Watch names like Audemars Piguet and Girard-Perregaux aren't the easiest to pronounce. Test how well you know the pronunciation of the most famous watch brands here.
At a social networking party, you mingle around the room, feeling very good about yourself as you converse with like-minded successful peers aka the movers and shakers of your industry. You’ve made it, you think to yourself as you soak up the buzzing atmosphere around you. A sophisticated business tycoon then comes over and says hello. He smiles at the watch on your wrist as he shakes your hand. “That’s a nice watch!” You grin and respond, “Thanks! It’s an Oh-mi-ga.” Your business idol gives you a confused look and asks gently, “You mean, an O-may-guh, right?”
At that moment, you immediately wish the ground would open up and swallow you whole.
If the scenario above has ever happened to you, we empathise with you. Nothing is more embarrassing than stepping into a store and having to wait for the store assistant to pronounce the brand’s name first before you do – just so you could mimic his or her pronunciation. (Here, we empathise with you also).
To help you get it right, here’s our carefully-compiled guide of 12 commonly mispronounced watch brands. We understand that like foreign foods and certain liquor and champagnes, these brands can sometimes be quite a mouthful.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore, Ref 25721, No 32
Audemars Piguet: Repeat after me, the ‘mars’ here is not referring to the red planet. Instead, the ‘s’ is silent.
Get it right: Aw-duh-mahr Pee-gay
Bédat & Co: Aligned with its slightly more feminine image, it has a soft, round at the end of its name. So do not ever call it ‘Beh-datt’.
Get it right: Bay-dah-and-co
Breguet: Despite an almost similar spelling, it does not in any way sound like baguette when spoken.
Get it right: Breh-gay
Breitling: While we are on the subject of pastries, this brand is not pronounced as ‘bread-ling’.
Get it right: Brite-ling
Bulgari: Saying ‘garh’ can be quite garish to the ears of a devoted appreciator of the brand.
Get it right: Bul-guh-ree
Cartier: It is a mistake to roll out the ‘r’ at the end of this brand’s name.
Get it right: Karr-tee-ay
Chopard: Be soft at the start and emphasise on the ‘pard’ to impress your peers.
Get it right: Show-pard
Franck Muller: There is no need to mull over how to pronounce Muller anymore.
Get it right: Frahnk Myou-ler
Girard-Perregaux: If you simply cannot commit it to memory, calling this brand by its initials will help you save face.
Get it right: Gee-rahrd-pair-uh-go
Hublot: It’s definitely not spoken phonetically as ‘hub’ and ‘lot’, that’s for sure.
Get it right: Hew-blow
IWC Schaffhausen: IWC is pronounced as it is spelled word-for-word while the second part of its name might require more practice.
Get it right: Ai-double-u-si Shaff-howz-in
Longines: Never, ever say ‘long-gynes’ even if everyone else is saying it.
Get it right: Lawn-jeen
Patek Philippe: Despite being the easiest name to pronounce, there are some who still cannot get it right. Lucky for you, we are here to help.
Get it right: Pah-tek Fill-eep
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