Hublot’s CEO Julien Tornare On His New Role

“Hublot by design is not a ‘small’ watch brand and we will remain like that because it’s being true to ourselves,” says CEO Julien Tornare, with the Big Bang MECA-10 42mm strapped on to his wrist. Outlook Luxe met Tornare (who took the helm in September 2024) during his maiden visit to India, earlier this year, while he was here to inaugurate Hublot’s second standalone boutique in Bangalore. Armed with a wealth of experience in the horology business, Tornare was at Vacheron Constantin for about 17 years before taking charge at Zenith, where he is credited with more than doubling the annual sales during his tenure between 2017 and 2023. According to reports, the figures soared from 80mn Swiss francs to more than 120mn Swiss francs.

So, what’s the mandate at Hublot? “It’s the first time in my career that I’m working for a brand that’s younger than me,” Tornare responds enthusiastically. “Hublot is known for dynamic marketing and unique identity in a traditional industry, and our mission is to continue being disruptive,” he explains. Tornare aims to elevate the brand by pushing innovation, creativity, and reinforcing high watchmaking standards, while remaining focused on long-term growth and exclusivity. His goal is to inject energy and maintain Hublot’s leadership as a forward-thinking, creatively-inclined luxury brand, appealing to modern clients. Excerpts:

You’ve had a busy last one year considering you’ve been the only individual who’s become the CEO of all the three LVMH watchmaking brands. How are you settling into your new role at Hublot?

I’m settling in very well because Hublot is a brand that was always important to me, and it has played an incredible role in the watchmaking landscape over the last couple of decades. In a highly traditional, conservative, heritage-driven industry, Hublot has been breaking the codes by doing things in a different and dynamic way.

You’ve helmed prestigious watch brands in the past and have also revived sales for them. What will be your strategy for Hublot, considering it’s already a well-recognised brand in the watch fraternity?

Hublot is one of the greatest success stories in the watchmaking industry and we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Big Bang this year. My objective and my mission is very clear. It’s basically to bring the brand to the next level. We are very well known for strong and dynamic brand marketing, so I will reinforce that. I will also push everyone in the company to be 300 per cent innovative and creative because this is the essence of Hublot. I will also ensure that we introduce more technical movements in future and upgrade the complications, so that Hublot continues to build a future and to bring new things into this industry.

As you mentioned, Hublot has been very strong in terms of marketing and brand partnerships. Are we going to see a surge in brand associations or will there be a cap on that as of now?

We need both—brand partnerships and high watchmaking. And I’ll definitely continue to focus on partnership collaborations, because this is important. It creates more emotion, and you know, luxury, by definition, is about emotion and passion. People like to feel they belong to the brand and they’re part of this community and the Hublot family.

We will also be focusing on Hublot and art, because art is a good driver of emotion and it’s always been very successful with Hublot. Sport is also important football is also a key area for us. Music is also a fantastic driver for creativity and innovation and we will also be utilising this for future associations.

According to a Morgan Stanley report, sales for Hublot dwindled in 2023 and fell by 10 per cent. Do you think the hype around the brand overshadowed the actual sales figures?

No, I think, first of all, these numbers are estimated. Globally, the watch industry and the luxury industry have benefited in 2021, 2022, and post-COVID. We all know there was revenge buying since people were frustrated not to be able to travel. We firmly believe that any luxury brand should never be too much available because luxury is exclusivity. So, I think, yes, now there is a global correction in our industry and at Hublot, we anticipated it very well, and are in a good position. If you look at the last few decades, there have always been ups and downs, and the strong brands are continuing their long-term growth, and Hublot is on that path.

Hublot is celebrating 20 years of its presence in India. How important is the market for you, what is your relationship with the country, and how do you see it progressing in future?

This is my first trip to India, despite the fact that I have Indian friends all over the world. I love your food; I love your culture. So, I couldn’t wait to visit India and it’s given me extra conviction that this market is extremely important for us, not only because of the size, but also because of the appetite for luxury goods.

Indians appreciate beautiful objects, innovation, dynamism, and Hublot is a befitting example. I also give credit to my predecessors since they entered the Indian market at the right time. So, we already have a very strong position and Indian clients understand Hublot very well in the last 20 years.

