What Traffic, Influencers and Exclusives REALLY Mean

Is, in fact, any one's guess.  This is not a new theme here at Tempus Fugit, but it is apparently becoming a more relevant topic as more and more brands and media outlets are asking, and being asked some increasingly uncomfortable questions about how they are handling their pr, marketing and media.

So let's get one thing out of the way right from Jump Street -
Tempus Fugit does not accept any watch brand advertising.  You will note a Bell & Ross interactive clock on the site, and it is there because I personally like the feature (clock adjusts to whatever time you are tuning in from).  No money is charged in exchange for this.  Tempus Fugit does run approximately 3 fund raisers a year selling branded t-shirts and sweat shirts which brands and brand managers are certainly allowed to purchase (p.s. still time to order your Tempus Fugit Sweatshirt -

for only $45 US - Support Tempus Fugit - Get a Super-Dope Sweatshirt!)

Note how I smoothly snuck in a pitch ; )

So how do I make money?  I have consulting clients in the watch industry (ones that you will not read about here, as that would create an ethical conflict), and I work as a teacher and social worker (as I have discovered, that is also part of my calling).  And then why do I do it (I get this question a lot from PR folks), because I love it.  The point being, I found a way to make enough money at it to make it worthwhile while not having to park my ethics at the door.

Okay, so that's me, but let's have a quick whip-round to consider what is happening outside my little ecosystem.  In order to have an even passably interesting site (whether you call it a blog, an online magazine, etc.) you need to have content.  And all of us, from the mighty to the small get lots of press releases.  Interesting to relate, I noticed that more than a few brands and PR agencies would send releases in 2 waves - the first wave to outlets that the brands and PR agencies ALREADY PAID advertising money to.  In other words, the outlet not only sold the brand ad space, but as part of the deal, secured exclusive advance intel on new products in so-called exclusives.  And this really creates a false impression for the reader.  If you are the reader (or a potential advertiser) and you notice again and again how a certain outlet can manage to "scoop" the competition on a new release again and again.  You would think that outlet and their platoon of writers must have some amazing inside track.  Guess again.  Several of these sites do not write a sentence until coin of the realm has passed hands.  Ever wonder why a mid-tier group brand will suddenly be relevant exactly two times a year to one of the biggest digital outlets, and never during the rest of the year?  Yeah, I don't wonder either.  The "package" takes care of  your needs even if you are not a "known" advertiser.

Another goofy trend is the once-a-year outreach employed by some brands.  These are the brands that will never give you a BaselWorld appointment, never respond to any emails, never assist in ANY way for a story.  But out of the blue you get this warm, fuzzy, honey-laden entreaty to connect because:

"We have a story that we think your readers will be interested in..."

What I have come to understand, is that this is code for:

"We have an influencer/instafamer/instagrammer under contract and we need to push this content".   

In such cases, I request other photos not from the influencer/instafamer/instagrammer and often never hear anything further.  So in the new year, a kind message for the PR office - I am happy to write about your brand and your releases.  I am not happy to blindly promote someone you already pay money to to promote your brand, which you are now trying to get me to promote by promoting the promoter... 

Confused?  I'm not.  You hired these folks, you paid them, they are supposed to be promoting you, not the other way around.  And please stop asking me and other people to promote them for you after you paid them.

Oh, and p.s. - the FTC is taking an increasingly dim view of paid promotion through instagrammers & influencers who fail to disclose the financial nature of their relationship with the brand/brands that are featured in their social media feeds.  So as a public service gesture, I'd like share this info from the Federal Trade Commission -

https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking
 

And now that not-so-tiny elephant in the room - TRAFFIC.

Traffic as it relates to the Internet is really one of the most misunderstood metrics out there.  On the one hand, traffic is based
on a number.  Something that is quantifiable, something easily understood by salespeople - selling 100 is far better than 50.  The bigger the number, the better!  But as we are now seeing with watch sales numbers and export numbers getting a "flavor enhanced" boost via the Grey and Light Grey market, we can see that these do, in fact represent sales numbers, but not in the sense that demonstrate sales through the traditional outlets.  Grey and Light Grey Market sales are cover for product dumping.  Well, website traffic is really not that different.  A website can have millions of hits per month, but that does not mean that millions of people are actually visiting those sites -

Click Farms via Vice News

For many of us who run these outlets, it can be a very tempting option, we get nearly daily offers to pay $15.00 for 2,000 followers!  And as the competition among click farms increases, the rates charged will continue to fall.  Pretty soon it will be 10,000 followers for $5.00.  And in fairness to the guys and gals making ad buy decisions (or editorial package decisions) at watch brand HQ, this is really all that they have to go by.  They do not generally have the time (or sometimes even the interest) to read the actual articles and postings that are generated.  Let me put this in a different context, I think despite that fact that everyone reading this is probably pretty interested in watches, we can also agree that the number of people interested in fashion would far eclipse the numbers for watch interest.  Scott Schuman's the Sartorialist - www.thesartorialist.com fetches approximately 500,000 visitors per month.  Do you really think that more people are "clicking in" every month to read about watches than fashion?  

