Dr Gunnar Binder (CEO CHRIST) x INISIGHT: Lab-Diamonds vs Natural Diamonds ... Quartz vs Mechanics
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. He spoke to INSIGHT INHORGENTA about the company's goals and strategies.
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."
INSIGHT INHORGENTA: Laboratory diamonds versus natural diamonds - the industry is currently engaged in an intense and emotional debate. How is Christ positioning itself?
Dr Gunnar Binder: For us at CHRIST, one thing is certain: both variants have their place. We offer our customers the choice between natural diamonds and laboratory diamonds - depending on their individual preferences and convictions.
Our Live Diamond collection under the Morellato Group offers a more environmentally friendly alternative. These diamonds are chemically and optically identical to natural diamonds, but are grown in a laboratory and have a more transparent value chain.
Acceptance of laboratory diamonds is growing - especially among price-conscious and environmentally orientated customers. We see a clear trend in this direction, but at the same time we are maintaining our high-quality range of natural diamonds.
INSIGHT INHORGENTA: Quartz or mechanical - which type of watch is more relevant for your retail business?
GB: Both types of watch play an important role in the CHRIST range, but their importance varies depending on the brand and customer group.
Premium brands such as Longines, TAG Heuer and Breitling in particular are dominated by mechanical watches. At Longines, for example, the proportion of mechanical and hand-wound watches is currently around 69 per cent, while quartz models account for 31 per cent. Mechanical watches symbolise traditional watchmaking craftsmanship and are particularly popular with collectors and watch enthusiasts.
Quartz watches, on the other hand, are an attractive choice for many customers due to their precise accuracy and comparatively low maintenance requirements. They are also often more affordable than mechanical models, which makes them interesting for a wider range of buyers.
Either way, the customer's orientation is decisive: Ultimately, it comes down to individual preferences - CHRIST offers a wide selection of both technologies and advises customers according to their requirements and wishes.
