FINISSIMO FINALISSIMA

LAURENT PICCIOTTO, AVID WATCH COLLECTOR AND FOUNDER OF CHRONOPASSION, TALKS TO AUGUSTMAN ABOUT MARKET TRENDS AND HIS PASSION FOR BVLGARI'S OCTO FINISSIMO

- JONATHAN HO

IF YOU HAD NOT HEARD of Laurent Picciotto before, you might have at least heard that in 2017, he put the majority of his personal timepieces up for sale at the Phillips' Hong Kong watch auction while attempting to restart his collection. For the unacquainted, he's an influential man in the watch industry. He's one of the "Fs" (friends) in MB&F; he also co-founded Richard Mille while Mille was still president of Mauboussin. Though Picciotto's store on Rue Saint Honoré started as a Gérald Genta boutique in 1988, the man is "brand blind", carrying nearly all of the independents from MB&F to H. Moser, as well as "mainstream" names like Breguet and Tudor.

"I love watches and I like the people behind the craziness," Picciotto tells Augustman over a Zoom call on a Friday evening. "I don't care about brands, what is important for me is the product. That's why Chronopassion is different from other retailers. For sure retailers want to carry what's really popular, but retailers must also remember that we are in a position to surprise people with what we offer. If we're on the same taste frequency, it becomes much more fun. My vision may be a high proposition but this has been my goal since the beginning."

Suffice it to say, just looking at the many unique collaborations and prototypes up for sale back then, he enjoys an extremely close relationship with all his brand partners compared to classic retailers. "We have embarked on many adventures (collaborations) because I am deeply passionate about things I believe in," he says animatedly. "I'm always glad to be among the first to represent the brand and support the people behind the brand. This proximity has given me many opportunities to do special editions since the beginning."

When you say you don't care about the brands, does this mean you ignore the "prestige" associated with the brands?