Ever wonder why nobody ever wrote a book called "The Devil Wears an Omega", and why nobody ever made a documentary movie titled Biver: The Last Emperor (although, in fairness, I did right an opinion piece the last time he announced his impending retirement back in 2012 - http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2012/01/last-emperor-has-left-party.html), as someone did about Valentino - Valentino: The Last Emperor IMDb?

Simple, watches are interesting, but they're not that interesting.  Or put more precisely as it relates to the whole traffic conundrum - there is traffic, and then there is traffic.

As with my food, I generally prefer to keep my website traffic organic.

So another year is in the books, and we all look forward to turning the page.  I thank everyone who participated in Tempus Fugit from the brands, to the PR folks to most importantly you, the readers.  I promise you that in 2018 you will continue to get content that is "free range" and hopefully some commentary that will give you a different perspective.  And while you will probably read and hear about some of the brands that I am working for/with, you will not be reading/hearing about them here ; )


With our very best wishes for you in 2018 -

Tallulah Henderson - Executive Publisher, Tempus Fugit Media
James Henderson - Chief Messenger, Tempus Fugit Media

 
 

Didn't Get What You Wanted for Christmas, Hanukkah, etc.?

Well how about a super-fresh Tempus Fugit Sweatshirt?  

As you know, Tempus Fugit does not accept advertising from watch brands as it could give the impression of influence on what is covered here.  But rest assured, there are expenses. 

If you value honest, unvarnished, REAL coverage of the industry, then please consider supporting what we do by purchasing a super-fresh Tempus Fugit Sweatshirt for $45 US.

Have too many clothes but still want to help out?  No problem, you can do that too!

So buy a sweatshirt, or just miracle Tempus Fugit with a small donation -

Support Tempus Fugit!

Repeat - The Adidas Illness

This first ran a few years back, but several readers asked for a repeat, so here you go -

The Adidas Illness

As has been disclosed here more than a few times, I work from time to time with brands on marketing, sales and pr/media projects as an independent freelancer.   I am currently ensconced in a few very intriguing projects, and in the midst of doing some analysis this weekend I was reminded of some very interesting passages I read in Barbara Smit's Sneaker Wars.

Shamelessly borrowed from the INFOWEB

The brief outline , Sneaker Wars is about the birth of Adidas, and subsequently Puma and the complicated and sad rise and fall of the Dassler family.  And yes, that is very interesting reading.  But what plucked my attention was the parallel story of the rise of Nike and Reebok in the 80s, and the refusal of Adidas to recognize what was happening and adapt.  This was particularly borne out in anecdotes about the "Waffle" trainer from Nike, and the "Freestyle" from Reebok.  In both cases it was a vivid example of an almost criminal lack of imagination.  Clearly, nobody (except maybe Nike) had an inkling as to how big the recreational jogging market would be. And although the Freestyle was admittedly a happy accident due to a mix-up at the factory, it became one of the hottest selling shoes in the US due to the aerobics and fitness boom of the 80s and 90s.

And of course you probably know where I am going with this.  The fundamental issue that the watch industry is struggling against is change.  Change in distribution models, change in marketing approaches, change in purchasing patterns, change in expectations. But here's the funny thing - there are clearly still people buying watches.  But the days of the brands, brand CEOs, brand marketing chiefs, brand PR folks telling people what they should and will buy are now over.  And what is intriguing is that some brands (both solid and dubious) have recognized and harnessed the importance of communication.  Not merely with their distributors and retail partners, but with the actual people who will make the actual purchase.  And they clearly understand that communication is a group activity that is best utilized when the ears are open from time to time.  When you have a focus group of one, it is highly unlikely that you will have an accurate sample, and it's safe to say that the projections will never match the actuals.

Had Nike only focused on what retailers or prevailing logic and sales histories would have told them, they never would have made the Waffle, and likewise Reebok would never have made the Freestyle.  Sooner or later, you have to adapt.

Ironically, a lot of the difficulties the industry faces are not necessarily about product - although that is a familiar and popular excuse.  The North American Sales Manager will insist up and down the if she/he had better product then all would be well.  Sorry, I'm calling bullshit on that one.

