The Joy of a Mechanical Watch with Oris CEO VJ Geronimo

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Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, Radio, News.

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You're listening to Bloomberg Businessweek with Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec on Bloomberg Radio.

Tim Stenovec (0:15)

We are very excited because, Carol, whether you call them timepieces or wristwatches, there's nobody we'd rather talk about them with than Chris Rovzar. He's the editor-at-large for Bloomberg Pursuits. Today, he brought a special guest with him. That's VJ Geronimo, the US CEO of Oris. It's the more than 100-year-old Swiss watchmaker. Chris and VJ both join us here in the Bloomberg Interactive Broker Studio. Welcome to both of you.

VJ Geronimo (0:41)

Thank you.

Tim Stenovec (0:42)

VJ, on any other day, I'd start with you, but I want to start with Chris, because Chris, you brought VJ to us. I did. And you brought him to us for a reason, and you know our show, our program, very well. You know what we love, we know what our audience loves.

What did you think would resonate so well with our team?

Chris Rovzar (1:01)

Gonzo, The Muppets. I knew you were going to say The Muppets. Totally.

Carol Massar (1:06)

You have no idea the conversation we've had in the news about Muppets and-

Chris Rovzar (1:10)

Disney and-

Carol Massar (1:11)

Versus Sesame Street, versus like we like- Are they different?

Chris Rovzar (1:14)

Are they the same?

Tim Stenovec (1:16)

There was a diagram drawn for me, don't worry. Well, Gonzo is where I want to start. VJ, I want to bring you in, because you are the US CEO of Oris. He's more than 100 years old. Typically, if we think about an old-ish Swiss watch brand, we wouldn't necessarily be thinking of the Muppets, but why does Gonzo have people so excited?

VJ Geronimo (1:36)

Yes. Oris, as you said, we're 122 years old actually. We're one of the last independent Swiss brands, so we only make mechanical watches. If you know much about our industry, it's a lot of larger companies, larger conglomerates that own brands. We're one of the really few independents.

Watches are an emotional thing, so we believe that our goal with watches, it's not anything these days that really anybody needs.

It's an emotional thing. We like to say we like to make people smile with our product. This is our third watch with The Muppets. We did a Kermit, we did a Miss Piggy, now Gonzo. I love Kermit. Thank you. We love them too.

Carol Massar (2:17)

What's not to love? How do you get there?

Chris Rovzar (2:20)

Yes, you call Kermit, this is my question.

Carol Massar (2:23)

Actually, you call Miss Piggy.

VJ Geronimo (2:25)

Kermit, yes, it's a whole thing.

Yes, we worked with Disney obviously to bring those projects together. It's a little bit of a long road, a conceptualization of it. But in the end, it's just fun.

Carol Massar (2:42)

VJ, how do you get there though? What's that first conversation, somebody comes to you or somebody comes to a member of the team and says, we need to do some of The Muppets?

VJ Geronimo (2:48)

Yes.

Carol Massar (2:49)

Like, how does that?

VJ Geronimo (2:50)

Yeah, and it's an idea. Like, we're a relatively small team in terms of people. Like, we're not a huge company. So it's an idea that gets bounced around and people talk about. And everyone was on board with it and kind of the emotional side of it and again, making people happy. So just contacted Disney and started from there.

Tim Stenovec (3:07)

Is it something that's resonated with people as much outside of the US as it has in the US?

VJ Geronimo (3:12)

It actually has. I mean, I would say it's one of the most, the Kermit was one of the most popular watches we ever made, I would say, and I think a lot of people know it. He goes by different names and other parts, but certainly.

Chris Rovzar (3:26)

Kermie? You and I are very close. That's the only thing.

Carol Massar (3:30)

But Chris, you know, we talk about so many different watches and designs. We've got about a minute and then we're going to take a break and come back. But there are things that are different that like move people to buy it, right?

Chris Rovzar (3:40)

And the original Kermit watch was so cute. It was a very simple watch. And in the date window, where it shows you normally what the date is, it had Kermit's little face. And it was very cute.

I got a t-shirt of it from my daughter. I don't have the watch yet. And they've gotten more complicated. The Gonzo, The Great watch that they have this year, which we can look at later, is more complicated than that.