Jean-Claude Biver had seemingly retired in December 2019, after five years as head of the watchmaking division of luxury giant LVMH. (Photo: Miguel Bueno/Hublot)

Jean-Claude Biver had seemingly retired in December 2019, after five years as head of the watchmaking division of luxury giant LVMH. (Photo: Miguel Bueno/Hublot)

Luxembourg's Jean-Claude Biver is to make a comeback to the watchmaking business by creating his own brand. At 73, the tireless entrepreneur's ambition is to pass on his know-how.

Two years after retirement, Jean-Claude Biver has decided to return to the watchmaking scene by launching his own watch brand, the Luxembourg entrepreneur told Swiss radio station La Première last Friday.

The 73-year-old, who bought the Blancpain brand in 1982 before taking over the marketing and product management of Omega and then the iconic Hublot brand, was also president of the watchmaking division of LVMH between 2014 and 2019.

With his brand JC Biver, the entrepreneur intends to remain in the luxury watch market with an exclusive product and an approach which will pass on his know-how. "I would like the average age in this company to be 30-35, and for there to be a whole team of young people working with watchmaking schools,” he explained.

Biver is currently on the look-out for premises, staff and a manufacturer to produce the mechanics for his new watches. On Swiss radio, he confided that he had spent three months in hospital last autumn following a fall on his bike. "I am in the midst of a renaissance and I want to start again," he added.

This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.