The Business of Watches Podcast: Norqain CEO Ben Küffer On The NHL Partnership And The Challenge Of Standing Out In A Crowded Market

On this week’s episode of The Business of Watches, we head to Nidau, Switzerland, where we sit down with Ben Küffer, the young Chief Executive Officer of family-owned watch brand Norqain. It’s a frank discussion of the challenges of starting a brand and creating a signature watch–the Norqain Wild One–at a time when the industry is crowded with competitors, and it’s tough to stand out. We focus on Norqain’s unique strategy of recruiting former and current professional athletes as not only brand representatives, but also investors and executives. The big news is Norqain’s deal to be the official luxury timepiece of the National Hockey League, an agreement guided by former NHLer and Norqain co-founder Mark Streit with some help from superstar and company investor Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.