Niels Eggerding

Thirty-five years ago, Frederique Constant was taking its first steps in an industry where watchmaking houses combine centuries of legacy. The concept behind the project is now just as bold as ever, meaning that creating luxury at affordable prices is a challenge that the Swiss brand is able to honour. Geneva is home to Frederique Constant’s head office, a laboratory where watchmakers, designers and craftsmen come together to create dynamic timepieces. At the centre of the action is Niels Eggerding, the CEO who took time out to talk with V&G at an event celebrating the brand in Portugal. From time to time, he’s here and everywhere. His mobile phone reminds him of his duties as CEO and his constant need to be connected to the world. His gift for words is inherent and his jovial spirit captivates. He says he has no interest in driving a Ferrari, because it’s too luxurious, and says he is familiar Portuguese Fado, which often served as background music during conversations with his father. Emotional, the Dutchman with a puritan’s heart talks about himself and his ambition: Frederique Constant. 

Did your love of watchmaking begin in childhood or develop later?
It developed later. When I was 20 years old, I did my first internship at a watch distributor in Holland. They were selling brands like Zenith, Camel Trophy and Frederique Constant. So, it’s 25 years ago that I started to be in love with the craftsmanship and watchmaking.

Did your image of Frederique Constant remain the same after you were appointed CEO?
No. When I was appointed, the owners told me to make the brand younger, and that's what I did. I really wanted to have more of a modern design, and that’s what I did back with the 2019 collection. 

The history of the Swiss brand began exactly 35 years ago. How would you summarize its journey until now?
I’ve been whit Frederique Constant for 12 years and based on my experience, I can say that the journey has been the result of laborious work. The brand was smaller, not like today, which gains a lot of market share. This growth was enhanced by the team, which works daily to generate the brand’s evolution.   

Was it a challenge to enter the watchmaking market at a time when the great maisons were already established in the market?
Yeah. It’s difficult (it’s still difficult). The big brands dictate retail and that’s why, when you go to a store, you see Cartier, Rolex, Tag Heuer. It’s very difficult to penetrate the watchmaking market, so you need to be very personal and close to the retailer, to win their trust. Being unique and creative, in design and prices, is what makes Frederique Constant a unique brand. 

What is the origin of the name Frederique Constant?
So, the origin of the name comes from the great-grandparents of the founders. One was Frederique Schreiner, and the other was Constant Stas, so the two names were paired and merged into one: Frederique Constant, a chic and elegant combination.

The conventional principles of luxury are exclusivity and high prices. But your Swiss brand seems to think differently. What does the concept of luxury encompass from the brand’s perspective?
If we move away from price, for me luxury is high quality, that causes a unique sensation when you wear it. So, it’s an awakening of feeling, it’s a statement. This is something that Frederique Constant seeks to do, through the creation of sophisticated models. Let’s see, when you try on a watch from the brand, you can feel the luxury on your wrist. For this to happen, it needs to look luxurious and bring happiness to whoever puts it on. It requires excellent quality, as well as a design capable of providing elevated sensations. In addition, the affordable price is added, a factor that drives the consumer at the time of purchase. 

As the world evolves, brands find themselves obligated to constantly update. What new things have you brought to the Frederique Constant since you took over as its head?
I chose to adopt a more attractive strategy for the young audience, as this is the age group that represents the future niche. So, the plan is based on watches with a fresher and more contemporary design, along with more youthful communication from the team, so that this target audience feels familiar with the brand. Therefore, it´s necessary to be regularly present in the digital world, although deepening an in-store experience where items can be recognized, is also the objective.  

What are the stages involved in getting a watch from the brand to the end consumer?
First, we design a watch, wich takes about two years. When the design starts to come, you have like samples coming in. Once validated the sample, you need to order components and plan production, work that requires nine months.  Once this process is complete, the model is prepared to be sent to a retailer. Therefore, there is a whole detailed process behind all this.

«We were producing 160,000 pieces per year»

Do you use sustainable materials?
Yes. Still, I believe it´s more important to structure the organization in a more solid way than to guarantee sustainability only in the final product. Therefore, the team has been working on a strong sustainable agenda, although it cannot reveal details for now. I don’t want to do any greenwashing, nor a recycled strapline. We will explain soon. It’s a time-consuming process, especially because it’s not enough to create a sustainable slogan to put sustainability into practice… it seems very superficial to me. 

How many pieces are produced each month?
Well, I can’t be precise in relation to current production, since we are listed on the stock exchange, but let’s say, far before the time that this type of information was still published, we were producing 160,000 pieces a year. 

Are most sales made online?
No. The online market for the brand is very small. Frederique Constant supports retail. There are around 2500 retailers in the world, so selling online would disrupt the sector. We made our choice and today online is important to educate and drive traffic to the store. The physical store continues to be very important.  

Nowadays there are many ways to tell the time. Why buy a watch?
First of all, because it’s nice to have something adorning your wrist. Then, since the clock is there we will use it to read the time. And also, because when we buy a watch, it will convey something about us. Some indicate strong and determined people. Others function as an affirmation. Does it indicate the time? Yes, but it’s also pretty, like a very expensive jacket of Louis Vuitton.  

What is your view of the product trend: the smartwatch?
The issue of Smartwatches is very complicated. Why? Because Apple is leading the market. Apple is by far the biggest watch brand in the world. So, watch brands like us, we can no longer compete with Apple. They’re too strong.  

And you like smartwatches?
No, I don’t like it. People already sit on their phones all day and the concept of smartwatches is the same. Therefore, I believe it’s a product that has no value. Frederique Constant has smartwatches but doesn’t see a future of it. 

Is Portugal one of the strategic countries for Frederique Constant?
I would lie if I would say yes. Portugal it’s a small market but important. The strategic countries are India, US, China, South Korea and Japan. All of them reference markets, capable of deciding the evolution of a brand. Portugal, Holland and Spain, they are following. But Portugal has highly qualified professionals in the watchmaking sector.   

Do you like Portugal?
I love it. The food is fantastic, people are amazing, and the wine is good. Everything is good. Portugal it’s like quality of life.

«Portugal has highly qualified professionals in the watchmaking sector»

How are you celebrating the brand’s 35th anniversary?
With a big party. We started by celebrating the brand’s 35th anniversary in Geneva, with the presence of DJ The Avener. In addition, we have launched a celebration piece every quarter. In the first quarter we released the Gold World Timer model. The second was the platinum Tourbillon, with the Meteori dial. And in the third quarter, we presented the Big Date, also in platinum and with the Meteori dial. The last announcement will be made in Dubai, with the Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar.  

What collaborations can we expect in the future? And what might be seen in the next decade in Frederique Constant boutiques?
The collaborations are important. We collaborate with Christian van der Klaauw, giving rise to the Planetarium Tourbillon. A unique piece, the first to exist in Swiss industry. We collaborated with media platforms like Revolution, but we also hoped to continue working with some artists.  

Classic or sports watches?
Classic.

Describe your dream watch. A Chrono Tourbillon Big Date.

What hobbies?
I like swimming and water sports. I love snowboarding and driving high-powered cars, in fact, Porsche is one of my favourite brands.

Something nobody knows about you.
I’m an open book! But...every morning, at six o’clock, I wake up, I do some sport and then I dive into the lake of cold water. I also love music. My music is my meditation, so when I’m in the car, what I do to balance myself is listen to music.

What’s your favourite movie?
Big Fish.

What’s your favourite song?
Headlights, Charlie Cunningham.