The current crisis was not brought on by poor product offerings.  If Hublot is able to still dog-paddle in the rising tsunami of problems, then clearly the product is not necessarily what is holding brands back.  It is back to some very simple points:

1.  Supply and demand - if you flood the market with too much supply, the demand may still be there, but not at the prices you would like to collect.  Discounting, dumping, grey market all ensue.

2.  Performance based employment and pay - sounds harsh, I realize.  But if you are paid a six-figure salary to sell, those six-figures should not be guaranteed.  There has to be a REAL performance component.  But that performance must be REALISTIC.  Meaning that if the expectation for the sales manager is to sell 1,000 pieces in a market that can only support 300 pieces, that is not a "stretch goal".  That is an invitation to cut corners, dump stock, and do whatever it takes (ethical or otherwise) to make the goal.  Realistic performance is what has been forgotten, and that as much as anything is what has got us to where we are now.

3.  Better marshaling of resources - if sales are poor, per diems and travel expenses need to be brought back in to contextual realities.

4.  Connect with your real customers - even if you are a mega-brand, someone on your team should be keeping track of customers.  A gesture as simple, and inexpensive as a holiday card goes a long way towards fostering brand loyalty.  SWATCH, Richemont and LVMH have more than enough people on staff to put something like that together.

5.  And what I mentioned in the beginning - never assume that you're "the nuts".  As soon as you assume that you and only you know which way the industry is going, you should put on your parka and hop on the ice floe.  You are done, whether you know it or not.  

Because let's face some facts - if the big dogs in Switzerland and Germany were always right, the industry would not be in the situation it is now.

Adapt, or die.

Repeat - The Home Team

I first ran this about two years ago.  In seeing the comings and goings over the recent months, it seems that the problem still exists, so it seemed a good time to reheat this one -

The Home Team

Another season has passed, managers and players have come and gone and the deck continues to be reshuffled.  And once again as the dust has settled, even more work permits have been applied for to help Swiss nationals come to New York and Miami and head up US offices.  This is a cycle that has remained consistent.  That unshakable belief that the reason why things aren't working out in a particular market is because there isn't a reassuring Swiss hand at the wheel.
So every two to three years, more freshly minted country managers are dispatched, arrive at JFK and are expected to be able to lead and manage a group of "foreigners".  And I say this in all fairness to both sides - this is a program that continues to not work out too well for the majority of brands trying it.  A recent example:
Country Manager A - dispatched to the US at great expense. Working papers processed at great expense, housing arranged - Manhattan baby!  at great expense.  Country manager promptly terminates half of the "home team".  Now interestingly enough, sales were not exactly bad for Country Manager A's brand.  In fact, sales were quite good.  But changes had to be made so that people would know that Country Manager A was a serious dude, wearing his "Big Boy Pants".  This had an immediate impact!  But not the one that Country Manager A was hoping for.  Retailers started to express concern with the sudden changes.  They had good, solid relationships with the previous representatives, and now felt somewhat abandoned.  So Country Manager A  then promptly terminated most of the new hires that he had made.  This carried on at such a pace that within six months some retailers had been contacted by as many as three (3) different sales reps.  Within a year, Country Manager A was out, and an emergency replacement was shipped out, at great expense... and the cycle renewed itself.
It is a time honored process with MANY Swiss brands.  Aspiring future senior level executives and would-be CEOs are sent to the US as a sort of "finishing school" to prepare them to take the helm of the Mother Ship after a successful tour.  More often than not it does not pan out this way with two notable exceptions at AP and UN (which now we see was not the end of the rainbow that many thought with the "departure" of the CEO a few months back).  It inevitably leaves the US without solid management that really understands the retailers, the actual demand for the product, the language, and the culture.  A top-down management style is then replicated and enforced.  And then communication jams because nobody can make a decision, and nobody can reach the Country Manager because the communication is not flowing through the "proper channels".  It is doomed from the start.
So I would like to propose a different approach.  Reverse the travel and send "native" aspiring country managers to Switzerland for a more serious training and grounding on how things are done at HQ. And I am not talking about the 1 week "fun trip" where everyone comes to HQ, has a few sales meetings and the rest of the time is spent on river cruises, helicopter rides and lord knows what else.
If the concern is that the US based staff don't understand how things are done at the brand HQ and does not understand what the brand HQ wants, needs and expects, then bring them to HQ and SHOW THEM.  Invest the same type of time and money in the training of these people that you spend on your Swiss staff.  It's a hell of a lot cheaper to invest a month in the future market of the US than it is to constantly change and replace senior management with yet another "pet project" with a Swiss passport.
And who knows - that smaller investment might lead to a more dedicated US team that can see a future where they might have a hope in Hell of actually getting an opportunity to lead the brand that they've dedicated themselves to.  Otherwise, what's in it for them?  Limited possibilities without the hope of promotion beyond a certain level.
I'd quit too.

