The BR-X2 Skeleton Tourbillon Micro-Rotor

From Bell & Ross -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

Really cool, very good looking, and not priced for the feint of heart or thin of wallet ; )

It comes in at $79,000 US

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source -

Movement: 

Calibre BR-CAL.381. Automatic mechanical. Micro-rotor tourbillon. The micro-rotor is machined in a very dense alloy, Reconit 18. This alloy contains 95% tungsten. 18.5 density, compared to steel (8.0), pure gold (19.3), 18-ct gold (15.5-16.5 according to colour), platinum (20.7)

Functions: 

Hours and minutes. Flying tourbillon at 6 o'clock.

Case: 

42.5 mm in diameter. Satin-polished steel.

Dial: 

Skeletonized. Metal applique Superluminova®- filled indices. Metal skeletonized Superluminova®- filled hour and minute hands.

Crystal: 

Sapphire with anti-reflective coating.

Water-resistance: 

50 metres.

Strap: 

Grey alligator.

Buckle: 

Folding. Satin-polished steel

Something Special from lip

Courtesy of lip

This is the Himalaya 40 mm automatic sapphire - 671579.  And it's a little bit special.

First and foremost, it is REALLY nice to look at.  Purists and pooh-poohers out there will wring their hands, decrying that the dial is not real guilloche, well that's nonsense.  The dial is meant to be pleasing to look at, elegant in appearance, and priced at a level that is consistent with the values of lip.  It scores on every point.

The case is stainless steel, and measures 40 mm in diameter, the movement is Miyota's 821A.

Hours, minutes, seconds and date.  It is, to quote Goldilocks, just right.

 

Because it's Easy to Run 2 Brands!

As I sit and write this morning, I am reflecting on a conversation I had with Wendy last night.  Over the course of the past week, three brands repeated classic mistakes that they (and others) have made before, and yet continue to make them because they convince themselves that somehow, this time will be different!

The announcement has seeped out to Salem's Witchcraft Heights and finally over to Tempus Fugit HQ - 
the shot-callers at Kering have decided that the current head of Ulysse Nardin should now also take over Girard-Perregaux.  Now this is not really news.  And in fairness, I have held off on comment.  But the more people that I spoke with, the more I thought about it, the more I have come to believe that we are seeing the same sort of reactive (i.e. not proactive) thinking that (particularly) the Swiss industry has been stumbling around with for the recent past.

I am now firmly to the point where I don't know if these "double CEOs" are the result of careful decision making, or knee-jerk reaction.  It also sheds some very serious light on the real health of the watch industry.  If everything is as rosy as the export numbers would have us believe, then Kering wouldn't feel the need to bootstrap their executive functions in the watch industry.

But I've also noticed another shift, the business now is becoming less and less about the "personalities" running the brands.  On the one hand, this is good because it focuses us back more firmly on the viability of the product itself.  

On the other hand?  It lays bare the industry's refusal to evolve.  It is clear that many of the structures, decision making paradigms and, yes, attitudes are straight from the late 70s.  And we all know where that led us.

But back to the man of the hour, courtesy of Kering's announcement -

Kering has appointed Patrick Pruniaux, current Chief Executive Officer of Ulysse Nardin, as the new CEO of Girard-Perregaux. From today, he will manage the Group’s Swiss luxury watchmaking Maisons, within the Watches & Jewelry Activities. Patrick Pruniaux will report, as previously, to Albert Bensoussan, Chief Executive Officer of the Watches & Jewelry Activities of Kering.

 

Today’s luxury watchmaking sector is known for its accelerating product cycles, the increasingly global nature of its customers and the transformation of their expectations, both in terms of e-commerce and digital interactions. Patrick Pruniaux’s role will be to devise a coherent strategy for accelerating the development of the two Maisons in international markets, while at the same time maintaining their unique characteristics, their ability to innovate, and the excellence of their know-how.

