Jeffrey Cohen had a sense that Marc Anthony was an ideal partner for a Bulova watch collaboration when the president of Citizen Watch America went to see the Latin American singer-songwriter perform in concert, a show that entertained and entranced the singer’s fans.
Cohen says he became certain the partnership was going to work when Anthony asked if he could have the direct telephone number for Bulova’s head designer—and Anthony has backed that up by being hands-on across the board.
Bulova, which announced its partnership with Anthony in September, sees this collaboration as one between two American icons, Cohen says. Plus, Anthony brings his personal artistry and style as well as a supportive audience, Cohen says. That concert he attended? Fans included grandmothers, mothers, and daughters, all cheering for Anthony, he recalls.
Add in the growing interest in luxury watch collecting as well as the increase in watch purchases and collecting in Latin America, and Cohen says there is endless potential to see the brand and this partnership grow.
“He has an incredible curiosity. He asks questions,” Cohen says. “He worked hand in hand with our design team, in person and in virtual meetings.… He’s constantly developing ideas, making sketches, bringing his creativity to the table.”
The partnership will include a series of timepiece and jewelry collections, Cohen says, including several special editions, limited editions, and continual collections. The fruits of this collaboration will launch in November, and Cohen says he also is curious to see how the world receives it, given how dynamic Anthony has been throughout this process.
“He understands the DNA of Bulova, and we got to know the DNA of his people, his community,” Cohen says. “When I went into the green room [after Anthony’s concert] and spent some time with him, that’s how he explained it. Those [fans] are his people. He wants to bring forward-thinking design to his people.”
Anthony’s résumé speaks for itself: He is a three-time Grammy Award and six-time Latin Grammy Award winner, is credited with more than 50 Billboard No. 1 hits, his videos have been viewed more than 7 billion times on YouTube, he created a clothing and accessories line for Kohl’s, and is a minority owner of the Miami Dolphins.
In the 1960s Bulova used a tuning fork to check a watch’s accuracy, so there was a natural connection between music and keeping time. “Both require uncompromised precision,” Cohen says.
Bulova also has a history of musical collaborations and collections. For example, its Frank Sinatra collection of watches also names each timepiece after one of the legendary singer’s songs (the brand also sponsored the Frank Sinatra television program). Additionally, Bulova created the first clock radio and the first radio commercial, Cohen says.
Anthony will help Bulova continue to tell its story of being a soulful, American brand, Cohen says.
“He loves beauty [and] he’s excited about watches. He is respectful of watchmakers and design. He loves to work with them,” Cohen says. “He’s not just a master of music: He’s a master of building things.”
Cohen says Bulova also will make donations to help support Anthony’s charitable efforts, including his Maestro Cares Foundation, which builds orphanages across Latin America.
Top: Bulova is bullish on its Marc Anthony collaboration, says Citizen Watch America president Jeffrey Cohen, noting the potential for the singer’s audience to seize upon Anthony’s design aesthetic as well as his creativity with watches and jewelry (photos courtesy of Bulova; photographs by Alan Silfen).
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