Luxury Institute Survey: Ultra-High Net-Worth Consumers Rank the "Best of the Best" Luxury Watch Brands

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - April 16, 2009) - The Luxury Institute reported today the top-rated luxury watch brands in the 2009 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey, which identifies the top brands that exhibit true luxury in numerous categories based solely on the independently verified ratings of wealthy and ultra-wealthy consumers.

Ultra-high net-worth consumers rated IWC the "Best of the Best" among 33 luxury watch brands. IWC is the top-ranking brand for three out of four components of the LBSI. IWC also swept highest scores as the luxury watch brand that wealthy consumers consider to be most worthy of a price premium and are most willing to recommend. Consumers who rated IWC number one described the brand as "rare and exceptional," "the standard" and having "unique design and classic looks."

The LBSI asks high net-worth consumers to rate luxury brands by category across four equally weighted components: Consistently Superior Quality, Uniqueness and Exclusivity, Making the Customer Feel Special across the entire experience and Being Consumed by People Who Are Admired and Respected.

The "Best of the Best" are: (LBSI score out of 10)

-- Luxury Watches
   -- IWC-7.87
   -- Patek Philippe-7.65
   -- Vacheron Constantin-7.52

"In the U.S., IWC is a luxury brand that stands out beyond their product history, great design, quality and craftsmanship," said Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute. "It is a brand that seeks to create seamless customer journeys while other brands struggle to deliver disconnected customer experiences. It is a brand that cares deeply about customer feedback and is among a few luxury brands that have active collector communities. At a time when many luxury brands are having identity crises in the midst of an economic crisis, IWC knows exactly who they are, what they offer, and who they serve. They are a true 21st century luxury brand, as rated by the ultimate brand constituents: consumers. Additionally, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin are consistently rated among the top luxury watches by ultra-wealthy consumers. The ability of these brands to be rated so highly year after year makes them brands that deliver the luxury value consumers look for universally."

The proprietary Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey is the only unbiased measure of the prestige of leading brands among wealthy and ultra-wealthy Americans. A national sample of 1,013 ultra-wealthy American consumers, with minimum investable assets of $2.0 million, and median investable assets of $4.1 million, was surveyed online. Survey results are weighted to match demographic and net-worth profiles of the same audience according to the latest Survey of Consumer Finances from The Federal Reserve.

About the Luxury Institute (www.LuxuryInstitute.com)

The Luxury Institute is the uniquely independent and impartial ratings and research institution that is the trusted and respected voice of the high net-worth consumer. The Institute provides a portfolio of proprietary publications and research and consulting services that guides and educates high net-worth individuals and the companies that cater to them on leading edge trends, high net-worth consumer rankings and ratings of luxury brands, and best practices. The Luxury Institute also operates the LuxuryBoard.com (www.LuxuryBoard.com), the world's first global, membership-based online community for luxury goods and services executives, professionals and entrepreneurs.

Contact Information: For Further Information, Please Contact: Evins Communications, Ltd. Dotty J. Giordano Director Enid Lewin Vice President Phone: (212) 688-8200 E-mail: dotty.giordano@evins.com E-mail: enid.lewin@evins.com The Luxury Institute, LLC Martin Swanson Business Development Phone: (914) 909-6350 E-mail: mswanson@luxuryinstitute.com