 

Patrick Pruniaux has spent more than 20 years in the FMCG and Luxury industries, and in the watchmaking sector in particular. He spent nine years at TAG Heuer and several years at Apple, where he worked on the launch of the Apple watch before becoming MD of Apple in the UK and Ireland.

 

 

Albert Bensoussan, Chief Executive Officer of the Watches & Jewelry Activities of Kering, said: “I am delighted to give Patrick Pruniaux the mission of increasing the awareness and accelerating the growth of the Kering Group’s two iconic Swiss watchmaking Maisons. The dynamism he has shown over the past year as head of Ulysse Nardin convinced me that he was the best person to develop these two brands, and to capitalize on their respective identities, heritages and technological know-how.”

It is clear that Mr. Pruniaux didn't just fall off the turnip truck, and it is also evident that with his experience at Apple, he is prepared to "think different" (sorry, couldn't resist).  And if GP and UN continue to fester, in fairness?  I wouldn't hang the blame on him.  
We are (at least some of us) starting to realize that even during the last massive downturn, we were living in a gilded age.  Ultimately the brands will have to figure out what made them tick, and see if the magic can be recaptured.  But for the brands that were so dependent upon a cult of personality to drive them (and I say this with respect, not disdain), they will have to discover ways to make their watches attractive to actual customers without the help of celebrity CEOs and watch makers.  For UN the dynamic duo of  Ludwig Oechslin and Rolf Schnyder have left the building, and for GP the last connection to the romantic past of the family Macaluso is now living the life of a romantic poet/traveler/rally car driver.  

So some new magic will need to be found, because as that other great commentator on the watch industry, Slim Charles, would remind us:

 

Preview

So I will be reporting from a location just a wee-bit further East in a about 12 days time.  And to get into the spirit of the trip, a little eye-candy courtesy of G-shock  -

Courtesy of G-Shock

More to come, stay tuned!

Something for Carmen

So as many of you know, I am a teacher/social worker by day.  And yesterday at an all day staff meeting, my colleague Carmen asked about whether or not I wrote about watches for women.  Although I am clearly not the target demographic, I do cover the ladies selections from time to time.

And because you asked Carmen, here you go!

These are some of the latest offerings from Hermès -

Heure H Double Jeu vertical setting

 

Courtesy of Hermes

Courtesy of Hemes

DIAL
White or black lacquer
Black or white transferred Arabic numerals Rhodium-plated hands

CASE
Designed by Philippe Mouquet in 1996
Square case in white or black lacquered 316L steel, set with 122 diamonds (≈ 0.26 ct)
21 × 21 mm, 16 mm interhorn width
Sapphire crystal with anti-glare treatment Water-resistant to 3 bar

MOVEMENT
Quartz, Swiss made

FUNCTIONS
Hours, minutes

STRAP
White grained or black Barénia calfskin, interchangeable Width standard or extra
H-shaped loop
Pin buckle in 316L steel, 14 mm

14 Days with the NOWA Blue Matter

Starts now.

One of a Kind

This is a quick look back, the 3thirty3 mechanical version.  Realized through the selfless help of Filip Blazevic of Filip and Co Watches.

Sometimes things will not go your way, but if you're lucky, you'll have something positive to hang on to ; )

 

Two New Models from Ming

The Blue and the Ultra Blue -

Courtesy of Ming

To celebrate their anniversary, the team at Ming are offering two limited edition pieces. 

For those of you hoping to lay hands to the Ultra Blue, my understanding is that it was sold out (or at least pre-ordered out) well before the official announcement of either of these pieces.  Which sort of begs the question, why have a press embargo?  But in fairness to Ming, they seem to know what their customers want, and by doing a slow reveal/teaser more than 25 people who frequent their home page and social media channels were persuaded to part with CHF2,500, so there you have it.

