Summer Repeat - The Shifting Tides

This originally ran back in May, but after reading (I'm sorry) an incredibly lame-brained treatise on the watch industry from someone who has never actually worked in it, I thought it might be worth airing out again.

 

The Shifting Tides

At a time when Swiss watch exports are down, retail sales are dwindling, and the grey market and it's newborn step-child the "soft grey" market can't absorb all of the overflow, it is curious to relate that this same time period has seen a true resurgence in the "micro-brand".  

The term micro-brand used to be a bit of a back-handed compliment paid somewhat begrudgingly by so-called "big boy" brand reps, managers and CEOs.  A brand that produces a very small number of collections, relies heavily on direct sales, and operate on a shoe string.  Even more interesting to relate that several of those highfalutin guys and gals from the big groups are now in search of new career opportunities as they and their brands could not see that the winds were shifting. 

Now it is important to note and understand that there were precursors to this current trend.  Several of these enterprises were birthed, lived a quick and bright existence, then quietly disappeared into the night.  If we look at the years in question, there was a period of three to five years in the early part of this century (feels weird saying that) where the propensity of watch discussion forums created built in marketplaces to create, promote and sell a brand new watch.  The forums were populated by LOTS of people looking for information on watches and a place to exchange their own knowledge and experience.  

SPOILER ALERT - contrary to some (admittedly humorous) assertions, there were plenty of places to read about watches prior to Hodinkee ; )

But then a shift happened that a lot of these folks did not see coming.  And that was the emergence of the blog and the online magazine.  Where before a small brand owner only had to contend with one forum owner or administrator, suddenly there were more outlets than you could shake a free watch at.  But this took on a whole new complexion when these outlets realized that with a high page view rate (regardless of whether the clicks were legitimate or originating from a click farm in the Asian sub-continent), they could then lure advertising money away from print outlets.  Brand marketing managers got excited, unreasonably so.  So excited that they didn't even flinch when some of these outlets and "influencers" suddenly stopped running their content without the benefit of what we will gently refer to as a "sweetener" in addition to the advertising money that they were already paying to them.  A few outlets were silly enough to create rate sheets ($XXX for a review, $XXXX for a new release, etc.).  A few of these rate sheets fell into the hands of competitors who were more than happy to publish the information, exposing the "disconvenient truth" that payola was alive and well in the luxury watch industry.  And at that point, the little brands could not really survive.  I mean, maybe Richemont and LVMH have $1,000 per Instagram image they can afford to spend...

So at this moment, you might say to yourself - game over!  But then print magazines, feeling the lack of love from their former favorite advertisers started courting small and emerging brands.  This meant content that didn't cost anything other than the time to send some images and spec sheets.  And then one other interesting thing happened - Facebook emerged as the replacement to the watch forum, and to some extent the blog.  Think about it, a watch forum or blog you have to go out and look for.  Facebook is right there on your computer, phone and tablet 24-7.  And it then enabled the owners of these smaller brands to seek out and connect with people who would communicate about their brand - you know, people like me ; )

So the stage was set, but the final piece was somewhat surprising.  It was the steady slide of the big dogs who have been on a 3 year losing streak.  Because this triggered a few more things:

1.  Customers started becoming disillusioned by spending $3,000 US on a new watch from an authorized retailer only to  see it for half or even less than half price on a grey market Internet store that was receiving its stock directly from the brand.  These are folks who probably bought one or two watches a year.  And as they began to peel away the layers of the onion, they realized that to some extent they now REALLY had options.  And they also felt that the brands really did not care about them at all.  The micro brands?  Communicative, friendly and welcoming.  Unrequited love sucks - especially at $3,000!

2.  Some of the micro brands are now being launched by industry insiders.  But what is interesting is that they have shed a lot of the old thinking and are combining their experience with the new ideas brought forth by the new guys.  So you get the warm fuzzies along with the watch making bonafides.

3.  The suppliers that had never given the micro brands a passing thought?  Suddenly these suppliers are falling over themselves to catch the eyes of these smaller, emerging players because the big dogs are cutting off their orders.  And the micro brands owners are now in a position to say no thank you to a bad deal.

4.  A few angels have emerged  - people with the connections who have shepherded several of these aspiring new comers, helping them avoid the potential pitfalls that have bedeviled so many others.  One in particular comes to mind, and what he and his network have done can't really be bought or taught.

5.  Many of us who cover this stuff?  We're ready for something new!


So here's to the micro brands!  

