What's Cool at BaselWorld - Helfer!

I actually met the owner of Helfer (Livio Helfer) before the fair even began. Not to go into too much detail, but this is a guy with a love for life! At a time where everyone - including me - has said that there is no more room for new watch brands, Helfer has entered the fray and driven interest to such a level that it was truly astonishing to see the amount of traffic at their booth. Ironic when you consider that Anonimo was right around the corner and populated mostly by people working with/for Anonimo as opposed to press and retail partners.

So this is one of the latest offerings from Helfer, the Divermaster.  A cool diver, beautiful strap, Selitta movement.

I will be giving a more in-depth run down on this watch and the other offerings from Helfer in due course. Stay tuned!

The Swag Bag

BaselWorld is a treasure trove for swag.  It is no small secret that the lobby of the Ramada becomes a swap-meet of truly epic proportions between the hours of 6 and 7 PM.  And the quality of the swag can either be very good, or very disappointing.   Sorry to be so blunt, so crass, but consider that those of us who spend our own money and vacation days to write about these things tend to view the "swag bag" almost like a combination of our birthdays and Christmas mornings.  And this year was no exception!  Beautiful neckties, pocket squares, pens (fountain and ball point), and perhaps the most extravagant thing - the wireless headphones from Hublot.  Needless to say, this year I reaped the penalty for not smooching a certain backside, but I figure if I have a choice between "kissing the Biver ring" and buying my own headphones, I will visit Radio Shack ; )

One night last week as we were comparing the bounty of our visits to Halls 1, 2 and the Palace (not unlike a bunch of kids haggling over our trick or treat bags) I noticed an interesting phenomenon.  There was nary a trace of catalogs or books.  For those of you out there not familiar with the process of the BaselWorld brand visit, it tends to go like this:

1.  You show up for your appointment - either solo or in a group.
2.  You listen to the pitch, admire the watches, take some photos, propose story ideas, try to sell some advertising.
3.  You receive a thank you, possibly the "triple kiss", and the BAG!

Now it's important to know and appreciate what is generally in the bag -
A.  Chocolate is a popular item
B.  Moleskin notebooks (if not Moleskin, generally something of a similar quality).
C.  Scarves - the woolen type was quite popular in 2015, but nowhere to be found this year.
D.  Neckties, pocket squares, cuff links.  That of course is for the fellas.  I am not entirely certain what shows up in the women's version.
E.  Liquor - and this year a lovely bottle of wine.
F.  CATALOGS, FACT SHEETS, LOOK BOOKS.

If you've read this far, I am sure you know what happens to item F.
As we used to say in Japan -

gomi desu!

Per Urban Dictionary 

Japanese noun: means rubbish or trash

The catalogs, fact sheets, booklets?  Almost all go into the garbage.  This usually happens once you have departed the booth and reached a reasonable distance so that you can jettison the unwanted, unneeded catalogs and brochures with some modicum of discretion.  You have to keep in mind that you will be visiting up to 10 booths per day, and it is highly unlikely you will be able to lug (comfortably) all of that ballast around with you.  So for better or worse, you cherry-pick the stuff you want to keep, and you dump all of the printed materials.  

A colleague of mine did a survey and although the data could best be described as anecdotal, what he found was that the amount of discarded catalogs was so extreme that the hotels catering to BaselWorld traffic needed to bring in extra dumpsters to haul the excess garbage away at the end of BaselWeek.  Now if you took all of the printed materials that get thrown away outside of the hotels it would probably be enough paper wasted to "reforest" a deforested portion of prime land.

So here's my crazy idea -

Brand CEOs, managers, pr /marketing managers -

PLEASE don't produce catalogs, brochures, etc. for BaselWorld.  Almost everything is digital these days, and it is safe to assume that almost nobody attending the fair will want to carry 20 or more pounds of catalogs back with them.  Make a PDF catalog or brochure.  As the journalist or retail partner is leaving the booth, you simply ask them for a good email address to send a link to an online catalog that would also include images and fact sheets - all of them digital.  You type the email address into your smart phone, iPad or laptop and hit send.  They will then have everything they want/need already in their inbox before they step out of your booth.  

