Patrick Pruniaux on the art of watchmaking and Uzbekistan: "A watch begins with an idea and finds its owner"

Patrick Pruneaux on the Art of Watchmaking and Uzbekistan: "A watch begins with an idea and finds its owner"

For Patrick Pruneaux, this is his first trip to Uzbekistan, but he has been planning to come here for quite some time. One of the reasons was the development of Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux in the local market in partnership with Premier Group.

Pruneaux considers Uzbekistan a promising market for the haute horlogerie segment. He particularly emphasizes that there is a strong culture and identity here, an openness to the world of luxury, as well as an appreciation for quality, history, and craftsmanship — factors that shape the value of a high-quality product.

"This is a very promising market for me. There is a strong culture, identity, and at the same time, an openness to the luxury world. There is also an understanding of what makes a product truly luxurious. It is about quality and heritage. And our brands have a lot to say. Ulysse Nardin has a 180-year history, and Girard-Perregaux has more than 230 years," says Patrick Pruneaux.

According to him, this visit provided an opportunity to personally meet Uzbek watch enthusiasts and collectors.

Currently, Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux are presented at the Premier Tashkent boutique in Tashkent City Mall. For the brands, each new point of presence is of particular importance. They do not strive for the widest possible distribution and take a cautious approach to choosing markets and partners.

"We do not have many points of sale or partners around the world. Therefore, every place where our brands are represented is truly important to us. Our approach is to do less, but to do it excellently," says Pruneaux.

According to him, this principle applies not only to the development of the retail network but also to the creation of the watches themselves. Developing a single new model can take six or seven years. During this time, the idea travels the path from the initial concept to the finished product.

Patrick Pruneaux notes that the connection between the manufacturer, the partner, and the future watch owner is particularly important to him:

"I like to think that everything begins with an idea in the mind of a person in the Swiss mountains. We go all the way from the idea to the creation of the watch, and then a collector in Tashkent can choose them. A unique global connection emerges that unites people around shared values. This is creativity, quality, and culture."

Patrick considers working with a company that understands the specifics of the watch industry to be one of the key conditions for a long-term presence in the market. The brands are linked with Premier Group by many years of partnership. He notes that not only the partner's commercial performance is important, but also the team's attitude towards the art of watchmaking and the luxury segment.

"Ultimately, everything is built around people. Both in creating watches and in developing the business, people and their passion are of key importance. Premier Group has a strong team; we have known each other for many years. It is important for us to work with those who share our views," says Pruneaux.

He also highlights the independent character of Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux. He says that behind the brands are entrepreneurs and people who are genuinely interested in the art of watchmaking. And their task is to develop the heritage of manufactures with centuries-old history.

"Premier Group understands luxury and the art of watchmaking. They are passionate, have been active in this field for a long time, and intend to stay in it for a long time. This is extremely important for us. I couldn't dream of a better partner in this market," emphasizes Patrick Pruneaux.

Although Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux are developing in parallel, each brand retains its own identity, history, design, and approach to watchmaking. They are united by their belonging to Haute Horlogerie, high watchmaking art, complex and delicate movements, and many years of heritage.

Patrick Pruneaux describes Ulysse Nardin primarily as a brand distinguished by technological experimentation, innovation, and a desire to rethink traditional perceptions of mechanical watches.

One of the striking examples of this approach was the Freak collection. After its appearance in 2001, it abandoned conventional hands, a dial, and a crown, and over time became one of Ulysse Nardin's key projects.

"Simply put, Ulysse Nardin is a highly innovative Haute Horlogerie brand with a great history and a desire to break conventional rules. The Freak and complex astronomical watches well represent the character of the manufacture," says Patrick Pruneaux.

This philosophy was further developed in the Super Freak. The model in an 18-karat white gold case retains the Freak concept but takes it to a new technical level. Here, too, there is no traditional dial and hands, and the movement becomes part of the time indication. The Super Freak is equipped with two flying tourbillons, for the creation of which more than a hundred special tools were developed. Each piece is assembled by a single master, and the series is limited to 50 watches.

Despite its technical complexity, the model remains visually restrained. The white gold case, open architecture, and innovative blue transparent watch disc made of Nanocrystal material combine classic precious material with almost futuristic mechanics. In this harmony, the character of Ulysse Nardin is particularly clearly manifested, for which traditional watchmaking serves as the foundation for experimentation.

Patrick Pruneaux describes Girard-Perregaux differently. If Ulysse Nardin is associated with experimentation and technological boldness, Girard-Perregaux, according to him, represents the concept of quiet luxury in the art of watchmaking. Here, the quality of mechanics, design, and details come to the fore, which are immediately perceived by someone already familiar with high watchmaking art.

"Girard-Perregaux is quiet luxury in the watch world. These are watches with serious watchmaking content, yet restrained. We are not talking about ostentatiousness. This brand is designed for people who understand what is in front of them, know its value, and are confident in their choice," explains Pruneaux.

It is this difference that allows the two manufactures to appeal to different perceptions of modern watch luxury. Ulysse Nardin focuses on technological boldness and innovation, while Girard-Perregaux focuses on delicate movements and meticulous design for sophisticated connoisseurs.

Patrick Pruneaux's first visit to Uzbekistan was part of the brands' dialogue with the local market. Their further development here depends not on the number of points of sale, but on the quality of presence, the choice of a reliable partner, and the audience's interest in the history and craftsmanship behind the watch.