Basel, Switzerland – In a seemingly Mark Twain moment for Swiss watchmaker Bedat & Co’s Kuala Lumpur based President Frank Low, he might have wanted to quote at Baselworld 2010 the famous line, “Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”
Noting, “Bedat & Co confirms its legitimacy and leadership in feminine designs and takes the opportunity of Baselworld 2010 to look back over a year of tremendous activity since the last edition of the fair” Low continued, “As a purveyor of fine timepieces, we are especially proud to be the defenders of Bedat & Co’s strong values: drawing upon a 500-year heritage of Swiss watchmaking traditions in the Jura region, Bedat & Co is a genuinely honest house, preserving the highest standards of craftsmanship to guarantee the Swiss quality of all components and know-how. Further more; Bedat & Co – the “Joaillier de l’Acier” – is one of the only brands renowned for its high-end timeless designs manufactured especially for ladies.”
From a point where in similar fashion to another famous event, the “Dewey beats Truman” newspaper headline where published reports had stated that Gucci Group had closed Bedat, Low has resurrected the company connecting it with its heritage, including using the watch world’s largest and most prestigious annual event to announce he will be donating a percent of the company’s revenues to a charity endorsed by founder Simone Bedat.
With an unequivocal endorsement from Mrs. Bedat, who told the press, “I am thrilled and honoured that my family name and the company I have built with such passion is being perpetuated under the new ownership” Low claimed the brand is well on its way to the peak of adoration that Bedat enjoyed late last century when the Gucci creative head Tom Ford snapped it up.
Low said in a written statement provided to Elite Traveler, “The brand has indeed enjoyed substantial commercial development despite the economic context, expanding its strong retail network with successful openings across five continents.”
He sited new markets such as Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Iceland, as well as Norway and new distribution contracts for North America & Canada, South America, Caribbean, Mexico, Central Europe, South and Western Africa, and Nigeria, Ghana. Low added many more crucial markets like Germany, North and Eastern Europe or the Russian states are in the midst of contract finalisation and are expected to be completed before Baselworld ends Wednesday evening.
Low was happy that success is being achieved globally beyond his Southeast Asian base and took time to affirm Bedat as a Swiss brand saying, “Bedat & Co’s core values are deeply rooted in the finest art of Swiss watchmaking. Thanks to the unswerving collaboration with the best ateliers of the Jura Valley. The brand also has the highest standards of master craftsmanship, stamped with the A.O.S.C label, the ultimate symbol and guarantee of quality and ethics certifying the Swiss origin of all components.
When it comes to serving Bedat & Co’s knowledgeable clientele, benchmark refinement and excellence remain the order of the day.”
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