Now I know what some of you guys and gals working for the big brands are thinking - we have to spend our entire budget, or else our department will get less money for next year!  No problem! Consult your previous year's budget for what you spent on printed material that inevitably got thrown away, and donate it to your brand's favorite charity!  No, I am not kidding.  Think of what a positive, amazing message that would be, along with all of the positive buzz you would receive for not wasting money WHILE doing something positive for others?  

And if you must spend money on swag for the press, I know a certain fellow in the Metro Boston area who could use a new pair of wireless headphones...

A Chronograph!

From Speake-Marin -

Courtesy of Speake-Marin

It was only a matter of time, and it appears that it has been worth the wait!  Speake-Marin's latest, the Blue & White Spirit Seafire.

Courtesy of Speake-Marin

The movement's is Valjoux's self-winding 7750.  Most of the chronograph sub dials seem pretty straight forward with the minutes counter at 12 o'clock, and the hours counter at 6 o'clock.  Then there is the constant seconds hand which bears more than a passing resemblance to the Speake-Marin logo.

The case is the Piccadilly, crafted in titanium.  It measures 42 mm in diameter with anti-reflective sapphire crystal on the front.  Available with either a rubber or leather strap.  Limited to 28 pieces.

Something Alarming from Eterna

One of the unexpected treats at this year's BaselWorld was this little timekeeper -

The good folks at Eterna told me that they had stumbled upon a cache of "virgin" A. Schild alarm movements that they, in turn, decided to craft into a limited number of alarm watches.

More details to come, but this should keep you buzzing for now ; )

90 Years in the Making!

The Trikompax Chronograph 90 Years ICKLER 

Courtesy of Ickler

To help commemorate a very special anniversary, the folks from Ickler are offering this very special chronograph.

Courtesy of Ickler

Limited to 50 pieces, available with your choice of black, light brown or dark brown strap.

Here is a link to their site with order details:

Ickler 90th Anniversary

Price?

€ 2,200.00 which includes 19% VAT for EU customers
Price without VAT €1,848.74

With  only 50 of these available, they will go fast!

Delivery anticipated in approximately 3 weeks or so.

Here are the pertinents -

CASE: 

Made by the folks at ICKLER - who else?

Diameter 42mm, thickness 13,6 mm, lug-to-lug length 51 mm brushed finish, sapphire crystal with anti reflective coating, water resistant to 5 ATM, pilot's crown, screw down case back with sapphire crystal.

MOVEMENT:
Swiss made automatic movement Eta 7750 TOP with Trikompax module and a specially decorated ICKLER rotor 

DIAL:
Trikompax, black, with luminous numerals and indexes, A-Logo, made of blued steel

HANDS:
Luminous hands made of blued steel, manufactured by ICKLER

BANDS:
Black, dark brown or light brown leather strap with rivets, pin buckle with special engraving '1924 - 2014', (wrist size: 18,5 - 22cm) (optional: deployment clasp)

Steel or Milanese bracelet available upon request

If You Can Read This Post

You probably don't need this watch.  But you just might know someone who does.

Courtesy of Auguste Reymond/ARSA

One of the coolest things I got to see when I visited the Auguste Reymond facilities in Tramelan were the braille watches.  Which means exactly what you might think - watches made specifically for the sightless.  A smart phone will not be of much use to someone who can't see the screen.  And a "talking watch" is an even bigger potential liability as it has the potential to disturb those around the wearer.  

While I realize that there are many who may feel that this is a "low tech" approach, it is one that works, and one that I am pleased Auguste Reymond continues to follow through it's ARSA brand.

