The Belgian pavilion is proud to call Ice-Watch a Platinum sponsor. They embody the class and quality we wish to present to the people visiting our pavilion and our Gift Shop, where you can buy an array of beautiful Ice-Watch options. But do you know the story behind the brand?
Time has never quite been the same since the arrival of Ice-Watch on the watch market in 2007. A watch whose colourful fashion-focussed and accessible concept would lead to an international, intergenerational and intercultural brand that’s ticking along nicely. Since then it has been constantly ticking away, changing and inventing new collections, with complete transparency. This value is conveyed by its name: ICE.
This is the story of Jean-Pierre Lutgen, the founder and CEO of Ice-Watch.
He graduated in Public and International Affairs from the Catholic University of Louvain.
Jean-Pierre is an entrepreneur with a vision, firmly rooted in his time. He began marketing a watch, as a real fashion accessory, stylish and affordable, available in a range of ten colours and presented in the packaging in the form of a matching moneybox, allowing greater visibility in the points of sale.
Jean-Pierre Lutgen added a fine-tuned and bold marketing strategy to complete the product.
The first Ice-Watch model was soon followed by others, ever more fun-filled and innovative. The results of the path Jean-Pierre Lutgen has followed are impressive: in the space of 11 years, the Ice-Watch brand has become a market reference, perfectly in tune with consumer trends. A small affordable luxury that you can enjoy on a daily basis. At the end of 2018, the brand celebrated the production of its twenty millionth watch.
As flexibility and responsiveness are encouraged at each level, it’s easier to understand how a simple idea could be transformed into a trendy accessory worn all around the world. Multiple styles: minimalist, sporty, urban, colourful, glamorous, romantic. Multiple materials: Ice-Ramic, silicone, metal, leather. Multiple audiences: men, women, kids and juniors. Multiple desires: 8 to 10 new collections per year, fitted with a screwed back, making them waterproof to 10 ATM. Collector’s models and more targeted models have been released thanks to partnerships and prestigious co-branding arrangements (BMW Motorsport, Pantone Universe, Vendée Globe Race). The wide range of Ice-Watch timepieces can adapt to the lifestyle and activities of those who wear them. It’s more than a marketing strategy, it’s the commitment of a brand that makes them a legitimate leader in its sector.
A professional course was recognized in 2017 with the title of manager of the year awarded by the magazine Trends-Tendances for the French-speaking part of the country. A great pride for an entrepreneur who has gone from being an entrepreneur to being a manager in just 10 years and showing that despite many disadvantages, one can still succeed in a saturated market.
Ice-Watch will celebrate its 15 years in 2022. The company employs about 70 people across various locations: Bastogne the Company’s HQ, Paris and Hong Kong. Motto: "success is total when it is shared"