Introducing Klynt

There is another contender out there in watch land with a Kickstarter campaign - and that is Klynt -

Courtesy of Klynt

The Kickstarter video itself is somewhat painful to listen to, and the text on the Klynt website can be a bit befuddling, but the watch itself looks like a winner.

Courtesy of Klynt

The case is stainless steel and measures 43.5 mm in diameter.  The dial is a unique construction of many layers and textures, and is (for me) one of the main selling points of the watch.  

The date window location, however, is not one that really resonates with me, but then again your mileage may vary.

The movement is the SW290 from Sellita, offering a "lupine" or small sub second display at 9 o'clock.

There are three other version being offered through this Kickstarter campaign -

Courtesy of Klynt

Courtesy of Klynt

Courtesy of Klynt

As mentioned, the Klynt is currently available through their Kickstarter campaign and has another 28 days to run so you still have time if this one turns your crank.

                             KLYNT KICKSTARTER

The SB02

From Sartory Billard -

Courtesy of Sartory Billard

First and foremost, a tip of the hat to Montres de Luxe for writing about them, and to my friend Benjamin Fougère for making me aware of them.

The SB02 is the second offering from Sartory Billard.  And I will further give credit to them for the transparency of the origin of their watches.  The watches are designed by Sartory Billard, in Paris.  The parts (case, crystals, movements, etc.) are produced by subcontractors in Asia.  They are brought to France where they are assembled in the Franche Comté, where one of my favorite places in the world is located - Besançon ; )

The watch is available with what is described as an anthracite dial (above) and a silver dial (below) -

Courtesy of Sartory Billard

One added twist of the SB02 tale is the ability of the watch owner to change the bezel of the watch on their own to update the look.  

Courtesy of Sartory Billard

 Available in Carbon (above).

Courtesy of Sartory Billard

Ocean Blue (above),

Courtesy of Sartory Billard

 and Brown Shell (above).

And there as also a lot of awareness shown when it came to pricing.

The watch itself is 650 €, which is a very attractive price point.  The "replaceable" bezels can be had for 30 €, with the exception of the Carbon bezel which is slightly more expensive at 45 €.  So should you wish to have all four looks, it is still an affordable package.

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source -

SARTORY BILLARD SB 02
Case: 
Stainless steel 316 L mirror polished and brushed on the sides
3D Volume.
Bottom: 
Screwed and engraved
Glass: 
Sapphire, anti-reflective treatment with blue shade
Movement: 
Automatic Miyota 8215
Hands: 
Hands of the Hours and Minutes rhodium with facets and Luminova applied, Seconds hand rhodium
Dial: 
Sunday brushed and indexes applied with Luminova
Crown: 
With logotype
Weight: 
Approx. 70 g
Width: 
39 mm
Thickness: 
11 mm to 6 and 12 h, 13 mm to 3 and 9 h
Strap:
Matching suede and genuine leather

A US Based Watch Brand You May Not Know

Allow me to introduce you to Berkbinder & Brown -

Courtesy of Berkbinder & Brown

Berkbinder & Brown is the creation of Ted Brown.  When a major personal and professional milestone stirred the interest in a new watch, Mr Brown was left somewhat underwhelmed by the options.  While some were certainly nice, they seemed somewhat over priced.  As is often the case with new products, Mr. Brown rolled up his sleeves and decided to make his own.

Courtesy of Berkbinder & Brown

So with his new one of a kind watch on his wrist, he found himself asked more and more if he could, (and more importantly) would make one for them.  

Courtesy of Berkbinder & Brown

This had not really been the plan, but after enough people expressed their desire for one of his watches, Ted relented and the rest is history. 

What I found interesting in speaking with Ted was his openness and willingness to talk not only about the inspiration for his growing company, but the origins of some key components.  This has been a topic that a few self-promoting "down-home" brands will refuse to give any background on, relying instead upon earnest, bushy-bearded hipsters to keep buying their "American Crafted Timepieces".  
 
If I'm honest, what I like about the Berkbinder & Brown watches is that you would probably not be inclined to refer to them as a "Timepiece". 

Courtesy of Berkbinder & Brown

These are watches!

I will be going deeper on Berkbinder & Brown and break down the various models in the near future.  But some food for thought -
the cases are made in the US, as are the straps and significant other parts of the watch.  The movements are ETA. We will be bringing you the full rundown shortly, so stay tuned!

