Remembering Severin Wunderman

Spanish-born philosopher George Santayana once had an opinion on life: “There is no cure for birth and death save to enjoy the interval.” Indeed, Severin Wunderman’s life, like a good book slated with coaster stains and worn out hinges, may have flipped its final page, but the chapters between – that’s a story worth reading. With the year coming to an end, Sartorial Avenue chooses to dedicate a biography to one of the greatest loss in watchmaking history.

Mr Severin Wunderman, founder of Corum

Notable figure in the watch industry and owner of Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Corum, Severin Wunderman aged 69 passed away at his vacation home in Nice on 25 June 2008 due to a severe stroke. A humanitarian at heart and a devout patron of the art scene, Wunderman remains one of the boldest personalities in the watchmaking industry. Well-traveled, the watch maestro owned homes in South California, Las Vegas and Europe, yet the romantic Parisian skyline never fails to entice the gentleman. His success stories in Gucci Timepieces and Corum have revolutionized the way watches are modeled after today and his contributions to the industry have long been the subject of appreciation and reverence.

The Man With The Golden Touch

Wunderman during an interview with ThePuristS

“There is no such thing as a golden touch.” Severin Wunderman, whom himself has often been baptized as “The man with the golden touch”, recalled in a 2003 interview with ThePuristS when questioned on the secret behind his moniker.

Instead, Wunderman believes that the secret ingredient to his significant success is a lot of hard work, determination and a team of good people. “Never do unto others what you don’t want done to yourself” as his battle cry, Wunderman treated his staff with the proper respect – an act that has paid off charmingly over the years of evident success in Wunderman’s endeavors.

Nevertheless, it is undoubtedly amazing that Wunderman’s prodigious achievements are the results of such a down to earth recipe. After all, the watch cognoscente was single-handedly responsible for turning Gucci Timepieces into a multi-million enterprise and granting a new lease of life to Corum, a feat not many can claim to have accomplished.

The story of how Wunderman took Gucci Timepieces and turned its tide from obscurity to being the essential fashion accessory for every woman’s wrist is an interesting one. Whilst on a sales trip for his then employer, Alexis Barthelay, Wunderman was at a Gucci boutique trying to sell the luxury fashion label Barthelay’s private label watches. He was standing alone next to a phone in the boutique that rang non-stop. Since no one was answering the phone, Wunderman picked up the receiver and on the other end of the line was Aldo Gucci himself, looking for one of his staff. Wunderman seized the fortuitous opportunity and began talking about the watches he wanted to sell.

Thinking it was one of his staff, Gucci made a rude comment in an obscure dialect used in some parts of Florence. Being versed in the particular dialect, Wunderman replied in the same dialect, incurring the displeasure of the Gucci who retorted with a roar of “Who are you?!” An arranged meeting and a couple of drinks later, one thing led to another and Gucci became Wunderman’s best friend and mentor, teaching the latter everything he needed to know about the business.

Wunderman went on to direct Gucci Timepieces into its golden era, one that took the world of watchmaking by storm. Although it was the first of its kind for a renowned designer label such as Gucci to be placed on a watch, Wunderman wasn’t satisfied just yet. Instead, he provided fashion and quality in a watch for an affordable price. His excellent foresight also brought upon the first steel watch with diamond settings, giving the consumers a breath of fresh air from the lackluster market congested with gold and diamonds timepieces. Prices could be kept at a reasonable range and still exude the similar elegance of white gold, making it a trend many watch houses were eager to dabble their hands in.

After two years of working with Aldo Gucci, Wunderman went on to establish Severin Montres that secured the license for distribution and selling of Gucci watches in 1972. He remained the sole manufacturer and distributor of Gucci watches for more than 25 years, building on the “cheap and chic” success of Gucci Timepieces.

In the fateful year of 1999, Severin Wunderman purchased the Switzerland-based Corum company. Wunderman recognized the beauty and innovative quality that the brand possessed, comparing Corum to an amazing jewel that required a nifty polish from a good master. The magnate was determined to prove that Corum watches weren’t just pretty faces but technical in nature, offering numerous major complications like the Romvlvs Perpetual Calendar and the Golden Tourbillon Panoramique.

The complication hidden within the Romvlvs Perpetual Calendar

Established since 1995, Corum had an expansive archive which Wunderman did not hesitate to fully utilize. He raided the brand’s rich history for inspiration to compliment his bold and innovative designs. His first major breakthrough came with the Bubble collection that was made up of original and limited edition designs. The Bubble watches took on playful interpretations, including a “Garden Bird” which depicted a hummingbird perched among flowers, introducing a sense of whimsical fun into the brand. The original Admiral’s Cup and Romulus lines were also given a facelift to portray a stronger identity and purpose.

Despite existing in a market dominated by large conglomerates, Wunderman took comfort in the fact that Corum is always “the other brand”. Wunderman believes that even though Corum might not possess the prestige that certain brands might, the ‘fun’ quality that Corum has brought to the table and the wrists of many is one that he and the consumers can have unwavering faith in.