Time Well Spent with Lonville

I have no doubt that perhaps several of you out there might still be saying, who's Lonville?  Many of you already know about who Lonville was but new history is being written by the current Lonville ownership and team.

Well I'm glad you asked!  Yes, I have written a bit about them in the past in this space, but last week at BaselWorld was my first opportunity to see the watches in person, and to meet the man behind them -

Joost Vreeswijk relaunched Lonville several years back and has been slowly, patiently building from the ground up.  His first pieces were of precious metal - gold to be exact, with beautiful movement executions -

And the new Lonville has recently produced some sportier offerings as well -

Like this monopush chronograph which was a special offering - the G24.

For me, the classically designed predecessors are still my favorite, but that is the beauty of Lonville - choice without being overwhelmed by choice ; )

Courtesy of Lonville

There is more to come, including an interview later in April, so stay tuned!

The Tudor at BaselWorld You Probably Didn't Hear About

The Tudor Heritage Black Bay 36 mm -

While all of the other folks are gushing about the other, bigger Black Bays (Bronze and Dark) this year, this "little" 36 mm is the one that caught my attention.

Courtesy of Tudor

While I might be the only one in the crowd who was drawn to this little bijoux, my devotion remains unshakable.  There is a reason why thousands of vintage Rolex and Tudor fans scour the Internet in search of watches JUST LIKE THIS ONE!  And Tudor is wise enough, and brave enough to make a 36 mm watch for men.  

Now I realize that all of the "big swinging dicks" out there say 42 mm or bust, but myself I don't have the same anxieties about size and the need to compensate... but hey, that's just me ; )

So here are the pertinents -

• CASE
  Steel, 36 mm, polished and satin finish
• BEZEL
  Smooth steel bezel, polished finish
• MOVEMENT
  Self-winding mechanical movement, TUDOR calibre 2824
• POWER RESERVE
  Approximately 38 hours
• WINDING CROWN
  Screw-down steel winding crown adorned with an engraved TUDOR rose in relief, with black anodized 
  aluminum tube
  
  
  • DIAL
    Black
  • CRYSTAL
    Flat sapphire crystal
  • WATERPROOFNESS
    Waterproof to 150 m (500 ft)
  • BRACELET
    Steel bracelet or aged leather strap with folding clasp and safety catch
    
    Additional camouflage fabric strap with buckle included in the box

Making Skulls a Little Less Scary - Fiona Kruger

Now those who know me would attest that when you think of Henki, your first thoughts don't turn to skeletons or skulls.  But there are skulls, and then there are skulls!  The work of Fiona Kruger belongs to the latter.

Courtesy of Fiona Kruger

This is the Celebration Skull from Fiona Kruger.  Limited to 24 pieces and assembled by hand in Switzerland.

The watches are very intriguing and the attention to detail is what you would expect from an artist of Fiona Kruger's stature.

At a fair where it seems that all you hear is:  "championing the timeless values of horology..."

or:  "our latest celebrity ambassador is..."  As a good friend of mine from Bienne puts it:  "a lot of hot air produced in the gas factory".  So it was downright refreshing to see someone really applying art and craft to what can sometimes be a fairly pedestrian endeavor - watch making.  Because if I am honest, the watches are beautiful and certainly something that I would wear (despite my admitted anxiety about the undead).  But more than just the watches themselves is the story behind them.  A young artist travels to Switzerland from Scotland to study, discovers watches, and creativity took over.

You will notice the book that Fiona Kruger is leafing through?  It is what you might call the "creation story" of her watches.  All of the sketches, the inspirations, the musings.  This "sketch book" is almost as interesting as the watches themselves.  All too often we get the glib press release, reflecting on the true spirit of Swiss watch making with time honored traditions, hairsprings crafted in secret caves, dials lacquered with the tears of Arcadian nymphs...

Courtesy of Fiona Kruger

This is something different again.  And as someone who occasionally writes about these things, these watches were a very welcome addition to BaselWorld this year.

