Best in Show 2019 - The Email Jour/Nuit Antoine Tavan 1805 - Part 1

Now despite my aversion to "buying guides" and "My Top Picks" articles, I do think that from time to time there are some pieces that hit a nerve, in the best possible way.

I was fortunate to be get an "advance-screening" of the Email Jour/Nuit. I explained carefully to the brand's owner and creative "Guardo Camino" Roger Zarzoso that once the watch was on Kickstarter, I could not write any sort of review until after the Kickstarter phase was concluded.  

Well, after a successful Kickstarter campaign, I can now pull back the curtains and give you my thoughts.  I am off to the center now - the students won't teach themselves ; ).   But I will be back this afternoon to give you the straight skinny.

Stay tuned!

Holiday Repeat - North America Might Be Bigger Than You Think...

This originally ran just after BaselWorld 2018.  It has been a curious year in "Watch Town USA".  A few days ago I wrote about the return to the boutique.  The mono-brand boutique is an idea that is getting more traction with brands, but in all honesty, apart from New York, Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, and maybe Miami, it is not a concept that is readily adaptable across the North American landscape.  

So let's then think about the US, and what I honestly don't think some brands are really getting their heads around in terms of the distance and regional differences in customers.  And it also goes without saying that a few brands that honestly should know better still don't really get that they are, in fact, doing business outside of their home country. Nutella vs. Peanut Butter is an obvious and easy cultural gap to point to - and yes it applies well beyond what you want on your toast. I could go and live (again) in Japan.  That in no way makes me ready or able to really understand the Japanese market place.  

NOMOS, in their infinite wisdom of seemingly only hiring (and then platooning at no small expense) Germans (or German fluent Europeans) to their New York office, then commit the second sin of overpopulating their retail ecosystem.  Metro Boston is not a large area. And the brain trust in Glashutte via NYC have decided that it makes sense to have three retail outlets within a 10 minute walk of each other.  Not 10 minute drive, 10 MINUTE WALK.  Do they honestly think that people aren't going to shop on price?  Well they might want to think again. Or they can wait for the complaints from the retail partners to come in before they jettison their stock to the grey market. NOMOS makes some great watches, and they make some strange sales decisions. 

So once again -

North America Might Be Bigger Than You Think...

So it has been an interesting few weeks during and following BaselWorld.  One of the biggest requests I received from potential clients was to help them get a better foothold in North America.  Now wanting to sell watches in North America is, in and of itself, not so unusual.  But what was intriguing?  Some of the brands that these potential clients thought had a good foothold in North America.

Potential Client:  "Look at Brand X!"  They have like, 15 stores in the US!"

Henki:  "Okay, let's look at where they are, and who they are with..."

Potential Client:  "See!  They have 6 stores in New York City alone!  They have 4 in Los Angeles, and 3 in Florida!"

Henki:  "Well, yes and no.  Of those stores indicated on their retail partner list, 1/3 of those are web shops.  That means if you are a potential customer, you are not going to be able to actually go into a store and see the watch.  Of the actual retail stores, several are in the same city, so in fact, their real coverage or foothold is not really as great as it might seem.  And those 3 stores in Florida?  They are all in the same metro area.  Florida is a huge state, so why only be available in one city?"

Potential Client:  "But if you have stores in LA and New York you're covered!"

Henki:  "Well, yes and no.  While LA and New York are the largest and most well known cities in the US, there is an entire continent full of people (i.e. potential customers) in between them.  Also, consider that if you have 10 stores and most of them are in the same city, you have not created an opportunity for those retailers to succeed.  Rather, you have created an opportunity for them to fight it out among themselves to win customers.  This will lead to price cutting.  Wouldn't it make more sense to also be in Chicago, St. Louis, Denver, TEXAS - which could be its own country, Boston, Nevada... I think you get the idea.  Also, what about Canada?".

Potential Client:  SILENCE

This is something that can be hard to understand for a brand that is based overseas, but to me it's just common sense.  If you are only available in very small market spaces, with your product available in several stores within minutes of each other, you are achieving 2 things:
1.  You are ensuring that your watch will not be as "discoverable" as you'd like.
2.  You are ensuring that the stores in the same area that have the same product will compete at whatever level they have to to sell your watch - which inevitably means dumping stock for 30 - 40% off.

Sometimes, smaller markets are better.  As I've said before, if you sell 10 watches in Cleveland, it is the same as selling 10 in New York.  And you probably stand a better chance of the store owner paying you ; )

 

The Ayn Rand School of Watch Retail

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide info-web

In fairness, I am still a relatively new transplant to the Metro-Boston area, but I like to think that I am a pretty quick study. There is one thing that I am fairly confident about, it is probably not the ideal city to set-up mono brand watch boutiques, with perhaps the exception of the Rolex boutique that is being opened in partnership with a large, regional jeweler.

