Robin Swithinbank

London

Freelance Journalist at Freelance

Writer. Editor. Content guy. As seen in New York Times, FT, Telegraph, GQ, Traveller, Vanity Fair, Harrods, Robb Report, The Road Rat

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Articles

Why Trump’s Tariffs Should Make Brands Take Value Seriously

6 days ago | watchpro.com | Robin Swithinbank

Perhaps we were all kidding ourselves, but it seems we all thought it. Even in the days before President Trump entrapped the world’s economy with Liberation Day, the watch industry appeared confident it would be immune to tariffs. What possible justification could there be for punitive taxes on a foreign industry that has no US domestic rival, and that creates thousands of jobs and drives many, many beautiful millions of dollars into the US economy? Right?
Has Watchmaking’s Direct-to-consumer Model Had Its Day?

2 weeks ago | watchpro.com | Robin Swithinbank

Rolex’s new temple on London’s Bond Street is a seriously impressive space. Four storeys of green and gold grandeur, more than 7,000 square feet of space for moochers and GMT-Masters, and even the offer of an exclusive green-coloured cocktail for those prepared to climb the stairs to the first floor (yes, yes, there’s a lift, too). It will, no doubt, be a whopping great success.
Benrus Watches Is Revived by U.S. Investment Group

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Robin Swithinbank

Benrus plans to produce watches in Switzerland, but is keeping its headquarters in the same Manhattan building where it was founded in 1921. In the 1960s Benrus was one of America's largest watchmakers, producing about a million watches a year. It made the huge clock that kept time at Pennsylvania Station in New York City, supplied watches to the U.S. military and had its timepieces worn by President John F. Kennedy, Steve McQueen, Charles Lindbergh and Babe Ruth.
Brands at Watches and Wonders Geneva Look for Sales

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Robin Swithinbank

Brands hope the models debuting at Watches and Wonders Geneva will recharge their lackluster sales. During the past seven days, about 50,000 visitors - industry representatives, members of the public, reporters and influencers - had been expected to walk the carpeted corridors of Watches and Wonders Geneva, considering new designs from the 60 luxury watch companies exhibiting there.
The Logic Behind Chanel’s Boat Race Deal

3 weeks ago | businessoffashion.com | Robin Swithinbank

Even the president of Chanel’s watches and fine jewellery division hadn’t anticipated the move. “It was totally unexpected,” admitted Frédéric Grangié in an interview with BoF ahead of next Sunday’s annual Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge universities, now labelled the Chanel J12 Boat Race after the luxury giant’s J12 watch. “It happened by chance. Before June last year, I had no idea I was going to do this.”The deal with the Boat Race Company Limited is a landmark for Chanel.
Behind-the-Scenes at Watches and Wonders Geneva

3 weeks ago | businessoffashion.com | Robin Swithinbank

The luxury watch industry may be battling falling exports and sales, but the organisers of Watches and Wonders Geneva, the world’s only major luxury watch fair that began in the Swiss city Tuesday, have said they’re expecting more exhibitors and more visitors than in previous years when the industry was booming.
Brands bet on ‘flight to quality’ amid luxury slowdown

3 weeks ago | ft.com | Robin Swithinbank

With watch industry volumes in freefall and luxury makers bracing for a year of contracting revenues, several brands are turning to...
Can Breitling Revitalise Watchmaking’s Troubled Middle Market?

1 month ago | businessoffashion.com | Robin Swithinbank

It’s been a busy seven days for Breitling. Last week, the brand announced it had acquired dormant brand Gallet with plans to use it to fire up luxury watchmaking’s embattled mid-market segment. Then Tuesday, the Swiss watchmaker unveiled Hollywood heartthrob Austin Butler as its latest ambassador, alongside a new line of timepieces called Top Time B31 — which the brand plans to price aggressively compared to rival watches with in-house movements.
Richard Mille and Ferrari Bucked Luxury’s Slowdown. Now They’re Releasing a $1.5 Million Watch

1 month ago | businessoffashion.com | Robin Swithinbank

At the launch of its new co-branded watch with Ferrari—priced at an eye-popping 1.35 million Swiss francs—Richard Mille said it had been unaffected by the Swiss watch industry’s recent battles. “We know the market is tough for some brands, but we are lucky enough not to face that at the moment,” said Maxime Guenat, the company’s general director.
Vanguart: How an Eight-Year-Old Startup Sells $200,000 Watches

1 month ago | businessoffashion.com | Robin Swithinbank

In the cover story of this month’s Vogue Czechoslovakia, Milla Jovovich is pictured wearing a gold watch on a pale turquoise strap. To most, it’s just another watch. But those in the know will recognise it as something more: the $200,000 Orb, made by Vanguart, one of a new generation of ultra-luxe independent brands vying to become the next big thing in high-end watchmaking.