Can you tell us about the new Trilobe movement and why you decided to do it?
To cut a long story short, my goal from the very beginning was always to offer the most creative and well-made watch possible with a price below 10,000 euros. Following the first movement, which was created exclusively for Trilobe when we launched, we wanted to take the next step to co-create a movement of our own — we call it our "signature movement" because we don't claim to be a manufacture. That said, it's a movement I designed; that follows our brand identity closely. It's made in collaboration with Cercle des Horlogers, in La Chaux-de-Fonds. It's very much anchored in the architectural codes that Trilobe embodies; you could liken it to brutalist architecture, but with fairly contemporary codes in terms of colours and finishes. This new movement is thinner, which allows us to reduce the thickness of the case. In addition, we say that it has 48 hours of power reserve, but in reality we are closer to 60 hours. At the end of the day, we have a watch that performs well all around, in 360°, and it's very identifiable with Trilobe.
Which models will we see this movement in?
From now on, 100% of the watches we sell will be equipped with this movement, so the Matinaux in 40.5mm as well as the 38.5mm version that we will launch in September, and our next collections too!
What has been your bestselling model since you launched at the end of 2018?
The classic watches with silver, blue or grey dials have seduced the largest number of customers, and since this summer, the Matinaux version with the red dial also stands out. The Secret watch has established itself as our iconic model, its personalization and its value for money make it unique and extremely appreciated by men and women alike. We will present it at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) this year in the Petite Aiguille category, and we will also present the gold version for men.
Is Les Matinaux Secret intended for all customer categories or does one profile stand out from the rest?
There is just about every category of customer when it comes to Les Matinaux Secret. Young people buy this watch as an engagement watch: they want to incorporate the date of the proposal or the date of the wedding. Thirty-year-olds turn to this watch for a first birth, and those 40 and over write their own birth dates. We've had a lot of fun stories. For example, one of our customers wanted to acquire this watch for his solo passage from Cape Horn in the 1980s; it made an impression on him and he wanted to inscribe it on his watch. We share very personal moments of life with our customers.
Are you going to keep this approach of producing only small quantities combined with good value for money?
We want to keep this value for money as much as possible. We only made a small detour with the pink-gold watch. We want to increase our prices as little as possible.
Did you feel any effects after participating in Only Watch and the GPHG?
Yes! Only Watch helped us a lot as we accompanied the whole exhibition around the world, it was a fantastic way to meet collectors and media, to have some nice exchanges and make ourselves known. Only Watch and the GPHG gave Trilobe a real boost.
In this particular period, were you able to open new points of sale?
Indeed. While Trilobe is mainly represented in Paris and Monaco, we are in the process of opening points of sale in Germany, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Switzerland and the USA. We are also in discussions with retailers in Japan and Kuwait, and should have around 10 points of sale by the end of the year.
How do you plan to celebrate Trilobe's second anniversary?
We are going to try to crystallise it in a nice way with a second collection that is coming up in the autumn. Always with this same Trilobe DNA — "time liberated" — without hands, animated by our new "signature movement", currently available in three references.
What percentage of your clientele are women?
Our watches are found on about one in 10 women's wrists, but we are seeing an increase in their demand. We were thinking in particular of female customers when we planned the 38.5mm version (available this month). We also offer them steel models with diamond-set bezels. We believe very much in mechanical watchmaking for women.
