What Barry Hearn Could Teach the Watch Industry - 2

To paraphrase Mr. Hearn's second rule:

2.     Do not leave your brain in the factory parking lot

Many "sensible" people lose their way when they get into the watch business.  I get the press releases every day - "years of success and experience in industry X", "excited to join the exciting and glamorous world of Haute Horology"...

Remember Thierry Nataf?  His tenure at Zenith is a case study underscoring the importance of not leaving your brain in the factory parking lot.  He had been successful in the champagne business.  He looked the part - sharp suit, bright eyed and focused.  But as things progressed, the excitement of running a watch brand, the celebrities, the media attention, all of this proved (in the end) a major distraction.  Now to be very, very clear - in the "if it bleeds it leads" school of watch marketing, you have to give the Nataf era Zenith full marks.  It was EVERYWHERE.  But it was not sustainable.  

Despite what we would like to think, the watch business is in some ways no different than any other. Things do not happen overnight.  It takes time for them to develop.  But this oftentimes gets lost in the hype.

The watch business is a wasteland of people at every level (retailer, distributor, national brand manager, CEO, owner) who have built up business success in other areas, and managed to squander the company's, or family's money chasing the dream of being the next Tourneau, Hublot, Rolex or Omega.  The unshakable belief that the next celebrity partner, the newest boutique, the latest advertising campaign will make it happen.  It seldom does.

You have to be sensible - and make sure that you do not leave your brain in the factory parking lot.

What Barry Hearn Could Teach the Watch Industry

I am a fan of Men in Blazers, in one of their most recent pod casts they shared an interview with former Leyton Orient owner Barry Hearn that I found fascinating, informative and a lot of fun.  I encourage you to check it out here -

http://meninblazers.com/2015/12/23/mibpodspec-hearn/

Essentially, Mr. Hearn shares the 10 rules that he learned by owning a football club, but there was a great deal of it that I felt truly applied to the luxury industry as well.  So with full credit extended to Mr. Hearn for putting them into words, and for the Men in Blazers for sharing it, here is my modified set of rules for the watch industry, one rule at a time -

1.     Always remember why you bought the company in the first place.

The watch industry is one of those businesses that can stir a great deal of loyalty not just amongst the fans out there, but the people working for the brand.  From the top to the bottom, there is a personal identification that comes with working for a brand.  With that level of devotion comes a fairly large bundle of emotional baggage.  But whether you own it on paper, or you are a salaried employee, in one way or another you have "bought" the company.

And for many a brand owner/brand manager and (in some painfully obvious instances) CEO, the brand is something that they always wanted to have.  When you were working behind the counter at Tourneau, you sometimes fantasized about what it might be like to be the brand manager on the other side of the counter.  Beautiful suit, flawless manicure, expense account.  It all looked really good.  And when you made the jump to brand rep, and then to brand manager it all did seem exciting at the time.  But, and I will paraphrase what Mr. Hearn said - running a brand can be a lot like having a mistress - It costs you a fortune and you only have 3 good days a year.  

Now when I say that it costs a fortune I don't just mean in terms of money, although the money side of it is very evident to you when you are the brand owner, the CEO or even the rep who is counting on incentive bonuses based on sales.  But there is a bigger "cost" -

• Time away from family 
• Your health - in this instance physical owing to constant travel, poor sleep and even poorer diet
• Your relationships - and no, that is not just with your family
• Your mental health

So one way or another, you are paying a cost - this is, by the way, just like any other business.  But what makes the watch industry so unique is the amount of passion it stimulates from those who work in, or hope to work in it.  The only similar industries I can think of are automotive and fashion.  Do you think toothpaste, air conditioners or peanut butter fuel this level of enthusiasm?  

So if we stick with the mistress analogy, this makes the watch brand a bit of a cruel mistress.  

But you got into this business for a reason.  Moreover, if you recently joined a different brand in the past months, you did so for a reason.  Whether or not it was the right reason, only time will tell.  

