The right product, in the right place, at the right time: How AI is revolutionizing assortment strategy at Jaeger-LeCoultre and IWC

Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC, Vacheron Constantin, Piaget, Panerai, Baume & Mercier… These iconic watchmaking Maisons from the Richemont Group have transformed how they manage luxury watch assortments across more than3,000 stores worldwide.

In collaboration with Ekimetrics, they deployed Match, a powerful AI-driven platform that optimizes stock allocation based on each store’s specific profile and local clientele’s expectations. The result? Enhanced operational excellence, maximized sales, and smarter inventory allocation.

Why assortment matters more than ever for these watchmaking houses

A tourist who can’t find a special edition. A local buyer who is disappointed not to find an iconic model... A poor in-store assortment strategy doesn't anticipate these needs or guarantee the client experience that luxury brands promise.

For these Maisons, the assortment challenge included three major risks:

• Tied-up capital: With watches reaching prices of €100,000 or more, overstocking stores could lock up millions in dormant inventory.
• Missed sales opportunities in key markets: Flagship stores—like those on the Champs-Élysées—attract international clientele with specific preferences that weren’t always factored into inventory. Not adjusting the assortment to these expectations could lead to a significant loss of revenue.
• Cumbersome manual processes: Assortments were managed in complex Excel files, making the process inflexible and inefficient. Each update required days of work with no guarantee of aligning supply and demand.

Optimizing assortment with a high-performance AI tool

To meet these challenges, the Maisons partnered with Ekimetrics to co-build Match, an AI-powered platform that automatically recommends optimal assortments for each store.

The algorithm is designed to:

• Analyze historical sales and customer preferences
• Adapt to local store typologies (tourists vs. local shoppers, for example)
• Integrate “Golden Rules” defined by marketing departments and supply chain function

A dynamic and evolving tool

• Automatic real-time recommendation updates
• Direct integration with internal systems to streamline ordering
• Customizable recommendations through manual input by assortment managers

"With Match, we’ve transformed how we make assortment decisions. A tailored assortment recommendation for each store is a real advantage. In just a fewclicks, we've left behind endless Excel debates and gained in both accuracy and speed.” - Arthur Le Pan Faberes, Business Development Manager, Jaeger-LeCoultre

What were the results of implementing the assortment tool?

By streamlining and scaling assortment management, the introduction of Match has generated a significant transformation in performance:

• 3,000 stores equipped worldwide
• 500 active users, averaging 100 per Maison
• Successful adoption: 90% of stores update assortments regularly on the platform

"We’ve significantly optimized our assortments. Each store now offers the most relevant selection. In practice, that means better product availability and immediate sales uplift. The automation of the process also saves us valuable time.” - Annabel Wunder, Assortment and Project Manager, IWC

In parallel, Ekimetrics has observed significant efficiency gains at other leading luxury Maisons using the same solution:

• A +1 point productivity increase, representing up to €10 million in gains
• More than 50 working days saved per month in assortment creation efforts

An effective governance model driving adoption

Ekimetrics supported Match's deployment, creating an internal ambassador network across the watchmaking Maisons. These user champions host regular workshops to help users get the most out of the platform, stay up to speed on new features, and continuously increase the platform’s value.

Deployment and methodology: Just 6 months to transform an entire ecosystem

The implementation of Match followed an agile three-phase methodology:

Phase 1 – Scoping (2 months): Understand the need and co-design the solution

• Audited existing practices, highlighting inefficiencies in manual processes
• Led co-creation workshops with business teams to define the tool’s vision and “Golden Rules”
• Built a shared framework allowing each Maison to tailor rules to their specific needs

 Phase 2 – MVP development (4 months): From concept to operational tool

• Delivered a working prototype across three pilot Maisons
• Carried out first integrations with internal databases and IT systems
• Conducted user testing and iterations to fine-tune results

Phase 3 – Continuous improvement: A solution that keeps evolving

• Gradual rollout to additional Richemont Maisons
• New features released every year
• Full integration with order management systems to streamline supply chain operations

Thanks to this AI-driven solution, Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC, and other luxury Maisons have completely transformed their assortment strategies, gaining new levels of precision, agility, and operational impact. With intelligent automation, they can now align product offerings to local market needs with unmatched efficiency.

What’s next? The future lies in enhancing visual merchandising. By incorporating AI-generated recommendations on product display and assortment quality scoring, the platform takes marketing and retail decision-making even further.

With a proven track record in high-end watchmaking and fine jewelry, this technology has clear potential to expand into other luxury segments, further positioning AI as a crucial lever for next-generation retail transformation.

Learn more about how AI is powering operational excellence.