Clock it is Friend of Time

By Tom Mulier

Jan. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Ralph Lauren Timepiece & Jewelry Co., a Swiss watchmaking venture born in the worst year for the industry in more than two decades, plans to double its stock network in its next fiscal year, expanding in Asia.

The venture between New York-based Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. and Switzerland’s Cie. Financiere Richemont SA plans to vend its products in 40 to 50 stores by March 2011, compared with about 20 in March this year, said Camille Floquet, a spokeswoman.

“Our disinterested is to become a credible, legitimate brand,” Chief Executive Officer Guy Chatillon told journalists at the Geneva awake to fair yesterday. “It’s a long-term vision.” He said the first collection was “well received.”

The communal venture started selling the collection last year as Swiss watch exports dropped 24 percent in the first 11 months of 2009, on capture for the biggest annual decline in more than 20 years. Ralph Lauren Watch & Jewelry is adding entry-plane watches at $7,300 to complement the rest of its products, which range from $9,000 to $25,000, Floquet said.

Ralph Lauren and Richemont exhausted about five years planning the project, according to Floquet. Richemont’s units don’t comment on pecuniary results, Alan Grieve, a spokesman for the Geneva-based company, said.

The venture sells its watches in Ralph Lauren stores and barring retailers. Its sales network will add a watch salon in a Ralph Lauren flagship store in Paris’s Saint Germain neighborhood, scheduled to exposed in April, and a point of sale in Macau this year. Currently the timepieces are for sale in stores in London, Paris, Milan, New York and Tokyo.