The Aquis Small Second, Date

From Oris -

Courtesy of Oris

Here are the pertinents -

Oris Aquis Small Second, Date
Ref. No. 01 743 7733 4135 RS, Ø 45.50mm

• Automatic movement Oris Cal. 743, based on Sellita SW 220-1, with date at 3 o’clock and small second at 9 o’clock 
• Multi-piece case with screw-in security crown, crown protection and screwed case back, all in stainless steel. Water-resistant to 50 bar/500m 
• Diver’s unidirectional rotating bezel with black ceramic inlay with 60-minute timer and zero marker filled with Super-LumiNova®  
• Sapphire crystal domed on both sides with anti-reflective coating inside  
• Blue dial with applied indices filled with Super-LumiNova®. Nickel hour and minute hands filled with Super-LumiNova®. Nickel second hand with applied  
• Super-LumiNova® on one side  
• Blue or black rubber strap with Oris-developed safety anchor and quick-adjust, sliding-sledge folding clasp with extension. Alternatively available with stainless steel bracelet with extension

In Honor of the Tour de France - A Family that Does NOT Crack Under Pressure!

Cycling, particularly Le Tour?  It's all about time.  

Today is the grand finale of the 2017 edition, and as I type this the riders are approaching the Avenue des Champs-Élysées for the final circuits of this year's race.  

Cycling is still exciting, but I long for the time when there was a bit more grit to it.   No radios taped to riders ears, and the only performance enhancing substance was a ham sandwich and a bottle of pilfered red ; )

But this year is very special, and for many ways the Tag-Heuer / 7-ELEVEN story line has come full circle - Taylor Phinney, the son of two-time Tour de France stage winner Davis Phinney will be completing his first ever Tour de France.  The Phinney's in many way typify what the Tag Heuer motto is all about.

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

Following his cycling career, Davis Phinney was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at the age of 40.  While it would have been easy to curl up in a ball and feel sorry for himself, he created the Davis Phinney Foundation in 2004 to help support people with Parkinson's.  

Shamelessly Borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

And as for the son?  Taylor Phinney became a professional racer and was showing a rather precocious talent.  This year he surprisingly found himself in the polka-dot jersey reserved for the King of the Mountains. 

Shamelessly borrowed

It was a short-lived honor, but one that Phinney the Younger relished and enjoyed - reminding us that there is actually meant to be some joy, wonder, and passion in sport!

Shamelessly borrowed

And truth be told, we didn't really think we'd see him do so well.  In fact, many cycling experts weren't sure if Taylor Phinney would be able to be able to walk unassisted at this point.

Shamelessly borrowed

In the 2014 US National Road Race championship he suffered a horrendous accident that was so bad, his future as a cyclist was a secondary concern to whether on not he would even get to keep his left leg.  Yes, it was that bad.

But here we are, 3 years on, and another Phinney is helping animate 3 magical weeks in France.

Connie Carpenter and Davis Phinney - image shamelessly borrowed from Cycling News

Of course you could site genetics for his natural ability - his mother was not exactly a slouch on the bike... Connie Carpenter, the winner of the first ever Olympic Road Race for women at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

But that is just about the innate talent, what this family embodies is well beyond their skill and speed on a bike.  They are unbreakable, and it is their every day lives, facing adversity and coming back from it that make them so inspiring.

So Tag Heuer, if you're reading this (and I'm sure you are) here are some famous people who did not crack under pressure!

And on that note, a summer repeat:

Remembering my First Tag Heuer and Team 7-ELEVEN

The year was 1990.  I was in my final year at the University of Oregon, and was visiting my father over the summer break.  I had one more term to go, and two days before I was set to head back to Eugene, my Bullova watch pooped out.  Trying to find someone capable of changing the battery was on par with finding an honest politician - it just didn't seem to be possible.  So on what must have been the fifth attempt to get a battery changed with no success, I looked down in the display case and saw what would become my first Swiss watch.  The Tag Heuer Formula 1, circa 1990.

I realize that we all had different introductions to Tag Heuer, and this was mine.  And out of necessity, a passion was born.

I have shamelessly borrowed this advertisement image from Calibre 11 - not directly Calibre 11, it was pulled-up via a Google search for images.  Hope you don't mind ; )

All of the models in this ad were available, but the one that went home with me was the third from the left, the red case, green strap and bezel - or as I came to refer to it - the 7-ELEVEN Tag Heuer Watch!

Borrowed shamelessly from the internet

Andy Hampsten and the 7-ELEVEN team were my cycling idols in the 80s.

And he was the first American winner of the Giro D'Italia back in 1988.

Courtesy, clearly, of someone else!