What I think gets lost in the morass of a downturn the likes of which we are experiencing is the fun, the enjoyment - the reason you got into this business in the first place.  The reason why you "bought the company" in the first place.

I got into the business on a full-time basis in 2007 - just before the last big downturn.  And it was one hell of a ride!  It is safe to say that I was so new to it at the time, that I probably didn't know enough to be worried or unhappy.  Every day I was asked to take on new and different challenges and responsibilities.  Long days, and a lot of effort went in.  There was a real team spirit and we were all pulling together.  And we emerged on the other side intact.  This was perhaps one of the great benefits of being a smaller operation - you could be nimble.  There were many other folks from bigger, richer brands who are now in different industries.

But looking back on it now, we never questioned why we got into the business or "bought the company" in the first place ; )

Numbers Don't Lie - Paying the Check

While we will wait for the results of December, it appears clear that 2015 was not what anyone was expecting.

Numbers don't lie.  And the simple truth is that at least per the FHS reports, the numbers for 2015 have not been good.  From December 2014 - November 2015 the export figures have dropped from 2% down to below - 3%

Courtesy of Federation of the Swiss watch industry FH

Now there is a very fascinating caveat that the Federation includes with these statistics that really bears greater consideration:

The TETRA CLÄRCHEN

From Nomos Glashütte

Courtesy of Nomos Glashütte

The world may indeed be round, but it is not necessarily black and white ; )

A Stocking Stuffer from Girard-Perregaux

For those of you who have been particularly nice this year - the Vintage 1945 from 

Girard-Perregaux!

Courtesy of Girard-Perregaux

Happy Holidays!

Doing Good - Omega and the Program for Childhood Stimulus

This is the second of Omega's projects to help benefit the people of the Olympic host city that is being conducted through  -

#OMEGAVIVARIO

Courtesy of Omega

Here's the scoop on Social Action #2 -

Bringing joy to young children

Every child needs space to grow. This project will support their development by providing equipment for recreational activities and learning.

One of the critical factors in early childhood care is strengthening family and community involvement. The aim of this project is exactly that, with the hope that it will promote complete development for every child.

The Program for Childhood Stimulus helps to expand the provision of healthcare in vulnerable communities. The support teams are made up of professionals who have proper technical knowledge, and in this case, they will be integrated within the Family Health teams. That way, we can promote the Complete Development for Early Childhood in line with governmental programs.

This Social Action will benefit over 1000 families in the area of Madre Teresa de Calcutá, in the Ilha do Governador neighborhood, located in the North Zone of the city.

“The kids can have fun while learning. That's what a childhood should be„

Courtesy of Omega

How OMEGA will help

The space linked to the Family Health Program will be fully equipped to allow children to carry out recreational activities and receive a socio-cognitive stimulus that promotes proper development. The space will also be enabled to integrate families to ensure each child has support on every side.

Doing Good - Hublot the UNODC and Falcao

As it is Christmas Eve, let's get things started on a warm 'n fuzzy note.  This is a project Hublot has been working on, and I have to say it is pretty impressive!  Well done to the folks in Nyon!




And here's the info straight from Nyon -

Hublot and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime provide the wetland community with a sports centre and a fish storage centre, which will allow sufficient space for the children to play, and give a final push to a production project that they are promoting with UNODC.


For those of you not familiar with the UNODC, here is some info:
Known as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, here is how they describe what they do:

UNODC is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime. Established in 1997 through a merger between the United Nations Drug Control Programme and the Centre for International Crime Prevention, UNODC operates in all regions of the world through an extensive network of field offices. UNODC relies on voluntary contributions, mainly from Governments, for 90 per cent of its budget.

UNODC is mandated to assist Member States in their struggle against illicit drugs, crime and terrorism. In the Millennium Declaration, Member States also resolved to intensify efforts to fight transnational crime in all its dimensions, to redouble the efforts to implement the commitment to counter the world drug problem and to take concerted action against international terrorism.

