Welcome back to an original aBlogtoWatch feature, “My First Grail Watch.” In this series, we ask prominent people in the watch industry about the first timepiece that they lusted after. Today, we’re speaking with Cindy Livingston, the woman at the helm of the watch company producing Guess and Gc watches. Along with hearing about her first grail, we learn what she admires when she stops by a watch shop window.

aBlogtoWatch (ABTW): Who are you, and what is your relationship to the watch industry?

Cindy Livingston: My name is Cindy Livingston, and I am the President and CEO of Sequel AG, the watch company based in Zug Switzerland who has held the license for Guess and Gc watches for the past 30 years.

ABTW: When did your fascination with watches start?

Cindy Livingston: My true fascination with watches started when I was merchandising women’s accessories along with watches and jewelery for a department store in the USA. We were selling traditional watch brands, and in the early 80’s, along came the introduction of Swatch, a colorful plastic watch that retailed for $32.00 US. These watches quickly became the accessory of choice and transitioned timekeeping into an accessory.

Fast forward 2 years, and then we launched GUESS watches, which were simplistic watches with metal cases and fashionable dials and straps. The rest is history. From there, the entire category took hold and developed into the meaningful business that it is today.

ABTW: What was your first grail watch?

Cindy Livingston: My first grail watch was a Chopard Happy Diamonds that I purchased for myself. I still think today, it is a beautifully designed timepiece.

ABTW: What drew you to this particular watch?

Cindy Livingston: There was nothing that reassembled a Happy Diamonds timepiece. You immediately recognized the design.

ABTW: Obviously, you were able to purchase the grail. Is it something you still have today?

Cindy Livingston: About the time I could afford to wear luxury watches, I went to work for a watch company and only wore my own product. I have a fabulous collection of great fun, fashionable accessory GUESS watches that I wear when I am dressing casually, and I have beautiful Swiss timepieces from our Gc brand that include everything I could wish for… Classics, sport, ceramic, diamond accents, all-over diamond pieces, and spectacular limited edition designs with mechanical movements and complications. I need nothing else but my own brands, and I am proud to wear both brands wherever I go.

ABTW: Your own brands aside, have there been any “new” grails that have come up for you?

Cindy Livingston: I can confirm that I only wear our brands and always will, but I believe there are some fabulous watch designs that I could wear in another life! My favorites would be the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, the Breguet Reine de Naples, and Cartier’s Balloon Bleu. There is never a watch window I pass where I don’t stop to admire those designs.