Wrapping Up the Erroyl Duke Oskar

This past week gave me the opportunity to try out a piece from an Australian microbrand, Erroyl -

This is the Oskar, which is part of Erroyl's Duke collection.  Based in Canberra, Erroyl has been on the scene since 2014 and has become a firm favorite with small batch enthusiasts in a very small amount of time.  

The Duke collection bears the Swiss Made mark and as such marks Erroyl's first foray into a Swiss assembled watch. 

 

The Duke is a very pleasant watch to wear.  The size is right in Goldilocks's wheelhouse.  at 39 mm it is "just right".  The size trend this year is without a doubt less is more, and the Duke bears this out.  The fit was substantial without being overwhelming.  And this understated approach was also evident in the bracelet.  

Linked, and of stainless steel, Erroyl utilized an alternating finish of brushed and polished finishes.  This is a very nice added touch and adds to the overall look of the watch.  The bracelet itself is the perfect thickness.  When pairing a watch with a bracelet, it is often too much or too little.  In the case of the Duke, they have hit the perfect balance.  

The bracelet uses pin and collar as opposed to screw heads.  The general school of thought among the designers I have spoken with is that while screw secured links are more convenient for the "do-it-yourselfer", the pin and collar set-up tends to be more secure.  And the bracelet is very, very secure.

Another thing that Erroyl got very right was the design and execution of the clasp -

The beautifully executed butterfly clasp worked beautifully and held securely.

The case is smooth and well finished -

Overall, an extremely well laid out and executed design.

One last thing about the "physical" beauty of the Oskar is the dial.  Now to be brutally honest, I tried... and failed several times to adequately capture the image of the Oskar's dial.  So full disclosure, this is an image from a much more talented photographer, courtesy of Erroyl -

Courtesy of Erroyl

The inner portion of the dial is a nicely subtle guilloche pattern in the inner position.  The dial itself is clear and legible, striking in its simple layout.  

It is just nice to look at ; )

But this is a review about a watch, and how it performed.  Under the hood the Oskar sports ETA's 2824-2.  Hours, minutes, seconds and date (at 6 o'clock).  The time keeping was flawless, and the reserve time was as advertised.  

Perhaps the best part about writing a blog, even one as small as this, is that you get to come across new things and experience them on a first hand basis.  And this watch, the Oskar, it's a bit special.  But I would also say that it is really not for everyone.  The finish and quality of the Oskar is on par with anything that the Swatch group is offering in the same category.  And it kicks the crap out of what Mido and Tissot are offering at the same price point (the current price being a special offer of $585.24 - the regular price being $688.66).  And here is where it becomes difficult for watch buyers out there - because the watch business, by and large, is dependent upon sheep.  People who feel that the name on the dial must be of a certain provenance, or it just isn't as good?  This watch is not for those people.  And if I'm honest?  They don't deserve it.  
But...

If you are looking for a great watch, at a very fair price, and want to wear something because YOU like it, not because some marketing department paid an "influencer" a shit-ton of money to wear in the hopes of "influencing" you?  Well then, this might be for you.

Here are the pertinents, straight from Erroyl -

• MOVEMENT: Swiss ETA 2824-2 movement with date complication
• POWER RESERVE: More than 40 hours (manufacturer’s specifications)
• CASE: 316L Stainless Steel (surgical grade)
• CASE DIAMETER: 39mm (33.5mm dial opening)
• CASE THICKNESS: 11mm (excluding double domed sapphire crystal)
• CASE COLOUR: Stainless Steel
• CASE BACK: Exhibition 
• LUG WIDTH: 20mm
• LUG TO LUG LENGTH: 44mm
• CRYSTAL: Double Domed Sapphire Crystal with AR coating underneath
• DIAL: White with partial sunray effect with BGW9 lume on the dial ring hour markers
• HANDS: Dauphine Hands with BGW9 lume
• BAND: 316L Stainless Steel Jubilee Bracelet
• BUCKLE: 316L Stainless Steel Customised 'ERROYL Logo' Buckle
• WATER RESISTANCE: 10ATM (100m)
• WEIGHT: 133 grams

 

The Island of Misfit Toys

Shamelessly Borrowed from the worldwide info-web

Interesting to relate, I can now buy a brand new, but apparently discontinued watch model from a third party vendor for nearly half off the suggested retail price, AND I can even get the assurance of the manufacturer's warranty!  I have to wonder just how warm and fuzzy that makes the regular retail partners feel.  They have, after all, purchased stock from brand X in good faith, and then have the pleasure of their customers calling to ask about purchasing a particular item that they found online through a site that is not only offering the watch at a deep, deep discount, but in some instances indicating that the watch is going to be covered by the brand's two year warranty.  I can also imagine that a few uncomfortable conversations take place, with first the retail partner realizing that their formerly loyal customer will be shopping elsewhere, and then the retail partner picking up the phone to "share their feelings" with the brand manager or sales rep. 