The three pillars of the UNODC work programme are:

• Field-based technical cooperation projects to enhance the capacity of Member States to counteract illicit drugs, crime and terrorism
• Research and analytical work to increase knowledge and understanding of drugs and crime issues and expand the evidence base for policy and operational decisions
• Normative work to assist States in the ratification and implementation of the relevant international treaties, the development of domestic legislation on drugs, crime and terrorism, and the provision of secretariat and substantive services to the treaty-based and governing bodies

In pursuing its objectives, UNODC makes every effort to integrate and mainstream the gender perspective, particularly in its projects for the provision of alternative livelihoods, as well as those against human trafficking.

https://www.unodc.org

One Step up and Two Steps Back

"The American psyche is in turmoil Drew, and we have miscalculated."
Alec Baldwin - Elizabethtown

By now, it is likely you have heard about Maurice Lacroix's latest decision to shift direction once again and "go back to the future" by focusing on quartz watches.  This is starting to emerge as a somewhat uncomfortable pattern for the brand.

After deciding that the future was "high end" mechanical, dare I say it... manufacture pieces, the man with his hand on the tiller has decided to change course yet again and pointed the boat downstream.

When you make a decision that quartz watches priced at around $900 - $1700 are selling quite well, you are being observant of market trends.  When you make a decision that therefore you need to make a pretty large bet that you can now occupy that space with Raymond Weil, well then it is clear you did not learn your lesson with your migration to high-end, and pretty soon the barbarians are going to be marching into town and taking your livestock.

Apart from anything else, what Maurice Lacroix is suffering from is an identity crisis of nearly epic proportions.  And to those of us who write about these things it looks as if they are essentially trying nearly anything, hoping that something is finally going to "click".

It is not every brand or brand leader that will try to pivot so frequently, and I want to be clear - I sincerely hope that this new plan will work.  I am not a fan of failure for anyone.

Doing Good - Support for Vulnerable Mothers

So in an effort to get you caught up on all of the positive things that Omega is involved with in the lead-up to the Rio games, allow me to introduce you to:

                                       SOCIAL ACTION #1

Courtesy of Omega
Support for vulnerable mothers

Doing Good - Omega

In fairness, this is news from August.  But as with many things covered by my my "more professional" colleagues, unless champagne and presents are involved it will often go uncovered.  But by now you know that at Tempus Fugit we go out of our way to find this stuff and cover it.

When you get some positive news that is not about celebrities, athletes and lingerie models but rather about DOING GOOD, you should go out of your way to share it.  So well done OMEGA!

We will be sharing the various projects that Omega is backing over the next few days.

So in their own words, here's the main point of the story -

OMEGA marks "ONE YEAR TO GO" by launching #OMEGAVIVARIO – a community countdown to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

With just 12 months to go until the Olympic Games begin in Brazil, OMEGA is marking the official countdown with their support of 12 "Social Action" projects that will strengthen the socioeconomic and educational growth within Rio de Janeiro.

#OMEGAVIVARIO is a worthwhile cause in partnership with Viva Rio - a non-profit organization aimed at promoting a "culture of peace" and social inclusion around the world.

This year, OMEGA's traditional countdown will go beyond timekeeping to reach much further. This is a chance to give back to the host city, and help the people who make Rio such a vibrant and dynamic city.

The Community Countdown will encompass a wide selection of community spaces and education centres, with projects that will help thousands of young people and their families, including support for pregnant women in vulnerable situations. By focusing on this demographic, the overall result will be one of long-term impact. From the earliest stages of a child's life, it will plant the seeds for a better future, and create a legacy that will continue long after the Games have finished.

During the launch, Vice President of Marketing OMEGA, Susanne Strömbom commented, "Our partnership with Viva Rio ensures that many young people in Rio will get the best possible start in life. Together, we can benefit various communities and give them the tools to develop and grow."
As OMEGA knows from its long history in watchmaking, success is a result of many parts. So it's particularly fitting that each project has a real focus on detailed improvements and materials that make up a bigger story. From new computers, down to new school desks, every action will make a valuable difference.

