Zenith (owned by LVMH) El Primero movement.
Recently, Forbes posted its 2018 World’s Billionaires list, wherein it named record 2,208 billionaires from around the globe. Interestingly enough, but not too surprisingly, there were some luxury goods owners from the watch industry on that list, including the CEO of two big watch groups, and a few others.
Topping the watch brand and luxury goods list is Bernard Arnault & Family – coming in as number 4 on the list. Arnault is the Chairman and CEO of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton. His “real time” net worth is estimated at $76 billion. Under his vigilant eye as head of LVMH, Arnault oversees 70 brands that include watch brands Dior, Hublot, Louis Vuitton, Tag Heuer, and Zenith.
The list then jumps to number 30, where Francois Pinault & Family hold the mark with a real time net worth of $28.4 billion. Pinault is the founder of Kering French Luxury Group that owns the controlling stake in Gucci Group, and watch brands such as Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux. (Kering also owns sports brand Puma and fashion brands Alexander McQueen and Saint Laurent, among others).
Johann Rupert & Family, the mogul behind the Compagnie Financiere, Richemont Group, comes in as number 228 on the list with a real time net worth of $7 billion. Richemont Group includes watch brands Cartier, Montblanc, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, A. Lange & Sohne, Roger Dubuis, Piaget, Panerai, Vacheron Constantin, Baume & Mercier, Van Cleef & Arpels and more.
Further on the list we witness Ralph Lauren of his own eponymous watch, jewelry, and fashion brand coming in at number 281. In the fifth richest position, is Laurence Graff, head of the diamond jewelry and watch brand Graff Diamonds, coming in at number 321 of the Forbes Billionaires List of 2018.
This article first appeared by Roberta Naas on Forbes.com.
