Watch distributor Argento Fine Products has noticed an increase in the number of UK retailers seeking to take on independent watch brands that don’t belong to large groups.
Argento Fine Products co-founder Claudia Ferro said that she has found that a number of retailers are actively seeking to move more independent watch brands into their stores and are making it a key strategy.
She said: “A lot of retailers are finding their aim is to work with more independent brands that don’t belong to groups.”
Ferro said that retailers are looking to work with brands that offer a “friendlier approach” and are finding this in independents rather than large groups.
Argento Fine Products is the distributor for independent watch brand Frederique Constant and she said that sales in the UK of the brand are showing good growth.
Since Argento Fine Products took over UK distribution of the brand three years ago, its UK distribution has tripled and it now has 33 points of sales from “Southampton to Aberdeen” according to Ferro. Frederique Constant also singed up new UK retailer accounts at BaselWorld 2012 in March.
Ferro said that plans going forward for the brand in the UK include “investing quite heavily” in a new advertising campaign to further raise the profile of the brand.
