2010/1 - Hirsch AG

www.hirschag.com
NEWSLETTER
1/2010

Editorial
by Robert Hirsch
Dear partners and business associates,
“Watch and hand safely connected – with a HIRSCH watch bracelet –
carefully selected”
This was my grandfather`s guiding principle when he founded the company
65 years ago. At that time the fi xing of the watch on the wrist took centre
stage in quality considerations. Back then it was a matter of fact that someone
had only one watch for his entire life. Therefore it was important to fasten
this mysterious instrument which is able to measure the time, safely onto
the body. Out of these modest beginnings a company has evolved over the
decades which dedicates all its thoughts and endeavours to quality and the
functionality of the bracelet for watches. Grounded on the credo that there
is nothing that cannot be made better, we have promoted many fundamental
innovations in the fi eld of watch-bracelet creation. The “Rembordé
technology” – the seamless bonding of lining leather and upper leather –
enabling the creation of a premium quality, valuable product is certainly a
vital contribution. In the 65 years of our company`s existence HIRSCH has
always strived to overcome any possible contradictions arising in connection
with bracelets for watches.
One of these contradictions was and still is that leather is not water-resistant.
HIRSCH already strongly disagreed with this assumption in the 70’s. Through
intensive research and development work HIRSCH succeeded in the development
of the fi rst water-resistant leather bracelet. This development has
become an essential part of the HIRSCH collection and even reaches into
the fi eld of alligator materials.
Another contradiction which HIRSCH has successfully overcome is that skinsensitive
and allergic persons cannot wear leather. In order to enable the
wearing of a leather bracelet as a gorgeous accessory HIRSCH has developed
genuine No-Allergy bracelets.
Long before the watch industry recognized the signifi cance of the material
known as Caoutchouc, HIRSCH started working with it. 30 years of
experience with Caoutchouc has enabled HIRSCH to develop an especially
durable, skinfriendly and hard wearing caoutchouc-mixture which is perfectly
suited to the needs of the watch-wearer. All these innovations would never
have gained importance for consumers and our partners if HIRSCH had not
developed proper marketing and sales instruments at the same time. In the
fi eld of sales support for bracelets for watches we are today as innovative
as with our HIRSCH core-product. We actively carry out trend-research and
constantly strive to draw attention to our product. Certainly the most important
development in recent years was our new display-system “Sette”; the
fi rst interactive display-system which allows the consumer to interact and
independently preselect the proper bracelet for his watch. Furthermore, as
well as being customer-friendly, the “Sette” display system acts convincingly
as an important profi t-maker, with an increase in turnover of far more than
20% being achieved in comparison to other systems
Our saying that „there is nothing, that cannot be done even better“ is a
fundamental conviction and part of our HIRSCH bracelet culture. We cultivate
this idea and will therefore continue to challenge and overcome contradictions
regarding bracelets for watches.
After 65 years of successful bracelet history my grandfather`s guiding principle:
“Watch and hand safely connected – with a HIRSCH watch bracelet
– carefully selected” is still up to date and with all further developments in
mind we can now proudly say “watch and hand intelligently connected –
with a HIRSCH bracelet – carefully selected”.
Take much pleasure from this HIRSCH newsletter,
Yours, Robert Hirsch
E-Mail: offi ce-ceo@hirschag.com
Candy Colour Chic
This spring is going to be irresistibly sweet!
Candy Colour Chic – is the name of one of the most likeable trends for the
coming spring and summer which even weight-conscious fashionistas can
seize on!
Who can resist this „sweet“ seduction?
The colours curacao, berry, peach and vanilla represent the trend-colours for
the fi rst half of 2010. These candy colours complement last year`s loud neoncolours.
The HIRSCH bracelet collection 2010 becomes once again a trendsetter
with these colour highlights. Fashion-watches in particular will gleam
in an irresistably fashion-conscious light with HIRSCH Candy Colour Chic.

