Monde et Montres...

(version francaise)

Around on year ago, TAG HEUER was celebrating the opening of a brand new factory in Chevenez, in Swiss but close to french border and the population of the the Belfort-Montbeliard region. The factory was dedicated to produce first the 1887 caliber, and later a new one, the CH-80, at last a "real" in-house caliber. This caliber would have also be possibly given to other brands of the LVMH group.

But TAG HEUER announced recently the freeze of the development of the CH-80, and the stop of the development of the Chevenez Factory, that will now just produce 1887.

What could mean the sudden reduction of speed at TAG HEUER? Even in BASELWORLD this year the CH-80 was celebrated!

TAG HEUER explains that the main reason is that the CH-80 is to close to 1887.

Launched under the direction of Jean-Christophe Babin, this sudden trun-back occurs after the arrival of Stephane Linder in June 2013, and Jean-Claude Biver as head of Horological division in LVMH.

Could it be a first sign of a greater mouvement of speed reduction at TAG HEUER, at LVMH, or may be in the whole watch industry?

This caliber wasn't aiming High Horology, only part of the market to meet some progress (cf Le prix des montres Suisses: une bombe à retardement?). Increasing its proposal in a reducing market was probably inadapted, they had to cut costs before they were too important. HArd to negociate, but less than firing persons become useless after being hired, and find themselves with a useless factory.

Officially the CH-80 is just frozen. Will it start again one day? Time will tell...

sources:

• L'Est Républicain from 11/09/2014.
• http://www.watchtime.com/blog/monochrome-monday-introducing-the-real-tag-heuer-carrera-ch80/
• http://www.watchtime.com/wristwatch-industry-news/industry/tag-heuer-focuses-on-caliber-1887-delays-launch-of-carrera-ch80/