The Blue, limited to 125 pieces -

Courtesy of Ming

 

Functions: hours, minutes, independently adjustable 24h timezone

Case, dial & hands:
o Grade 2 titanium case with solid case back
o 38mm diameter, 9.8mm thickness, 43.9mm lug to lug
o Sapphire crystal with anti reflective coating on both sides
o Rigid case without spacer rings
o 100m water resistance with triple crown gaskets and nitrogen filling
o Sunburst metallic blue dial
o Composite, multi-layer, three-part sapphire dial with Super-LumiNova C1 o Beadblasted hands filled with Super-LumiNova C1

• Straps
o 20x18mm, quick release with curved fitting
o 1x dark chocolate nubuck with white stitching o 1x anthracite nubuck with white stitching
o 2x signed pin buckle in grade 2 titanium

• Optional bracelet
o Grade 2 titanium, 5-link type, screwed
o 20mm lug width with quick release mechanism for easy fitting o Concealed double folding clasp in stainless steel

• Movement:
o Automatic mechanical movement Sellita SW330-1 top grade
o 42-hour power reserve
o 28,800 bph (4Hz)
o 25 jewels
o Hacking function
o Movement adjusted to five positions with a 250-hour test program

1-year warranty against defects
Made in Switzerland
Limited to 125 pieces

Retail price
o CHF1,525 including two straps
o CHF1,825 with two straps and matching bracelet 

 

 

And the Ultra Blue, gone but not forgotten -

 

Functions: hours, minutes, independently adjustable 24h timezone

Case, dial & hands: o Heat-blued grade 2 titanium case with solid case back
o 38mm diameter, 9.8mm thickness, 43.9mm lug to lug
o Sapphire crystal with anti reflective coating on both sides
o Rigid case without spacer rings
o 100m water resistance with triple crown gaskets and nitrogen filling
o Sunburst metallic blue dial
o Composite, multi-layer, three-part sapphire dial with Super-LumiNova C1 o Bead blasted hands filled with Super-LumiNova C1
• Straps
o 20x18mm, quick release with curved fitting
o 1x dark blue alcantara by Jean Rousseau Paris
o 1x dark chocolate nubuck with white stitching
o 1x anthracite nubuck with white stitching
o 1x signed pin buckle in heat-blued grade 2 titanium o 2x signed pin buckle in grade 2 titanium
• Movement:
o Automatic mechanical movement Sellita SW330-1 top grade
o 42-hour power reserve
o 28,800 bph (4Hz)
o 25 jewels
o Hacking function
o Movement adjusted to five positions with a 250-hour test program

• 1-year warranty against defects
  
• Made in Switzerland
  
• Limited to 25 pieces
  
• Retail price of CHF2,500
  

 

 

The Himalaya Chronograph

From lip -

Courtesy of lip

Well, technically the full name is the Himalaya 40 mm Chronograph Sapphire ; )

Courtesy of lip

 This is a LOT of watch for a very little bit of money - 249,00 €!

The case is stainless steel (not coated brass) and measures 40 mm in diameter.  Bi-compax chronograph, date at 6 o'clock.  Miyota quartz movement, sapphire crystal.  A lot of bang for your buck... or Euro!

 
 

The Vektor Inkognito

From Defakto -

In case you missed it, you should go check it out!

Ref-Nr.: 4.V-0101-R-INK

• Three-hand watch
• Can be mounted as right- or lefthand-watch
• Two-piece 39 mm stainless steel watchcase (316L), 6.8 mm high, brushed and polished
• Height including sphered plexiglas dome 9.8mm
• 39 mm x 44 mm x 9,8 mm, weight 52g
• Automatic movement Miyota 9015, made in Japan
• Engraved see-through case back, stainless steel (316L), brushed and polished
• Matt black dial, convex, no logo
• Light, matt red/black rounded hands, manually shaped
• Flowing, sweeping second hand
• Ergonomic clasp with engraved Defakto logo
• German-made cowhide strap
• Water resistant to 3 atm
• Made in Pforzheim, Germany

700,00 EUR (incl. VAT)
588,24 EUR (excl. VAT)

The Trouble With Being All-In

As was reported by a few of us a few months back, Niall watches threw in the towel, shuttering their doors on pretty short notice-

http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2018/05/stick-fork-in-it.html


