Luxury Watch Expert and Rolex Author, Giorgia Mondani

Luxury watch expert Giorgia Mondani is a fresh, strong face in the watch world. With the support of her husband and parents, she discovered a new way to do business in the watch industry. A Renaissance woman, Giorgia published watch books under Mondani Books. She also founded Mondani Web for watch dealers and created Mondani Magazine to spread the horological culture with reliable information.

Giorgia was born in Geneva, Italy in 1984. She recounted to me how she grew up as a professional tennis player. When she was 19, she decided to switch paths and study at university.

“I graduated in foreign languages. After that, I went to work for the famous auction house Antiquorum as their Marketing Assistant.” There, she had her first experience in the world of watches. She also had the chance to improve her English, learn French, and become quadrilingual.

Giorgia discovered her passion for the luxury watch industry because of her dad, Guido Mondani. “One day while I was working in Geneva, he called and asked me to join the family business. I left my job the day after,” she smiles at the memory.

Guido is one of the most important Rolex collectors, known in the industry for his precision and reliability. He was an editor for over 30 years. After his wife Franca gave him a yellow gold Rolex (#8171) on his 41^st birthday, he started collecting more watches.

It was love at first sight for Guido and Rolex. However, he found it difficult to find complete guides for new collectors. He began his journey absorbing all the information he could find.

On April 1^st and May 13^th, 2006, he sold his watch collection of 309 rare Rolexes at an auction in Geneva. On the first day, the first half of the collection sold for 200% of their estimated value. By the end of the second auction day, his entire collection sold for 11,037,278 Swiss Franc ($11,928,538.20).

He broke 11 world-records. You can find each lot from his auction on the Antiquorum website.

“He is also the author and publisher of the first books about the brand, Mondani Books,” Giorgia continues. Guido's experience in the publishing industry as a luxury watch expert led to the founding of Mondani Books in 1979.

“I joined the family business when I was 23, and we managed to bring Mondani Books all around the world.” Now, they collaborate every day. “Even though we live in a digital era, Mondani Books are an important source for Rolex and Patek Philippe collectors. They are the result of years of study, research, and updating.

"Preparing one single book takes years. From my humble point of view, the Rolex Encyclopedia should be in the library of each Rolex collector. It represents a true ‘Bible’ of the entire Rolex production.”

You can purchase The Rolex Encyclopedia at Mondani Books, which includes every Rolex created from 1905 until today. A story told in three books, readers will learn about the origins of Rolex and technical guides on specific models. Additionally, you'll read about how many hours it takes to produce one of these beautiful timepieces and how to invest in the collection. The set makes a wonderful birthday or holiday gift for any watch aficionado.

“The first book I wrote together with my family was the Rolex Submariner Sea-Dweller DeepSea.” A limited edition book, it goes into detail about every component of the Submariner with updated prices. “We presented in some of the most famous watch shows. It was a real success,” she says excitedly.

Giorgia doesn't have a favorite luxury watch brand, but based on her Instagram and authored books, Rolex is quite the contender. “Rolex is a resistant watch,” she explains. “The watch you can wear every day for doing anything you want, and the watch that accompanies big achievements.”

Giorgia joined her family business Mondani Books (the leading publishing house for watches). She also founded Mondani Web, is an author and the creator of Mondani Magazine, and she is a full-time mom. “With two kids and two companies to run, you can imagine I am always on the run! But my work allows me to spend a lot of time with my kids, which is the best.”

Being a family woman, she always makes sure to include time with her husband and children. Giorgia enjoys traveling, especially to New York, and loves pizza. (A girl after my own heart!)

It’s no surprise that this luxury watch expert loves what she does. “The biggest satisfaction I have is speaking with thousands of people and seeing my followers really accept my suggestions. They come to me showing they bought the watch I recommended, or they went where I proposed, which is very nice.”

At Avi & Co., social media plays a huge role in the company’s branding in capturing the special moments. “The difference is now,” Avi Hiaeve, CEO of Avi & Co. says, “I’m out in the open doing all these interviews, social media, and YouTube videos.” Avi felt that putting his own self into social media is what truly made the company feel more personal.

People enjoy seeing the authentic self because it radiates confidence, especially when you’re dealing with such high-end pieces. And just like Avi & Co., social media plays a huge role in Giorgia’s work. “It was a game changer, and suddenly I became sort of a ‘celebrity.’”

She feels like this is a lot of work. While others can enjoy a special moment, she feels the need to capture it for her followers and fellow enthusiasts. This makes it difficult to enjoy the moment while it’s happening. With the always-growing social media platform, her biggest challenge is constantly creating new and innovative material.

“I do wish I started posting on social media a bit earlier,” she continues. “In the beginning, it was super easy to gain quality followers on Instagram and TikTok, as well as subscribers for YouTube.” However, with her current 413k followers on just one of her Instagram accounts, I believe she has found her niche!

What she loves most about social media is that there are no longer geographic limits. “We can see everything and be in touch with anyone no matter where they live. We do not have to wait for an auction catalog or go out to a boutique.” However, not having access to reliable services was Giorgia's inspiration for Mondani Web.

Founded five years ago with her husband, Mondani Web helps watch lovers easily find safe and trusted watch dealers. “We work with more than 400 dealers that come from all over. Dealers pay a fee through different packages to be in our groups. They have protection from engaging in business with people who aren't serious.

"The luxury watch market carries a lot of risks, and you must be 100% sure before making a purchase. We also wanted to assist dealers who deserved to be seen. We offer exclusive social media visibility to watch dealers and brands, as well as networking opportunities.”

As a female entrepreneur in a male dominated industry, Giorgia noticed that she was sometimes the only woman at luxury watch shows, events, and auctions. Usually accompanied by her husband, she now feels strongly supported and encouraged next to the male entrepreneurs.

“At the beginning of my career as a businesswoman, it was unusual for many to consider me as an entrepreneur. However, the constant changes in society and the shift in mindset have made it easier for women to explore their true talents. Now, there are many more women in the watch industry. They mostly work behind the scenes, but they’re certainly the engine of many brands.”

Before watches were popular amongst men, women fashioned them around their necks. It wasn’t until WWI that men wrapped pocket watches around their wrists to easily access the time. While more men wear watches than women, women shop more.

Watch companies mainly market watches to men, which is the biggest problem. Unfortunately, this is regardless of whether or not the company has a beautiful line of women’s timepieces. According to A Blog to Watch, “It’s like making a great Italian sports car. And then going out of your way to keep it a secret.

The original marketing of women's watches featured smaller, more feminine pieces. However, many women enjoy larger case sizes. With the shift in marketing throughout the watch industry, timepieces are focusing more on unisex pieces rather than a specific gender. This is undoubtedly a great and more inclusive direction for the watch market.

Giorgia’s future consists of continuing to work hard while spending time with her husband and kids. She proves that with hard work, dedication, and a desire to learn, you can be an expert in your field. The Mondani family regularly attends luxury watch shows and auctions. Avi & Co. can’t wait for this luxury watch expert and Rolex author to visit our New York City, Miami, or Aspen locations!