This is not the first time we are meeting with OMEGA Vice President Raynald Eischlimann, who came to Dubai specially for the annual international golf championship Omega Desert Classic 2011. And each meeting opens up new topics for conversation, one way or another connected with sports and, of course, modern watchmaking.
Reynald, we are pleased to welcome you to Dubai again. How do you like this tournament?
Oh, golf is always on top! We have been participating in the Desert Classic Golf Championships in Dubai for the past ten years, and I see how they are constantly improving, attracting new and very talented players. But what pleases me the most is the gradual transformation of Dubai itself into one of the capitals of the world. You look around! After all, here is the real Babylon! People come to the Emirates from literally all over the world. The infrastructure created here allows you to do literally everything you want - sports, business, commerce. For this, upscale shopping centers, magnificent hotels have been built here, the most outstanding restaurants are working. Even the tallest building in the world is in Dubai. For us it is a great joy and pride to be involved in the modern history of this incomprehensible city.
Being the title sponsor of the world-famous golf tournament, which has been held in Dubai for more than a quarter of a century, do you think these competitions will be able to attract more buyers from Russia and the CIS countries to OMEGA boutiques?
OMEGA brand is an international brand. And we stand for people of the whole world to be closer to each other. You can meet Russian people everywhere, and wherever they go, whatever they do - shopping or visiting such tournaments, we must be sure that they can purchase OMEGA watches, if they wish, in the same comfortable and familiar environment for them, as in the Moscow GUM. In other words, when they were in Dubai and went to the Dubai Mall, they went to the OMEGA boutique and realized that they could not leave far from home. We are proud of our global presence, as well as sponsoring numerous sporting events, so an attentive traveler can immediately find the OMEGA brand in a new and unfamiliar country. Moreover, a few more years will pass, and we will meet already in the Olympic Sochi-2014.
I would like to! We are well aware that OMEGA is the official timekeeper for the 2014 White Olympics, and the clock with the countdown left before its start has already been launched on Red Square ...
You are right, our watch is already counting "time back." We are working hard to adequately prepare for this grand event in Russia. I saw how the construction of Olympic facilities in Sochi is going on, they simply amaze the imagination. Of course, there is still a lot to do, but I can’t wait for the Sochi Games to begin! We have developed very good relations with the Russian Olympic Committee, and I think that our partnership in 2014 will only strengthen our further relations.
In general, I really like to realize that the OMEGA brand today is associated with people with the most prestigious international events in the field of sports. I also like the dynamics of brand development, which we owe a lot to this partnership with different countries and sports.
Reynald, do you personally like golf, or is sponsorship of tournaments just a good brand promotion strategy?
Yes, I like golf. This is a very exciting game, although I myself do not play well, but this does not affect the position of the OMEGA brand in this sport. Today OMEGA sponsors two golf championships in Dubai at once - the Dubai Ladies Master women's golf tournament and OMEGA Desert Classic. They attract a large number of people, both participants and spectators, and of course, help us in the international promotion of the brand. By the way, golf in Dubai, whether female or male, is always an event, everyone here loves this sport, since you can play golf in the Emirates all year round.
But besides this, OMEGA is also the official watch brand of the Moscow Golf Club in Nakhabino. How can I not like golf?
I’ll tell you more, golfers playing at major international tournaments around the world are at the same time OMEGA brand ambassadors, which means they share our values - the desire and will to win.
We invest a lot in golf competitions, because we are well aware that this is one of the most attractive sports in the modern world. People can play golf at any age, which means that this game, unlike many others, has no limits. Another important point is that during the competition, no one will try to hit or offend you. Moreover, golf is a wonderful game for those who need to chat with friends in a pleasant environment, moving from hole to hole on a bright green grassy lawn. Such communication raises the mood and allows you to have a good rest, simultaneously discussing a lot of things. I personally like the social side of this game.
What can you say about the position of OMEGA watches in the world market, in comparison with other popular brands? 
While we occupy a good position in the world, if we talk about the sales volumes of our watches. However, in the luxury segment, everything changes so quickly and is based on emotions ... For example, a person wanted to give his wife a new watch for Valentine's Day. He can buy only one watch, which means that they must be suitable in design and other characteristics to the event for which they are timed. A person will have to make a difficult choice from a variety of brands, correlating quality, prices and other parameters with each other. Plus, it will be constantly influenced by advertising, friends' advice, information from the Internet and the media.
You can easily get lost in this stream of versatile information. Therefore, those who are sure that having bought OMEGA watches come to us, they can have no doubt that they will be OMEGA watches in a year, two, and ten. Our watches are recognizable no matter what year they are released. This allows us to be proud of the continuity of generations. Of course, modern innovations are hidden inside the cases of our watches, but still, OMEGA is always OMEGA. For many people, especially after the global recession, it is important to feel confident that the purchase is made correctly and that the money spent on it is not in vain, so they will choose what they consider reliable. You must admit that it is impossible to discount the more than 160-year history of the brand.
Let me go back to Russia. How well do OMEGA watches sell in our country?
Besides the fact that we will take part in the Sochi Olympics, we are actively developing our presence in the Russian market. We have a branded boutique in the Moscow GUM, which was opened more than 10 years ago, two more in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. I can say that today we have strong positions in the Russian market, because we constantly communicate with customers and try to improve the level of services and increase our product range. We hope that Sochi 2014 will also help us once again curl ourselves up and tell the whole world that we value what we believe in and that the OMEGA brand is set to win only. In everything!
Thank you for the interview. We wish you new tournaments and new victories.
