This week on The Business of Watches, a veteran watch industry CEO who is taking on one of the biggest and most demanding challenges of his storied career. Julien Tornare is the head of Hublot, the irreverent and ground-breaking brand controlled by LVMH that’s trying to reclaim some of its former glory and role as a trend-setter in industry innovation.
An affable and talented business leader, Tornare has spent almost three decades in the watch world with Vacheron Constantin and Richemont, then as chief executive of Zenith, where he oversaw a dramatic revival and upswing for the El Primero maker. He then had a brief tenure as the CEO of TAG Heuer before joining Hublot as the big boss in 2024.
Julien Tornare.
Image: Courtesy Hublot
Tornare talks about Hublot’s turbulent journey over the past four decades and the spirit reflected in the brand’s unconventional, outspoken ambassadors. He also addresses the marque’s critics, arguing that the YouTuber shots are largely unjustified.
He also discusses the influence of Hublot’s Italian founder Carlo Crocco as the company reconsiders its legacy ahead of its 50th anniversary in 2030. There’s also news of a major new partnership with legendary American artist Jeff Koons, who is bringing his artistic vision to the watch brand for the first time through a series of bold collaborations. We also discuss the role that Jean Arnault, long considered the true watch enthusiast in the Arnault clan, now has with the brand.
There’s plenty of watch business and strategy to discuss, and we hope you enjoy the conversation. Please leave any thoughts or questions in the comments section, and we’ll do our best to respond. Want to subscribe so you never miss an episode? This show is being published to the original Hodinkee Podcasts feed, so you can subscribe wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or TuneIn.
Show Notes
0:30 Julien Tornare (Instagram)
1:06 Hublot (website)
1:43 The Quirky Backstory Of The Hublot MDM (FHH)
1:59 Jean-Claude Biver & The Relaunch of Hublot (IMD Business School Case Study)
4:22 Hublot And Football A Perfect Match (The Hour Glass)
6:25 The Truth About Hublot And How Their Watches Stack Up (Luxury Bazaar)
7:51 Julien Tornare, CEO of Hublot: “Hublot Will Rebalance Its Investments” (Luxury Tribune)
9:20 Nyon (Swiss Tourism)
9:59 Hublot Classic Fusion Original Goes Back To Where It All Began (Hodinkee)
10:14 Hublot Expands The Big Bang Across Every Level (Hodinkee)
11:39 Carlo Crocco (Watch Wiki)
14:04 The Art of Fusion In Depth (Time & Tide)
14:24 Andy Warhol’s Hublot (Italian Watch Spotter Instagram)
17:20 Hublot Ambassadors
19:50 Why Hate Hublot? Featuring Nico Leonard (YouTube)
21:58 LVMH Watch Boss Sees Jean Arnault as Best Candidate for His Role (SwissInfo)
24:00 Hublot Spirit of Big Bang
31:40 Inside Hublot’s Mission to Turn Its Watches Into Museum-Worthy Art (GQ)
32:01 Beyond The Canvas: Jeff Koons Reimagines Time With Hublot
36:10 Hublot Big Bang Original Soft Touch (Gear Patrol)
39:02 Hublot Unveils Decade-Long Warranty As New Industry Benchmark (Johnson & Co.)
