Cartier highly popular as a jewellery and watch brand in China

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Cartier is a very much favoured brand in China bought as a gift for friends and business contacts, according to the Hurun Report. Shown above: Ballon Bleu de Cartier Tourbillon with double jumping second time zone watch

Cartier is a very much favoured brand in China bought as a gift for friends and business contacts, according to the Hurun Report. Shown above: Ballon Bleu de Cartier Tourbillon with double jumping second time zone watch

Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Hermès and Chanel are among the top five brands favoured by wealthy Chinese to buy as gifts for friends and business contacts, based on Hurun Research Institute’s “Top Ten Gifts for the Chinese Luxury Consumer 2012”.

Interestingly, local alcoholic beverage brand Moutai is also among the top five.

In the Chinese Luxury Consumer Survey 2013 by Hurun Report, Cartier is the fifth most popular brand chosen as a gift for men while it is ranked third as the best brand as a gift for ladies.

Cartier is the only brand among the four top European brands classified in the “jewellery and watches” segment by the Hurun Research Institute. Louis Vuitton and Hermès are in the “fashion” sector while Chanel is under the “apparel, accessories and perfumes” segment.

While jewellery remains an important category for the brand, Cartier is also fast becoming an even more popular watch brand, notably in the high horology segment. What Cartier has showcased in recent years for its high horology collections remains impressive and its 2013 line-up will not disappoint either.

For example, among the 2013 collection is the Ballon Bleu de Cartier tourbillon with double jumping second time zone watch.

According to the Hurun Report, watches are the most collectible items in China where one in three respondents in its survey categorise themselves as watch collectors.(A total of 551 individuals were surveyed and each has a personal wealth of at least 10 million renminbi or around US$1.6 million or 1.2 million euros)

This obviously speaks volumes for the potential of luxury watch brands in China.

Other articles on Cartier which may be of interest:

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Longines: China’s best watch brand for gifting by men

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Longines is the only watch brand listed on Hurun Report’s Chinese Luxury Consumer Survey 2013. Shown above is the Longines Heritage 1940. Photo: © Longines

Longines is the only watch brand listed on Hurun Report’s Chinese Luxury Consumer Survey 2013. Shown above is the Longines Heritage 1940. Photo: © Longines

What Swiss watch brand do wealthy Chinese typically opt for when sourcing a gift for men? Well, according to the Hurun Report Chinese Luxury Consumer Survey 2013 released on 15 January 2013, Longines was the only watch brand among the list.

Longines was ranked 15th in the “Best Brand for Gifting by Men”. What was interesting from the survey was how Longines took the place of Rolex, a more expensive brand which was “dropped off the list altogether”.

The report noted that the “luxury watch industry has had a tough year, perhaps brought on by bad PR for the industry following cases involving financial difficulties of government officials and watch ownership”.

Hurun Report founder and Chief Researcher Rupert Hoogewerf explained that, “This year, there is a clear trend towards gifting more modestly-priced top luxury goods.”

Baume & Mercier is also another popular gifting brand. Above: Baume & Mercier Clifton. Photo: © Baume & Mercier

Baume & Mercier is also another popular gifting brand. Above: Baume & Mercier Clifton. Photo: © Baume & Mercier

While Longines is the top choice for the wealthy in China based on the Hurun Report, another Swiss watch brand popular as a gifting brand on a global basis is Baume & Mercier. According to Philippe Caron, managing Director, Baume & Mercier, South East Asia and Australia, “Around 60% of the brand’s timepieces are bought as gifts.”