I have been queried by several people - fans, retailers and other micro brand owners as to what went wrong.  In the spirit of full-disclosure, I have to be clear that I honestly didn't know anything beyond the what was at first whispered about, then spoken about more bluntly (and loudly) as the realities of the closure of Niall began to be more known.  Although I have met the face of Niall on a few occasions and spoken on the phone with him once or twice, I was never left with any real understanding as to just how good or bad the business was.  And in the interest of fairness, I think it is best to keep any personal impressions about Mr. Wilson that I gleaned from those encounters to myself.  In terms of visibility, I can say that apart from what he was wearing at the time, I have never seen a Niall watch "in the wild".

But a few months on, the dust has finally begun to settle, and through another outlet we can gain some better understanding about what might have gone wrong.  Please feel free to check this news link from the Kansas City Business Journal -
https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2018/07/13/niall-luxury-goods-bankruptcy-filing.html

And per that article here are some pertinents:

1.  Around mid-July, Niall filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.  For those of you unfamiliar (and I am one), Chapter 7 is in many ways the business equivalent of a "walk away".  Per Diffen.com:

The main difference between Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 bankruptcy is that under a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing, the debtor's assets are sold off to pay the lenders (creditors) whereas in Chapter 11, the debtor negotiates with creditors to alter the terms of the loan without having to liquidate (sell off) assets. 

Essentially, Mr. Wilson clearly opted to do a 180 from his previous credo of being "all in".  In fairness, Mr. Wilson had brought in a lot of investment, and they had probably seen (and had enough).  And this also then begs the question of cost vs profitability.  While the old adage goes that you need to speculate to accumulate, we also know that when you keep going to an expensive restaurant and having them put it on your tab, sooner or later you will have to pay the bill.


2.  In the Chapter 7 filing, Niall Luxury Goods LLC reported $58,922 in sales during the first part of 2018, down from $554,608 in 2017 and $208,537 in 2016.  Those are some pretty wildly fluctuating numbers.  Let's just think about this for a moment - that is more than DOUBLE the amount of sales in 2017 vs. 2016.  And after that magical year, sales returned to (we will assume) approximately the same level as the year before (presuming the $58,922 was based on the first quarter as opposed to the first six months).  If it was the first six months, then that is even stranger.  It also bears mentioning that sales numbers are not exactly always indicative of profitability.  But it does beg the question, where did all the money go?  Better than half a million dollars, in retrospect, is not so much money.  And it is important to bear in mind that these are SALES numbers, NOT profits.  If we presume that Niall had a 70% margin, that number is now $388,225.  Factor in operating expenses, salaries, rent, etc.?  My suspicion is that Nial was mostly dependent on investment.  More importantly, we need to take that number in to context in terms of how many watches were actually sold.  Simply put, we don't know.  My understanding is that Niall sold a few things, including watches.  Again, consider that Niall had more than a few employees, that puts things into sharper focus.  Add to that the rent for a retail location, and all of the equipment that (I suspect, but do not know) had probably not amortized yet, that is a pretty big nut to cover.

3.  Back in 2017, the company replaced Mr. Wilson with a new CEO, Mark Mazzarese -
https://www.nationaljeweler.com/watches/brand-profiles/5349-mark-mazzarese-named-ceo-of-niall
And if I understand it correctly, Mr. Mazzarese's tenure as CEO lasted from April of that year until sometime in September.  A bit longer than that Pope that got poisoned, but even some of Switzerland's noted serial CEOs have longer tenures (about four to five months because we obviously don't know the real specifics).  Now I don't have an MBA and I am not a habitual reader of the Harvard Business Review, but what I do know about the watch business is that it tends to attract people with egos.  And once you get two strong egos competing, they can clash.  There is, I suspect, more to this story.

Mr. Wilson did a mini publicity tour explaining why it was best for the company that he make way for someone with experience while focusing on what his talents were.

Needless to say, we were all caught a bit off guard when we were informed that Mr. Wilson was back at the helm of the good ship Niall in such short order.

