When I first went to W.O.S.T.E.P. in 1986 to further my watchmaking training I received a watch magazine that had an article about Jean-Claude Biver and how he resurrected Blancpain. I liked those 1980's Blancpain watches, they were very classic and I would stop in look at them in the store windows in Switzerland as I walked around Neuchatel.
The article talked about his passion and how he was hands on creating the designs and even picking the leathers for the straps. He was doing what I wanted to do and I admired his desire to be involved at every level of the creation of the watches. I have the privilege to do the same with RGM be it on a smaller scale.
Blancpain was his Brand, it was his baby! I always wondered how he could sell it and move on as a watch executive. I had a chance to ask him online as I received an email from Watchoogle that they had setup an online Q&A and anyone could ask him a question. So I sent off my question.
QUESTION BY: R. MURPHY / U.S.A.
Was it hard to leave Blancpain when you were the man who brought it back from the dead and made it a viable top brand?
Jean-Claude Biver:
Yes, it was probably my most difficult moment in my 40 years of career. The reason being that I sold Blancpain for the wrong reasons….
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It seems there is some regret in his answer, I am sure he looks back at that time as one of his best in the world of watches.
Roland
You can see more questions and answers from his Q&A here. Link
Picture from Watchoogle.