Boston welcomed the opening of the Richard Mille boutique on Newbury street with all of the pomp and circumstance of a damp fart. A friendly note to the folks financially backing this venture, you might want to actually, I don't know, engage with the people you are hoping to attract into your store. On a side note, I passed by again yesterday and noted a somewhat anxious looking sales person, gaze transfixed on the Boxing Day traffic passing by. Now it is, of course, entirely possible that this is not the loneliest retail outlet on the street, but I passed it twice daily when I worked in the city, and let's just say it was not exactly "jumping".

And on my way to Pho Pasteur for a particularly tasty bowl of yumminess (travel tip for you out of towners from your old pal Henki - skip the food courts, and head to China Town for a bowl of the real deal), I came across this curious decision -

And while this could be viewed as another bit of folly, it is at least a potentially more reasonable bite of the real estate pie. AP made the decision a year or so back that they would separate from their former retail partners and move solely to direct distribution.

Which inevitably means that you have to have stores. And for AP this is either going to be a genius move, or a minor bleed. While Cartier, the aforementioned Rolex partner boutique and the Richard Mille monument to Howard Roark are nestled at the head of Newbury street, tucked in with Giorgio Armani, Van Cleef & Arpels and Burbury holding the "anchor" spot, the new AP boutique is somewhat off the beaten path. It is a block over, and another half block down on Boylston street, a stone's throw from Hermès. It is decidedly heading away from the prime shopping area. If I am not mistaken it is either in the retail section of a hotel, or snugged up right next to one, facing the Public Garden (not to be confused with Boston Common which is right across the street). As gently as I can put this, it would be somewhat easy to miss it.

But on the other hand, my suspicion is that the rent is much more affordable than on Newbury, which is reputed to be the most sought-after, and most expensive retail space in the city. And AP might be an unusual enough choice that its clientele will seek them out. Which again begs the question - why have a boutique?

More than anything else, this renewed push towards mono-brand boutiques begs the question - how often has this REALLY worked in the watch business in the US? (Spoiler alert - it has!)

And where has it worked? Places like New York (sort of), Beverly Hills, Las Vegas and Miami. And where it hasn't worked is a list that would make you scratch your head when considering whether or not these boutiques make sense here in Boston - or in other cities such as San Francisco.

But, in all fairness to AP, this decision although seemingly rather contrary in most cities, might just be the ideal location for a Boston outpost.  The Leica boutique is around the corner, Hermes is nearby, and in fairness, the typical AP customer is more likely to walk the extra distance to lay eyes on the latest Royal Oak.  AP is not SWATCH, is not Richemont, it is independent.  And although not jammed in with the others, this location might just be the ideal spot.  

We shall wait, and we shall see.

What I'd Buy Myself - A Boxing Day Bonus

I have always been a sucker for the Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945.  And having spent a wee-bit of time with Stefano Macaluso for the Henki Time Podcast - Henki Time Podcast it is now a grail (I owe myself a quarter for using the G word).

Courtesy of Girard-Perregaux

It is, quite simply, perfect.

Now I know that square/rectangular cases are not for everyone, and it may not be your jam, but this one speaks to me.

Should you be so inclined, here are the pertinents -

The case is of gold, and measures 36.10 x 
35.25 mm.  

Hours, minutes, sub-seconds, large date and moon phase.  The movement is the GP03300-0062.

Obviously it is not a trifle, but if you can't treat yourself...

Tis' The Season

I woke up this morning a wee bit conflicted.  On the one hand, it is the holiday season which is meant to go hand-in-hand with giving gifts and buying things for others (and as a watch retail veteran I can attest) ourselves. And that part of things can be fun.  

On the other hand, it is also the time of year where brands will try to subtly and quietly make changes, redeploy troops and open the transfer window.  

It is now well understood that Swiss Watch exports remain down, and it is also clear that things in Hong Kong are not turning around any time soon.  A few exit visas have been processed and former loyalists are now "in the wind" looking for the next campaign to join.  And sitting where I do, somewhat uniquely sandwiched between Brand, Retailer and Journalist I thought today would be a good day to offer a few observations and a few suggestions.

1.  Good things, believe it or not, often take time.
In an industry where the most common excuse/admonishment to outsiders is:
"You just don't understand this business".  It seems to be rife with quick-change artists.  How often do we read about how Person X single-handed turned things around?  

