The junior managers of Relojeria Alemana reveal to Roland Kroiss what is German about their traditional Mallorcan business, why the king likes to shop here and how they cope with stress.
They are so delightful, these three descendants and junior managers of the 125 year-old Mallorcan jeweller’s “Relojería Alemana”. Blanca (30), Paula (25) and the youngest, Pablo Fúster Junior (24), could quite easily have been somewhat arrogant, being the privileged children of a very wealthy local business dynasty. But to meet them personally is to realise how friendly and well-educated they are. And they have an agreeable sense of humour. To the question of who will take over the power one day from their father Pablo Fúster (58), the response is “all three of us”. Such a harmony between brothers and sisters is not often seen. And they already have the responsibility of taking important economic decisions together. Incidentally, the trio still lives in their parents´ home – although two of them plan to “leave the nest.”
The company´s name “Relojería Alemana” must have caught the attention of many Spanish speaking tourists and foreign residents. Why is a “German boutique for timepieces” run by Mallorcans in Palma? The only German ingredient is, as Paula tells us, “an important number of clients buying watches and jewellery.” However, the name has a historical meaning. It was a German, Wilhelm Krug – the Spaniards call him “Guillermo Krug” – who founded the “Relojería Alemana” in 1879. His best apprentice and most trusted employee, locally-born Pablo Fúster Cortés, took over the company after Krug´s passing in 1922.
This “first Fúster” expanded the business and built up a dynasty. The “Relojería Alemana” has a sense of perpetuity and steadfastness in the midst of a constantly changing Mallorcan business world. The impressive six-storied establishment in Calle Colon 14 (Palma) with its collection of handmade Spanish silverware is well worth a visit. Countless illuminated cases display the world´s most expensive brands of watches and jewellery: Cartier, Chopard, Bulgari, Piaget, IWC, Hublot, JaegerLeCoultre and so on.
Current Spanish King Juan Carlos and Prince Felipe are top of the iceberg of the “Relojería´s” numerous regular famous clients.
The client base that has grown along with the company over more than 125 years is the “Relojería´s” most important capital. Pablo Fúster Junior: “Every new generation of clients trusts the new generation of keepers.” The regulars are mainly Mallorcans and other island residents, amounting to 70 percent of the company´s total revenue. Pablo Fúster Junior refuses to reveal annual numbers: “This is a corporate secret. I can only confirm that we´re talking about a lot of money.” The clients who stop by to shop in a boutique like this must be wealthy, indeed. The average purchaser spends between 3,000 and 5,000 euros per transaction.
But Spain – as in most countries of the EU – is affected by a recession and even high-end luxury dealers can´t help but notice that. Pablo Junior and Blanca confirm that business has been slightly decreasing since December 2007, “without threatening our company”. They just need to remain calm and leave expansion plans – new branches of the “Relojería” in Madrid or Barcelona – on the back burner.
The home side advantage: highly important products of brands like Cartier, Hublot, Rolex, Blanca´s favourite Patek-Philippe or Paula´s beloved Audemars-Piguet are only available in Mallorca at “Relojería Alemana”. Reasons for this are exclusive contracts with every manufacturer, extended each year. Thus the nearby local competitor “Relojería Espanyola” (Spanish boutique for timepieces”) at Palma´s Plaza Cort is only allowed to offer middle-class brands such as Omega, Longines, Tissot, Fortis and Ebel.
The “Germans” aren’t sitting on their laurels, though. In August 2008 an outlet was opened at the Avenidas branch of the local department store “El Corte Inglés”, lead by Paula Fúster. Her sister Blanca runs the pure Cartier jewels boutique on Avenida Jaime III, 5 (Palma). The Fústers have another Cartier boutique in Ibiza and “Relojería” branch number three in Menorca. “Relojería” number four – in the luxury area of Puerto Portals – is currently moving into larger premises. Qualified gemstone experts Blanca and Paula concentrate on product consulting. Their brother Pablo possesses an MBA – obtained in Barcelona after having practised at Cartier London – and focuses on the company´s management. He wants to undergo a gemstone apprenticeship soon.
The talent of the marvellously pretty sisters Paula and Blanca is proven by their personal jewellery collection “B&P” (Blanca & Paula), produced for the 125th anniversary of “Relojería Alemana” in 2004. The female duo designed fancy pendants (colgantes), necklaces, earrings (arêtes) and, above all, extravagant rings (anillos). The objects are handmade by craftsmen, following the sisters´ sketches. “A woman must be courageous to wear our jewels,” Paula says. Indeed, the “B&P” rings are enormous. Understatement is different from a “gold ring assembled with Brown diamonds and a big stone of Fumé quartz”. The lovely piece costs 5,950 euros, and even a Hollywood starlet would be happy to have it. Also very special is a Mosqueton pendant made of white and yellow gold, several gemstones, and incorporating a small “B&P” logo and the number “2”, which symbolizes the sisters´ union.
What will the future jewellery trade be like? In the luxury business of highest quality “nothing can compare with the personal contact with the customer in the shop,” Pablo Junior believes. Online sales will be part of the business, “but the internet is more important to get information about the product”, Pablo remarks. Nowadays there’s a trend for the most famous brands instead of unique handmade jewellery – on request, even those are still available at the “Relojería”. And Pablo tried everything to help a collector to get a Rolex Daytona special edition from the 80s, although “usually only new products” fill the showcases.
Looking at the three Fúster children, their perfect styling catches the eye. Clothes, hair styles, make-up, watches and jewellery unite to create a work of art. “Sometimes clients want to have exactly the things we wear,” says Pablo. What an astonishing kind of sales promotion. All of them could work as models; Pablo’s already tried it, featuring in abcMallorca´s fashion reportage “Breakfast at Tiffany´s” in the November 2008 edition.
Paula´s, Blanca´s and Pablo´s lives seems so perfectly planned. Did none of them ever have the wish to try something different – a career in law or medicine? Blanca speaks frankly for the trio: “Our father took us to the workshops very early. Maintaining the family business is very important for him – and we are happy with it.” Are they too good to be true? They do, however, risk one thrilling hobby: paintball. The lovely brother and sisters go out into the countryside “to kill” each other with colour bullets. “A nice game to relax” they say – ideal perhaps after a quiet sales day at the office.
Photographer: Thomas Baar
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