Hublot announced the release of an e-warranty, while Franck Muller unveiled a watch that doubles as a BCH cold wallet
Hublot and Franck Muller, two high-end watch brands, have announced separate projects that are working on incorporating several different aspects of blockchain technology. Hublot is working on an e-warranty, which is a tracking and verification system that is built on the Aura blockchain. On the other hand, Franck Muller launched a limited edition watch entitled “Free the Money, Free the World” which doubles as a cold wallet for Bitcoin Cash (BCH).
According to the announcement made by Hublot, the company partnered with a tech company named KerQuest on the new project. Hublot’s new blockchain-based supply chain monitoring solution will allow customers to authenticate their Hublot product and activate their warranty remotely.
Meanwhile, the new Franck Muller watch is the first timepiece for Bitcoin Cash within its “Encrypto” product range. Franck Muller partnered with Bitcoin.com on the research and development of the watch.
The e-warranty from Hublot is the company’s latest attempt to fight counterfeit products. The system gives its clients the ability to oversee the supply chain. The hosting of the platform is on the Ethereum-based Aura blockchain, which has been developed by Microsoft and ConsenSys.
The e-warranty is now a part of the top-tier luxury brand LVMH products that are available on the Aura blockchain. This move is a part of the luxury industry’s efforts to make sure that their supply chains are not, at any point, involved in unethically sourced inputs such as minerals that are mined in conflict zones. It also serves as protection to luxury brands when it comes to issues such as brand piracy and theft of intellectual property.
The Chief Executive Officer of Hublot, Ricardo Guadalupe, explained that the e-warranty will be applied with the use of an electronic passport and warranty system.
“Hublot will use an electronic passport and warranty system, much like facial recognition, based on the uniqueness of the materials that make up its watches. Thanks to the Hublot e-warranty, a simple photo taken with a mobile phone is all it takes to activate the warranty and access it while verifying the authenticity of the product. Although the technology developed relies on complex algorithms, it is simple and user friendly”, he stated.
For Franck Muller, the “Free the Money, Free the World” watch is the latest product in its “Encrypto” collection. The original Vanguard Encrypto that the company first released was marketed as “the world’s first functional Bitcoin watch” and featured a laser-etched QR code that contained a Bitcoin wallet address. It also had a sealed USB stick that stored the wallet’s private key.