News reached us today of the death of Severin Wunderman, president and owner of Corum. Wunderman passed away on 25 June, aged 69, at his private residence in Nice, following a stroke.
Having taken over the Corum brand in 2000, Wunderman relaunched the name with creativity and ingenuity. A man of art and culture, his personality and charisma influenced the House's creations and elevated Corum to the level of a watchmaking icon. He was also responsible for the success of Gucci's watchmaking division in the 1980s and 1990s. In his 25-year association with Gucci Timepieces, the company has sold millions of watches worldwide.
As President of Corum, he put his audacity and sense of innovation to good use. Wunderman launched the famous Corum Bubble collection, characterised by original designs and a contemporary vision of the watchmaking universe. One of his successes was also the relaunch of the legendary Admiral's Cup line, to which he gave a new identity.
Wunderman has always cultivated a strong attraction for the world of art and culture, with a special affinity for the works of Jean Cocteau. Over the years, he built up a rich collection of works by the great masters of the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. As a patron, he created a Jean Cocteau Museum in California and is one of the major contributors to the Menton Museum, which will open its doors in 2010 and which brings together 1,200 works by Cocteau offered by Wunderman.
The Wunderman family and Corum employees around the world will continue to fulfil its mission: 'To make Corum the most prestigious watch brand in the world'.
In addition to his numerous philanthropic activities, including through the Severin Wunderman Family Foundation, which funds various charity and medical research programmes worldwide, Severin Wunderman was awarded the title of Chevalier de l'Ordre national de la Legion d'Honneur by the President of the French Republic on 31 December 2004.
Corum's official press release closes with a quote from Jean Cocteau:
"The true grave of the dead is the heart of the living".
