Watches and Jewellery: January
Watchmakers bet big on factories amid downturn; Breguet’s CEO turns anniversary year into a stress-test; how zodiac symbolism travels through luxury; and the gemstone outpacing gold and inflation
Executive shuffle dominates annual LVMH showcase
The Milan launch event sought to reinforce the conglomerate’s lagging watch division
Watchmakers bet big on factories amid downturn
Brands expect expansion and vertical integration will pay off in the long run
How Breguet’s Gregory Kissling turned an anniversary year into a stress test
The new CEO used a looming deadline to expose — and fix — the brand’s strategic gap
The Year of the Horse and the economics of symbolism in luxury
Brands are taking inspiration from the equine world, as zodiac-themed releases become a recurring commercial tool
The enduring allure of the Dakar Rally for watchmakers
The race’s reputation as the toughest test in motorsport has made it a draw for companies promoting mechanical resilience
Traceable gold brand targets growth after deal with net zero mine
Initiative wants to move beyond niche volumes and attract more jewellers
Chaumet revives enamel to rework a historic motif
A precise technique of colouring jewels features in a modern collection inspired by archival wing designs
Watchmakers seek balance as collaborations multiply
A surge in tie-ups is testing consumer patience with brands becoming more selective about who they partner with and why
The gemstone outpacing gold and inflation
Lockdowns, land invasions and demand from luxury fashion houses have seen prices grow more than 15 times faster than gold
Why contemporary jewellers are gaining ground at Tefaf
The annual Maastricht fair aims to appeal to more historically curious collectors
My Favourite Pieces: Val Garland on seeking jewellery with the eye of a magpie
From New Romantic excess to talismanic gold, the ‘Glow Up’ judge shows the pieces which — like make-up — complete her look
Deconstructed watch: Andersen Genève Split Seconds Worldtimer
Svend Andersen has made the first watch ever that combines a world time mechanism with a split-seconds chronograph
Why China’s women are having fewer babies
The economy is weak, divorces are rising and fewer young people are getting married
Transcript: Taco FTW
Robert Armstrong speaks to John Foley
Greenland crisis as it happened: EU aims for ‘stabilisation’ of trade ties with US, as Trump unveils ‘Board of Peace’
Volodymyr Zelenskyy launches attack on ‘fragmented’ Europe
Trump’s TikTok deal is a gift to China
Washington’s compromise has stabilised one of Beijing’s most important technology companies
TikTok sets up US unit under Trump deal but leaves core business with ByteDance
Video app launches US joint venture with American investors to enact deal criticised by China hawks
India’s economy looks reassuringly boring
Also in this newsletter: AI isn’t just replacing jobs
EU leaders fear for US relationship despite Trump climbdown
Europeans criticised by Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy for failing to lead ‘in defending freedom’
Trump launches his ‘Board of Peace’ at Davos
Menu — dove
Intel shares slide 11% as supply issues limit growth
Manufacturing setbacks undermine effort to become a US champion in advanced chipmaking
Letter: Bank of England is right to reduce capital requirements
From David Postings, Chief Executive, UK Finance, London EC2, UK
Letter: Recalling Turing’s debt to Polish cryptologists
From Professor Robert Gawłowski, WSB Merito University, Bydgoszcz, Poland