EDOX – otherwise known as Montres Edox et Vista SA - was founded in the watchmaking hub of Biel in Switzerland by Christian Ruefli-Flury in 1884.
EDOX celebrates its 140th anniversary this year, with festivities beginning in the Swiss city of Les Genevez, where the company manufactures more than 70,000 watches annually.
The anniversary will be marked in all of the traditional ways – including special edition timepieces and new partnerships. Head of global sales, Leonhard Schweiger, said the brand will also use the opportunity to reflect on the past.
“In a fast-moving world, remaining relevant is becoming more and more of a challenge. This said, a family-owned structure is not necessarily a downside in this case,” he told Jeweller.
“It actually allows decisions to be taken quite easily and fast since the members of the family have been in charge of strategic positions for several years now."
He continues: "The most important point, then, is to find the right balance between modernity and heritage.”
Reception upon return
After a three-year hiatus, EDOX returned to Australian stores in July 2022, announcing a new partnership with Duraflex Group Australia (DGA). Until 2019, the brand was distributed in Australia by Lion Brands.
The brand announced its return at the 2022 International Jewellery Fair in Sydney, where it was well-received by retailers. Marketing emphasised the importance of the Swiss watchmaker as being family-owned, offering a key point of difference from other mass-production brands.
Expected to benefit from significant product development and repositioning, at the time, DGA managing director Phil Edwards was optimistic about the brand’s prospects in the Australian market. Two years later, he said the brand has rewarded that faith.
All watches are hand-assembled in Les Genevez, Switzerland, with a single watchmaker responsible for assembly and regulation. Edwards said that’s been a decisive factor for many Australian retailers looking for quality assurance.
“A lot of the initial retailers wanting to stock EDOX were watchmakers – having worked with many of the Swiss watch brands, they had great confidence in the quality of the watches,” he explained.
“EDOX is the clever alternative to mass production brands. Given that some of those mass brands are exiting wholesale – our retailers are delighted to partner with a family-owned independent Swiss watch brand.”
Edwards added: “140 years of history means credibility and a rich heritage. There’s no denying this is a highly competitive category, but what sets EDOX apart is their willingness to truly collaborate with retailers – not dictate to them."
Duraflex is a leading distributor and wholesale supplier of retail jewellery in the Oceania region, serving more than 1,100 stores in Australia.
EDOX showcase
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