The Diabolical Charmer

The subject of death is a morbid idea to most - often allayed by whispers and darting eyes - but not for Severin Wunderman. After all, the man has knocked on death’s door one too many times. Wunderman survived the Holocaust that ravaged the lives of many only to witness the death of his mother at the tender age of 10. The 90’s saw Wunderman through an enduring battle with lung cancer and despite all odds, he still lived to tell the stories. Drawing inspiration from the age-old saying: “What doesn’t kill you make you stronger”, Wunderman cashed in on the promise of the adage and embraced his close shaves with death in the one way he knew best – watches.

His near-death experiences left him parched for more, and through years of research and determination, his obsession naturally found an outlet in his watch designs. In 2001, under the wing of Severin Wunderman, Corum launched limited editions of the famed Bubble watch themed Jolly Roger and Lucifer. Jolly Roger depicts a “skull-and-crossbones” on a black Bubble with red Corum key eyes, whereas Lucifer was available in a limited 666 pieces only.

The highly controversial Lucifer Bubble watch that contested the tradition of watchmaking

The two watches may have contested the highly adhered traditional distinction of watchmaking back then, but Wunderman was not deterred by the controversial nature of his creations. Once frowned upon, the “death” themed watches have found their place in history as a playful trademark of Corum that many watch houses were quick to venture into, and also as a clear reflection of the grit Wunderman is loved for, among other values.

The French Chevalier

On December 31, 2004, the President of the French Republic, Jacques Chirac raised Severin Wunderman to the level of Chevalier of the National Order of the Legion of Honor. He received the medal on June 17, 2005 in Paris by Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres.

Responsible for such an esteemed honor are Wunderman’s many cultural and philanthropic acts the compassionate magnate has dedicated a lifetime to. He developed an interest in art and culture during his younger days as an apprentice watchmaker and grew especially fond of the works of Jean Cocteau. Unsatisfied that the artist’s art was not appreciated for its true value, Wunderman created the currently closed “Severin Wunderman Family Museum” dedicated to the works of Cocteau in the Orange County. He stepped up his ambition by donating over two hundred Cocteau works to the Deputy-Mayor of Menton to start the Musée Cocteau de Menton; an architectural extraordinaire built across the coast, and sent a selected series of his personal collection of Cocteau’s works on a tour around Japan that ended in June 2006.

A humanitarian at heart, there was not a doubt that Wunderman truly cared for the less fortunate. As his personal fortune would allow, he developed a philanthropic action that dedicated 13 to 17% of his annual income to finance a diverse selection of foundations. “Change a Life” aims to aid the less fortunate through donations while the “Severin Wunderman Family” finances fundamental research for incurable illnesses. A survivor of the Holocaust himself, Wunderman roped in Steven Spielberg and started “The Severin Wunderman Collection of Child Survivor Testimonies From the Holocaust: The children speak to children”.

As a patriotic response to the September 11 terrorist attacks, Corum USA pledged US$250,000 to support the families of the casualties. The proceeds came from the sale of a limited edition Corum Bubble watch with an American flag on the dial and a patriotic caseback. The special edition, designed by Wunderman himself in view of the attacks, was among the many unique and funky “makeovers” Wunderman personally administered to the Bubble watch during his time in Corum.

The Family Man

Severin Wunderman may be one of the most successful men in the world, but he definitely wasn’t born into the role. Born in Brussels on 19 November 1938, Wunderman’s childhood chanced with the Nazis invasion of Belgium during the World War II. In such a time of desperation, his parents had no choice but to leave him and his two siblings under the care of a Catholic priest in the countryside. Young Wunderman received an education in a school for blind children despite being the only child with sight. He was then adopted by a Gentile family who refused to return him to his parents after the war.

Wunderman’s father, however, had other plans in mind. “My father was one of those people you didn’t mess with,” Wunderman described in a 1995 interview with The Times. The elder Wunderman simply went into the house, tied everyone up and reclaimed his son. At the age of 10, Wunderman’s mother passed away. The discerning teenager then quit high school and moved to Los Angeles to live with his sister Bella. Wunderman made a living by managing newspaper delivery boys by day and as a parking lot attendant by night. His first step into the world of watchmaking took place in his 20’s when he made and sold his own gold chain jewelry and moved on to being a salesman for European watchmaking house Alexis Barthelay. It wasn’t long before he started developing an acute interest in the watchmaking business, and pedaled with determination and hard work on his part - his ship was set for sail.

Along the way of his thriving career, Severin Wunderman looked into an aspect of his life for strength – his family. Married five times, Severin Wunderman found an heir in his son, Michael Wunderman. With the passing away of Severin Wunderman, Michael will carry on his father’s legacy in Corum with his newly appointed Creative Director position.

Michael Wunderman singing high praises about his late father during an interview with ViaLuxe

“My father, as you know, is an icon and his success is contagious,” Michael revealed during a heartwarming father-and-son interview with ViaLuxe during Basel World 2008. “He has been able to teach me so much in my life and has been my mentor. There are too many things I could tell you about my father. He’s fantastic. He has supported me and there is no better of a father that I could have asked for.”

The heir apparent is one of the two sons and three daughters Wunderman is survived by, along with four grandchildren.

Photo courtesy of Corum, ViaLuxe and The PuristS