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SINGAPORE: Swiss luxury watchmaker Omega is planning to grow its presence in Asia. It has just opened a 1,000 square foot flagship store in Singapore at the ION Orchard shopping mall and said on Tuesday there are plans to open two more in the upcoming integrated resorts.
In an exclusive interview with Channel NewsAsia, Omega said it is time to focus on Asia, and its immediate growth plans are strongly centred in the region.
To emphasise this, the brand has unveiled Chinese celebrity Zhang Ziyi as its latest ambassador.
Stephen Urquhart, president of Omega, said: "Traditionally, we've always had Western, European, American ambassadors - mainly American, because that's where the force was... but the world is changing.
"We didn't think Zhang Ziyi (is) for China or Asia. Even in Europe, she's a commanding force there. Chinese cinema is getting more popular in Europe. To have a spokesperson like Zhang Ziyi is a strong and fresh image for the brand."
Sales from Asia make up almost half of Omega's global business today. With the region poised to lead the global recovery, the company believes there will be massive room for growth in the future.
To tap on that, Omega is not only opening stores, but also selling a new range of products.
"Omega is a worldwide brand. We have a lot of aficionados – 30,000 people a day come to our site. Many people love the brand, so to protect our brand name and trademark, it good to venture into one or two other products.
"Jewellery is more than that. We feel we have great shops, strong female customer base (that) love watches. A collection of jewels linked to the brand in the right price bracket is a very attractive proposition. We've introduced also leather goods and soon, fragrance for men," said Mr Urquhart.
Omega's newly opened boutique in Singapore will carry all of its product lines, including jewellery, leather goods and perfumes.
"In Singapore, we have plans coming up in the casino complex when it opens. Very important. I think it's a big breakthrough in Singapore to bring new customers here. We will also have another shop here with a partner and we're open to any other options," said Mr Urquhart.
"Singapore is always a very important market for luxury timepieces, especially the very high-end ones. Omega has a very strong market here. In this difficult situation, Singapore has maintained a certain level, which is encouraging."
Omega also has stores in countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, and it said there are plans to open new outlets in the region, with China seen as a key market.
- CNA/so
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