
(Right): High Artistry Homage to Hannibal Barca Limited Edition 1 features a barrel of full pavé of blue sapphires, accented by a sparkling series of diamonds set amid white gold Wooing the super-rich
It is almost 11am and someone peeks into the room to signal us to wrap up the interview. In minutes, an elite group of Montblanc’s most esteemed clients from all over the world will begin shuffling through the door to have their own moment with this magnificent masterpiece and decide whether they want to purchase the bragging rights of owning this unique piece of craftsmanship.
“In challenging times, you have to think about the consumer who is highly knowledge able; it is the consumer who is looking for what is new, what is special, what is genuine and what has a really unique background. It’s not ‘Can I afford to?’ It’s ‘Do I want to?’” says Koch. “This is where brands and maisons have to come up with great launches and novelties. We at Montblanc embrace that and, with the High Artistry launches, we have the background and the story and the inspiration behind it. Montblanc is always about inspiring and aspiring to new heights.”
“Hugh Jackman puts it perfectly: ‘Montblanc always has one eye on the past — the heritage, craftsmanship, etc — and one eye to the future,’” says Koch, referencing the international superstar who has been the global brand ambassador for Montblanc since 2014. “Thus, we are completely embracing the digital, and we are a good example of digital transformation on both a product level, like with the Summit watch, as well as in our communications: embracing the new media landscape and social media and how we shift our media spending. And we play on craftsmanship with these sorts of events, where we are in close contact with our customers.” The Montblanc staffer peeks into the room for a second time and I take the cue. It is 11am. The well-heeled guests are about to arrive and several million dollars in different currencies are about to be exchanged. I exit the room and notice a change in vibes; the air is now filled with a curious mix of excitement and tension. There are even more black-suited security personnel guarding the grounds. I bump into two other journalist friends and joke, “It’s like The Secret Service.” Jamie Nonis is a lifestyle journalist with an appreciation for all things beautiful This article appeared in Issue 802 (Oct 23) of The Edge Singapore.