Ms. Kruger was kind enough to indicate that she might be willing to participate in an interview and give some more background, so stay tuned!

For now, here are the pertinents for the Celebration Skull, courtesy of Fiona Kruger -

Courtesy of Fiona Kruger

Celebration Skull

Case material & colour

Stainless Steel 316N with specifically designed back opening 

Case size 

57.4 x 41.3 mm (length x width), 10.9mm thick

Glass 

Sapphire (front and back) 

Colour of dial & style 

3 layered dial in stainless steel 316N with hand-painted décor in in 7 specially selected coloured lacquers and superluminova + new date feature
Layer 1: Hand-polished stainless steel with black PVD coating, hand painted lacquer and superluminova décor
Layer 2: Shotblasted stainless steel with Rhodium treatment, hand-painted lacquer and superluminova décor
Layer 3: Hand-finished with Circular graining (perlage) with Rhodium treatment, hand- painted lacquer and superluminova décor

Hands 

Blued Steel 

Movement 

Mechanical Automatic movement, TT738 with skeletonised and custom- black PVD coated bridges, customised oscillating mass with skeletonisation, engraving and hand-painting, and custom-made date wheel 

Buckle 

Steel pin buckle 

Bracelets 

Hand-stitched calf leather 

Moving Day!

Hi!

A quick note to let you know that there will be posts this evening, but the movers are coming!

Tempus Fugit, and Team Henki are relocating to Boston, MA!

More tonight, keep ticking ; )

A Pilot's Chronograph for the Left

Don't worry, it's not political!

Courtesy of Orologi Calamai

This is the CR 42 Chronograph from Orologi Calamai

I had a chance to check it out at BaselWorld and was really impressed.  

I have to say that the ideal of a destro chronograph is really cool!
I have written about Orologi Calamai before, but this was my first opportunity to see them in person. More to come to be sure, but here are the pertinents -

42.5 mm in diameter. 

Anthracite dial

Inner rotating bezel with GMT function

The movement is the Valjoux 7750

I WANT THIS WATCH!!!

The Shit Just Got Real

That got your attention!  So fair warning, there is a fair bit of "blue" language ahead, you might want to send your kids out of the room.

So back from BaselWorld with a full day to clear out the cobwebs and a bit of time to reflect on what state the industry really is in.

Some observations and food for thought -

1.  Things ain't getting any better anytime soon.  Pretty much every brand announced more "attainable" price points and collections designed to accommodate these newly understood realities.
More brands either downsized or migrated to more "modest" facilities.  Some relocated in impossible to find hotel conference rooms with all of the charm of a Stasi interrogation cell.  And some are now beyond life support and simply retreated without so much as a whimper.

Bottom line?  For brand managers and CEO's the message is clear - it's "Fu*k or Walk" time.  Sorry to put it so bluntly, but I think the mood was best understood through a conversation that I heard in one of the BaselWorld halls involving what I am assuming was a sales rep and his boss:

Boss:  "You are just like the fu*^ing Tin-Man from the Wizard of Oz!  You've got no fu*^ing heart!"

Ouch!

2.  I could be wrong, but my suspicion is that the media FAR outnumbered distributors and retailers.

3.  Some brands still don't get it.  Zenith is starting to show very real signs that the cheese has slipped off of the crackers at the higher levels.  A shoe-shine stand and barber chair set-up greeted guests.  What that was all about remains a "not so hotly" debated question.  Add to that another "Rolling Stones" limited edition has left me more than a wee bit bewildered.  But in fairness that is one man's opinion.  I will let you judge for yourselves.  Here is a picture of their latest "creation" courtesy of Zenith's Facebook page -

Courtesy of Zenith - Facebook

This watch is so goofy that it truly hurts my feelings.  Now for all I know, this abomination has already sold out.  Speaking of selling out...

