WatchesSep 30, 2021
See South Florida’s Newest Watch Destination WatchesOct 06, 2021
Jean-Claude Biver Talks Soul, Technology, and Defining a Watch Brand
The watchmaking legend was the most recent guest on “The Accutron Show” podcast.
Jean-Claude Biver was the most recent guest on “The Accutron Show” podcast.
New York—Podcast “The Accutron Show” debuted a little over a year ago, facilitating conversations with cultural tastemakers.
Hosted by entertainment reporter Bill McCuddy of Fox News, journalist David Graver of Cool Hunting and The New York Times, and editor Scott Alexander of GQ and Playboy, The Accutron Show debuts new episodes the first Tuesday of each month.
Embodying the tagline “It’s not a timepiece. It’s a conversation piece,” the podcast has featured conversations with chef Daniel Boulud, tattoo and multidisciplinary artist Bruno Levy, and fashion designer Timo Weiland, who are outside the world of watchmaking.
This week, however, The Accutron Show did a deep dive into watches with legendary industry mastermind Jean-Claude Biver.
In the episode that debuted Oct. 5, called “Crafting the Soul of Watches With Jean-Claude Biver,” the hosts explored Biver’s personal philosophy and approach to watchmaking.
Biver’s experience with watches began at the age of 8 when he wore an Omega Constellation, a gift from his grandfather, for church and religious occasions. Other than that, it lived in the family’s safe.
When Biver was 18, the watch became his to keep. But he lost the prized possession skiing, which solidified for him the idea that a watch isn’t simply a device for telling time, but “a piece of emotion, a piece of art, a piece of beauty, a piece of love, a piece of culture, a piece of tradition, a piece of status,” he said on the podcast.
Through the years, Biver aimed to “put soul” into watchmaking, something he noted is associated with the handcrafted nature of a mechanical watch, the energy and expertise each watchmaker brings to their craft.
“We are fed up with rationality,” he said of a watch’s sentimental resonance over its functionality. “We want dreams, we want emotions.”
That doesn’t mean Biver hates high-tech devices designed to be practical, like the Apple Watch.
On the contrary, he admires its technology, and said it too can “have soul” if there is a sentimental attachment to it, like if it’s a gift from a loved one, for example.
He also was never against quartz watches, he said on the podcast. “I’m very open minded. Every technology is welcome and should be respected.”
Quartz, however, “has nothing to do with art,” Biver said, or “mastery [of]… the watchmaking art,” but rather with technology.
The problem with any technology, is that it will eventually become obsolete, but a mechanical watch made by hand will never be obsolete, he said.
It is art and “art is connected to eternity,” Biver said, noting that artists like Mozart, The Beatles, and Pablo Picasso endure, becoming even more popular with time.
Asked about reissuing watches of the past, Biver made an important distinction.
“You cannot repeat the past. You can preserve the past. You need tradition and innovation. If you just copy, where is the innovation?”
For all the companies he headed throughout his career, from Omega to Hublot, he has stuck to the philosophy of leaning on a mix of tradition and innovation to form new models.
For the brands he headed, as well as any new brand today, Biver advised that all must be clear on their mission.
“What is the reason the brand exists?” he asked. “What is the message? One extraordinary example is Hublot.”
Biver joined that company in 2004. The brand’s heads at the time couldn’t identify a particular message or mission, other than crafting beautiful Swiss timepieces by hand.
The message Biver honed in on was: “Hublot is the fusion between future and tradition.”
In the 1980s Hublot had created a gold watch with rubber bracelet, a mix of high and low that was very innovative at that time. He realized Hublot’s genius was its ability to fuse disparate elements and emphasized this message.
Among the many gems The Accutron Show’s hosts uncovered was that Biver is so dedicated to respecting watch customers that during his time heading Hublot, he was the recipient of the info@hublot.com queries.
He would personally respond to them, taking at least an hour each day. He said it allowed him to receive valuable feedback.
Biver even had the unorthodox practice of taking employees to the local cemetery to commune with people who had worked for the watch brand and were likely buried in the same village where Hublot has been headquartered for over 100 years.
“We might get a message from these people,” Biver said. “We will get a feeling … All of these people have given us so many hours of passion. That leaves a trace. It’s like love. Love leaves a trace. Love never disappears.”
Other podcast highlights included getting James Bond to switch from Rolex to Omega, the most “soulful” things to collect other than watches, the connection between watchmaking and farming, Biver’s biggest failure, and why the current craze for vintage watches isn’t a bubble.
Accutron’s podcast is available to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and YouTube, among other platforms.
Now in its second season, the show has reached No. 42 in Apple Podcast’s “Society & Culture” category.
More on Watches
The Latest
CollectionsOct 28, 2025
Eriness Reflects on Life in ‘One of One’ CollectionAfter experiencing motherhood, growth, and loss, founder and designer Erin Sachse has created 10 irreplaceable jewels.
