Luxurynsight.
Victor de Boissieu.
I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Luxury Brand Management at the Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University School of Management through a work-study programme, which I genuinely enjoy.
I am completing my apprenticeship at Luxurynsight, a business intelligence and data analytics company dedicated to the luxury industry, founded in 2011 by Jonathan Siboni. I truly enjoy what I do, and I am also passionate about watchmaking.
Alongside my studies and professional experience, I am the student representative for my Master’s programme and Events Manager of Sorbonne Entrepreneur, an association dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship in all its forms within Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University.
I also serve as President of the Under-35 Community of the We Are Club, founded in Paris in the early 2020s by Éric Newton and now regarded as a leading network within the creative industries, particularly luxury.
In addition, I am a member of the Under-26 Academy of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.
Luxury came naturally to me. I didn’t grow up in that world, nor was I ever really a luxury consumer. What fascinated me most was understanding consumer behaviour — why people are drawn to this sector.
That curiosity applied to luxury as a whole, but even more so to watchmaking. My journey into watchmaking happened gradually. It began with a passion passed down by my mother.
Although I believe I received an excellent legal education, I wasn’t particularly attracted by the career opportunities it offered. At the same time, during internships at Artcurial and Piasa, both within their watch departments, I was introduced to the luxury industry. That’s when I realised I wanted to build my career around it.
Today, luxury is a multidimensional industry. We often talk about experiential and event-driven luxury, and I believe watchmaking is perhaps the segment that pushes these dimensions the furthest. Beyond enthusiasts like us — who can sometimes be a little obsessive — around 40% of people buy a watch to celebrate a significant milestone: a birthday, a wedding, or as a meaningful gift.
For me, purchasing a watch is only one part of a much broader journey. This is true in the primary market, and even more so in the secondary market. I simply enjoy the process of searching. I also collect vintage vinyl records and love exploring Parisian record shops. The real pleasure lies less in owning the object than in the hunt itself — finding that one specific piece. That quest is what fascinates me. It takes time, and taking that time is an essential part of the experience.
I had the privilege of joining the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève Academy in 2023.
The Grand Prix itself was established in 2001, with the first awards presented more than twenty years ago. Today, it is a well-established institution. The Academy brings together between 700 and 1,000 members worldwide. To me, it is the equivalent of the Oscars for watchmaking.
The Academy is a community of professionals and enthusiasts — very often both at once. Every year, our role is significant, not so much from an economic standpoint as from a communication and image perspective, as we award between twenty and thirty prizes. This year, new categories have been introduced, particularly recognising sustainability and innovation in watchmaking, ranging from simple complications to the industry’s most sophisticated creations.
Being part of the Academy allows me to stay closely connected to the industry’s major developments and emerging trends.
One of its greatest strengths is demonstrating to young professionals entering the industry that passion, expertise and commitment will always create opportunities.
For a long time, I perceived watchmaking as a rather traditional and closed industry. What I find exciting today is the fresh momentum it is experiencing. It’s encouraging to see new generations taking leadership roles — for example at La Fabrique du Temps with Jean Arnault, or Laurent Pervès at Vacheron Constantin.
Professionals under the age of thirty are now holding positions of real responsibility within prestigious watch maisons. This evolution makes perfect sense because the customer base is also changing. Historically, watchmaking catered primarily to older, affluent collectors. Today, despite economic uncertainty, an increasing number of younger collectors are developing a passion for fine watches — and they often have the means to pursue it.
Founded by Jonathan Siboni in 2011, Luxurynsight helps companies across the luxury industry make better-informed strategic decisions through business intelligence and data analysis.
The company operates across four key verticals: Fashion & Leather Goods, Beauty & Cosmetics, Watches & Jewellery, and Sportswear & Lifestyle.
Our core business consists of collecting and analysing data within its broader market context. The objective is to provide clients with the most factual and objective view possible by putting information into perspective. It is both a competitive intelligence tool — allowing brands to stay one step ahead — and a powerful source of market knowledge.
We work exclusively on a B2B basis with luxury brands and industry players.
Within the Research department, I serve as the in-house Watch Specialist. Whenever questions arise regarding the watch industry — whether from the Sales or Marketing teams — I am the go-to expert. As the company continues to grow, specialised expertise has become increasingly important, both in terms of development and cross-functional collaboration.
One of my main responsibilities is producing a weekly newsletter of around ten pages that provides a comprehensive overview of the global watch industry. We also publish in-depth reports. Two have already been released: one analysing the watch industry in 2025 and another focusing on the retail landscape. We are currently exploring additional research topics.
What I find particularly fascinating is bringing together data and technology — two defining themes of our time — with an industry that is several centuries old. When I look at maisons such as Breguet and Vacheron Constantin, celebrating their 250th and 270th anniversaries respectively, and combine that heritage with modern technology to transform data into strategic insights for luxury companies, it feels like connecting two very different worlds to create a clearer understanding of the industry.
There are relatively few competitors operating in this niche. In the long term, I hope to continue developing my career as a watch industry specialist.
If I may answer like a Swiss, I wouldn’t oppose the two — I believe they complement one another.
In my view, young collectors generally enter the market through vintage watches, primarily for financial reasons. The vintage market offers either the same watch at a more affordable price or models that are no longer available at retail. There is also something deeply appealing about vintage: the opportunity to experience a period one never lived through. Many young collectors are drawn to that idea.