4.  Another few hundreds of acres of prime forests were destroyed for no apparent good reason.  I couldn't begin to guess how many hundreds of thousands of catalogs were handed out to be either left behind or thrown away.  News flash for brand PR managers - about 1 percent of your customers/fans are going to lug your catalog home.

5.  To quote Sam L. Jackson -

English, Motherf*%ker, do you speak it?
It continues to shock and amaze me that with the vast hordes of money that brands throw around on everything from champagne receptions to blue-tooth enabled headphones to give away as "swag" that they still feel that spending $10 a page for a professional, native English speaking proofreader is too much money to spend?!?  Moreover, maybe, just maybe you might want to engage someone who can actually, I don't know, WRITE?  I understand that this would mean you would need to admit that maybe, just maybe, you need help...
But on the other hand, it gives the writers something to joke and laugh about at the Ramada every night ; )

Something Unexpected from Italy

Was what I stumbled upon in the back areas of Hall 2.  Ladies and Gentleman, and children of all ages, may I present Terra Cielo Mare -

Courtesy of Terra Cielo Mare

This is the Tazzoli.  This is perhaps one of the more interesting watches that I saw during BaselWeek.
Yes, it is nautical themed, and yes it is is bronze.  But there is much more to this watch than the obvious.

Courtesy of Terra Cielo Mare

The crown is intriguing and the "canteen" style security system is one that is reminiscent of a certain time.  But what really caught my eye was the way that the crown guard is connected to the cap, but the cap is connected on a hinge of sorts, much nicer than the "chain" style approach that so many brands go for.  And you'll be safe and dry to 10 atmospheres.

Courtesy of Terra Cielo Mare

You might also notice that the crown guard bears more than a passing resemblance to a torpedo.



But back to the case. 44 millimeters of what Terra Cielo Mare describes as Phosphor marine bronze.  But there is still another twist in the tail - 

Courtesy of Terra Cielo Mare

The back is of titanium, and provides what I have to say is one of the COOLEST functions I've seen in some time - an inclinometer with degree indication protected with sapphire crystal.

What's an inclinometer you ask?

in·cli·nom·e·ter

ˌinkləˈnämədər/

noun

a device for measuring the angle of inclination of something, especially from the horizontal.

So although you might not "run silent, run deep", you'll be well equipped for the next adventure that involves climbing or diving.  Pretty cool, huh?

Courtesy of Terra Cielo Mare

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source -

• Swiss made self-winding mechanic ETA 2824-2 movement of historic origin
• Phosphor marine bronze case (hypoallergenic with Protox treatment)
• Back case in grade 5 titanium, sealed with screws, water proof up to 10 atmospheres
• Inclinometer with degree indication protected with sapphire crystal
• Crown system with torpedo shaped piston
• Anti-scratch and anti-reflection convex sapphire crystal glass
• Dial with blue oceanic bag with 24 hours marked
• Bronze colored sunken laser cut index numbers
• Bronze colored with white superluminova hands
• Leather strap with hand refined titanium buckle, proposed in two versions: hand refined leather with oceanic blue stitches or blue water proof lorica with bronze colored stitches
• 44 mm diameter
• Limited edition of 88 pieces

1. 
   

   
   

A BaselWorld Rerun - The Best Part about BaselWorld

This originally "aired" in 2012 -

Is undoubtedly the unexpected friends you make -

This is Katsuyuki Tanaka who I met in the entry way of Hall 1 just before opening time.  I was immediately impressed by his flair - this is a guy with the joy of life!  We got to talking a little, and it turns out he lives in Minato-Ku - not too far from where Wendy and I lived in Hachioji-Shi (Tokyo)! 

Today really marked for me a turning point - on many levels:

I was reminded about the passion and joy that can be had from simply taking the time to appreciate things.  To quote Erik B and Rakim -
"It's not where you're from, it's where you're at!"  Tanaka-san knows where it's at!


