Back from a business trip in Hong Kong, Cécile Maye, CEO of Marvin Watches had the opportunity to sit down with two distributors of the Brand and chat about the old times and their personal views on how people have changed their tastes over the years from wanting a watch to tell the time accurately and to function well to nowadays, wearing a watch to make a fashion statement or show a status. More than that, these two fellows watch lovers have seen the evolution of Marvin Watches since their teen years. More on that below:

Interview with Paul Li of King’s Watch Company Limited & Kenneth Chow of Geneve Company Limited

Being part of a family business, Paul Li (left) has been the shop manager in King’s Watch Company Limited in Central for over 40 years. He has seen Marvin first came to the market in the 1960s when he was only a teenager. He still remembers what the watches looked like then.

Kenneth Chow (right) has been a shop manager in the company for over thirty years. Working in a company with a shop in the busiest touristy area in Tsim Sha Tsui, he has certainly seen how the industry has evolved from serving mostly European tourists in the past to almost 90 per cent of mainland tourists who frequently travel to Hong Kong and love to spend on watches.

What did you remember Marvin when it was first in the market during the older days when you were at the shop?

I was only a teenager then and I liked hanging around the shop after school. I remember at that time, the brand Marvin costed around HK$2,000 which was considered quite an expensive brand. I still remember there was an extra thin design which was popular with customers at that time. There were not many thin watches then so it was a very special. I was attracted to it myself as I found the design was very beautiful.

What was the perception of the brand at that time?

There were not as many designs of the brand at that time. There were only about ten of them. Now there are over 30 designs displayed in our shop.
About four years ago, Marvin came back with a stronger offer. Many customers of this generation now look at it as a completely new brand.

What is your personal view of the Marvin brand nowadays?

The brand looks quite masculine and not too traditional like the well-known brands. It is targeting more towards younger people with a fresher design and more modern look. … Also the price range is quite large from HK$ 4,000 to HK$ 12,000… There are many designs available today and it is hard to stand out from the rest. Perhaps the brand can specialize more in promoting the special designs of the brand.

Do you have a personal story to tell about the brand?

We have an old customer coming in to repair his Marvin watch. When I saw the watch, I realized it was one of the extra thin design that I saw when I was younger. But his watch is so old and I think the parts of the watch may not be produced anymore. Meeting the customer and seeing his watch kind of made me feel very nostalgic about the old days.

What is your favorite Marvin story?

I like the story named “Rebirth of an Unsung Hero” about its history and how the brand has been founded by the Didesheim brothers in 1850 and restored by a Swiss seasoned watch professional couples Cecile and husband Jean-Daniel Maye.The story has featured different kinds of models from mechanical to quartz models and it’s quite an interesting read.