Cuban cigar co., Swiss watchmakers team up to promote brands

World Today

Cuban cigars have always been associated with wealthy clientele from around the world.

Now, in a bid to raise its profile at the top end of the luxury bands market, the Habanos Cigar Company has launched a co-branding promotion with one of the world’s most exclusive and expensive Swiss watchmakers, Zenith.

CCTV America’s Michael Voss has the details.

The Cohiba cigar factory in Havana produces Cuba’s premier hand rolled cigars. This week it played host to a dozen international journalists who specialize in the luxury goods market.

Swiss hand-made chronograph or watchmaker, Zenith, has produced a series of co-branded watches, to mark the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Cohiba cigar brand. The new product is aimed at the mega-wealthy, some watches starting at around 9000 euros.

In the coming weeks, there will be similar launches of these Cohiba co-branded watches in the Middle East, China and Europe, but not the United States.

With the U.S. trade embargo, Cuban cigars cannot be directly exported to what is the world’s largest premium cigar market. The challenge will be to maintain quality if production increases once the trade embargo is lifted.