Tokyo (SCCIJ) – The Swiss independent watchmaker Norqain, a new entry to the highly competitive luxury watch market, has won a prominent supporter: Jean-Claude Biver, the well-known former CEO of the watchmaker Hublot, is pushing the young brand to speed up innovation in the Swiss watch industry.
Swiss watch industry legend Jean-Claude Biver (left) and Norqain CEO Ben Küffer (© Norqain).
Independent brand
Norqain was founded in 2018 by ex-Breitling manager Ben Küffer and Mark Streit, a Swiss ice hockey player. The brand wants to reach the younger generation. Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 over the past years, Norqain’s global sales increased by over 50% in 2021. Fittingly, with an average age of 35, the company team is the youngest to have made its mark in the Swiss watch industry.
Its product portfolio score with solid luxury timepieces in the aesthetics of the 1960s. The Independence Wild One is a 100% Swiss-made sports watch that features a special case of 25 parts to absorb shocks and a revolutionary material six times lighter than steel and 3.5 times lighter than titanium.
Famous board advisor
In June, Jean-Claude Biver, a legend of the Swiss watch industry, became an advisor to the board. Together, Norqain and Biver aim to spread their passion for mechanical watches in the age of digitalization and smartwatches. “Giving back to the younger generation now at the forefront of the industry is always something I’ve wanted to do,” Biver said.
“From 20 to 40 I learned, from 40 to 60 I capitalized on my knowledge, and now I want to share my experiences and know-how with the young talents who are shaking up the watch world. It is very important to have strong Swiss independent brands in different price segments and Norqain offers an exciting challenge to the status quo,” he added.
The Norqain model Independence Wild One features an ultralight material (© Norqain).
Youngish reputation
Biver had several workshops with the team to develop innovative marketing and distribution concepts. He supported the brand through the process of receiving CO2-neutral certification and creating the eco-friendly, robust and ultra-light Wild One collection introduced in September.
“I have kept a close eye on Norqain since its founding and have been consistently impressed with the team’s achievements around the world in such a short amount of time. The brand’s values align with my own and I am looking forward to climbing new peaks with them and developing innovative products using new sustainable materials,” Biver said.
Guided by the motto “young team – bold decisions”, Norqain’s product development achievement with movement manufacturer Kenissi and prominent partnerships with the NHL Players’ Association and Matterhorn Ultraks were pivotal in shaping the independent brand’s reputation. Its promise to use only vegan-certified straps for all new products and its collaboration with the Butterfly Help Project – giving children in Nepal access to education – underscore Norqain’s real commitment to environmental and social initiatives.
Text: SCCIJ mainly with material of Norqain