And forget about "hugging it out" at the SIHH or BaselWorld, more and more retail partners are giving the big shows a pass as they are more concerned with keeping their stores afloat.  And this becomes more and more tenuous when the independent retailers are struggling to compete with sites that are not necessarily authorized retail partners of a brand, but are offering all of the same benefits that a customer usually only enjoys from shopping at an authorized retail partner.  If you were the customer, would you pay twice as much to have the same assurance?  

Remember all of the good news about all of those watches being exported over the past several months?  Remember how several people felt ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE that this meant the crisis was over?  Well, like an island of misfit toys, all of those watches have to go somewhere.  Because remember, the export of a watch does not necessarily mean the export of the latest model.  What we will be seeing in the coming months is more and more "dead stock" flushing through the system, and the brands need to liquidate it as quickly as possible between now and this time next year.

Now in the good old days of the grey market, there was more of a wild-west feeling.  Grey market outlets could not offer a manufacturer's warranty because, clearly, they were not an authorized retail partner.  And you almost never saw prices slashed to the levels that they are now.  Simply put, even grey market outlets have to make money ; )

So clearly a few things are at work here -

1.  Despite what some would have you believe about the health of the industry, the truth remains that there is still way too much product out there, and that dynamic hasn't really changed.

2.  It seems very likely that the brands are partnering fairly directly with these outlets to not only provide them with significant amounts of product, but to offer it at (I would assume) 20% below what a regular retailer would purchase it for (usually between 50 - 60% of the suggested retail price).  Which is how this third-party outlet can afford to sell the watch at such a drastically low price and still make money.

3.  At least a few of these brands are also providing full warranty coverage even though these outlets are not recognized as authorized retail outlets.  Which then begs the question - why should I buy from an authorized retail partner?  The warranty coverage has always been one of the strongest arguments put forward by a brand to buy authorized.  To offer this to a third-party discount site is a curious way to try and build a customer base.


Whether it be brick & mortar or online, a watch group could have its own outlet store.  This would allow a brand or group of brands to control the way their watches are sold, and to sell them in a way that is understandable to the customer.  It would also enable the brand to develop a deep amount of data on their customers, better understand their price sensitivities (as clearly the majority of them do not), and create a true relationship with them.  If Giorgio Armani can have outlet stores in places like Camarillo (California), then surely a watch group other than Fossil and Movado can do the same.

If the brand is going to work with a third-party outlet directly, then the brand should be open and forthcoming about it.  Declare that the outlet is an authorized retailer for their discontinued collections.  That would be fair, and that would be honest.  And guess what?  It might even drive more traffic to those sites, and increase the brand's overall sales as consumers might feel a bit more secure about the transaction. 

Or, the brands can continue to dance between the raindrops and state that they had NO IDEA how a discount site got hold of their watches.  Considering that many of the brands selling on these sites have vertical marketing set ups all in house (every element is owned and controlled by the same company), this is highly unlikely. 

But it should make for some interesting store visits for the reps and brand managers in the new year ; )

Exports Are Up! So Sales...

Are not necessarily.

Confused?  Fair enough, many have given up trying to make any sense of how the Swiss export numbers actually match up to real sales. 

Courtesy of the FH

On the one hand, the numbers continue to show improvement.  And that would seem to be good news.  But the fact that larger numbers of watches are departing the country does not correlate with greater sales.  So while some might think that happy days are here again, it might be useful to ask the question that continues to be pretty uncomfortable - just where are all of those watches really going?

Most of us can only really rely on anecdotal evidence as to the reality of the market place.  I visit a lot of retailers, and I talk to A LOT of brand managers.  And without putting too fine a point on it, I am not hearing the same level of optimism.  Now granted, this is by no means an exhaustive analysis.  But long story short?  The majority are still not seeing the kinds of sales that they did in the good old days.

Another measure of the industry's health can be taken by the brands participating actively in the grey and the light grey market.  Even the mighty Swatch group is seeing some of its shinier lower priced brands (Tissot and Hamilton) being dumped at more more than 40% off of retail on a few of the "group shop" sites.  Whether this product is coming directly from the brands or from disgruntled retailers remains to be seen.  And this is not one or two pieces, but fairly large amounts of inventory.  So on the one hand, it's definitely a buyer's market.  But on the other?  It underscores the reality that there are still too many watches sloshing around the market place.  Which means that space has to be made for the new flood of watches steaming their way towards the US (and other ports).  And that still has not done enough to create the same type of uptick in the export figures for the US, which is reporting -0.4% for November.

