Swiss watchmaker Roger Dubuis bucks the trend

A sketch of Roger Dubuis' Velvet collection.[Photo provided to China Daily]

While luxury retailers in China are facing a tough time, there are still exceptions. Swiss luxury watchmaker Roger Dubuis is one of them.

During the anniversary promotion of the Beijing SKP mall - China's top-performing luxury department store - on April 16, Roger Dubuis led the luxury watch segment, scooping up sales of 14 million yuan ($2.16 million) in a single day.

Though a lot of established luxury brands are closing stores, this relatively nascent brand with five boutiques in China and 21 worldwide is still targeting new locations.

Having opened a flagship store in Geneva last July and its first US boutique in New York last November, the label opened a store in the Beijing SKP mall last September and in Shanghai's West Nanjing Road this month.

"As a new brand, every operation is adding business possibilities. You can't compare us with brands which already have thousands of stores," CEO Jean-Marc Pontroue tells China Daily during a recent trip to Beijing.

"The brand is building its foundations. We are not as mature as other brands. Our mission is to make sure that the brand is relevant in the top 30 cities in the world."