The People Behind LIGURE Watches Loek Oprinsen.

Loek Oprinsen, Founder of Ligure Watches

Episode Two

At LIGURE Watches, a timepiece is never just a product. It exists within a world of expectations, relationships, and long-term trust. In this series, The People Behind LIGURE Watches, I introduce the individuals whose experience and perspective shape the brand. In Episode Two, I focus on Loek Oprinsen, co-founder and the force behind LIGURE’s Market Vision.

Loek Oprinsen LIGURE Watches: Market Perspective

Perspective Gained from the Swiss Watch Industry

Loek Oprinsen brings decades of experience from within the watch industry. His years of working alongside established Swiss watch brands shaped his understanding of how quality, positioning, and credibility are built and sustained over time. This perspective informs every decision made at LIGURE. It’s not just technical; it’s market-driven. His insight is grounded in reality: how a timepiece is perceived, how it is presented, and how it earns its place with collectors, retailers, and the press. This understanding helps LIGURE navigate a crowded landscape with clarity and confidence.

'Lavoro in corso' work in progress, Loek & Jannieke checking the details

I can safely say I’m taking part in one of the most exciting projects of my professional career.

Market Vision Without Compromise

Creating Accessible Luxury Without Cutting Corners

When LIGURE set out to define its signature timepieces, Loek’s role was to bring the market vision: creating an accessible luxury timepiece that feels truly elevated without compromising on the fundamentals. His experience across the watch industry helped shape a clear brief: deliver refinement, durability, and long-term wearability at a price point that makes sense, while refusing to cut corners where quality matters most.

The result is a collection designed to travel with you, reliable above and beneath the waves, and equally at home on a café terrace by the Mediterranean.

Together, Loek’s market insight and Jannieke’s design objectives ensured that every intention the founders shared, down to the smallest details, was translated into what is now the unmistakable Signature Tartaruga Collection.

Ligure Watches window Presentation

Connecting LIGURE to the Right World

Building Long-Term Relationships with High-End Jewelers

Loek’s influence is felt in how LIGURE is positioned and understood beyond the timepiece itself. His role is to shape how LIGURE is positioned and understood, quietly placing the brand in the right context through relationships with high-end jewelers and the press. Rather than chasing visibility, he focuses on relevance. He ensures that LIGURE is presented in environments where design restraint, authenticity, and long-term quality are genuinely appreciated. Through press relations and carefully built partnerships, he helps articulate the brand’s background and philosophy with clarity and consistency.

A Shared Foundation

The Ray-Ban Beginning in 1990

The roots of LIGURE Watches extend back to 1990, when Loek, Jannieke, and Pieterfirst met while working at Bausch & Lomb Ray-Ban. That early collaboration established shared standards around quality, professionalism, and long-term thinking principles that would later become fundamental to LIGURE. Together with Jannieke and Pieter, Loek continues to help shape a brand defined not by trends, but by intention, clarity, and confidence over time.

Episode One: Design Perspective

Next Episode: Pieter van Geet

In the next episode of The People Behind LIGURE Watches, we introduce Pieter van Geet, whose Strategic Vision helps define the long-term direction and storytelling of the brand.