Having battled through the pandemic, fledgling business Norqain is looking to build on recent momentum with the help of Swiss watch industry legend Jean-Claude Biver, who has been appointed as an advisor to the board of directors.
Mr Biver brings decades of experience to Norqain, which has a team made up mainly of people in their twenties and thirties.
Together, the brand and Mr Biver aim to spread their passion for mechanical watches in an era of digitalisation and smartwatches.
“Giving back to the younger generation now at the forefront of the industry is always something I’ve wanted to do,” Mr Biver says.
“From 20 to 40 I learned, from 40 to 60 I capitalised 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,” he adds.
Mr Biver is also working on the launch of his own watch brand, JC Biver, with his son Pierre Biver.
The first JC Biver watches are expected to be unveiled in 2023. “At the same time, my role as advisor to the board at Norqain allows me to be associated with an exciting brand in an essential price-point for the Swiss watch industry. It is very important to have strong Swiss independent brands in different price segments and Norqain offers an exciting challenge to the status quo,” Mr Biver suggests.
According to Norqain, Mr Biver has already held a number of workshops with the team to develop innovative marketing and distribution concepts.
“It is an honour to have the opportunity to work together with one of the greats. I am extremely excited to work with Jean-Claude and to have him challenge the team to reach the highest summits and further develop the brand through innovation. The fact that Jean-Claude is building up his own family-owned brand at the same time will definitely lead to motivating discussions and a valuable exchange of ideas and experiences, says Norqain CEO Ben Küffer.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Norqain grew global sales by over 50% in 2021, the company states.
