Is Christopher Ward getting too expensive, or is the watch community just not paying attention to what's actually inside the case?

In this special in-person episode recorded at the first-ever Jump Hour event in Columbus, Rod Dye and Rio the Watcher sit down with Michael Pearson, Senior Vice President of the Americas for Christopher Ward, to break down the brand's explosive growth, its value proposition, and the criticism that comes with scaling fast.

André shares his journey from growing up 20 minutes from the Rolex factory to running insurance and marketing companies to landing the Maurice Lacroix role almost by accident. The conversation covers the Icon versus Royal Oak comparison, the Swatch x AP fallout and what it means for the broader industry, the upcoming 250th anniversary US limited edition, and why the future of watch sales might live in local communities rather than traditional retail.

Things You’ll Learn

1. How Maurice Lacroix grew US e-commerce 30% year over year without paid ambassadors or billboard campaigns.
2. Why the Swatch x AP collaboration is ultimately a net positive for the entire Swiss watch industry, including smaller brands.
3. How local watch societies and collector communities are influencing where luxury brands open their next boutiques.

Tools / Frameworks Matt Shares

• The Biver Approach: Treat every person who approaches you like they deserve your time, regardless of whether a sale is coming.
• Community-First Distribution: Using watch societies and collector clubs as organic sales channels when traditional retail presence is limited.
• Three Stages of Collecting: Collectors typically move from big brands to niche exploration to curation.
• Approachability as Brand Strategy: From the CEO answering every email to the ambassador showing up at local clubs with 40 watches, accessibility becomes the differentiator.

Key Timestamps

(0:00) – Intro and wrist check

(5:35) – Andre's background: growing up near the Rolex factory in Switzerland

(7:43) – From insurance and marketing to becoming the Maurice Lacroix Americas ambassador

(13:36) – The challenge of building brand awareness in the US market

(14:30) – The icon, the iconic, and the Royal Oak comparison

(20:45) – Swatch x AP release: what went right, what went wrong, and who benefits

(30:37) – The upcoming 250th anniversary US limited edition watch

(33:43) – Andre as a connector: watch societies, community building, and organic growth

(40:32) – Rio's experience wearing the Iconic Skeleton and growing the brand organically

(48:40) – André the collector: the Hublot tattoo

(54:05) – Overrated watches, overpriced steel, and threats to the Swiss industry

(59:38) – Advice for collectors: appreciate every price point and remember it's just a hobby

#mauricelacroix #swisswatches #watchculture #watchcollecting #watchcommunity #swatchap #luxurywatches #royaloak #affordableluxury #watchcollecting #hublot #organicgrowth #watchmarketing #watchsocieties