As we grow older, we often aspire to own a brand-new watch and create our own story with it. We naturally turn towards the primary market. At thirty, thirty-five or forty, perhaps when getting married or celebrating an important milestone, many people decide to treat themselves to a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso and have it engraved, because they want a watch that tells their own story rather than someone else’s.
Later in life — past forty, forty-five or fifty — many collectors return to the pre-owned market, including vintage. They seek models that have become unattainable or simply appreciate the character of watches that have already lived a life. They finally acquire pieces they could not afford when they were younger or that have since disappeared from manufacturers’ collections. In a way, it feels like a personal victory over time.
The two markets should not be seen as competing with one another. On the contrary, watch brands have every reason to embrace both.
I wear a Rolex reference 16753. It is a watch I am particularly attached to because it was given to me by my mother, who originally bought it herself and, more importantly, passed on her passion for fine watchmaking.
I have also been fortunate enough to receive several wonderful watches over the years, including a few pre-owned Breguet pieces. They are relatively accessible in the sense that they can be purchased for around a quarter of their original retail price, yet they remain true grail watches for many enthusiasts.
Paradoxically, since working professionally in the watch industry, I have found myself wanting fewer watches. Perhaps it is a kind of detox. I feel a little like a chef who knows exactly what goes into every dish and therefore avoids eating too much!
We are also living through a period of remarkable product proliferation, particularly in the primary market. At times I find it difficult to keep up. Watch brands have increasingly adopted a fashion-style product cycle, releasing new editions at an ever-faster pace.
As collectors, we do not necessarily want to see essentially the same watch reissued six months later with a slightly different dial or a marginally longer power reserve. Buying a new watch has almost become a risk because product cycles have accelerated so dramatically.
Many watch brands still struggle to strike the right balance between short-term commercial momentum and the long-term values that define fine watchmaking. Sometimes I feel as though brands are selling watches in much the same way Apple releases new iPhones: fundamentally the same product, enhanced through incremental improvements with each successive edition.
If I had to choose just one, it would be a Breguet Tourbillon. I believe Breguet remains an underrated brand, particularly on the pre-owned market. Considering its historical significance and what it represents, owning one would be the ultimate grail.
Although Breguet is a Swiss manufacturer, its connection with France is something that resonates deeply with me. Turn over a Breguet Tourbillon and you’ll find the words Quai de l’Horloge engraved on the caseback. As a Parisian, that’s hard to resist.
There is another watch that has always fascinated me — a true collector’s piece. I’m thinking of Vacheron Constantin’s collaboration with the Paris National Opera, featuring a dial inspired by Marc Chagall’s famous ceiling painting. It was produced in the early 2010s and, to me, represents the very essence of haute horlogerie.
Or perhaps a Jaeger-LeCoultre. The Maison has produced several artistic editions inspired by great painters, including Van Gogh. It’s difficult to imagine anything more refined.
Now that I think about it, I’ve actually named three watches — and, in the end, I suppose my tastes are rather straightforward!
Breguet.
Vacheron Constantin.
Jaeger-LeCoultre.
I may surprise you, but what I particularly enjoyed was Omega’s collaboration around the video game 007 First Light, launched alongside the latest chapter in the Bond universe.
I’m not much of a gamer, but I’ve watched several gameplay videos. In the game, the watch almost becomes a companion to the character. It does far more than tell the time — it accompanies Bond throughout his journey and even contributes to his survival.
What has always appealed to me about James Bond is the celebration of craftsmanship throughout the films — whether through the cars he drives, the clothes he wears or the objects he uses.
Bond himself is also a timeless character. That’s what fascinates me. A James Bond film from the 1960s still feels remarkably contemporary today. Omega has become part of that legacy, creating a genuine continuity between the brand and the character.
One of my favorite scenes is the train sequence in Casino Royale, when Vesper Lynd, played by Eva Green, asks Bond, portrayed by Daniel Craig, whether he’s wearing a Rolex, and he replies, “Omega.”
What I appreciate about this partnership is that, unlike many modern product placements, it feels justified within the story. Too often today, brands simply appear on screen without serving any narrative purpose.
In James Bond — and even in the video game — the watch always has a meaningful function. In a recent report I produced at Luxurynsight on marketing placements, one of the trends I found most interesting was the growing number of brand integrations that genuinely enhance the storytelling rather than interrupt it.
Watchmaking creates a fascinating bridge between the digital and physical worlds. If you’re a James Bond fan and you can afford to buy his watch, you’re not simply purchasing a timepiece — you feel as though you’re becoming part of the adventure, sharing a small piece of the character’s identity.
Few luxury objects offer that kind of emotional connection. Apart from a T-shirt, there are very few things you can literally wear that make you feel closer to your hero.
I’m still very young. If I think back just two or three years, I could never have imagined doing what I do today — and enjoying it so much.
My hope is that two or three years from now, life will continue to surprise me in ways I can’t yet foresee, always for the better.
Education and lifelong learning are values that matter deeply to me. Thanks to social media — when used wisely — young people today are constantly reminded that almost every door remains open to them. The most important thing is not to place unnecessary limits on yourself.
For anyone hoping to build a career in watchmaking, the key is to keep acquiring knowledge. That’s precisely the value of the work you do at Watchfid, and the work we do at Luxurynsight.
More importantly, it is essential to seek the right knowledge — meaning knowledge supported by critical thinking. Information has never been more accessible, but misinformation has never circulated so easily either. Being selective, questioning sources and maintaining a critical mindset have become indispensable qualities.