And the Tag Heuer connection to cycling (and my passion) went even further and was clearly shared by others, including one of the main voices of Tour de France television coverage today (at least here in the US) Bob Roll, a team mate of Hampsten's on team 7-ELEVEN.

Bob Roll on the left, Andy Hampsten on the right

Bob, or "Bobke" as he is often known is perhaps my all-time favorite cyclist.  Not because of his many wins in big-time races... let's face it, there weren't many!

Shamelessly borrowed

But Bob, Andy and the rest of the 7-ELEVEN team perhaps best embodied what Tag-Heur's motto is today - they did NOT "Crack under pressure".  No matter what the odds, Bobke put it all out there!

Courtesy of, clearly, someone else

Apart from Hampsten, and Davis Phinney, they were a team made up of journeymen dreamers.  Riders who had a sort of, "what the Hell, let's give it a go" attitude.  Keep in mind, this was the era of a certain fellow known as "the Badger" and a host of other cycling GODs.  But these guys threw their hats in the ring and gave it a go.  And in an age where US cyclists were viewed more as amateurs, they came to Europe and impressed the Europeans.

I got to meet one of my heroes in person when I was working for DOXA Watches and we presented him with a  Yellow DOXA Divingstar in San Francisco -

My identification with Tag Heuer went beyond just the 7-ELEVEN connection.  It was clearly a great brand with a great watch, but like team 7-ELEVEN people didn't just take that at face value.  Tag Heuer had to put in a lot of time and effort to get where they are today.

So as we wait to hear how much the Cara Delevingne auction brings in, I thought it might be fun to think back to some other "underdogs" that Tag Heuer partnered with, back in the 80's.

Enjoy your watches!

The Martin M-130

From Towson Watch Company -

Courtesy of Towson Watch Company

We don't get to hear as much about Towson as we should, so I thought this morning I would jolt you out of your Sunday slumbers with this delightfully bright pilot's chronograph.

The case measures 42 mm in diameter and it houses the 7750.

Courtesy of Towson Watch Company

The watch is named for Martin M-130 which was produced by the Glenn L. Martin Company in Baltimore, Maryland.

Hours, minutes, seconds, date and 3 register chronograph.  Available direct from the folks at Towson.

Here are the pertinents -

Case	42mm
Dial	Super LuMinova Markers and Hands
Movement	Highest Grade 25 Jewel Automatic Chronograph Cal. 7750 Adjusted to 5 positions, 46 Hour Power Reserve, Incabloc Shock Absorption, Nivorox Hairspring, Glucydure Balance
Crystal	Domed Sapphire Crystal with 2 Sided Anti-Reflex Coating
Functions	Sweep Second, Minute, Hour, Date, Stop Funtion with Minute Counter at 12-O’Clock and Hour Counter at 6-O’Clock, Constantly Rotating Second at 9-O’Clock, Start/Stop Pusher at 2-O’Clock, Back To Neutral Pusher at 4-O’Clock
Water Resistance	5 ATM (50m)
Strap Width	20mm x 18mm

News from Tempus Fugit!

The management at Tempus Fugit is very happy to announce the promotion of Tallulah Henderson to the position of Associate Editor.  This is a rapid rise for Tallulah who joined the staff here at Tempus Fugit a little over 2 months ago as a Cub reporter.

The team enjoyed a special lunch in honor of her promotion, and Tallulah is excited about expanding her role on the editorial team.

Congratulations to Tallulah on her new appointment, and the entire team at Tempus Fugit is looking forward to continuing to bring you our independent take on watches and the people who make them.

 

In Honor of Belgian National Day

When we think of Belgium our thoughts might first go to:

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

 Or possibly this guy -

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

Or as we are in the final days of the Tour de France -

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

But as this is allegedly a blog about watches, I thought it would be worthwhile to have a look at two of my favorite watch brands (which just so happen to be based in Belgium) and the guys behind them.

Gavox is the no-longer-small micro brand launched by Michael Happe.  Based in suburban Brussels, Michael has created some truly wonderful watches, and I am the proud owner of two of them.  He has an ability to take the seemingly mundane, and sprinkling in the secret spice that makes the ordinary something special.

In case you missed it, here is a repeat of my interview with Mr. Happe.  This first ran in 2014, about 2 and a half years ago -

A Few Minutes With Michael Happe

Wendy and I had the very good fortune to spend some time with Michael Happe over lunch and a beer in Brussels a few weeks back.  That will be a different post ; )  But that planted the seeds for this interview which you'll find below.  And now, a few minutes with Michael Happe -

Tempus Fugit - What was your first watch?  Was it a gift?  Is there a story behind it?

