Ramzi Nael, Brand Director, Middle East and India, for German watch brand A Lange & Söhne, has worked with the brand since July last year, and has been a part of the watchmaking industry for over a decade. Having worked with Richemont brands such as Roger Dubuis and Officine Panerai, his passion for watches has only grown. Here, he talks about Lange’s launches for the year, the brand’s vision for India, his insight into the West Asian market and more.

How important a market is India?

In my opinion, India is a mature market, Indians love luxury and have been exposed to it already for two or three generations now. They may not have been buying locally but certainly during their travels, like to New York, London. As you know, there’s also a very big community that lives outside the country and so we have a lot of demand for very expensive and unique pieces from this market. I would say that the clientele is mature, knows what it’s looking for and wants to have something that is much more exclusive and niche. So the high-end pieces perform really well in the country. India is an important market for us.

Any plans to open an exclusive Lange store in India?

We don’t have a standalone boutique in India as of now, but we are present in a multi-brand environment today in several cities — two stores in Delhi and one each in Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad. So far we have five points of sale in India, so we are very much present in the cities, just not as a standalone. The problem is not because we don’t see a future in this market, but because the retail infrastructure is not there yet. Today, if we look at luxury shopping malls, you have only one in India, in Delhi, and it has not been open for that long. So I would say that development of real estate is not really pushing us to move faster than what we would like to.

What is the profile of the A Lange & Söhne buyer in this region? Are they brand loyalists?

To be honest, the profile of an A Lange & Söhne buyer is very similar around the world, I think. A Lange buyer is basically a customer who knows as well as appreciates watch-making, who has already several watches in his collection, and is looking for something much more exclusive.

The profile is the same, because I’ve rarely seen anyone buying a Lange and it is his first watch. We cater to collectors or even just people who appreciate watchmaking. Our Saxonia collection, for example, will start at €16,000 and we also have a minute repeater that goes up to €400,000 so, I wouldn’t say collectors, necessarily, but I think lovers of fine watchmaking.

Do buyers usually come in knowing exactly what they want?

We do have customers who discover more about the brand once they walk into the boutique. Today with the social media and websites, people have really done their homework and are much more informed than us. In terms of percentage, about 70 per cent of people who walk in already know the brand and know what they would like to see. They usually have decided between two and three models and are here just to see them physically before buying.

Is the prospect of exclusivity a big enough appeal?

Of course, exclusivity is one of the characteristics that makes the brand more desirable. Today, I can say that Lange is a fashionable brand. Very classical, not made to shock or impress other people. The watches are for the wearer to admire them himself. So, definitely, the feature of exclusivity is an added value for us.

Lange has consistently avoided brand ambassadors. Has this strategy worked in places such as West Asia and India where celebrities are a big draw?

We never will have a brand ambassador for Lange because it is not a brand to associate itself with a specific person or star. It is a brand with very clear DNA and values, and we will always stick to them, as they have been the reason for our success so far. I don’t see us ever venturing into having a star for the brand. The face of our brand is our founder Ferdinand Lange.

You must be looking for new talent for hand manufactory? Do you see the possibility of taking in talent from India or West Asia, especially as there is a large talent pool here in the field of jewellery-making?

Today, we have our own school where we train apprentices to become watchmakers of the future, but since our manufacturing facility is based in Germany, in Glasshütte, we tend to look for talent locally. But I can tell you that Richemont in general is thinking, in the long run, of setting up a school in the region so that could be an opportunity for people from other regions to venture into this field — so why not!

The writer was in Dubai at the invitation of A Lange & Söhne

Correction

The price of the minute repeater watch was incorrectly quoted as €40,000. It should be €400,000​.

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