Viva Rio's executive director, Rubem César Fernandes added, "We are thrilled to be working alongside OMEGA for the next 12 months. Our projects always aim to generate social impact on vulnerable communities, and this added awareness and support gives us, and the communities, a valuable boost."

The experience that Viva Rio has within vulnerable communities will go a long way in connecting with the people involved in this project. With OMEGA's added support, everything is set for a rewarding campaign that will delve below the surface of this incredible city and offer building blocks for a new generation.

OMEGA invites users to create their own heart symbol and post it on social media. For every heart posted with the hashtag #OMEGAVIVARIO, OMEGA will donate 16 cents to the Viva Rio charity as an additional pledge.

OMEGA also officially introduced three new “friends” from the world of sailing. Torben Grael is a five-time Olympic medalist and renowned Brazilian sailor, while his daughter Martine Grael and her partner Kahena Kunze are the world ranking leaders of the new Olympic class, the 49erFX.

 

Getting Buttoned - Up!

With RQQR Links!

Courtesy of RQQR Links

Cufflinks are, I think, a rather misunderstood design challenge.  Typically people get all hot and bothered about the gold, the enameling, the "recognition" factor - i.e. people will know you're a pretty important fellow based on the branding of your cuff.  But NOBODY has ever taken a few minutes to take into consideration how pleasant it would be to have a well-designed system for cufflinks that would allow for variation of use and circumstance.  Until now.

These are the RQQR links.  A modular cufflink system that was conceived, designed and crafted by a watch writer that I have a great deal of respect for - Joshua Munchow.  The idea is pretty simple, a modular system whereby you have a top piece and a bottom piece that screw into each other.  But it goes further than that.  The set comes with:

• 2 RQQR Links A1 Limited Edition heads - in other words the part that you look at.  It is a beautifully simple (not dumb, but simply elegant) design bearing 3 circles.
• 2 Standard Keepers - this is the back piece that secures into the head.  It is the part you don't generally see as it is on the "inside".  This is usually the folding bar that you thread through your shirt cuff and then fold to secure it.
• 1 XL Keeper - As watches get bigger, we need more "room" to accommodate our timekeepers on either our right or left hand.  RQQR has you covered.  This seemingly insignificant touch is a testimony to how Joshua's mind works.  If every designer was this in-tune, we probably wouldn't be wandering around wishing someone had thought of...    Insofar as cufflinks go, Mr. Munchow has seen a product drawback, and solved it.
• 1 Lapel Keeper - I have seen some guys who take one cufflink and wear it as a lapel pin - well you don't have to wait to lose a cufflink to do this now ; )

Courtesy of RQQR

So a few words from the man behind this intelligently designed product -

RQQR Links began as an idea to make a modular and interchangeable cufflink system. The goal was to create an integrated concept that could reduce material use and provide a stylish way to vary designs and materials. Seeing what had already been designed led me to realize there was a gap that I was perfectly suited to fill. My solution for that gap was standardized parts combined with limited edition designs.

Courtesy of RQQR

RQQR LINKS WAS BORN. SORT OF.

RQQR Links as a concept now lived, but the concept was nameless. As a fan of typography and symmetry, I desired a name that could utilize the benefits and design options or repeated letters and a symmetrical shape. It also needed to be immediately recognizable and easy to remember. The answer revealed itself to me one day while I scribbled somewhat absentmindedly on a pad of paper.

Jotting down random combinations of letters and slowly penning out the entire alphabet I noticed that some combinations looked like the phonemes of real words, meaning they shared the distinct sounds of a word such as how one might interpret "brk" to read as "bark," "break," or possibly "brick" depending on your frame of mind. I had written many three and four letter combinations based on two individual letters and one finally stood out from the group, the letters RQQR.