My job now is to bring it to the next level. We have opened our second boutique in Bangalore after Bombay, and Delhi is also on the list. I want to invest in India, I want to be more present, and I will be here more often.

What was the emotion behind creating the Classic Fusion Chronograph Titanium King Gold Green special India edition, and are we going to see more such timepieces in the future?

Not too many because special or limited editions are meaningful if you keep them limited by definition. I felt it was important to have a watch dedicated to the Indian market since we’ve had Indian clients buying our watches all over the world. In order to be strong with Indians worldwide, we need to be strong in India first. So, making a special edition shows our commitment towards the country, and that’s the reason we also carefully chose the colours and the design codes of this watch, especially 18-karat King Gold to make it appealing to the Indian clientele since India is known for its timeless love for this precious metal.

Hublot is a pioneer when it comes to innovating with new materials, whether it’s ceramic or sapphire. But there are also other brands that are experimenting with new materials. How do you stay ahead of the curve?

That’s the challenge and this is where I give full credit to my predecessors and to the teams that have maintained supremacy in this segment. When you are successful at something, it’s natural for people to follow your example. Our mission is to continue being pioneers when it comes to new materials that is why we just launched the bi-colour ceramic, which requires a very complicated chemical process.

There was a time when Hublot was associated with bulky, oversized watches only for men. But in the last couple of years, we are seeing smaller case sizes and also some exceptional women’s watches. How important is this category for Hublot? What is the current ratio of men’s versus women’s timepieces?

Globally, we are around 30 per cent women clients and 70 per cent men. So, we still have a long way to go to achieve a 50-50 ratio, which is a great goal. The trends are also changing and more and more women are buying watches that are supposed to be ‘made for men’ and vice versa. Our mission is to make the best watches in the world and let the clients [both men and women] decide. I never like to talk about women’s watches or men’s watches and our global mandate is that Hublot has to be a brand for both genders.

There was a time where oversized watches were quite popular and now we see a marked shift towards downsized watches. Even the Big Bang MECA-10 has been reduced to a more wearable 42mm. Is that a conscious decision?

I think it’s always cyclic, just like fashion… Sometimes there are years where big watches are in and sometimes it’s the smaller ones. But we don’t like to follow trends because it’s dangerous as you lose your identity and confuse your clients. By definition, Hublot is known for large timepieces; it’s the brand DNA. The Big Bang MECA-10 is a big watch essentially, and today, even though the dimensions have been reduced, 42mm is still not a small watch. For the ones who prefer smaller watches, our Classic Fusion line is also becoming popular, which features slimmer and more elegant timepieces. So, we have a robust presence in both segments—whether you want to go bold or if you want to be more discreet.

Which collection is the main growth driver for Hublot?

It is a very healthy balance for us. The Big Bang family is important with their original round-shaped watches and then there is the Spirit of Big Bang with the square construction that was launched a couple of years ago. Then we have the Classic Fusion collection; these two are equal in terms of market share for us. And then, we have the third category of exceptional timepieces, which are produced in limited numbers.

Your top five markets would be?

Hublot is really well balanced. Our top five markets are Japan, USA, Europe, China, and India is also growing for us.

What is the role of ecommerce, especially when it comes to the luxury watch space?

I think ecommerce is part of the new world. It became quite strong during the COVID crisis because we were stuck at home and that was the safest way, and, perhaps sometimes the only way to buy any kind of goods.

One needs to touch and feel a watch. It’s not just enough to know the technical specifications on paper. However, ecommerce is still strong and useful for people who live in big countries and far away from shops, and of course, the younger generation that is more used to digital buying. They’ll probably try on the watch during their travels and buy it online later, which is quite convenient.

What is your take on the general health of the Swiss watchmaking industry, how do you see it progressing?

I think it’s an industry that keeps on developing, keeps on progressing. It’s interesting because back in the ’70s, many people believed that the advent of quartz watches would spell doom for the Swiss mechanical watch industry; it did not. When connected watches came, it was the same kind of reaction as well.

People still appreciate fine watchmaking, however in today’s world, things are changing rapidly because of technical innovation. It’s important for any brand to show that they are talking to the 21st century clients by offering mechanical watches that use traditional know-how, modern design, and technology.