(On-screen text: Chopard presents)
(Wide shots of the green, mountainous landscape surrounding the Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier and the building itself nestled in the valley)
(Wei Koh and Karl-Friedrich Scheufele talk in a room flooded with light)
[Wei Koh] It's so incredible to think what you created 25 years ago has basically become the soul of Chopard L.U.C, or Chopard in general.
(On-screen text: Karl-Friedrich Scheufele - Co-President of Chopard)
[Wei Koh] From the movements, whether they're in a more industrial version or whether the capacity for a high finish which is so beautifully expressed in something like Ferdinand Berthoud and of course everything that's made for L.U.C which is COSC certified and Geneva Seal.
(On-screen text: Wei Koh - Founder of Revolution and The Rake)
[Wei Koh] All of them have come together based on this decision you took 25 years ago.
[music plays]
(Different images slide across the screen on a white background: sketches of a Chopard timepiece with hand-jotted notes and legends, black-and-white photos of Wei Koh and Karl-Friedrich and Karl Fritz Scheufele, as well as artisans in the Manufacture working on the watches)
(On-screen text: A Gentleman's Talk - The Manufacture)
(Wei Koh and Karl-Friedrich Scheufele talk while strolling through a sunlit garden)
[Karl-Friedrich Scheufele] Many people asked me at that time, what exactly are your plans? I said, we will decide as we go along! In a way, that's what we did.
[Wei Koh] Yes.
[Karl-Friedrich Scheufele] But in a way, we also knew, I had a very strong feeling about the fact that, as a family company, we needed to be independent. And that only authentic products would eventually be appreciated in the right way.
[Wei Koh] I totally agree. And with the proliferation of information as it is today, everyone is so... attentive, and scrutinizes every detail of a watch. And there's nothing you can scrutinize with any of your watches because they're authentic in every dimension.
[Karl-Friedrich Scheufele] And the young generation, as we both know, is even more interested in scrutinising, and knowing the details of products all the way back to the source, and that's something we can so easily explain today. But it took a long time.
[they laugh]
(Wei Koh, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele and Karl Fritz Scheufele sit together around a table in a softly lit wine cellar)
[Karl Fritz Scheufele] One of the most inspiring stories was the opening of the Manufacture, because I think any accountant would have said there's no reason, or no tangible reason to do this. But I think the fact you took the completely intangible route and said OK, we're going to add that much value to the product, because the end customer deeply cares about the movement that is in his watch and that is really important to them.
[Wei Koh] And that fact that your dad, or, Karl-Friedrich, you decided to say OK, I want to do in-house manufacturing but I want the first movement I make to be a symbol of incredible authenticity, because it's got to be automatic, micro-rotor, bi-directional winding, COSC certified, Geneva seal. I mean, this has always been where you go, right?
[Karl-Friedrich Scheufele] In the context of the 90s, there was no need, you could buy movements almost anywhere and then personalize, and then everyone would think that it's actually your movement. Yes, it was certainly not the easiest way to go as a first introduction. But for me, it couldn't be anything else.
[Karl Fritz Scheufele] Nowadays it makes perfect sense, because if you don't do something in that authentic way, you're essentially not going to reach the public you're trying to reach with your product or service. And it's just about adding that much more value to what you do and to the products you create, or to the movements or to the wind.
[Karl-Friedrich Scheufele] We also learned a lot by doing... by taking this route, and we added a totally new dimension to the Chopard group. So it's a typical family business investment which is a long-term investment. And the Manufacture started off, as I said, with a very small group, and then we added all the different craftsmanships that we needed. We had no idea how to polish a movement, in the beginning. And we learned from scratch from the team, and one person taught another, and so on and so forth.
[Wei Koh] When you explained the strategy to your family at the time, 25 years ago, what was the immediate reaction? [Karl-Friedrich Scheufele] The immediate reaction was obviously a bit like, why? Why do we need that? Or, is it really necessary? And, this is going to take you a lot of time, and effort, and so on. And I had to make a pitch. Just like Karl Fritz made a pitch when he really insisted on making the Alpine Eagle. And then, I managed to convince the rest of the family. At the beginning, I said this is only for one movement. And then we can see how it goes.
[laughter]
[Wei Koh] That's a good one!
[Karl-Friedrich Scheufele] The first step, you know! And from there on, I was sure that things would clear up and be good, actually! And they did!
[Wei Koh] I think by 2000, you were already doing the Quattro, right? And by 2003, the Tourbillon.
[Karl-Friedrich Scheufele] Yes, the Quattro, the Tourbillon and many other things. And eventually, a movement that is, in another shape, here in this watch today. If we had not started with the 1.96, honestly speaking, I don't know where we would be.
(Karl-Friedrich Scheufele and Wei Koh walk side by side in the garden)
[Wei Koh] Well I have to say, I really enjoyed my time here with you. Thank you so much for inviting me to the forum here in Le Fleurier. Thank you sir, it's been an absolute pleasure.
[Karl-Friedrich Scheufele] You're welcome.
(On-screen text: Chopard - The Artisan of Emotions - Since 1860)