Michael Happe - My first watch was a Kelton which I received when I was 8.  It was supposed to be water resistant to 25 meters  and I loved it.  However from time to time, when I went swimming with it, water leaked in.  This is when I started getting a closer look at the movement. 

TF - When you were a boy, what did you want to be when you "grew up"

MH - I wanted to be a pilot and Astronaut.  The sky, space and sciences were great sources of inspiration for me and are still today. 

TF - What did you study in school?

MH -I graduated from university with a Diploma in Agricultural Engineering.  I loved my studies and learned so much. I do believe this is one of the best programs if you want to study all science topics. 

TF - What got you into the world of watches in the first place?  

MH - At the age of twelve I discovered the LCD and Quartz revolution and started collecting watches.  Later the mechanical watches caught my attention. And now it is a dream to make my own watch brand. 

TF -  So what is the idea behind GAVOX?

MH - My aim is to make technical and ergonomic watches that are easy to use and possessing useful functions.  Moreover, to offer this at the best quality for a fair price.  I offer watches in three categories: higher (aviation and space exploration) farther  (land and see exploration) and deeper 

(ocean and depth exploration) .

TF - I know that it is hard for a "father" to choose his favorite "child", but which is your favorite GAVOX?
MH - This is a difficult question for me to answer.  On one hand it would be the Gavox Squadron as this was born from a collaboration with the Belgian Air Force and myself, and I am so pleased that many pilots wear these watches with pride.

  

Courtesy of Gavox

Courtesy of Gavox

On the other hand I love the Gavox Legacy Navy, my first automatic watches with a lot of hidden detail to look at.

TF - What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced so far?

MH - My biggest challenge was and is the creation of the Gavox Aurora. This watch will bring some real innovation and I challenged many suppliers to produce the best parts that they could. This watch will be very innovative and unique. 

TF - What has been the most successful GAVOX model? 
MF - The Gavox Legacy Collection is very successful.  I often receive happy customer feedback telling me the watch is better in real life than in pictures.

TF - What is your strongest market?

MH - Europe and all English speaking countries. I sell mainly through my web shop to clients who want something unique that is offered in small series. 



TF - Who else out there is making watches that interest you? 

MH - I love all smart and simple innovations like Oris has made with the Big Crown ProPilot and Aquis Depth Gauge.  I appreciate the people who have managed to get mechanical and simple devices to measure altitude and depth in a watch.  I also love many of the watches from Sinn and Nomos.

TF - Having visited Belgium recently I was surprised by what a "watch place" it was.  Has it always been this way?

MH - Belgium was always kept in the shadows regarding watches with very talented people working in Switzerland after a good watch study scholarship in Belgium.  However in terms of Belgian watch brands it mainly took at new turn in 2005 with Icewatch.  Today  We have great watch maker full of ideas in Benoît Mintiens with his great brand Ressence.

TF - I understand that you have a few "famous" customers, can you tell us a bit about some of your more "well-known" GAVOX clients?

MH - James, I understand your curiosity ;-)  Out of respect of my customers, I can't disclose this type of information.



TF - Please tell us about your partnership with some of Belgium's flying squadrons.
  MH - It started with my passion for aviation, I was a glider pilot and was trained on a Cessna.  I have many good friends who are pilots who flew in the Belgian Air Force some years ago.  They introduced me to two Belgian squadrons and we developed a watch that fit their needs and specifications. Their logos have been integrated on the dial and case back of the Gavox Squadron. 

TF - What do you like to do in your "down time"? 

MH - The first thing I like to do is to take some time with my wife and children, playing board games, visiting museums and going on city trips.  I love meeting new people and discovering new culture.  I also have other passions like volleyball, whisky, folding knives and art.


TF - What advice do you have for the aspiring watch "start-up"? 

MH - Stick to your dreams and face the challenge, it will only make you stronger.  Ask advise but follow your instinct.  If you believe in your product your will reach your client .  Good Luck and have fun!

But wait, there's more!  Another interesting guy doing interesting things is the man behind Ressence, Benoît Mintiens.  Here is a repeat of my conversation with him from 2011 -

A few minutes with Benoît Mintiens

One of the most talked about people at BaselWorld this year was the creator of the Ressence watch.

So now, a few minutes with Benoît Mintiens -

James Henderson - What was your first watch, was it a gift? Is there a story behind it?