And that almost brings us up to date.  But a few opinions -
While Niall did not bear his name, it was deeply intertwined with Mr. Wilson.  And this came through for better (and sometimes worse) in interviews, publicity pieces and the way that he presented the brand and himself.  There was clearly ego involved.   And in fairness?  You need to have some ego to succeed in this, or pretty much any endeavor.  But you also have to be able to step outside of yourself, and consider the overall impression you are giving, show some humility, and listen to people who are trying to help you.

Contrary to what certain Swiss brand managers and CEOs (and a few more well-heeled colleagues in the 4th and 5th Estates) might think or even say about me, I do not like to see anyone fail.  Generally speaking, I am happy to see people succeed.  And Mr. Wilson and Niall certainly had more than a few opportunities to do so.  We may never know exactly what went wrong, but the fate that befell Niall is no different than the one experienced by several Swiss brands, and even myself when I just couldn't turn the corner with 3thirty3.  It sucks to fail.  It sucks even harder when other people lose their money, and their jobs, and customers are left with watches that will no longer have a valid warranty (if the Niall home page's announcement was to be taken at face value).  

So we come back to that other great commentator on the watch business - General Patton, as played by George C. Scott -

For over a thousand years, Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honor of a triumph - a tumultuous parade. In the procession came trumpeters and musicians and strange animals from the conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conqueror rode in a triumphal chariot, the dazed prisoners walking in chains before him. Sometimes his children, robed in white, stood with him in the chariot, or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror, holding a golden crown, and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory is fleeting.

The One that Got Away - Until Now!

I am a Mondaine fan.  There, I've said it. 

This is the Gottardo 2016.  You might remember it from such blog posts as:

The SBB Gottardo2016 stop2go 

I was lucky enough to stumble onto one of these not too long ago and was very grateful for the opportunity to pick it up.  

This particular model was released a few years back, the bezel featuring a unique twist.  Here is part of what I wrote at the time of the release -

It is the stop2go series so you have the clever hesitation by the second hand when it reaches 12.  But what I find draws me beyond that (which admittedly might turn some people off) is the bezel.  It is  crafted from the driver’s cab door of an Ae6/6.  I realize that not everyone is into train spotting, so here is a breakdown of the Ae6/6 courtesy of the good folks at Wikipedia -

The Ae 6/6 is a heavy electric locomotive used by the SBB-CFF-FFS. It is sometimes also referred to as canton locomotive ("Kantonslokomotive"), because the first 25 locomotives were named after the cantons, and carried the canton's coat of arms on the side and chrome embellishments (a single raised stripe on each side and three raised stripes on each end), and the Swiss coat of arms on the front, between the chrome stripes. These adornments made them internationally famous. The other 95 locomotives received the names of capital cities of Swiss cantons, and other towns and cities, but without the chrome embellishments. The namings were held as ceremonies in the respective cities.

Originally designed for heavy services on the Gotthard route, as many Swiss locomotives were, the Ae 6/6 was one of the classic Gotthard locomotives.

All locomotives were originally painted in the SBB CFF FFS green livery, with the number, and either SBB CFF, or SBB FFS on each side, all raised numerals in chrome. Nowadays about half are painted red, and a proportion of the fleet have been repainted in SBB Cargo livery, with all raised chrome embellishments removed apart from the Swiss coat of arms on each end. These locomotives have been renumbered (as class 610) in line with the current Swiss numbering scheme

 

And Hence, the bezel is green.

  
I go to Switzerland a fair bit.  I ride the rails and I see the Mondaine clocks.  But interesting to relate, if you go to Boston's Logan airport, you will find (at least one) Mondaine clock there too!  So for me it's a bit of "bringing it all back home".