Remember Nataf?  How about Perriard?  I could offer more recent examples, but I think you take my point.  Brands take more than months.  In all honesty?  They take more than a few years.  And this is true whether it is an established brand like Zenith, or a new creation like HYT.  But that's at the top level.  The same is true at the lower / middle levels as well. It strikes me as oddly puzzling that for several brands, some in the big groups, a CEO is viewed almost like a utility midfielder in a football (soccer) team.  Instantly interchangeable and replaceable.  Ever wonder why brands launch into a series of seemingly unrelated PR initiatives and sales strategies?  That's because they've churned through a serious of seemingly unrelated employees.

2.  Less is more - short and sweet.  Stop intentionally over-producing with the notion that you can sweep it under the China/Hong Kong trans-shipping carpet.

3.  Stop feeding the Grey and Light Grey market.  It's a poorly kept secret that brand executives (present and past) have invested in grey and light grey market outlets by selling their brands' watches directly down the river.  Ever wonder how a grey-marketeer has Brand X's watches for sale at 40% off BEFORE their authorized retailers and brand boutiques have them?

To quote Anthony Bourdain -
"Can't believe it's not butter?  I can."

Pete Rose can be banned from the Hall of Fame for betting on baseball games, but apparently it's perfectly okay to bet against your own brand's boutiques, retail partners and direct customers.

What it all comes back to is change.  The fear of it, the anxiety created by it, the pain of undertaking it.  

We are on the cusp of yet another new year, another 12 months of possibilities.  Let's see what develops.  

The Quadripod

From Utinam -

Courtesy of Utinam

Nearly four years to the day I first visited Besançon, I was back again.  At that time, Utinam was just about to open their boutique and they had a handful of watches along with pieces from Dodane (I believe) Bell & Ross and some of their magnificent clocks.  At the time, I picked up a 24 hour single hand watch that I quite like and still wear.  Had they had this on offer at the time, I probably would have pulled my credit card and made my purchase.


Like many brands in both France and Germany, Utinam has opted for a Japanese movement.  The shape is beguiling, and the blue dial is very pleasing.  But perhaps my favorite aspect?  The hands!  They are just different enough to engage and fascinate.

Courtesy of Utinam

Here are the pertinents -
(Keep in mind, this is Google Translated from French).

CASE 
Stainless steel form piece, design in 2 parts connected by 4 screws slipped in visible sleeves. Transparent background allowing reading of the oscillating mass. A version exists in titanium nitride Pink Gold. Height: 43mm, Width: 38mm 

GLASS 
Domed sapphire above and below for oscillating weight reading. Particularity of the “ears” at 9:00 and 3:00. 

MOVEMENT 
11½ Japanese mechanical-automatic, 21 jewels, frequency 21,600 vibrations per hour, power reserve: 40 hours. Date at 3 o'clock. 

DIAL 
Enamelled in cartridges; Blue, Ivory, Aventurine. 

HANDS 
Luminescent Hour and Minute, central second counterweight by La Practice à Morteau. 

CROWN
Engraving of the 2-column eagle, emblem of Besançon. 

BRACELET 
Lug Width: 24 mm, barenia calf leather, saddle stitching hand-wrapped by the Comptoir des Selliers in Besançon, stainless steel buckle.

Numbered limited series 
Specific engraving on request.

What I'd Buy Myself - A Mido On Monday Mash-Up

While the new Mido Oceanstar (particularly the blue dial version) is quite nice, I would most likely choose this Mido for myself -

Courtesy of Mido

Regular readers will recognize my subtle obsession. The classic Mido Commander. This particular model is referred to by the folks at Mido as the Commander 1959. Hours, minutes, seconds, day and date. COSC, integrated bracelet. In short, the shit that killed Elvis.

For those of you out there who are also obsessed, here are the pertinents -

CASE

Material:
Stainless steel
Diameter:
37.00 mm 

Between lugs:
20.00 mm
Water-resistance:
5 bar (50 m / 165 ft)
Crystal:
Hesalite crystal
Case height:
10.45 mm

MOVEMENT

Movement type:
Automatic 

Automatic ETA 2836-2 COSC
Chronometer COSC
Date

DIAL

Dial colour:
Silver
Hour Markers:
Applied indexes

BRACELET

Milanese mesh bracelet in stainless steel

Done, But Not Finished!

Courtesy of Done

It is possible that you have already heard of them, but in case you haven't this is DONE.  This may seem like an unusual name for a watch brand, but the story behind it is compelling.

Per their website:

How to find a name that best defines the image that the founder wants to give to his watches, to his philosophy ? The process may look simple but is in fact terribly difficult.

It is while discussing about his watches around him that he realizes that his project is for him more than a dream, it is an accomplishment. The need to be able to say one day with pride, i realised my dream, i made it to the end « it’s done ».

