Born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in 1978, Niels Eggerding enrolled at the University of Eindhoven at the age of 24 to study business administration. During his studies, an invitation to visit factories in Switzerland sparked his appetite for Swiss fine watchmaking, as he discovered how a timepiece comes to life, from initial design through assembly to production.
On this page
- Which watch are you wearing during this interview?
- What is your finest watchmaking achievement to date?
- What passions do you have besides watchmaking?
- What would be your dream car?
- What are your favourite dish and wine?
- Which figure (historical or contemporary) inspires you?
- Which quality do you value most in others, and which flaw do you regret having?
- Which quotation particularly inspires you?
After that trip, Niels Eggerding developed a passion for watchmaking and started out as an intern at a Dutch watch distribution company working with houses such as Zenith and Frederique Constant. In 2001, he joined the Swatch Group, where he spent eleven years in a variety of roles across several of the group’s brands.
In 2012, Niels Eggerding met Peter Stas, whose passion, charisma and vision immediately caught his interest. A genuine synergy quickly took hold between the two men. Niels Eggerding joined the Frederique Constant group (Frederique Constant SA, Alpina Watches International SA and Ateliers de Monaco) as deputy sales director and moved to Geneva with his family.
In 2014, he was promoted to vice president of sales and sales director. Under his leadership, the group grew its market share and built a strong network of 3,000 retailers worldwide.
In 2016, the Frederique Constant group was acquired by the Japanese Citizen group, and on 1 February 2018, Niels Eggerding was appointed CEO of Frederique Constant SA.
His mission is to carry forward the brand’s accessible luxury strategy, drive growth through the 2019 expansion of the Plan-les-Ouates manufacture (Geneva), develop innovative in-house calibres and strengthen the brand’s presence around the world in the years ahead.
Niels Eggerding has a keen business sense, and his natural ability to motivate employees has energised the company while embodying strong values.
Which watch are you wearing during this interview?
I’m wearing the new steel Classic Tourbillon Manufacture that Frederique Constant has just unveiled. To mark the 15th anniversary of our Manufacture tourbillon this year, we decided to redesign both the case and the dial with modern lines while keeping its classic look.
What is your finest watchmaking achievement to date?
Without hesitation, the Highlife collection, because I was personally involved in creating it.
What is your favourite watch complication?
My favourite complication is the Worldtimer.
What passions do you have besides watchmaking?
Connecting with people, communicating and spending quality time with them.
What would be your dream car?
A Porsche 911
What are your favourite dish and wine?
Oysters and a good Chardonnay, enjoyed on a beach
How would you define luxury?
High quality and exclusivity. Something unique.
Which brand (watch or otherwise) best embodies luxury in your view?
Hermès or Chanel, for their steady, long-term vision of building luxury and exclusivity.
Which figure (historical or contemporary) inspires you?
My father, who raised me and taught me the true values in life.
Which quality do you value most in others, and which flaw do you regret having?
I appreciate all of people’s qualities, not one in particular. I focus on people’s strengths rather than their weaknesses and try to help those strengths flourish. I wouldn’t say there is anything I fundamentally regret, but I can be impatient at times.
Which quotation particularly inspires you?
“Smile in trouble, gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection.”
What time is it?
It’s time to sell watches! All the more so as we will be introducing a new Manufacture calibre this year and continuing to develop our Manufacture collection and our tourbillon.
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