AuctionsOct 27, 2025
Napoleon Left This Brooch Behind, And Now It’s Up For AuctionIt is part of Sotheby’s “Royal & Noble Jewels” sale along with an ornate hair ornament and an old mine-cut light pink diamond ring.
CrimeOct 27, 2025
Arrests Made in Louvre Jewel Heist One of the individuals was apprehended at the airport as he was trying to flee the country.
MajorsOct 27, 2025
Target to Cut 1,800 Corporate JobsThe retailer, which has faced struggling sales in recent quarters, is looking to streamline its operations.
Weekly QuizOct 16, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsOct 27, 2025
Hill Management Group Hired to Help Atlanta Jewelry ShowHill Management Group will oversee, market, and produce next year’s spring show.
AuctionsOct 24, 2025
Bonhams Under New Ownership, Top Executives ReplacedLondon-based investment firm Pemberton Asset Management acquired the auction house for an undisclosed amount.
Brought to you by
DESERT DIAMONDS: The Newest Trend in Natural Diamond JewelryFrom sunlit whites to smoky whiskeys, introduce your clients to extraordinary diamonds in colors as unique as their love.
GradingOct 24, 2025
DMIA to Hold Diamond Testing Instrument DemoThe workshop will give attendees the chance to try out and ask questions about three different diamond verification instruments.
CrimeOct 24, 2025
Video Emerges of Louvre Jewelry Robbers Fleeing the Scene The footage shows two of the jewelry heist suspects descending from the second floor of the museum and then escaping via scooter.
CollectionsOct 24, 2025
Piece of the Week: Wyld Box Jewelry’s ‘Ray of Light’ EarringsFounder and designer Rosanna Fiedler looked to a vintage Cartier clutch when designing the sunlight-inspired drop earrings.
FinancialsOct 23, 2025
Jewelry Sales Resilient Despite Struggles at LVMH, KeringThe luxury conglomerates faced a challenging Q3 amid geopolitical and economic tensions.
SourcingOct 23, 2025
Petra Diamonds Turns to Shareholders to Raise Capital The struggling diamond mining company, which owns the historic Cullinan mine, has launched a rights issue to raise about $25 million.
AuctionsOct 23, 2025
Freeman’s | Hindman Names New VP, Senior Specialist for Jewelry & WatchesAlexis Vourvoulis, who most recently worked at Tiffany & Co., brings more than two decades of jewelry experience to her new role.
TrendsOct 22, 2025
The Taylor Swift Effect: Antique Diamonds EditionThe superstar’s August engagement put the stamp of approval on an already hot engagement ring trend.
TrendsOct 22, 2025
Don’t Forget These Diamond Jewelry Trends When Stocking for the HolidaysRetailers should offer classic styles with a twist that are a perfect fit for layered looks, experts say.
AuctionsOct 22, 2025
Pink Diamond, Vanderbilt Jewels to Headline Phillips’ Geneva AuctionThe nearly 7-carat fancy vivid purplish pink diamond could sell for around $9 million.
SourcingOct 22, 2025
In ‘Storied Diamond,’ Jared Jewelers Is Emphasizing the Journey The retailer’s new collection of engagement rings and fashion jewelry is set with natural diamonds that are traceable via blockchain.
CollectionsOct 22, 2025
Tiffany & Co.’s ‘Bird on a Rock’ Finds New PerchChief Artistic Officer Nathalie Verdeille has reimagined the iconic design in both figurative and abstract creations.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2025
JFC Kicks Off Halloween Costume ChallengeFive dollars buys one vote toward an industry professional you want to see dressed up as a hero, or a villain, this Halloween.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2025
Hillsborough Antique Show Gets New OwnerRecently acquired by KIL Promotions, the November edition of the public show in San Mateo, California, will be held Nov. 7-9.
GradingOct 21, 2025
GIA Examines Rare Bicolor Pink DiamondThe stone’s two zones, one pink and one colorless, may have formed at two different times, the lab said.
MajorsOct 21, 2025
Pomellato Brings ‘Global Attitude’ to Rodeo Drive FlagshipHollywood glamour meets Milanese sophistication in the design of Pomellato’s new store in Beverly Hills, California.
Lab-GrownOct 21, 2025
Grown Brilliance Opens First FlagshipThe New York City store showcases a chandelier with 1,500 carats of lab-grown diamonds designed by an FIT student.
Events & AwardsOct 21, 2025
‘Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture’ Opens at MADThe Museum of Arts and Design's new exhibition features 75 pieces by the designer, best known for her work in the “Black Panther” films.
AuctionsOct 20, 2025
Sotheby's To Auction 10-Carat Vivid Pink DiamondMaking its auction debut, "The Glowing Rose" is expected to fetch $20 million at the November jewelry sale in Geneva.
SourcingOct 20, 2025
2 Mozambique Police Officers Killed at Gemfields’ Ruby MineThey were attacked on Oct. 15, as approximately 40 miners without licenses marched on the mine’s gate.
