{"id":26400,"date":"2023-08-16T11:48:08","date_gmt":"2023-08-16T09:48:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swiss-watch-passport.ch\/watchconnect-le-reseau-qui-monte\/"},"modified":"2023-08-16T12:39:19","modified_gmt":"2023-08-16T10:39:19","slug":"watchconnect-the-up-and-coming-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swiss-watch-passport.ch\/en\/watchconnect-the-up-and-coming-network\/","title":{"rendered":"WatchConnect, the up-and-coming network"},"content":{"rendered":"

Up to 150 enthusiasts enjoy these occasional get-togethers: independent watchmakers, brands, groups, their PR teams, co-suppliers, collectors, “world builders”… These gatherings are now an institutional affair.<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Albert-J. de Buttes-LaC\u00f4te \/ T\u00e0G Press +41 (News Agency) reporter<\/em>
\nInsta SWP<\/a> | Insta JSH\u00ae<\/a> | Facebook<\/a> | Twitter<\/a> | Linkedin<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\"\"<\/div>
( Front page pic ): Watchmaker Christophe Waelti (WatchConnect) taking a selfie. On the far left, Philippe Perret du Cray, alias PPDC, General Secretary of the Swiss watchmaking journal JSH, partner of the Fondue evening at Time to Watches at Head Geneva. (Photo above) Over 150 participants: a network of influence within the trend<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>
\n

At the Festival d’Horlogerie \u00e0 Yverdon<\/a> in Yverdon (September 8-10, 2023), the WatchConnect and Watch Caf\u00e9 networks (from JSH and Swiss Watch Passport) join forces for a Saturday morning ” happy few breakfast “<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Inquire, private invitations<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

So, who is behind the influential WatchConnect<\/a> network, and how did it start? From an informal need to get together initiated by Robert Kitto<\/a>, an Australian who returned to his continent in 2015, these networking events have become the “Places to Be<\/em>” during Watches & Wonders<\/a> or EPHJ<\/a> fairs.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\"\"<\/div>
Up-and-coming watchmaker Julien Tixier, from the Vall\u00e9e de Joux, came to support the Geneva event organized by artist-designer Matthieu All\u00e8gre<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

“We owe this group to Robert Kitto<\/a>\u00a0who, when he was manager of the Richard Mille boutique in Geneva, was taking sales courses in Le Locle. While there, he would gather a few friends from the Neuch\u00e2tel watchmaking world at the Caf\u00e9 du Cerf, whose owner was the well-known watchmaker Stephen Mc Gonigle<\/a><\/em>“, explain designer Matthieu Allegre<\/a> in Geneva and watchmaker Christophe Waelti<\/a> in Fleurier, the two “spiritual disciples<\/em>” appointed by the founder to keep the event going. And they remind us that the first meeting took place on September 27, 2012 under the name “On se voit \u00e0 Neuch\u00e2tel.<\/em>” (editorial note: Let’s meet in Neuch\u00e2tel)<\/p>\n

Anchored in this altruistic belief that moves mountains, the two ‘take-overs’, assisted by up-and-coming watchmaker Julien Tixier (Vall\u00e9e de Joux) and a handful of partners, naturally joined by the Swiss watchmaking journal JSH<\/a>, recently created quite a buzz: the Fondue evening, set up in the HEAD area of the Time To Watches<\/a> 2023 trade show, had to turn away quite a few people! It’s in places like these that ideas flow and connections are made…<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"\"<\/div>
Robert Kitto, the Australian behind the WatchConnect network launched in Neuch\u00e2tel in 2012 under the name \"On se voit \u00e0 Neuch\u00e2tel\"<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>
WatchConnect (Official)<\/span><\/a><\/div>
JSH Magazine, Page 101<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Watch Caf\u00e9s (private events)<\/span><\/a><\/div>
Festival Suisse d’Horlogerie Ticketting<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>
\"\"<\/div>
Two prestigious guests: Agenhor's brothers Nicolas (l) and Laurent Wiederrecht celebrated the entry of Melb Lux (owner of H. Moser & Cie) into their capital on the same evening. This was during the Watch Connect Soir\u00e9e at the April 2023 Time to Watches exhibition<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>