So I popped out, and promptly ran into Peter - the "case maker" for ochs und junior.  We had a coffee together and talked about the developments at ochs, and got caught up.  Peter is great because he will very cheerfully answer all of my truly ignorant questions!

And then back outside and I got stopped by this young lady -

She and her classmates study in Basel, and her teacher brought them in for some interactive English practice.  I was asked a series of questions - and I must tell you she is a MUCH better interviewer than yours' truly!  (I hope that she is not interested in watch journalism after graduation - I'll have to find another job - she's too good!) 

I met their teacher - the charming Ms. Lang and her classmates - BaselWorld watch out!  This is the next generation! 

And I was reminded about how funny life can be - I grew up in Ohio, moved to Japan to teach English, taught English in Japan, Portugal, Finland and Scotland, and years after leaving the profession, run into a Japanese "neighbor", in Switzerland!  And minutes later participate in the very type of activity I used to assign to my students - interviewing a complete stranger! 

And here is the even funnier part, Ms. Lang and her students said thank you - several times!  And when he found out I lived in California, and was from the US, Tanaka-san thanked me (ME!) for all that he felt the US had done to help Japan after the tsunami!  Have you ever had a moment, where your life has come full-circle?  Where you feel profoundly humbled?  Where you really can't believe and understand how lucky you've been, how lucky you are?  And how to respond to something like that?  So MY thanks go to you Tanaka-san, to you Peter, to you the class of S BA - Basel - thank you!

And if I had any doubt about life's random nature, and the daily challenges we all face - I went to visit Bremont the day after their fantastic event of Thursday night. 

Only to hear that several watches had been "misappropriated".  For the non-native speakers of English, that is a polite way to say that in the midst of putting on a wonderful event for their friends and fans, some idiot decided to rob them!

And I can tell you, that if it was me - I might (to possibly quote the folks at Bremont) "pitch a wobbly" - i.e. cry, "navel-gaze", or feel sorry for myself. 

And for anyone who has never met Mike Pearson (US Sales Evangelist) the ever quotable PR Maven Sarah Weare, and the truly indomitable English brothers Giles and Nick, you might think this likely.  But in fact, just the opposite - some hurt feelings and upset to be sure - but I suspect it might, in fact, be the gang from Bremont that really coined the phrase - "Remain Calm and Carry On!"

I know - BaselWorld is just a trade show - it's just people coming to order watches for their stores, some late nights, too much wine, missed meals and plenty of misunderstanding.  But in the midst of it all, I see something different - I see the world coming together - I see people yearning to understand and to be understood - and at the best of times, I see people moving out of their comfort zones - to try and connect. 
When you are in sales and marketing, and you have a bad day, it is easy to say - it's only a watch - what's the big deal?  But when you have a day that really reaffirms the possibilities for you - then you see that the watch was just a tool to bring you closer to what C. J. Koch referred to as the "unmet friend".  We all have unmet friends - and BaselWorld is as good a place as any to meet them!

The Baroncelli Caliber 80 Chronometer Si

From Mido -

Courtesy of Mido

Here are the pertinents -

Movement      

Automatic Mido Caliber 80 Si (ETA C07.821 base), COSC certified chronometer, 11½’’’, Ø25.60 mm, height: 5.22 mm, 25 

jewels, 21,600 vph, ELINFLEX mainspring, silicon balance-spring, decorative disc in 9-carat gold with transferred Si logo 

on the balance bridge. Finely decorated chronometer movement with blued screws, oscillating weight decorated with 

Geneva stripes and Mido logo. Functions: HMSD+Day. Adjusted on 5 different positions for high accuracy. Up to 80 hours 

\of power reserve.

Case             

Polished 316L stainless steel, Ø40 mm, 3 pieces, sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective treatment on both sides, sapphire 

crystal case back, screwed case back, transparent case back revealing the finely decorated chronometer movement, 

engraved serial number, water-resistant up to a pressure of 3 bars (30 m/100 ft).