HIRSCH 100 m Water-Resistant
Does leather tolerate water?
HIRSCH bracelets are generally water-resistant and dry more quickly than
conventional bracelets, without any loss of physical and aesthetic quality,
suppleness and appearance.
HIRSCH bracelets are far from being afraid of water!
A leather watch bracelet that can be safely be washed with soap and
still remains supple and beautiful, that can be worn by divers at depths
of 100m in the sea and will still be dry in a matter of minutes – all this
is possible with a product of the HIRSCH 100 m Water-Resistant range!
Models of the HIRSCH 100 m Water-Resistant series are the first brace-
Water-resistant
alligator bracelets
A milestone in the history of
bracelet development!
HIRSCH exclusively offers the world`s first alligator bracelet that is as
water-resistant as the watch itself! The alligator-leather shows a special naturalness
and liveliness, does hardly absorb any humidity and dries within
a few minutes.
Extreme
lets on the market that are as water-resistant as the watches themselves,
because upper and lining leather are connected down to the fibre by
means of the HIRSCH “Rembordé” technology without any joints. The
padding material that gives the bracelet its three-dimensional form is also
water-resistant.
100 m Water-Resistant bracelets made by HIRSCH will of course get wet,
just like any other leather. They absorb less water, however, and dry considerably
faster than traditionally tanned leather. What is most important
is that HIRSCH product will retain their quality, shape, suppleness, colour
and hence their aesthetic appeal.
Viscount Alligator Grand Duke Runner
HIRSCH Premium Caoutchouc
Caoutchouc bracelets enjoy great popularity within the entire watchindustry
and especially in the Haute Gamme sector. No surprise: this
amazingly versatile material is widely used because of its ideal flexibility
as well as its extreme durability and water-resistance. HIRSCH has a
recorded history of dealing with leather since 1765. However, since the late
60’s, ‘rubber’ has also increased in importance for HIRSCH. In that field we
must mention the development of the HIRSCH Skinline technology which
resulted from the development of a HIRSCH-particular thermoplastic compound.
This plastic material was given the name „Marcchon“ – a HIRSCH
specific caoutchouc-mixture which is abrasion-resistant and could be produced
in a wide variety of colours. In the 1980’s HIRSCH took up production
of the HIRSCH Skinline bracelets and was very successful with them.
More than 80 million pieces of these successful products were produced
in Klagenfurt.
The material caoutchouc has been a fundamental part of the HIRSCH offering
since then. HIRSCH was therefore its first supplier to the luxury watchindustry.
The constant development of our own caoutchouc-mixture today enables
HIRSCH to present highly complex products made from caoutchouc – even
in combination with other materials.
HIRSCH Premium Caoutchouc possesses specific technical characteristics,
which guarantee a significantly longer lifetime and higher wearing-comfort
in comparison to conventional synthetic bracelets.
HIRSCH
Kautschu

Customer visits
in Klagenfurt,
2009
In the course of our 11 guided
tours in our manufactory we
welcomed visitors from Austria,
Germany and the UK in the period
from March to November 2009.
More than 200 jewellers and watch
retailers from over 90 companies
used the opportunity to get a picture
of bracelet manufacturing
from start to finish.
Jewellers from Germany on October 6th
Jewellers from Great Britain on September 23rd
Successful HIRSCH Customers
Name: Spitz Juwelen
Located in: Vienna/Austria
HIRSCH representative:
Dieter Götz
HIRSCH partner since: 1983
A HIRSCH partnership means
extraordinary service, highest
quality and perfect support.
WHY HIRSCH?
“For 27 years there are no problems. HIRSCH offers trendy ideas
(e.g. 100 m Water-Resistant) and the cost/performance ratio is
alright. Besides HIRSCH provides manufacturing tours which is a
fantastic idea!
The look behind the scenes was highly interesting. This year I look
forward to participating again.”
Jewellers from Austria on October 14th
Visit us at
Baselworld 2010
18th – 25th March 2010
Hall of Innovations (3.2)
H10
HIRSCH Armbänder GmbH
Hirschstraße 5
9020 Klagenfurt
Tel.: +43 / (0) 463 / 3839 - 0
Fax: +43 / (0) 463 / 3839 - 211
www.hirschag.com