RQQR WAS BORN FOR REAL THIS TIME. AND IT'S PRONOUNCED "ROCKER"

RQQR was born and I instantly knew how to read it: RQQR = Rocker. Pretty rad don't you think? So I had a name, and I had a set of letters to play with, an inadvertent palindrome, and something that was as awesome as I hope RQQR Links will be to you!

You will have to show some hustle if you want a set, they are strictly limited!

                  http://rqqr-links.com

Celebrity Brand Ambassadors Can Hurt You...

I realize that this is one of my favorite topics, probably because I used to spend good chunks of my days prospecting, negotiating and in some instances signing agreements for "friends of the brand" or "partners".  And it is particularly ironic that the brand that has in many ways refined the celebrity partner business model down to a seemingly exact science has had such phenomenally bad luck this year.

Yes, once again it is Hublot that I am writing about.  Now there are some cynical (as well as simply pragmatic) people out there who will smile and say and make "if it bleeds it leads" references.  Whether or not that is the case is down to the Hublot brain trust.

So the good (1 or 2), the bad (too many for many other brands' comfort) and the ugly -

1.  Bar Refaeli - recently detained in her native Israel over allegations of tax evasion.  I will defer to the informed folks at Vogue for the info:
http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2015/12/18/bar-refaeli-detained-israeli-police-tax-evasion-accusation

2.  Floyd Mayweather - Perhaps we've "beaten-up" on him enough...
sorry, couldn't resist.  Mr. Mayweather has yet to get out from under the clouds of accusation regarding domestic violence.

3.  FIFA - Don't get me started ; )
But with the hearings this week, it may finally come to pass that Blatter and his cronies will finally be evicted from the halls of power.  And at that point it might be time to revisit that CNN interview -

http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/10/16/exp-jean-claude-biver-ceo-of-tag-heuer--chairman-of-hublot-discusses-fifa.cnn


4.  The "Special One", Jose Mourinho - In fairness, I think he is a gifted coach.  By that same token, a wise man knows that it is always best to leave the party while it is still full.  In other words, when things are going badly, never assume that you will be immune to the sack.  Mr. Mourinho was handed his walking papers earlier this week.  As yet no Big Bang "Special Ones" have been spotted on Ebay.  Let's hope he lands on his feet.

5.  The Los Angeles Lakers - in fairness, this might have been simply about timing, or an intern in Nyon not getting the message and failing to update the Hublot website for several days after it was announced that the Lakers were in fact in a newly announced partnership with Tissot.  In the end all was updated, but it did not make for a great impression, particularly as that partnership had only run for about one year.

And the good - probably more than I am giving credit to, but Lang Lang and his support for WildAid is a great ambassador.  Will Hublot make a WildAid watch - you know, "the fusion of charity with branding"?  It remains to be seen.

Belluna Caliber 80

From Mido -

Courtesy of Mido

This is the latest offering from Mido, the Belluna Caliber 80.

There Can Be Only One -

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls -  the Grönefeld PARALLAX Tourbillon in Platinum.   

                Courtesy of Grönefeld

Here's the scoop, straight from the source -

Introducing:

AN UNIQUE GRÖNEFELD PARALLAX IN PLATINUM

When a Watch is More than Just a Watch -

Eterna's Legacy Date

Courtesy of Eterna

41.5 mm of Swiss stainless steel goodness with a blue dial that is calling to me.  So no, this is not a completely objective post, because it is hard to be objective and smitten at the same time.  The lugs, the indices, and a proper, LEGIBLE date window, the black strap... this is a beguiling watch, and I want one!

It's hard not to be romantic about watches.

Marine Original GOLD DUROWE

From Stowa -



When most of us think about Stowa, we tend to jump right to Pilot watches or if you're like me, to Bauhaus inspirations.  But when a watch company has goldsmiths working on site, I think it is safe to say you are also going to see some things that are out of the ordinary!