The deeper you dive into any interest or hobby, it is inevitable that eventually you will stop going by what your friends (both real and virtual) tell you to like, and start listening to yourself, and following your own lead.  The Stop2Go collection is something that I really, really enjoy.  They are fun to look at, yet still sorta' serious.  And I find myself hoping to be glancing down at the dial just at the right moment to watch the second hand gently slide upwards before pausing just before 12 o'clock so that the minute hand can jump forward.  Is it a highly complex, prohibitively costly mechanical mechanism?  Nope!  And thank goodness!  This is a fun, everyday watch that you can (and should) wear and enjoy.  

Here are the pertinents -

Function	stop2go
Movement (type)	Swiss quartz Movement Mondaine cal 58-02 stop2go
Case size / diameter (mm)	41 mm stainless steel case
Crystal/Glass material	Scratch resistant sapphire crystal
Strap	Genuine leather strap
Water resistance	Water resistant tested to 3ATM
Origin	Swiss made

Sometimes You're the Hammer...

Sometimes you're the nail.  

Word has found its way to Tempus Fugit HQ, that following an ill-advised public pissing match with Hayek the Younger, Rene Kamm has opted to fall on his sword and pursue other professional opportunities -


COURTESY OF REUTERS

So we shall see who the next contestant will be on the Price is Right, but for now MCH chairman Ulrich Fischer will ride the rocket.

Shamelessly borrowed from the world wide infoweb

 

Two to Tango

So I have to say that the past four days have been pretty fascinating.  And there is one set of bon mots from Hayek the younger that I find hilarious, and even more so when I consider the, well, earnest tone of some of my more well-heeled colleagues in the fourth and fifth estates as they fall into lock step.

I was halfway through a particularly tasty bowl of cereal on Tuesday when I was re-reading Mr. Hayek, quoted by another outlet, regarding the failures of the BaselWorld team.  Needless to say, I will be forever grateful that the milk had sufficiently softened the intertwined fibers of my shredded wheat biscuits, otherwise it would have doubtless "shredded" the tender portions of my delicate septum as it raced to find egress due to my unplanned fit of manic laughter -

"You must do something now. You don't have to act like you have been acting in the past: a little bit arrogant, a little bit snobby and not able to do something new."

I can only assume that Mr. Hayek has never been blacklisted by a particularly persnickety PR maven in his employ.  I also assume that he has never had to try to get a press appointment at some of the "Elite" SWATCH group brands without calling in about 20 favors?  And don't even get me started about the less than "warm and fuzzy" vibe given off at the Blancpain, Breguet and Jaquet Droz booths.  I'm sorry, but I've been on this beat now for nearly 10 years, and I'm not saying that I'm "the nuts", but I'm not buying Hayek's "man of the people" shtick. 

Do I think he was right to stand up to the fair organizers?  Absolutely!  But let's not kid ourselves.  This was not a decision quickly arrived at.  Surprising news for the rest of us to read about it, but I can't help but suspect that this move was in the offing for some time.

Mr Hayek is a SUPER smart guy, a tough negotiator, and is a truly good steward of his father's legacy.  And I have absolutely no doubt that he is making decisions that are in the best interest of the group's brands and the group's shareholders.

Having said all that?  Let's get real here.  The watch industry is not exactly booming (I know that I will always be viewed as "that guy").  There is a vast difference between exports and actual sales.  I walked around the two biggest watch retailers in downtown Boston the other day and it did not exactly inspire confidence in the resurgence of the watch business.  I'm not saying that the industry is dead, or anywhere near it.  But as we say at Tempus Fugit HQ - you can put a boot in the oven, but that doesn't make it a cake.

Dope!

Courtesy of Lip

Some things are just perfect, and in my opinion that goes for the Lip Nautic Ski Automatic.  The folks in Besançon are making some great things, and this is just one of them.

38 mm of stainless steel provide a wrist bound dive suit for the Miyota 821A.   Water resistant to 200 meters, internal rotating bezel, rubber and leather strap... this one is special.  I particularly like the decision to go slightly smaller, it shows some character and belief in their design.

Still no known distribution agent for the US, but maybe that will change some day ; )

For now you can get this time keeping piece of awesomeness directly from Lip's online store for 499,00 €.

MONTRES LIP