UK. Scorpio Distributors has scored two major coups in the travel retail watch market with the announcement of an alliance with The Dreyfuss Group for Rotary watches and, in a separate deal, an exclusive inflight distribution agreement for Karen Millen timepieces.
Award-winning watch manufacturer The Dreyfuss Group said the deal with Scorpio would offer both parties “exceptional opportunities to develop their presence within the travel retail industry on a global scale”.
The Dreyfuss Group was founded in 1895 and remains a family-run business with a brand portfolio that crosses three major price points. From the entry-level Rotary Classics watch brand to the J&T Windmills collection of precious metal timepieces, each brand aims to satisfy consumer demand for individual yet affordably priced watches.
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Classic: Scorpio will initially offer the Rotary Classics range of affordable dress watches aimed at consumers of all ages | |
The new Scorpio venture represents a further strengthening of the group’s worldwide distribution potential with new points of sale opportunities opening within the inflight and duty free divisions of many international airlines and travel retail sites, The Dreyfuss Group said.
Scorpio Distributors said the Rotary brand would represent a strong new addition to its product catalogue. Customers would be offered “a selection of high quality watches from a company that has an unrivalled reputation as a supplier of exceptional quality dress watches that appeal to consumers of all ages and tastes”.
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The face of Karen Millen’s Padlock Watch features sparkling stones set at the 12, 3, 6, and 9 hours |
In the early stages of the agreement, Scorpio will initially offer its customers the Rotary Classics collection of women’s strap and bracelet watches. This collection features models in stainless steel, bi-colour stainless steel and PVD gold and simple PVD gold for both men and women.
With prices starting from £55, each piece features Rotary’s patented Dolphin Waterproof Standard which guarantees that the watches remain impervious to water when used for water-based activities. Rotary Classics is designed to appeal to consumers looking to purchase a high quality timepiece for under £100.
Inflight deal for Karen Millen watches
In separate news, Scorpio has signed an exclusive inflight distribution agreement for Karen Millen timepieces.
Karen Millen is one of the UK’s most successful fashion houses with more than 50 shops in the UK, Paris, Monaco, the Middle East and Singapore. The Karen Millen watch collection, comprising eight models, is available inflight exclusively from Scorpio. A listing has already been agreed on British Airways for the Padlock Watch.
Retailing onboard at around £69, the watch face is in the form of a silver padlock, attached to the one-size leather strap via a steel plate. The face features the Karen Millen name and sparkling stones set at the 12, 3, 6, and 9 hours.
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Popular: The Kerala Trance Binery Watch will be carried onboard British Airways from September |
“We’re very pleased to be taking on this collection from a phenomenally successful designer, and believe the Padlock Watch will be particularly popular,” said Scorpio Distributors Group Sales Director Richard Kennedy.
Kennedy added that listings continued to grow for the popular Kerala Trance Binery Watch, which will be carried onboard British Airways from September 2008, retailing at £99.
This fashion watch uses LED lights that tell the time by binary function; the wearer has to add up the lit numbers on both lines to calculate the time. It has a bold look in black with a black leather strap.
For details, contact Richard Kennedy, Scorpio Distributors Ltd, tel: +44 1293 411733, fax: +44 1293 414544 or e-mail: info@scorpdis.com
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