Schwarz Etienne Ten Minutes With Mauro Egermini: Discover The Man Behind Schwarz Etienne

Mauro Egermini, CEO of Schwarz Etienne for close to seven years, confides in us his best-kept secrets of his career and of the brand…

ADS

ADS

After receiving his master's degree in business management from the University of Neuchâtel, Mauro Egermini launched his professional career in finance and administration, before becoming head of the department for client and supplier logistics at Cartier watchmaking. He then moved on to Ateliers Horlogers de Dior, where he was general manager for almost 13 years. Since 2014, he has occupied the position of director at Schwarz Etienne.

Mauro Egermini © Schwartz Etienne

What first made you interested in the watchmaking business?
It began with old watches and traditional complications, as I was immersed in this environment since I was a child.

What unique quality do you think you bring to your brand?
The demystifying of complications as displayed on the dial.

Fiji Floral Seconds © Schwartz Etienne

Tell us about an experience that defines your leadership style.
I'm thinking of the good people who continued with me on my professional adventure even as I changed companies.

Which watch do you wear most often, and why?
The model is the Roswell 08 — in my eyes it represents the watch of which I've always dreamed; a mix of design and technique. It's also a good example of the "demystification" process I talked about before, revealing the mechanism behind the rapid date-change function.

Roswell 08 © Schwartz Etienne

What have you achieved as CEO that you are most proud of?
To see the shine in our clients' eyes when they discover our watches and the client service that we follow up with.

What is the biggest misconception that people have about Schwarz Etienne?
That we are a brand pulled straight out of an old and dusty cupboard, even though we've been in business continuously since 1902.

On the other hand, what is one thing about Schwarz Etienne that is not well known, but super important, in your view?
Our level of verticalisation when it comes to our movements and our level of quality at a very competitive price.

Give us a one-word (or one-phrase) hint about your future plans for the brand.
Synergy! Our new model of 2020 — Roma Synergy, produced in collaboration with the legendary Kari Voutilainen.

Roma Synergy © Schwartz Etienne