Curious again are the numbers for Japan +22.5%.  

So, let's wait and see.  If the particularly goofy pr initiatives of some of the brands are anything to go by, in addition to the increasing number of job departures in mid-level industry positions, I suspect that the actual sales are not matching up to the number of watches departing the Swiss borders.

 

A New Brand!

That apparently is not entirely sure that they want anyone to write about them!

So I saw a new brand and reached out to the owner.  Waited about 3 days for a response that requested that I send him a selection of articles, etc., and then he would decide whether or not to send images...

Let us hope that he is more successful with this approach to PR with the other outlets out there ; )

It's All About Timing...

Football, and fame are fickle ; )

Courtesy of Hublot

A few short weeks removed from riding the pine for the first time in a long and fabled career with the New York Giants, Hublot announces their latest "chum" of the brand, Eli Manning, in aid of promoting their continuing partnership with the New York Giants.

Yes, the mighty New York Giants who are my second favorite team right now as they are the only team in the NFL with a worse record (2 wins, 12 losses) than my hometown Cleveland Browns (0 wins, 14 losses).  Hublot recently unveiled their latest collaboration -

Behold!  The Classic Chronograph Fusion New York.  Let's just hope that it performs a little bit better than the current edition of the New York Giants ; )

Courtesy of Hublot

US sports partnerships with Swiss brands frequently don't pan out the way that the brands hope that they will.  That, of course, does not seem to dissuade the folks in PR/Marketing departments to keep pushing the envelope.  But on the other hand, Hublot only needs to push 22 of these bad boys, so you never know!  And if Mr. Manning parts ways with the Giants for pastures greener next season, at least he will have a shiny new watch to go with this two Super Bowl rings.

Here are the pertinents -

Reference:

521.NQ.5170.VR.NYG17

Limitation:
Special Edition of 22 pieces
Diameter:
45 mm
Thickness:
13.05 mm
Water Resistance:
5 ATM (50 Meters)

CASE
Bezel:
Satin-finished and polished titanium
Bezel Lug:
Blue composite resin
Screws "H":
Polished titanium
Glass:
Polished titanium with engraved Hublot logo
Crown:
Polished titanium with engraved Hublot logo
Pushers:
Polished titanium
Case back:
Satin-finished titanium engraved with "SPECIAL EDITION" + "XX/22"
Case back Glass:
Sapphire with anti-reflective treatment

DIAL 
Lacquered blue matte dial
Polished rhodium-plated appliques
Polished rhodium-plated hands
Polished rhodium-plated and red lacquered chronograph 
second hand

MOVEMENT
Caliber Hublot HUB1143

Type:
Self-winding Chronograph movement
Dimensions:

Dia. 30 mm (131/4’’’); Thickness 6.9 mm 
Date:
Window at 6:00 o'clock
No of Components:
280
Jewels:
59
Frequency:

4 Hz (28'800 A/h)
Power reserve:
42 Hours

STRAP
Blue rubber and blue calf with white stitching

BUCKLE
Stainless steel deployant buckle clasp

 

The Transfer Window Opens...

At Panerai -

The word around the campfire last week was that the new captain of the good ship Panerai is going to be Jean-Marc Pontroué.  So if the murmurs are to be believed, it appears that Mr. Pontroué, of late calling the shots at Roger Dubuis, will be putting on his swim fins and adjusting his snorkel in a lateral move from one Richemont brand to another.  To the best of my understanding, this is still unofficial news, so I thought I'd let it breathe for a few days to see if there were any comments of refutation forthcoming from Richemont, and as of Monday morning at 6:40 AM Eastern, not a sausage.  So...

The former helmsman, Angelo Bonati, will hand over the bridge some time in April of next year.  Which is slightly curious timing, but I am sure that Panerai, (and let's be honest, Richemont) have their reasons for handling this the way that they are.  I suspect it has more than a little to do with contracts both new and existing.

There are some some out there that fear that Mr. Pontroué will morph into the Ghost of Christmas past from Zenith, a former Champagne CEO who like Icarus flew too close to the sun before flaming out and disappearing into the luxury wilderness.  The assertion being that he may, at times, have been a little too "wild and crazy" with his designs and ambitions for the house of RD.  

Panerai is a brand that is still very admired and will always have an appreciative audience.  If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the former Florentine brand must die of blushes with every other Kickstarter or thinly veiled "homage" offering to come down the chute.

In speaking with other colleagues from the fourth and fifth estates, the consensus is that Panerai would be a pretty difficult ship to sink.  But by the same token, it is also an unwieldy boat to turn with any real finesse.  Panerai is, to some extent, in the doldrums.  Not too bad, but also not what they once were, or what many of us feel they could be.  When Bernard Watch has 31 pre-owned Panerai watches for sale, it tells you something.  And that something is that certainly Panerai is known, and there are people out there who want them, but the number of people buying them might be running in close tandem to the people looking to sell the ones that they have.