Courtesy of Stowa

This is the Marine Original GOLD DUROWE.

The case is of gold, and it houses a hand winding Durowe movement which is based on the ETA 6498.

Courtesy of Stowa

So don't jump to too many conclusions when it comes to Stowa, they just might surprise you ; )

A Winter Repeat - Winding up the Filip Cleveland Westside Gold

A few years on, still one of my favorite watches to review, so once again -  15 Days with the Filip & Co Cleveland Westside Gold.

I've gone 15 days and beyond with the Cleveland Westside Gold, and it is time to wrap this up!
Starting with the vital statistics:

• 41 mm highly polished Stainless Steel case with exhibition back
  
  
  
  
• Westside Gold Sunburst Dial with Silver Luminous Index Markers
  
  
  
  
• Silver Luminous Slender hands
  
  
  
  
• Fully decorated ETA 2824-2 mechanical automatic movement 
  
  
  w. Rose Rotor adjusted to five positions
  
  
  
  
• Genuine Alligator Strap with single fold-over deployment clasp

Lately it seems that the trend is coming back towards sanity with case sizes coming back down towards 40 mm or so. At 41 mm the Cleveland Westside Gold strikes just the right balance. It has presence and it sits prominently - but not overwhelmingly.

With a case size of 41 mm, the temptation can be to to get the widest lug width you can manage.  It tends to leave you with a STRAP that just happens to have a watch attached to it.  Not so in this case. The Filip Cleveland line uses a 20 mm alligator strap.  In this instance, a beautiful black one that is padded and stitched.

The strap is secured with a stainless steel deployment clasp that simply pulls up to release. Simplicity itself.

The watch has run very, very well. There were 3 days where the variance hit +15 seconds, but by and large it hovered at around 9 seconds per day.

I went a little more than 2 days for the obligatory "power-reserve" test and went a little beyond 42 hours.

The ETA 2824-2 was nicely finished and actually worth looking at through the display back.

So after more than 3 weeks I have to say that this is a watch that I would spend my money on and wear with pride!  Now in the interest of full disclosure -

YES, I did grow up in Oberlin, Ohio.  YES, Cleveland was the closest "big city" so there is a bit of an emotional link.

BUT, before the watch arrived I really was not sure.  You see things online, you read a bit, and you just don't know.  The Filip Cleveland Westside Gold more than exceeded my expectations.

And I think I would like to close this with a brief commentary on "locational branding".  Let's take three different examples -

RGM - focusing on high end, unique, classically designed pieces.  Based in Lancaster, PA - but relying more on the expertise and skills of the watchmaker rather than trying to position themselves as the "watch making savior" of Eastern Pennsylvania.  And sorry if this hurts anyones' feelings, but RGM is RGM for a reason.  They've been at it longer, they have real watch making skills, and they do not attempt to buy "provenance and authenticity" through multi-million dollar advertising campaigns.

Filip & Co. - one man, designing his cases, dials, etc.  Ordering the components, then assembling them one at a time, piece by piece in his workshop in the Cleveland area.  Named his watch after his adopted hometown.  DOES NOT claim to be something that he is not.

Shinola - 'nuff said.  If you know the difference between sh*t and Shinola, I suspect you will purchase something else.  Massive marketing campaigns do not a watch make - and it is a sad statement about the sophistication of the mainstream media that a press release has the ability to become accepted fact.  Assembled in Detroit - sure.  Made in Detroit?  No more so than me - and for the record I was "made" in Zanesville, OH


So ultimately, don't believe the hype.  Do you homework, and honestly - I am just one guy, sitting here in Santa Barbara giving an opinion.  In my opinion, the Cleveland Westside Gold is worth the money, and is AS ADVERTISED.

90 Days with the Withings Activité Pop

This is going to be a different sort of review.  I had reached out to several of the brands who have already released connected/smart watches - but nobody responded to my request for a review.  So in the end I went out and purchased a Withings Activité Pop to conduct a 90 day review.

