Jean-Claude BIVER is one of the most remarkable figures in watchmaking history. TAG Heuer, Hublot, Zenith, Blancpain and Omega all bear witness to it today. This 68-year-old, married father of five is not a watchmaker but a true captain of industry, passionate about life, love and watches. In what will one day be judged as his life’s work, the fruit of more than 40 years of relentless professional activity, he has always sought to bring these passions together, and today they seem to have become one. Mechanical watchmaking, which he says will still leave its mark 1,000 years from now, inherits a soul breathed into it by the passionate watchmaker who gives it life, and is handed down from generation to generation as a token of love between a parent and their children.
On this page
- Which watch are you wearing during this interview?
- What is your greatest achievement in watchmaking?
- What is your favourite watch complication?
- What other passions do you have besides watchmaking?
- What is your dream car?
- What is your favourite wine?
- How would you define luxury?
- Which brand (watch or otherwise) best embodies luxury in your view?
- Which figure (historical or contemporary) inspires you?
- Which quality do you value most in others, and which flaw do you regret having?
- Is there a quote you particularly like?
- What time is it?
The trusted right-hand man of Bernard Arnault, who made him head of the LVMH group’s Watch Division, this tireless worker agreed to answer our questions one Friday evening from his holiday retreat. Meet a watchmaking legend whose credo is to be first, unique and different. Jean-Claude Biver opens up to Passion Horlogère in a candid conversation and launches our “Watchmaking Who’s who” series!
| Surname | BIVER |
|---|---|
| First name | Jean-Claude |
| Date and place of birth | 20 September 1949 in Luxembourg. Swiss nationality |
| Marital status | Married |
| Number of children | 5 |
| Current position | President of the LVMH Group Watch Division Chairman of HUBLOT Chairman of ZENITH CEO of TAG Heuer |
| Last three positions held in watchmaking | CEO of HUBLOT Swatch Group Executive Committee, member of the management of OMEGA and BLANCPAIN CEO of BLANCPAIN |
| Highest degree | HEC Lausanne |
Which watch are you wearing during this interview?
Right now, as most of the time, I’m wearing the 2015 Big Bang All Black, a watch I adore and which is my lucky charm.
What is your greatest achievement in watchmaking?
The succession at Hublot, which we pulled off thanks to Ricardo Guadalupe. In a way, for some years now my success has been nothing other than the success of my successors.
What is your favourite watch complication?
The tourbillon chronograph, because these two complications working together give the watch a fascinating liveliness and dynamism. And almost all the time, too.
What other passions do you have besides watchmaking?
I have many passions, such as cycling, ski touring, cheese, wine, art, and so on.
What is your dream car?
My dream car will surely be a self-driving car you can sleep in during the journey, powered by a hydrogen engine.
What is your favourite wine?
It’s always the wine of wherever I happen to be, because I love local wines, which say so much about the climate and culture of the region.
How would you define luxury?
For me, true luxury is of course good health, to which I add passion for one’s work. And to these two things I would finally add love. Put another way, anyone who is in good health, whose daily work is their passion and who is surrounded by love could already believe they are in paradise (and wouldn’t need to die to get there).
Which brand (watch or otherwise) best embodies luxury in your view?
Any brand with a clear, different, even unique identity, combined with creativity and innovation, and driven by outstanding quality of execution and finishing.
Which figure (historical or contemporary) inspires you?
Jeff Besoz, because he has been extraordinarily visionary. And likewise Mr Bernard Arnault, who built the world’s largest luxury group from the ground up!
Which quality do you value most in others, and which flaw do you regret having?
Honesty, integrity, loyalty, generosity, sincerity and authenticity are wonderful values, and I wish everyone at least three friends who have these qualities. On the other hand, I wish no one to experience lies and betrayal, which are the flaws I hate most.
Is there a quote you particularly like?
“All you need is Love”
What time is it?
It’s 6:57 pm on a Friday evening
Discover the biography of Jean-Claude Biver, “the man who saved the mechanical watch“, published by Eyrolles.
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