The Business of Watches [0311] Hublot Chief Executive Officer Julien Tornare On Partnering With Jeff Koons And Re-Connecting With The Brand's Founder

This week on The Business of Watches, a veteran watch industry CEO who is taking on one of the biggest and most demanding challenges of his storied career. Julien Tornare is the head of Hublot, the irreverent and ground-breaking brand controlled by LVMH that's trying to reclaim some of its former glory and role as a trend-setter in industry innovation.

An affable and talented business leader, Tornare has spent almost three decades in the watch world, with Vacheron Constantin and Richemont, and then as the chief executive of Zenith, where he oversaw a dramatic revival and upswing for the El Primero maker. He then had a brief tenure as the CEO of TAG Heuer, before joining Hublot as the big boss in 2024.

Tornare talks about Hublot's turbulent journey over the past four decades, and the spirit that's reflected in the brand's unconventional and outspoken ambassadors. He also takes on the marque's critics, making the case for why the YouTuber shots are largely unjustified.

As for where Hublot is going, that's partly where it has been, as Tornare discusses the influence of Hublot's Italian founder Carlo Crocco as the company reconsiders its legacy ahead of its 50th anniversary in 2030. There's also news of a major new partnership with legendary American artist Jeff Koons, who is bringing his artistic vision to the watch brand for the first time with a series of bold collaborations. We also discuss the role that Jean Arnault, long considered the true watch enthusiast in the Arnault clan, now has with the brand.

Show Notes:

0:30 Julien Tornare (Instagram)
1:06 Hublot (website)
1:43 The Quirky Backstory Of The Hublot MDM (FHH)
1:59 Jean-Claude Biver & The Relaunch of Hublot (IMD Business School Case Study)
4:22 Hublot And Football A Perfect Match (The Hour Glass)
6:25 The Truth About Hublot And How Their Watches Stack Up (Luxury Bazaar)
7:51 Julien Tornare, CEO of Hublot: "Hublot Will Rebalance Its Investments" (Luxury Tribune)
9:20 Nyon (Swiss Tourism)
9:59 Hublot Classic Fusion Original Goes Back To Where It All Began (Hodinkee)
10:14 Hublot Expands The Big Bang Across Every Level (Hodinkee)
11:39 Carlo Crocco (Watch Wiki)
14:04 The Art of Fusion In Depth (Time & Tide)
14:24 Andy Warhol's Hublot (Italian Watch Spotter Instagram)
17:20 Hublot Ambassadors
19:50 Why Hate Hublot? Featuring Nico Leonard (YouTube)
21:58 LVMH Watch Boss Sees Jean Arnault as Best Candidate for His Role (SwissInfo)
24:00 Hublot Spirit of Big Bang
31:40 Inside Hublot's Mission to Turn Its Watches Into Museum-Worthy Art (GQ)
32:01 Beyond The Canvas: Jeff Koons Reimagines Time With Hublot
36:10 Hublot Big Bang Original Soft Touch (Gear Patrol)
39:02 Hublot Unveils Decade-Long Warranty As New Industry Benchmark (Johnson & Co.)