Marcolino Relojoeiro is the main reference in the city of Porto for those who demand quality and excellence in watchmaking and jewelry. And this does not happen by chance. In fact, for over 96 years, Marcolino has been a witness and protagonist of the evolution of a city that, like few others, has been able to combine tradition and modernity, being today a true center of cosmopolitan lifestyle.

In an unfortunate coincidence, Marcolino and Jota Barbosa Interiors joined forces in a unique partnership: to take the luxury segment to another dimension with the BUBEN & ZORWEG brand.

In an interview with Bruno Rodrigues, Commercial and Marketing Director of the Marcolino company, you can find out what this partnership is all about and what we have in mind for you.

Jota Barbosa Interiors & Marcolino | Buben Zorweg

1. How did the partnership with Jota Barbosa Interiors come about and what synergistic points did you find to make it happen?

Bruno Rodrigues: The partnership arose because we believe that Jota Barbosa Interiors has the same market positioning as ours, i.e., operates in a very premium market. Therefore this partnership makes perfect sense for the benefit of both companies and their customers.

2. What are the products that BUBEN & ZORWEG has to offer to the market?

Bruno Rodrigues: BUBEN & ZORWEG is the world leader in luxury cases with rotors for automatic watches. In addition, we also produce safes, customized solutions for walk-in-closets and rooms, which range from placing rotary boxes in spaces designed by the customer, to doing the entire project. In these projects the word “imagination” is the limit, as it is possible to incorporate wine cellars, cigar dehumidifiers, gun safes, etc.

3. What factors make these pieces stand out from the others that the market offers in the same segment? Is high technology allied to customization and art an element sought after by your customers? 

Bruno Rodrigues: Design is one of the main features that makes BUBEN & ZORWEG stand out from all its competitors, but it is not the only factor, because there is an essential element in the brand, which is the choice of the best materials that the customization market has to offer.

Technology is always pushed to the limit in all products that BUBEN & ZORWEG makes, so it is one of the great differentiating elements of the brand, but the bet on design is another key success factor and the fact that it can create any product that the customer’s imagination wants.

4. Why do you advise our clients to include this product in their projects? How can it be applied or introduced in our homes? 

Bruno Rodrigues: Bruno Rodrigues: When you work with a brand like BUBEN & ZORWEG, you can be sure that extreme care has been taken in selecting the best materials available in the world to achieve a final product of the highest excellence.

Furthermore, those who choose the brand, do so because they want to have a differentiating product, and one that always brings a “wow” factor. The brand operates in the field of existing products in its catalog, which can be ordered according to the existing measures, or if the client wants a customized solution, he just needs to send us his ideas and the brand will arrange a solution according to his requirements.

5. At Jota Barbosa, in each interior design project, everything is customized according to the clients’ taste and needs. Can we expect the same from these products? How is the customization accomplished?

Bruno Rodrigues: Yes, you can expect exactly the same kind of customization. To give an example, let’s imagine that your client has a certain type of leather covering the sofas, or another area of the house, and he wants the safe to have that same type of leather. All you have to do is send us a sample of the leather and the brand will arrange something similar for his safe. What is always needed is a description of what the client needs, and we will arrange with the brand a solution for him.

6. Do you consider that the luxury market segment, being a more exclusive niche, propitiates the exchange of synergies between brands, with the purpose of having an even more relevant impact on the market? 

Bruno Rodrigues: That is exactly our opinion. And we would say that not only the customers benefit from these synergies, but the companies themselves can learn from each other in order to provide an even more exclusive service to their customers.

7. What similarities do you see between Marcolino and Jota Barbosa Interiors? What values do you consider essential for a brand to be successful in the luxury market, what is really important?

Bruno Rodrigues: First of all in the choice of products you sell, which is very similar to Marcolino. That is, all products sold by both brands are of high quality. Then both companies are always very attentive to the individual wishes of their customers and do everything to meet them.

What we consider to be essential in this segment, besides a very careful choice of the products sold, is a premium customer service, combined with an after sales service at the same level. With this we manage to create a relationship of trust with the customer, which ends up being the most important thing in the long term.