Sriram “Ram” Natarajan is now GIA’s senior vice president of laboratory operations and is based out of the lab’s headquarters in Carlsbad.
Breitling Is Introducing a Watch Subscription Program
The #BreitlingSelect Subscription Service allows users to try up to three watches in a year and buy one.

The brand has announced an innovative program unusual for the rarified world of Swiss watchmaking—#BreitlingSelect, a subscription service in which participants can try up to three watches in a 12-month period.
The program just launched in the United States, with other countries to follow.
Here’s how it works, according to Breitling.
Participants select a Breitling from a portfolio of refurbished timepieces—new watches are not included in the program— a maximum of three models delivered to their homes during the year-long contract.
Customers keep each watch for at least one month, and a maximum of six months, and one at a time.
Clients can purchase one of the refurbished watches they’ve tried, with Breitling offering a discount based off points earned during the subscription period.
Initially available only online at Breitling.com, #BreitlingSelect will also be offered at boutiques and some of its global retailers soon, the brand said.
The subscription service costs $450 initially, plus $129 per month, for a total of $1,998 per year.
Customers in Austria, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Switzerland will have access to the service next.
“This program is a natural extension of our ambitious digital strategy, most visible through our thriving e-commerce and our new blockchain-enabled digital passport,” said CEO Georges Kern.
“Both reset the way we engage with our clients. This is not only a substantial innovation in the watch industry, but also a demonstration of Breitling’s inclusive luxury approach.”
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