Labor of Love

So today, I found it fairly challenging to get up at the usual ungodly hour of 5:30 to:
1.  Feed the kitties
2.  Make espresso
3.  Reply to email requests
4.  Edit and post press releases
5.  Try to think of something witty and original to write about

For myself, and I suspect quite a few other bloggers out there, we do it because we love it.

And for some other bloggers and forum owners out there, I suspect that they did love it at some point, but the love went away to be replaced by jealousy, assumed rivalry and negativity.  To this extent they spend their time looking for things to criticize or even attack outright.  This is unfortunate.  For my part, I still love it!  And it is really only possible because of the support of you - and the watch companies out there.

So for you readers out there, I wanted to let you know who shows us (the bloggers) love so that we at least have things to write about and actual watches to review -

1. Girard-Perregaux - without a doubt, they go above and beyond.  Yes, they are a luxury brand - but they treat everyone as if they were important.  Thank you GP!

2.  Eterna - fantastic, wonderful, superlative in their support and assistance - can't say enough good things about them.

3.  Breguet - with a caveat - at the store level.  The boutique employees are AMAZING - and I say this with having taken a fair sample of three different boutiques, not attending events but just dropping in.  Having said that, and please hear this as constructive criticism - Breguet marketing, pr and communications should spend a training day in the boutiques - the people there are truly amazing ambassadors to the brand.  I still have yet to get a reply from their marketing/pr folks - 3 requests for a BaselWorld appointment have gone unanswered - but maybe this is the year!

4.  Hanhart - engaged, communicative, professional - enough said!

5.  Aquadive - newly reborn company, going out of their way to get real watches into the hands of people to give real reviews.

6.  ochs und junior - masters of customer engagement

7.  Frederique Constant/Alpina - didn't always feel this way - but its not every company's CEO who will take time to call you from Switzerland for a follow-up to an interview.

8.  Bremont - bar none, top-notch folks!

And while I am on the topic - there are some really great bloggers out there, putting content out there for us day in/day out without getting paid - Frank Geelen of Monochrome comes to mind.  Blancpain should seriously consider hiring him as their official blogger/ambassador.  Good, intelligent and informed.  Check him out:
www.monochrome.nl

And now I'm off to "work" - i.e. that which I actually get paid for ; )

So show these companies some love!  And check out Frank's latest updates on Monochrome