Alexandre Ghotbi is one of the leading horological personalities in the world. As Head of Watches, Continental Europe and Middle East for Phillips Watches, he has a unique experience in evaluating both the products of mainstream brands and independent manufacturers.
Mr. Gotbi kindly agreed to answer questions of Rough&Polished.
Please tell us about how you came to be interested in watches?
I started getting interested in watches around 1982-83 when the Swatch watch came out and from there on it became a growing passion which led me to co-found one of the very first internet discussion forums: the Purists in 2001, this is way before social media.
Do you remember your first watch?
It was a Swatch, but my parents offered me a mechanical Seiko when I tuned 18.
When has the watch industry become a career for you? Why did you leave VC and join the world of watch auctions at Phillips Watches?
I was originally a lawyer in Paris. Once I created The Purists, I started doing consultancy for brands in terms of digital presence and client marketing. In 2008 Vacheron Constantin asked me to join them and work in this field for them. It was an opportunity for me to work in my passion and I did not hesitate a second.
Phillips offered me to join them in 2016 and it was a fantastic opportunity for me to work in a more diverse environment of brands and periods but also join an incredibly dynamic team lead by the world’s leading vintage watch specialist: Aurel Bacs.
Why is independent watchmaking important for the industry?
Independent watchmaking brings spice and diversity to the industry, their creativity is boundless as opposed to mainstream brands who need to appeal to a wide audience. Many independent watchmakers also create movements and models for larger brands.
What is yours most amazing live auction experience?
There were three: the sale of the Patek Philippe ref 1516 in steel (2016) which was the very first vintage wristwatch to be sold above CHF 10 million, the sale of Paul Newman’s Rolex Paul Newman (2017) that sold for $17.5 million and more recently the sale of the Patek Philippe watch of Puyi, the last emperor of China, an incredibly historical timepiece. Each time a battle raged amongst the world’s greatest collectors to obtain these grail watches.
Do you consider vintage watches as a good investment? What are your thoughts on the Grey Market?
I do not consider watches as investments but only passion. The fact that prices have gone up for certain models is a bonus but if people watch to invest, they should buy shares or funds not watches. The Grey Market has always existed to allow the flow of supply.
What are the most popular watch brands among collectors today?
Today collectors and taste are much more diverse that 10 years ago. Even though Patek Philippe and Rolex remain the most popular we have seen the arrival of modern brands such as Richard Mille, Journe, Voutilainen or Roger Smith.
Are you personally a collector? How do you define a Collector? Please share some of your tips on
building a collection.
I do not consider myself as a collector, but I have the privilege of spending my time with some of the world’s rarest and relevant watches. A collector is someone who has focus and does research and knows what he/she is buying, it has nothing to do with the number of watches owned.
My advice would be - buy what you love and buy the best possible quality you can afford.
Alex Shishlo for Rough&Polished
