for long. We found in RUSTIME a young, strong and serious partner.

- There are many brands come into Russia positioning their watches for the mid class sector: Maurice Lacroix, Jacques Lemans, Chevalier ...

- I know, but their watches cost much more expensive then mine. And so I consider ELYSEE has got good chance in Russia. Moreover, in respect that German economics gradually comes down, which for sure will tell on public consumption, Russia can become foreground market for ELYSEE watches. As to me – I see how succeed German car producers, furniture and foot-wear makers here, passing through not the best times in the native...

- What’s your position then?

- Since 1993 our growing per year was more than 20 %. In November, 2002 it increased till 18%. Generally it's not bad index.

- How many people are working in your company?

- In headquarters – 10. Not too much? We needn’t more. Every person responds for the certain country, as to delivery to our distributors – we’ve got a contract with logistic company. Besides, in other countries I prefer to deal with the only distributor. Several become compare which causes to price reducing etc.

- How many workers are at your workshops?

- We’ve got an assembling line. Movements and cases are Swiss Made, bands – Italian etc. Our watchmakers make our watches waterproof, add complex modules to some models etc.

- Btw about complexing. Will ETA refusal to deliver movements in parts make your life harder?

- Sure its a serious problem. Now we try to solve it. But to some moment one have to find a right way, because Switzerland tries to stay exclusive supplier of not only movements, but practically of all other parts of watches. They dictate their conditions to watch producers from other countries. It should have taken place earlier or later. For ELYSEE its a reasonable argument to get using German movements. They are not worse than Swiss made ones. We’re close to make an agreement with PROGRESS EBAUCHES, SWITZERLAND. They produce very interesting, I’d say unique and reliable movements. Btw there are many modules of this factory in movts of our popular chronograph 16321. I guess this will also be popular in Russia.

- It's quite a queer shape of your watch boxes. Looks like spectacle box. Is it your idea?

- Yeah. I wear glasses and so I’ve got an idea to produce such watch boxes. People throw out boxes of other watches, as to our solid Chrome shells – you can put there your spectacles. While buying watches you can choose a box color. You see what a big Logo on the top. Not bad advertisement to my brand, isn’t it?

- Do you have ads in magazines, TV?

- I prefer to put ads in specialised watch issues. As to other countries, we rely on our partners. We give them money for these purposes, they choose themselves where and how to put an ad.

- What would you call a main event 2002 in the watch business?

- Basel exhibition of course. It was the most interesting. Concerning ETA claim – I do not believe in its seriousness. If Switzerland participate in EC, than European government would bring Mr. Hayek to his level at no mo. As I know, his policy also perturbed many watchmakers in Switzerland. If they get together to solve this problem, Swatch Group will hardly risk to struggle against the consolidated front.

- Your seeing of the future of your company in 10 years?

- Hope we will domesticate a couple of other market segments, hardly more.

- Too modest...

- Why? I do not want at all my company to turn into face off enormous company like some Asian corporations, producing watches for anybody. For anybody means for nobody. There is RODANIA brand in small Belgium. I have nothing against it, but there are bulks of these watches on shelves of shops. At first it surprises, then you become protesting. Generally, I want us to stay a company, which knows what it wants, produces watches for certain group of customers and hold them strong and safe.

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25.03.2011
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