RUMA Design is calling on the success of a recent collaboration with Chronoswiss to drive itself further into the watch industry.
The Madrid-based firm has a background in the automotive industry but after working with Chronoswiss on a recent project, the company’s co-founders have their eye on how they can offer more of a service to the market.
In conversation with WatchPro, Ruben Velasco and Mario Fuentes explained how they draw on experience with working on brands like Ferrari, Volvo and WM Motors around the world to apply “knowledge and sensibility” to each RUMA Design project.
Discussing the entrance to the watch market, the duo said: “At the end of 2018, through one person we much appreciate, Yann Allemann, arised the opportunity to meet Oliver Ebstein, CEO of Chronoswiss and Maik Panziera, head of design.
“In an organic and honest manner, we started the trajectory of a project that today is called Skeltec. During all the Chronoswiss-RUMA Design collaboration, we were able to provide to the brand an innovative vision of how to understand a watch from our car design background point of view, as well as Chronoswiss transmitting to us the importance of excellence and quality of Swiss ateliers within the luxury watch field.”
They added: “The combination of both worlds has led to the creation of a unique, characteristic and distinguishing product which made RUMA Design definitely entering the watch industry.”
With regard to work in the watch market as the company grown, they explained: “We think that our extensive experience in advance design within the automotive industry has changed our understanding of design, which allows us bringing new ideas, fresh concepts in a formal design language and introducing a new vision in relation to the surfaces treatment in such a traditional and excellent product as a watch.”
Concluding: “The watch industry has always been a world of high quality standards and excellence, which are the values also requested in the automotive industry, acquired during many years of experience in RUMA’s team background. These values are exactly what we provide to our customers.”
Agreeing with there are synergies that can translate from Automotive to the Timepiece arena, at days end, most would be ego-related. From the early 1990’s when Brands began comparatives, it was Marketing that prepared the rationale, the thought process that would show a reference to a Brand, possibly on a higher plateau then actually was the Timepiece position. Design has at it’s core a continuity that needs to transcend a Collection and unite the various Collections with-in a Brand, Mono=Design Brands aside, one need look no further then Rolex where the Brands DNA is apparent in every piece, so too Breitling, Panarai, TAG-Heuer, where “Form Follows Function” is clearly defined. Chronoswiss, under it’s Founder and Creator Gerd Lang always had a Heritage Design, the Onion Crown, possibly a Coin-edged Bezel, Unique Lugs and generally an over-sized for the time Case size. The Ebner family re-located the Brand to Lucerne from Germany, in part to confirm the Swiss identity, as it began it’s re-launch, during a difficult time. Of the two examples portrayed the Squalette that was a Chronoswiss mainstay, has become very contemporary, but at the same time less intricate as to the component’s that make up the Movement/Engine and in a stylized way becomes anything but what Chronoswiss was. So too, the Skeltic depicted in Yellow is audacious and bold, and frankly gives more of a Hublotesque feel and image, which is totally 180 degree’s from where Chronoswiss was. That said, evolution in design is allowed, but should be taken in the context of the Brand as a whole, it’s Collections, possibly a Single Collection “The Millennia” would carry executions that bear out various Hallmark pieces Opus, Regulatuer Jump Hour, Night and Day, myself, I still like the original Blanc/Noir Dial from 12 to 6. I wish the Ebner family all the success in the world in carrying forward what Gerd Lang created. Mr. Lang being there from the beginning of the birth of the Chronograph at Heuer initially, concurrent with Zenith and Seiko, alone make the Brand a Reference.
Dear Mr Rogers,
FYI the gold case watch above which is indeed Hublotesque has got nothing to do with Chronoswiss.
All the best, To get more of an overview where we stand today, including our recently launched certified pre-owned collection, please visit our website or instagram page.
All the best,
Anders, Chronoswiss social media