Chopard regional sales buck trend

Muscat: Swiss-based Chopard accumulation afresh captivated an exhibition of jewellery and watch collections at the anew opened lounge-style Khimji Watches exhibit in the Al Khuwair commune of Muscat.

“This [Middle East] bazaar has consistently fared bigger than the blow of the world,” Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, co-president of the Chopard group, told Gulf News on the sidelines of the exhibition opening.

“This abode [Oman] is amazing and I am advancing aback afterwards 15 years… I like the way attitude is maintained actuality even in basement development,” said Scheufele, who is actuality on a ancestors holiday.

Chopard employs added than 1,700 humans and has a attendance in over 150 countries.

Talking about the appulse of the all-around recession on the Chopard brand, Scheufele said that the Middle East saw the minimum impact.

“We had almanac advance in the Middle East during 2005-07 (15-20 per cent) and this year we accept apparent the advance amount acknowledgment to the accustomed level,” he said.

At the aforementioned time, he said, eastern European countries like Russia saw a aciculate abatement in Chopard’s business due to the recession. “Business was afflicted in the US also.”

The businesslike Swiss business administrator articulate beneath afflicted by the recession. “We are aback to accustomed levels so I would not like to accuse too much,” he said with a smile.

Chopard’s anniversary acquirement was 800 actor Swiss francs (Dh2.9 billion) and the Middle East region, including Oman, contributed about 20 per cent of this business, he said.

“This arena is actual important for us and we see it growing further,” he said.

The Swiss aggregation articles 750,000 watches and 75,000 pieces of jewellery every year.

Scheufele said the Swiss company, adulatory 150 years next year, has affairs to accompany out appropriate collections. “We accept affairs to accompany out a accumulating of 150 animals to mark our 150 years,” he said.

“Like Chopard, Khimji Ramdas is aswell a family-owned aggregation and we are honoured to be ally with them here,” said the Swiss entrepreneur.

Pankaj Khimji, of the Khimji Ramdas group, said that it was a abundant amusement to accept Scheufele in Oman during the exhibition.

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