Without going into too much detail, a few months ago I personally experienced a bit of a neurological scare. Everything now appears to be okay, but as someone reaching what has been kindly referred to by others as "a certain age" I took this as an opportunity to focus my energies on a healthier approach, more sleep, increased activity, and with a move to the Boston area on the cards and a pursuit of activities in addition to cycling that will help better wire the brain to the body (tai chi), etc., this seemed like the perfect chance to put the promise of a connected watch to the test. And 90 days seems like a fair amount of time to get a real feel for how the connected watch will really perform and how it will (hopefully) positively impact my health.

So for the next 90 days, I will be channeling the spirit of the Hayek men wearing a watch on each wrist - a mechanical on the left, the Activité Pop on the right. I will provide an update every 10 days so that you will have 9 installments a final review 90 days from tomorrow.

90 Days with the Withings Activité Pop starts now.

Black Wind Roses

From AOS Watches -




It will be available in 2016.


Here are the details -

Movement : ETA 2892-2 

Dial - Aventurine 

Limited edition of 100 timepieces

Bracelet carbon fiber & leather
Case diameter 46.5mm
Materials - Aluminium with eloxage extra hard GL black Reserve your piece via email: aoswatches@gmail.com

Zeitwinkel wins "Favourite Men's Watch Award"

For the 273° Saphir Fumé 

Courtesy of Zeitwinkel

Zeitwinkel was recently voted “Favourite Men’s Watch Award” at the “A Journey Through Time” watch fair.  

Here are more details, courtesy of Zeitwinkel -

Hublot and FIFA - a Year Later

I first put this out there more than a year ago in the run-up to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.  In the wake of all of the turmoil with FIFA, it seemed like a good time to "re-heat" this one.  

So here you go -

Asking Hublot an Uncomfortable Question About FIFA

Many of you will no doubt be aware of the turmoil that FIFA is experiencing now less than ten days to their biggest event - the World Cup in Brazil.  What many of us are now struggling with is the fact that FIFA has probably brought a lot of this turmoil onto themselves.

The Olympics and the World Cup are HUGE money spinning mechanisms for the IOC and FIFA.  When that much money is involved, and that much power is involved… let's just say we shouldn't be shocked.  The "selection" process is a high stakes beauty pageant with "pageant moms" often resorting to whatever means they think will get their "little girl" the crown of "pageant queen".

Point of full disclosure - YES - I work with brands to help place watches on the wrists of athletes, actors, etc.  So I am fully aware that it is a very, very fine line to walk.  I would also say that just because a brand is involved with a group that is experiencing some controversy doesn't make the brand "BAD".  Having said that, I also think that a brand does have the power to confront and question the behavior of their partners - and if necessary end the relationship.  I also realize that it is easy for me, or others to critique.

To Hublot's credit, when this partnership first started the deal was that instead of HUBLOT, the time indicators displayed an anti-racism message.  These were noble, sincere intentions.  But as we can see with the rampant spread of neo-Nazism throughout European football, with racist groups openly organizing and recruiting IN the stadiums AT the games in SPAIN, ITALY, ENGLAND and elsewhere - this is something that FIFA is paying a lot of lip service to, but not really working to solve.

I applaud OMEGA for their charitable work, and their watches are amazing.  I applaud HUBLOT for their charitable work and their innovative spirit.  But I will say the same thing I said around Sochi - you are not responsible for your partner's actions, but YOU ARE responsible for choosing to continue with them.

In fairness, the IOC and FIFA have long been suspected of less than ethical behavior on a LOT of levels.  This is not "new" news.  But I will ask Hublot the same question that I asked OMEGA -
Are you really sure you want to continue on with this partnership after this World Cup is completed?

