For the last 26 years, Olivier Bernheim’s life has been measured by the ticking of Raymond Weil watches.

It’s hardly surprising as the president and CEO of Raymond Weil owns 52 Raymond Weil watches, a collection that has grown at the rate of two new watches a year.

But he has not always been in the watch industry. Instead, he was knee-deep in yoghurt and margarine when his father-in-law, Raymond Weil, offered him a job with the company.

It was an honour for him, he claims, as he had come from a totally different industry.

“While my father-in-law was making history through his creations and designs, I was working with fast moving consumer goods where there’s a limited time constraint for each product,” he says.

But he has always had an eye on watches. “My greatest passion is sports, followed by collecting exquisite timepieces and travelling,” says Bernheim.

“The challenge and excitement of developing the brand at a time when it was still going through the formative years was something I simply could not pass up,” he adds.

With a mischievous grin, Bernheim discloses that he looks forward to the weekly research and development meeting as this is where “the element of fun really begins”. This is the time to test the watches by wearing them and bringing up concerns if any.

Bernheim was in Kuala Lumpur for the launch of Nabucco Cuore Caldo, the latest timepiece by Raymond Weil.

He says: “Though we have a nice selection of jewellery watches, our focus is more on the horological value – which many men (and women too) can relate to. The movement, technical element and complexities of the timepiece are of utmost importance to us.

“A perfect example is the Cuore Caldo, a limited edition range in the Nabucco collection. It is designed to encompass the power, precision and the raw masculinity of man.

“It is fully automatic, working on a mechanical chronograph and equipped with a rare power reserve of up to 42 hours. It comes in a matching lifestyle set comprising fluted round cufflinks in gold-plate, steel and carbon fibre and a brass/carbon fibre-ballpoint pen.”

Bernheim debunks the myth that working with family is not easy. Instead, he prefers to think of disagreements at work as “constructive brainstorms”.

Disagreements between his children (who now work with him) provides ground for new opportunities to re-analyse existing processes. “This is the very basis of mind-building,” he says.

And why is this important? “Because we can compare my children’s upbringing in the company with my upbringing in the very same company 25 years ago,” says Bernheim who describes himself as a man who believes every person has an idea or a thought that is equally important or critical to whichever topics they are engaged in.

He encourages open discussions among his staff and his children because “with new ideas, there is a new flavour, another direction and host of ideas”.

“It’s the perfect chance to share knowledge and vision. It shows credibility, a trait essential for both survival and progression.”

Bernheim says that the biggest influence in his life is his wife. A professional pianist, Diana Weil acts as his personal consultant. She may not be working with the company but Bernheim says that her support has given him the much-needed energy and insight into everything — from general attitudes to interpreting the market.

“She contemplates the psychological and the practical aspects and has great analytical skills.”

Were watches a big part of his childhood?

Bernheim chuckles. “Back then? No, I would say I grew up as any young boy did, with a passion for sports, the outdoors and such. Honestly, when I look back at my childhood, the happiest moments I had were when I was skiing. When there was snow, I skied. When there wasn’t any, I dreamt of going skiing!”