And this is where our old friends supply and demand but heads with exclusivity and desire.  As the customer, should I buy from Panerai or a Panerai retailer for one price, or roll the dice on a pre-
owned version?  And when the pre-owned and grey markets are so saturated, does this represent a wise purchase for me?

Now I'm hopping into the time machine back to 2003 when I bought a pre-owned Panerai B series while working at Tourneau.  Back then, a pre-owned Panerai of ANY description was about as common as an honest politician.  But I snapped it up (paying full price), and then flipped it a few months later for a tidy profit and a Rolex Explorer I into the bargain. 

Panerai can be something better than it currently is.  But it is not going to be made great again by making watch cases out of Unobtainium, or developing the "Unicorn" movement.  No, for Panerai it is a very simple equation:

fewer watches / more customers unable to lay hands to one = greater exclusivity x greater demand.

At any rate, bonne chance to Mr. Pontroué as he takes the wheel, we shall see what develops.

 

Show Your Colors!

I am, at the heart of it, a Northern Youth.  I grew up in a very small college town in Ohio, and the closest I came to crewing was when a work crew was assembled to tackle a particularly labor intensive project at my after school job.  

But there were two things pulling on me.

One that was clear from the off - my imagination and the dreams that it fueled extended far beyond the realms of Oberlin.  The sartorial gas that was dumped on this fire was the film Chariots of Fire.  I was particularly taken by the clothing.  Specifically?  The blazers worn by the members of the various colleges and/or clubs.  I often pictured my future (better) self, sitting by the fireside in my rooms, enjoying a brandy and plotting my future.

The second string tugging at me?  My mother was an aspiring fashion designer who would later make that her second act.  So I guess it is fair to say that some of it is in the genes. 

A lot of time has passed since then.  I did not take up rowing, I enjoyed and benefited from a degree taken at the University of Oregon, and I found myself pursuing and completing a graduate program in the UK.  And where a lot of  my childhood flights of fancy came full-circle was living and working at the University of St. Andrews with Wendy during our summer vacations. 

So it was with no small amount of interest and curiosity that I walked the the two blocks to Newbury Street yesterday to check out the Rowing Blazers pop-up shop during my lunch break.  I have been stalking this online purveyor of niftyness for some time, but had never been able to see their wares up close and personal.  So a quick pop in, and I was able to meet the owners, set an appointment for a more in-depth follow-up (longer story coming Friday), and get my own copy of the book that helped start it all, Rowing Blazers -

 And Doctor Jack L. Carlson very kindly inscribed my copy -

 So more to come shortly, stay tuned!

Kelys & Chirp

Presented by MB&F -

Courtesy of MB&F

One of the things I really like about MB&F is their holistic approach.  Yes, mechanical watches are showcases for elaborate and complex workings, but these walking turtles (with singing birds) are wonderful creations.



As you'd expect with all things MB&F is involved with, this is a collaboration first between a turtle - Kelys, and a song bird - Chirp.  According to the folks art MB&F, the name given to the turtle of the team, Kelys is inspired by the Greek chelone or chelys for tortoise.  Chirp is the more musical of the pair.

Courtesy of MB&F

But there is another partnership at work here, that being music box masters Reuge and Nicolas Court, one of Switzerland's best known automaton experts.

Limited to 18 pieces in each version.

Available in blue, yellow, ochre -

Courtesy of MB&F

 and green -

Courtesy of MB&F

Here are the pertinents, straight from MB&F -


TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Kelys & Chirp is available in 4 limited editions of 18 pieces each in blue, green, yellow or ochre

ANIMATION
The tortoise walks, the bird opens from back, moves and sings.
For 10-12 seconds, the bird flaps its wings, moves its tail, opens its beak in time to the bird song, then as if
magically disappears.
The tortoise moves its legs in a realistically intermittent gait, its head moves.
Average tortoise speed: 0.03 m/s (0.06 mph).
 
MATERIALS
Generally rhodium plated brass, stainless steel and 18K white gold for the bird.
Tortoise scales: handmade leathering with coloured calfskin.
 