You can't change what has happened - but you can make changes for the future.  Now the last time I said something like this, the OMEGA people were courteous enough to hear me out in person, gave me a glass of juice and an espresso, and essentially "excommunicated" me from the "Church of the SWATCH GROUP".  For Hublot I am a tiny fly in the corporate ointment, and I am not exactly on Mr. Biver's Christmas card list, so I suspect that this will not even raise a whisper at Hublot HQ ; )

Let's hope for a beautiful World Cup, an elimination of racist groups at football stadia, an end to the allegations of bribery and corruption in the IOC and FIFA, and a speedy return of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny ; )

Enjoy your watches!

The Ulysse Anchor Tourbillon

From Ulysse Nardin -

Courtesy of Ulysse Nardin

Ulysse Nardin has presented something special with this new offering.  Very often I simply just give you the facts and move on, because if I am honest the PR folks at UN are not long on "warm fuzzies".  

But credit where it is due, this is a singularly beautiful tourbillon.

The Island of Misfit Toys

Phil DeVoss: 
I am ill-equipt in the philosophies of failure.

This is one of my all-time favorite Alec Baldwin quotes, and it comes from the film Elizabethtown.
The character Phil DeVoss is not so subtly based on fellow University of Oregon Alum and Nike founder Phil Knight.  Essentially, someone who has been wildly successful through dint of hard work, more than a bit of good luck, and perhaps some questionable moral choices when business and making money have run head first into doing the right thing.  And the other marked similarity is the refusal to recognize that despite the popularity of the expression, failure is, in fact, a very real option.

So what does this have to do with anything watch related?  More than you might imagine.  Yes, it's Christmas.  And if last week's New York Times was anything to go on the "big dogs" are pumping every last penny they have into a last gasp effort to try and recover some small portion of lost sales.  Unfortunately it is a bit late to try and reverse 11 months of shitty sales.  

Although it has been attributed to several illustrious people, it rings true and seems to be a business model for the high end watch industry -

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

A very big brand opened a new boutique recently just down the road with a glittering, star-studded event.  I suspect that my invite must have been lost in the mail ; )  

What was fascinating about this was the incredible amount of money (and watches) it must have required to lure movie stars, athletes and other luminaries.  Not to mention shipping the CEO and other loyalists.  Last but not least the bar bill.

Now on the one hand you could say that it's their brand, their money and that clearly business must be good.  But the word around the campfire per several independent retail partners and the people who tend to track these things is that in fact sales are not so great for even the big dogs.  It's a wee bit like the Emperor's New Clothes.  

At a time where sales are not just flat, but in fact dipping, people are being laid off, stocks of unsold watches are swelling -  is this really the time for this sort of excess?



When you are used to seemingly effortless success the sudden disappearance of it can be hard to take.  And as is becoming more and more clear, watches being made right now are more and more being consigned to the horological equivalent of the Island of Misfit Toys.

A New Winter Nights Interpretation

From GoS Watches -

Courtesy of GoS Watches

Patrik Sjögren of GoS Watches was kind enough to share a customization of one of his Winter Nights watches.


Patrik explained that The Winter Nights is a model well suited for customization as its original configuration features an untempered dial (without colors).  The hands (made of  white gold) pair wonderfully with  the blue/purple dial.

Welcome Winter!

Something for Her in Camouflage

A little something to slip under the tree for her.

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

For whatever reason, we don't tend to get tons of news about women's watches, but luckily Bell & Ross has taken up  the gauntlet and offered a ladies watch that is at once clearly for her, while also clearly following the codes of Bell & Ross.

Here are the Pertinents -

BRS-CAMO-ST

Movement:  Quartz. Calibre BR-CAL.102.

Functions:  Hours, minutes and date.

Case:  39 mm in diameter. Satin-polished steel. Steel bezel.

Dial:  Grey camouflage patterned mother of pearl. Metal appliqué numerals and indices. Metal skeleton Superluminova®-filled hour and minute hands.

Crystal:  Sapphire with anti-reflective coating.

Water Resistance:  100 m.

Strap:  Grey satin.

Buckle:  Pin. Satin-finished steel.