After launching an instant classic at Baselworld last year, Badollet has since then been kept busy handling the tremendous success encountered by its Ivresse model. As most watch brands will know, it is extremely difficult to find that Midas Touch that leads to cult status – and the revived boutique brand certainly struck gold with the launch of one of the models most acclaimed by the media and connoisseurs in 2012.
Badollet’s main preoccupation has thus been to cherish and further enhance the icon status earned by the Ivresse. “Baselworld 2013 was excellent; we had great feedback from the clients and the specialized press regarding the new models we introduced, even though the only new aspects of the Ivresse collection were new colours: black, burgundy, red, dark green and violet”, says Philippe Dubois, the brand’s CEO. “But we’ve also been working on our ‘classic’ models”.
The icon and a new palette
Ivresse remains the main focus of attention within the Badollet catalogue – even though in the recent past the brand was known for its exclusive customizable tourbillons that many liked to show off on the wrist, whereas the Ivresse has a discreet charm about it with a unique streamlined architecture signed by Eric Giroud and a hidden flying tourbillon powered by a domed manual-wound movement with cone-shaped going train conceived by David Candaux.
The blue became instantly associated with the original Ivresse, which really does looks like a concave dreamy blue lagoon with an applied riveted circular chapter ring as a dial. The colour choice was directly related to the choice of the case: “we thought that blue would go rather well with a platinum case. But it was really difficult to find the exact tone for the dial”, says Philippe Dubois. The same difficulty applies to the new five colours, since each of the black, burgundy, red, dark green and violet shades required a lot of fine-tuning to achive that supreme matte finish.
Considering variables
Beyond the new colour palette, there are important decisions to be taken but not yet unveiled. The fact that Ivresse has had such a tremendous impact on Badollet made the brand rethink its strategy. The design is so strong that Badollet – launched as a tourbillon-only company – is even considering the creation of a non-tourbillon Ivresse, along with a wider case version or a chronograph model. That kind of move would affect not only the brand’s price positioning but also the volume of production and distribution.
“There are many possibilities that we’ve been exploring to develop the Ivresse concept but right now it is too soon to talk about it”, admits Philippe Dubois, who also recognizes that, with the Ivresse, “Badollet went from a niche to a niche of a niche: a masterpiece for a more sophisticated clientele that takes great pleasure in wearing such a watch and is not particularly interesting in showing others that they have spent a lot of money on it”.
Carbon Crystalball
Besides new colour variations on their most recognizable model, Badollet also rounded out its regular catalogue. “We’ve been working on our Crystalball collection and opted for certain materials that are new to Badollet: we developed a carbon version for the Stellaire and also for the Round Bamboo”. Philippe Dubois is not worried that the flagship Ivresse might “cannibalize” the rest of the collection: “We’re comfortable with the attention!”.
There is indeed already an interesting variation on the Ivresse theme: the Ivresse bracelet – a remarkable piece of jewellery capable of inebriating ( ‘ivresse’ does after all mean ‘inebriation in French!) even the most demanding clients!