MOVEMENT
Number of components: 480
100% hand assembled
 
CHIRP THE SINGING BIRD
Materials: 18K polished white gold, eyes in sapphire
Number of components (bird alone): 30
Number of components (bellows): 90
Mainspring: twin-cam spring barrel
Power reserve: 3 cycles of turtle walking and bird singing
Bellows: double bellows system (bi-directional air pushing)
Security mechanism: if the bird or cover are pushed down while the bird is singing, the bird automatically retreats

KELYS THE AUTOMATON TORTOISE
 
Material: grained, satin and polish finishing, rhodium-plated brass, eyes in black onyx gems

Shell: 12 leather scales with individual polished edges
Mechanism for turtle automaton is driven by the Singing Bird movement
 
Number of components: 100, all rhodium or satin finished
 
Gear train: elliptical gearing with max/min 1.3/0.8 ratio enables the turtle to advance with a realistically non-regular gait.
 
Table/desk edge detector: turtle automatically stops when reaching the edge of the surface.
 
Tail switch: world first tail indication; with the turtle’s tail up it rests in place while the bird sings; with the turtle’s tail down
it walks and the bird sings.
Security friction clutch
 
Circular stainless steel winding key located on tortoise’s belly.

The 5 Windows

From Minase -

Courtesy of Minase

Now to be fair, I know precious little about Minase.  But what I've seen so far, I do like.  And I like it because in an horological world of conformity, Minase has a very clear idea about what they are trying to accomplish.  Their concept of the "case within a case" is an unflinching statement about just who Minase are and what they stand for.   It's about structure, but not just structure for structure's sake.  There is a reason to their rhyme.  

Courtesy of Minase

In the case of the 5 Windows, it is not just to show what's inside.  Honestly?  Anyone can do that.  How many cheesy, half-assed, under-cooked, pseudo skeletonized watches are out there?  You can't count that high.  And ultimately all of these are just half-hearted efforts.  Yes, there is a display back, maybe the dial has been removed, but it really doesn't show you anything special.  The 5 Windows does something unique.  

You've all seen the "exploded" view of a watch?  Sure you have.  And it might just be little me, but this is the first time I've actually seen a watch that took all of that feeling, energy and emotion, and put it into a watch where you got that sense of "floating structure".

The 5 Windows is available in 18K yellow and rose gold, or palladium.  That means something.  These are metals that you use for a watch that is not just going to be bought and sold.  This is the stuff you make something permanent with.

So I haven't seen one in person, but now I really, really want to.  

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source in Akita-Ken:

Case
Exclusively made in palladium, black PVD or 18K yellow and rose gold. Dual spherical box type sapphire crystal ( non reflective coating ) on top, see though case back and sides with sapphire crystals ( 9, 2 and 4 H ). Water resistant up to 50 meters ( 5 ATM ).
Dimensions : 38 x 46.5 mm. Thickness : 14.0 mm. Weight : 160 g.

Movement
KT7001/1, power reserve 38 hours. Swiss ebauches customized by MINASE with hand-made polishing and "perlage" on plates and bridges.

Dial
HiZ concept with individual components to become a 3-dimensional dial.
Together with the movement and the hands, this structure consists an independent entity inside the case.

Functions
Hours, minutes and central second hands. Date at 4.

Strap
Genuine alligator strap manufactured by hand at Minase factory.

Clasp
"Jewelry" solid palladium or 18 K gold buckle.

Support Tempus Fugit - Get a Super-Dope Sweatshirt!

It's that time of year again!  With the snow finally arriving here on the North Shore, it seemed appropriate to offer something a little cozier than a mere t-shirt, so this time around I thought I would change it up:

1.  Offer a sweatshirt

2.  Offer the sweatshirt in both men's and ladies versions!

And before you panic, don't worry!  This is just a quick mock-up, the logo will be nice and centered ; ) 

This is once again being facilitated by the good folks at Custom Ink.  

Get A Tempus Fugit Sweatshirt!


The shirts have been priced at $44.00 US.  This fund raiser will run for 30 days, with the last day of the fund raiser is January 8th, 2018.  10 of each version must be purchased in order to move forward, so if you read the blog and appreciate the coverage, please consider supporting this.




All monies raised go towards operational and travel expenses related to covering the industry and bringing you the story.  

Tempus Fugit accepts NO ADVERTISING.  Little fund raisers like this help me keep the lights on, and the news real!


Any questions, please contact me!

Hit Me Up!

A Bronze Beauty

From Archimede -

Courtesy of Archimede

Every so often you see something that just hits you in the right spot.  This is one of those times.  Point of full disclosure, I am not firmly on either side of the great bronze debate as it applies to watch cases.  Some, admittedly, are more desirable than others.  But more than just a great case, the watch itself needs to have balance and appeal.  


And Archimede's Deck Watch ticks all of the boxes for me.  I tend to prefer hand wound movements, and that is what is under the hood -

Courtesy of Archimede

 ETA's 6498!

 Another great touch?  The blued hands -

Courtesy of Archimede

 
So I might just need to plan a trip to Pforzheim ; )


Enjoy your watches!