At the age of 49, Jan Edöcs has many years of experience in the watchmaking industry. After having worked for Omega, Swatch Group, Milus and Hanhart, he joined Doxa in February 2019 as CEO. This is the man behind the brand.
What first interested you in the watchmaking industry?
I fell into watchmaking when I was little, in Biel, within my family circle. I saw Rolex and Omega every day. I started at Omega at the age of 18 to complete degree in commerce (I still have a prototype of one of the first Swatch watches from 1980-1981). It was the international aspect of the brand that attracted me.
What unique quality do you think you bring to your brand?
Dynamism, visibility and consistency.
Tell us about a moment that has helped you define your leadership values?
Rather than a specific instance, I’m talking about three values:
1. Teamwork. It is not one person who defines success, but a team.
2. Always being able to set an example.
3. Having the ability to think outside of the box. Not conforming to what has been done and what you know.
Which watch do you wear most often?
The SUB 200 limited series and the SUB 300T with a rubber strap.
What is your proudest achievement as CEO?
The successful relaunch of Doxa Watches, a Swiss brand that is more than a hundred years old. A year ago, we decided to highlight its fabulous heritage in diver’s watches. We rebuilt the brand image and a collection of new products that do not betray the brand but, on the contrary, pay tribute to it and are perfectly aligned with its DNA. Amateurs and collectors were not mistaken and today salute the work that we accomplished. And our customer base continues to grow. The results give us the pure motivation to continue on this path!
What is the biggest misconception people have about Doxa?
Doxa watches are not only sold on the Internet. They are starting to be found in exclusive retailers all over the world. We opened a subsidiary this year in Florida, USA, and have built a strong Anglo-Saxon distribution triangle with the UK and Australia. For Europe, we also opened a location this year in Germany. The rest of the roll-out is to be followed. The brand has a community of fans all over the world. There are even forums and books that have come out about the history of Doxa. We are very proud of that!
On the other hand, what is the most important thing about Doxa that you think is not well known by the public?
Doxa was the first brand to introduce a helium valve in a diver’s watch and made it accessible to the general public in 1969. A revolution at the time! The brand was also the first to introduce a brightly coloured dial in diver’s watches: orange! It was rather daring at the time, because everything was black, silver or white. The idea came from the engineers who were carrying out tests in Lake Neuchâtel, and it was the colour orange that offered optimal visibility even at 30 metres. These same Doxa engineers at the time were very pragmatic and open to everything. No barriers or constraints; it is still this state of mind that drives us today. We are passionate and want to deliver to our customers high-performance watches, while ensuring the best quality/price ratio on the market.
Give us, in a word (or in a sentence), a hint on future projects for the brand.
Long live colour and may the story continue!
