While Webmasters have been building Web sites for decades, the World Wide Web still is evolving and remains a work in progress. More businesses than not have a prominent Web presence, yet many lack what is necessary to satisfy or hold visitors' attention.
Ease of navigation, company information, company history, product/service content, and multimedia interactivity are criteria to which most Web sites can be analyzed. That's what we have done here. If our efforts contribute to the development of a better Web site for a few companies, so be it. Here's a timely look at a few of the most renowned horologists and their Web sites.
Acceptation that Rolex is more than an elite maker of timepieces is commonplace. Its nomenclature is oft used as a synonym to describe excellence, brilliance, first-rate, superiority, distinction, or quality. The world of Rolex extends beyond its products, as the organization is actively involved in sponsoring major events in both arts and sports. The U.S. Open Classic, the Kentucky Derby, the Daytona 500, and the Sardina and Giraglia Rolex Cups are a few of the sports outings. The firm also is a patron to the arts, supporting musical efforts and museum tours.
The Web site is straightforward and tasteful. The videos and photo galleries are intriguing. The site's content is tight, offering info on products, history, philosophy, and procurement. The site's navigation is smooth. Rolex's philanthropic awards are centered on achievement in science, technology, exploration, environmental, or cultural heritage. This outfit wears its success well.
There is luxury and then there is luxury-luxury. Generally, when something comes our way that is viewed as an upper-echelon item, we report it to our luxury-loving readers and that's that. Sticker-shock rarely affects anyone here. However, these wristwatches by Roger Dubuis, priced as high as $250,000, definitely piqued our attention. . The high-end list price of the AcquaMare Automatics is $100,000, and the GoldenSquare Tourbillons are priced from $100,000 to $250,000.
The Web site greets visitors with jazz music. It is quite entertaining. Now that something nice has been said. It's time to get to work. The Web site works more like a cyber display showcase than a functional information disseminator. Navigating through the site is a tad choppy and slow. If you are looking to find out where to go to buy one, it may take a while longer than expected. Even very wealthy people prefer efficiency when surfing the Net. The site looks nice but it does not perform very well.
Carl F. Bucherer's single-copy Queen's Watch is a splashy testimony to his firm's exquisite craftsmanship and outrageously divine opulence. However, the Patravi collection shows that Bucherer's masculine side is equally impressive. After all, kings have needs too. The Patravi Chronograph GMT series consists of six variants.
CFB's Web site is simple and direct. Navigation is easy. Finding important info, such as dealers and service centers, is simple to access. It also is easy to download product info or to email it. Although there are no videos, there are plenty of photographs that represent the collections well. This utilitarian Web site is designed quite well.
Blancpain has produced haute timepieces for men and women since 1735. Yearly the prominent Switzerland-based watch manufacturer puts up a one-off wristwatch for auction to benefit the Monaco Association of Muscular Dystrophy (Association Monegasque contre la Myopathie) during the Monaco Yacht Show. This year's selected timepiece for the Only One auction was Le Brassus. Its suggested retail price is $135,000. The Villeret, Léman, Spécialités are other limited-edition collections currently offered by Blancpain through its boutiques and exclusive worldwide retailers.
When I viewed the videos on Blancpain's Web site, the sound and the picture kept breaking up. The inconvenience of the steady interference was a major obstacle. After two attempts on three different videos, I gave up. The concepts are good but the delivery needs work. The white text on a black background makes reading a tedious task. News on the site is somewhat current, as the latest entry was posted September 2007. It appears the company views its Web site as being more fanciful than necessary. A company that has been in business more than 270 years must be doing something right. However, its Web site could be user "friendlier."
