Wolfgang Named President of Roger Dubuis NA

William George Shuster, Senior Editor -- JCK-Jewelers Circular Keystone, 10/9/2008 8:22:00 AM

U.S. luxury watch industry veteran Ronald L. Wolfgang was named president of Roger Dubuis North America, effective Oct. 1, by the Richemont Group, which made the announcement Wednesday.

Wolfgang joined Richemont, parent of Roger Dubuis and Jaeger LeCoultre, in 2000, initially as managing director of Jaeger-LeCoultre North America and then its president. Since then, he oversaw the successful repositioning, relaunch and expansion of the luxury watch brand in North America.

Prior to joining Richemont, Wolfgang was president for 20 years of Ebel USA.

Richemont acquired 60 percent of Swiss watch and jewelry brand Roger Dubuis in early August. The brand—which under its former ownership had some legal disagreements with its former U.S. distributor and more recently, according to Swiss press reports, some financial difficulties—is known for its innovative mechanical watches, available in limited productions of 28 and 288. In recent years, it has added jewelry and opened boutiques.

In September 2007, Richemont bought Roger Dubuis’ Swiss watchmaking facility and took over U.S. distribution of the brand.

Succeeding Wolfgang as president of Jaeger-LeCoultre North America is Gina Misrach, effective July 1, as previously reported by JCK. She has been in the luxury watch business for 18 years. For the last nine, she was Jaeger-LeCoultre North America’s director of sales and marketing and played a major role in its successful re-launch and growth.

Richemont acquired Jaeger-LeCoultre in 2000, and in 2001, moved its U.S. operations from Winchester, Va., to New York City.