Benoît Mintiens - My first watch that i can remember was probably a transparent Swatch. It worked for 6 months I think.  I found it very fun to see the components... but my first love was the Bulova Accutron Space view.  It is such a beautiful concept to give time with a wavelength!

JH - When you were a boy, what did you want to be "when you grew up"?

MB - It was only at the age of 18 that I discovered that design was a profession.  Before that I thought of being an engineer or something.  As a kid I used to design things all the time and build them, being an industrial designer was the perfect solution to translate my hobby into a profession.

JH - Where did you go to school, what did you study?

BM - I have a Master degree in Industrial design and a Master in Business administration.  ( 7 years in total... )

JH -  When people think of Belgium, watch making is maybe not the first profession that comes to mind.  How did you get started in the watch industry?

  

BM - This is a very long story.  I had always been attracted to new watch concepts but was realistic enough not to love them to much. The Ressence project started with a friend who asked me to design a watch with lots of diamonds - but for men.  While working on the project and after TAG Heuer launched their Diamond fiction watch, my friend left for Hong Kong and I was left bitten by the watch virus.  So, I decided to design a watch for me.

JH -  Did you ever consider doing something else for a living?

BM - My job ( the one that pays the bills at the end of the month ) is as a consultant in industrial design.  My work for Ressence is for serious fun!

JH - You've now been at it for awhile.  How is the Ressence brand evolving?

BM - Ressence is a niche product for people that can appreciate the values I have tried to put into the product.  For the moment people are buying a watch concept, to some extent, Ressence is only a name.  The brand will have to build from that.  As this needs huge marketing resources, this will take time.

For the moment my priority is to develop new models.  

JH - Thinking back to the start, were there ever nights where you woke up in a cold sweat, wondering if things would work out?

BM - I still have sleepless nights.  I think it is normal ( I hope )! 

My biggest concern being the difficulty to produce the parts.  

I don't know why but it is very hard to get your parts in time.

And as I'm only starting, I need to go through a learning curve with every step.

JH - What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced?

BM - The biggest challenge was to create a network of suppliers.

Not being Swiss, not being a watchmaker and not living is Switzerland, I can tell you it is not easy to start for the simple reason that I did not know where the start was...

JH - Having spent a little time by your booth at BaselWorld it seemed as if your watch was one of the hottest things this year - what do you attribute the Ressence's popularity to?

BM - I can not judge because I did not move from my booth.

When I listen to the reactions from people that pass by, they 

usually stop for the unconventional design.  They found it 

attractive and start looking closer. At that point they think the 

watches are fakes/dummies.  In fact they are working models!

I often hear: Oh, the display is printed on the (plexi) glass?  

The ones that know a lot more than me about watches say -

"oh, yeah, I see it's a regulateur but different"...

When they see that the screen they saw, is animated they usually smile.

JH - Who else out there is making watches that interest you?

BM - I'm too much of a Belgian to give names ;-) 

JH - If you weren't doing this, what do you think you might be doing?

BM - Running a design company

JH - What is a typical "day in the life" of Benoit Mintiens?

BM - Are you sure you want to know this?

Get up, get my kids cleaned up, bring them to school, and  go to work.  As a designer I work within a European agency.

I often work for French clients like SNCF, Veolia, RATP.   

But I also do some work for Browning,  Frisk, Thalys, Siemens, Bombardier, etc... 

A project usually starts with the question why, for who and how.

For example, for the moment we are designing the new tram for Basel.   ( yes, in Switzerland )

Depending on the project you need to focus on different aspects.

If you're asked to design a new TGV for SNCF, you first have to think:

How do people what to experience a high speed journey?   What does it mean to be French in a European high speed market? Who are the travelers, what do they need? 

What is their mindset in the morning and in the evening? etc... 

JH -  What do you like to do in your spare time?

BM - For the moment my spare time is reduced to zero because  of my double activity.  But when it is good weather I like is to drive my old-timers. ( after years of working on them... )

JH - What was the inspiration for the Ressence?

BM - This is impossible to say.  Why does anyone have an idea?

One day I just had it (the idea).  What can I say, the guy that can 'generate' idea generation is called God I think?   No?  Essentially, creativity is 5% inspiration and 95% labor.

JH - What advice do you have for the future Benoit Mintiens out there?

BM - I understand this question as "what advice would you give to yourself?"

In the short term, try to stabilize my activities and balance it better.

In the longer term, transform Ressence into a brand.



www.ressence.eu