[Interview] Raymond Weil CEO Ellie Bernheim

Currently, most successful Swiss watchmakers are either under the umbrella of large capital, or, even if they are independent, they are large companies in their own right, like Rolex. In other words, there is an increasing number of manufactures that can produce their own movements and groups that can carry out watchmaking in a vertically integrated manner. In this modern age where watchmakers are becoming more consolidated, Raymond Weil is incorporating into its business model the traditional Swiss watch industry practice of horizontal division of labor. What's more, the company is also a family-run business, which is rare in the Swiss watch industry today. We spoke directly with CEO Elie Bernheim about the advantages of this.

Our relationship with our suppliers is of utmost importance

Ellie Bernheim
Born in 1982, he is the grandson of the brand's founder, Raymond Weil. After graduating from the Lausanne Hotel School and gaining work experience at other companies, he joined Raymond Weil in 2006. After working in watchmaking, marketing, and business management, he took over as CEO from his father, Olivier Bernheim, in 14. Descended from a musical family, the Weil family, he also enjoys playing the piano and cello as a hobby.

"The advantage of being a family-run business is speed. We can make decisions about management and products quickly and put them into action right away."

　Bernheim, who took over the brand from his father as the third generation, says he lived his life knowing from a young age that he would one day take over the brand. One of the benefits of a family-run business is that the person who will ultimately take on the role of running the brand can work backwards from that premise and gain the necessary experience from outside.

　Although it is a relatively young brand, Raymond Weil was founded in 1976 and will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary. During that time, the brand must have faced many major challenges, such as the quartz crisis, the ETA 2000 crisis, the 2020 financial crisis, and the Lehman Shock. How has the brand managed to overcome these challenges while maintaining its independence?

"Relationships with suppliers are important in overcoming these problems. There are always good times and bad times for both parties, so we have openly discussed all of that and gained their trust. We still have meetings with Sellita several times a month. Perhaps because of this, I hear that some brands have seen a decrease in the supply of movements due to the pandemic and have been forced to reduce production, but Raymond Weil has been able to import the same number of movements as before. Also, although all of our mechanical movements are now made by Sellita, that does not mean we have severed our ties with ETA. We continue to have a good relationship with them, and all of our quartz movements are made by ETA."

　Bernheim has overcome the COVID-19 pandemic through connections with suppliers, demonstrating his solid management skills. We asked this "born manager" if there are any manufacturers whose branding has had an impact on him.

"Patek Philippe. After all, it's the same Geneva, same family-run watch manufacturer. I've always been interested in it."