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Everyone knows you can only see the tip of the iceberg and the part underwater is usually much bigger and more impressive. It’s the same with a watch brand. You are in contact with the product and the communication surrounding it, but you are unaware of the work and decisions that preceded its birth.
Furlan Marri is not only Andrea Furlan but also his friend and partner Hamad Al Marri, hence the name of the brand, and together they were able to bring this watchmaking adventure to life.
This article is here to try to understand what drives Hamad and Andrea to touch the heart of Furlan Marri. You will thus be able to imagine the whole iceberg. It’s up to you to tell us in the comments if the goal is reached.
It all started with an encounter…
According to the Larousse dictionary, friendship is a “feeling of affection between two people. An attachment and sympathy that one person expresses to another.
Thus, if we follow the definition given by the dictionary, friendship is a bond created by a feeling of affection. And for a friendship to be complete, this feeling must be shared and expressed by both people.
It is particularly difficult for us to give you a full definition of the friendship between Hamad and Andrea.
However, by sharing with you what drives them in this project, you will have the opportunity, in an indirect way, to taste this friendship.
It is the cornerstone of the project because without it, without this fuel, it would not have been possible. Imagine yourself in their shoes. Every day is a challenge, every decision has to be thought through. Like architects and builders, they build Furlan Marri. If error is human, it must be minimised so it is not fatal.
They decided to use this pressure as an energy source. A means to surpass themselves and thus become better. When we asked Hamad about his friendship with Andrea, he replied: “He was a friend who became a brother to me and then a partner.” This simple sentence expresses in its own way the strength of the bond between them.
Furlan Marri’s sensational begining on the watchmaking scene shows precisely that they sensed right. The product and its universe do not respond to a market demand, but to a desire. The desire is much deeper, much stronger. The fact of meeting the craftsmen who have worked for the greatest by bringing them back to life has aroused the collective interest because, in addition to paying tribute to them, they have taught us things. François Borgel was certainly a name that was unknown to you. And yet you were able to come into direct contact with his work.
Andrea and Hamad, thanks to their watchmaking knowledge, have been able to bring us a unique product experience as well as an experience within the history of watchmaking. It is this double experience that has seduced great collectors. Some have just as much pleasure in wearing their Furlan Marri as they do in wearing one of their fine timepieces. As for us, it is always a pleasure to wear it on our wrist.
As Hamad rightly says: “I believe that in everything, even if it is inanimate and has been made with care, passion, precision and love, you will find and feel a soul.“
Furlan Marri’s slogan is: Made with care, thought for details.
Marketing bullshit?
We were lucky enough to spend time at the heart of the brand. We were able to see projects that are still kept secret, to take products in hand and above all to ask questions.
Everything is in the eyes. The eyes are the mirrors of the soul. When Andrea explains the subtleties of the creations, his eyes are sparkling. The shape of the case, the shape of the lugs, the markers, the dials, the bridges in the movement and the choice of finishes have all been designed to catch your eye, to play with the light and to honour those who inspired the project.
These few elements hopefully allow you to understand their phenomenal level of involvement in the project and the special bond that unites them. But what you have been able to experience was only an appetizer. A short introduction to what awaits you.
Both these architects draw their inspiration respectively from old and new sports cars, from handcrafted and delicate objects such as Persian carpets, and from old and modern Swiss watches for Hamad, and from the 40’s – 60’s, from minimalism and from working with raw materials for Andrea.
To these sources of inspiration are added, as Hamad rightly says, “the challenge of doing something new, the new stories that come from it, the people who compliment us on the good work we’ve done, and their enthusiasm for what’s to come. And last but not least, the new friendships.“
Because yes, every purchase made by one of their customers is an investment in the brand. An investment that gives you access to a piece of these artisans. You participate in their adventures and even if you are only a spectator, you will learn all along the way.
What are they?
Adaptability, heritage and attention to detail are the values and skeleton that structure the brand.
Adaptability will be found in marketing as much as in customer relations, in the product and in the show offered to potential customers. To achieve this, you need to be close to the customer by putting yourself in their shoes, by learning to listen to them and, if possible, by meeting them.
It is by getting to know you that Furlan Marri can help you understand pieces of watchmaking history and bring back to life those who were in the shadows. This is how the legacy will be honoured.
When it comes to the attention to details, there is no need to worry. Their previous creations already show the importance they attach to this.
The proximity to the customer is already real. Contact them and you can see for yourself. This closeness is essential for Andrea and Hamad because it creates the opportunities for encounters that feed their inspirations.
Who knows, maybe one of you will replace past artisans to be at the centre of a future creation.
Another thing caught our attention.
In our discussions about their future projects, they shared with us their desire to fully involve the person or organisation they will be working with. They will try to understand the person so the creation looks like them. It is a real creative project. The two parties meet to create together. It is then up to us, the audience, to discover the history of this creation and what makes it special.
Now that you know the values of the brand and have had a chance to get a feel for what drives Hamad and Andrea, we hope that we have given you a better understanding of what makes this brand tick. Its potential is limitless and its future projects are crazy! Just a little more patience and you’ll find out more!
Now, your turn to share your experiences with the brand with us.
