Dr Gunnar Binder (CEO CHRIST) x INSIGHT: "CHRIST always focuses on the needs of its customers - both in-store and online."
Dr Gunnar Binder has been CEO of the Christ Group, which has been part of the Italian Morellato Group since February 2023, for just over a year. This also applies to NXT LVL Brands GmbH. Founded in autumn 2022, the sister company of the jewellery chain is active in the wholesale of watches and jewellery and is an INHORGENTA exhibitor.
Dr Gunnar Binder (CEO CHRIST) x INISIGHT: INHORGENTA as a central platform
Dr Gunnar Binder (CEO CHRIST) x INSIGHT: Christ becomes more premium and continues to expand
Dr Gunnar Binder (CEO CHRIST) x INSIGHT: "Overall, we are pursuing a trading-up strategy."
Dr Gunnar Binder (CEO CHRIST) x INSIGHT: "Sustainability is more than just a trend for us."
Dr Gunnar Binder (CEO CHRIST) x INISIGHT: Lab-Diamonds vs Natural Diamonds ... Quartz vs Mechanics
INSIGHT: Precious metal or non-precious metal - which jewellery category is currently ahead at CHRIST?
Dr Gunnar Binder: CHRIST is - and remains - a high-quality jeweller; our customers trust us and our expertise. Our core competences in precious metals: CHRIST is strong in diamonds, gold and silver. With these precious metals, we offer our customers a diverse range in every price category.
INSIGHT: How does CHRIST, or Morellato as a producer, react to the high price of gold? Is there a way of absorbing price increases in the end product, i.e. not passing them on in full to the customer?
GB: That will be very difficult. However, we always try to keep our increases within an affordable range. It will be an exciting topic to see how the gold price will develop in 2025 due to political realities. At the same time, we are optimising our production efficiency.
INSIGHT: Ladies' and men's watches: What is the distribution here? Or is Christ now neglecting this categorisation?
GB: CHRIST always focuses on the needs of its customers - both in-store and online. The classic division into men's and women's watches still exists, but the demand for unisex models is growing significantly.
Traditionally, the proportion of sales of men's watches at Christ is significantly higher than in the women's segment. However, with Karl Lagerfeld watches (and jewellery), we offer great new designs for women, just like Daniel Wellington.
One thing is certain, however: unisex is a trend model, and models with diameters of 38 mm to 40 mm are particularly popular, as they are worn by both men and women.
INSIGHT: Is the pre-owned watches division actually an issue for Christ?
GB: The market for pre-owned watches is growing strongly, particularly in the luxury segment. However, CHRIST is currently focussing on new watch models and the expansion of our high-quality range.