Bracelet          

Bracelet and folding clasp in polished 316L stainless steel.

Dial                

White, polished and lacquered, polished black applied indexes, date at 3 o'clock.

Hands            

Black, double-sided hour and minute hands (one side sandblasted, one side diamond-cut), diamond-cut seconds hand.

Five Years Later

BaselWorld is much, much more than watches. It's PEOPLE! I was extremely happy to run into Katsuyuki Tanaka from Japan. Stay tuned to the next post as it is a re-run from 2012.  Here we are last week -

Still as dapper as ever - I clearly need to up my game ; )
Regular readers will remember 2 years ago -

And our very first encounter in 2012.  Once again,  To quote Erik B and Rakim -
"It's not where you're from, it's where you're at!"  Tanaka-san knows where it's at!

When Joy Killed Sadness

Before I get too deep into this, please take a moment to send your thoughts to the people of Belgium.  There is no point in trying to put it in soft, kind or gentle words, the world is in chaos and it is only the positive actions of good men and women that will put it back on track.  

Yesterday was a shitty day.  And owing to that, yesterday was not a day for watches, or anything but reflection.  I had four unexpected hours for this at Zurich's airport due to a mechanical issue.  And I know that in the whirl and excitement that is BaselWorld, it is next to impossible to have a clear thought beyond:

"My head is pounding, no more late nights"

"I'm late for my appointment with Brand X"

"I can't believe they want nearly $10 for a sausage"

So I thought I'd change it up and share with you some of the things that might have flown under the radar, and from a personal perspective (sorry, it's my blog after all) the things that touched me.  We'll do these 3 at a time -

1.  Wednesday, March 16th (Press Day) - Writing Wrongs with NOMOS Glashütte.  In recognition of all that they have done, and continue to do in aiding the work of Doctor's Without Borders, it was a great pleasure to be there along with Carlo and Samuel Naldi of Edelberg, Karl Heinz Nubier and Gary Girdvainis.  On hand to receive the award were Judith Borowski and CEO Uwe Arendt.

They received their award along with a truly beautiful Edelberg fountain pen.  

So let's see who has a head-start on next year's award ; )

Courtesy of NOMOS Glashütte

2.  The arrival of Helfer on the world stage.  This is truly one of those Cinderella stories that can really restore your faith in the passion of a solid team, being driven by a charismatic leader who is friendly, personable and full of Joie de vivre.  This was my 9th BaselWorld and if I am 100% honest I have NEVER seen anything  to compare to the level of enthusiasm and activity for a brand making it's BaselWorld debut as I saw for Helfer this past week.  Any moment you walked past, the place was packed with retail partners writing orders, Helfer reps for France, Germany and Austria working flat out to meet with all of the people coming in, and a certain delegation from a certain royal family presented themselves to place an order for multiple pieces.  Sorry Hodinkee, A Blog To Watch and Quill and Pad - You've been scooped ; ) 

This is the "before" shot before all of the craziness began -

Courtesy of Helfer

Helfer might not have been on your radar, but I suspect that you will be hearing quite a bit more from them.

This is the SHIT THAT KILLED ELVIS!

I have reached out to the man behind Helfer - Livio Helfer and hopefully we will have a more in-depth report for you.  Stay tuned!


3.  And speaking of BaselWorld darlings, the team behind Klokers were on hand and holding forth at the Ramada starting on Sunday.  This was perhaps the one Kickstarter watch project that finally delivered on, and exceeded all of the hype and promise.  

Klokers is clearly a brand to watch, and judging by the number of would-be distributors circling their table like sharks, I suspect that this is going to be one of the few brands that is smiling at the end of this fiscal year.  Let's just hope that they take their time and choose distribution partners carefully.  Too many brands get killed by distributors who can only be referred to as "dip-shits" - and that is being charitable.  Let's hope that this amazing brand finds equally amazing representation.

The next 3 are coming, stay tuned!