That is how the name « Done » came out of the dark for the first time.

The name « DONE WATCHES » has a double signification, because it represents not just the personal challenge of making it to the end of your ideas « It’s DONE » but also to be associated to the birth region of this adventure, Neuchâtel, « DO » in « NE »

But back to the watches -

Courtesy of DONE

This is the MECHANICA C03. 

The case is of stainless steel and measures 40 mm in diameter.  Hours, minutes, seconds and a very visible date.  The movement is the SW400.  So it is safe to say that DONE will not be done-in by a lack of ETA 2824s ; )


And finally, the price - CHF 495!  This is a "coming attraction" and my understanding is that deliveries will start just about BaselWorld time next year - April/May 2020.

Be Careful What You Wish For...

So the folks at COMCO finally released their (apparently initial) finding for ETA and their future in the watch movement supply business (at least for the first six months of 2020).

Shamelessly Borrowed from the World-Wide Info-web

Well, let's ask the Magic 8 Ball and see what the forecast is...

Shamelessly Borrowed from the World-Wide Info-web

So here is the (somewhat) straight skinny -

COMCO has said, essentially, that yes, ETA can sell movements...
And they can only sell those movements to brands that employ fewer than 250 people.
Or perhaps, more succinctly, if ETA's intention is to only sell to big brands, then ETA can suck it.

A very interesting thing happened after my last post about the COMCO/ETA fracas. Several folks gave me an ear-full. How could I be so unfeeling towards small, family owned, independent brands?

 

If I gave anyone that impression, then I apologize as that was clearly not the intended tone. I think that ETA and the big dogs have been in lock-step for years and it is hardly surprising. It's not personal, it's just business. But what many people don't freely discuss or admit is that movements, more often than not, are not made readily available for smaller brands. And no, I'm not saying that small brands never buy direct, and I am not saying that it is impossible. I am saying it is atypical to say the least. If it weren't, there wouldn't be such a booming business for brokers who have been known to get their movements from, you guessed it, bigger brands.

Small, family owned, independent brands that make and sell a thousand or so watches a year are likely not on ETA's Christmas card list. These folks typically work through assemblers or through brokers. And again - not a dig at anyone, just an attempt to keep things real.

In the real "big time" world of watch making, the majority of brand names that you see on your watch dials do not belong to the company that actually assembled your watch. And for those smaller brands that do assemble their own watches (and bravo and please keep it up!), if the numbers are smaller? Let's just say they don't typically have the opportunity to purchase "factory direct". Doesn't mean that these smaller brands don't want to buy directly from ETA, does not even mean that some of them can't. But the word around the campfire is that ETA's sales team has not been, historically at least, let's say... active in returning sales calls from brands they feel might not be worth the time. And in fairness? It is not much of a different story with Sellita, Soprod or others. Eterna, for a brief moment, tried to step into the breach and become a resource for small and micro brands. But again, if we're being real here, Eterna was soon overwhelmed by internal dysfunction. Needless to say, you don't hear so much about the micro brands using Eterna movements these days, and if the word around the streets of Grenchen is to be believed, that beautiful Eterna factory is now not unlike Wonka's Chocolate factory. Nobody goes in, and nobody comes out. And that's a shame. Eterna is a beautiful brand and some wonderful people have worked there through the years, many I am proud to call my friends.

So SWATCH Group got served up a big cup of irony flavored coffee - ETA has been told by the very organization that they went into a blood pact with to avoid having to deal with brands outside of the SWATCH group that, in fact, they can either sell to mom and pop, or they can suck it.

So we will see how this develops, as a final, Final, FINAL ruling is apparently coming out later this spring/summer.

The HYPE Joins BaselWorld!

And...a bit of shameless self-promotion!

Here is the release, as it was received this morning:

MEDIA RELEASE | 19 DECEMBER 2019 «THE HYPE» JOINS BASELWORLD AND BECOMES «THE BASELWORLD WATCH LOUNGE». More than fifteen independent brands have joined together to participate in Baselworld 2020. Grouped under a new banner - The Watch Lounge, they will occupy a new multifaceted space – bright, friendly and open - in Hall 1 South. Baselworld reaffirms its position as the leading business platform serving the watchmaking eco-system, with a variety of formats that reflect the richness and diversity of the industry. BASEL, SWITZERLAND, 19 December 2019 – About fifteen independent watch brands that previously exhibited in a hotel near the show, have decided to join Baselworld in 2020, all grouped together under a new banner - The Watch Lounge. The Watch Lounge thus becomes a new space that complements Les Ateliers (which brings together independent watchmakers) and the redesigned Watch Gallery, which will bring together all manner of companies from the start-up firm pitching its new project to the already more established brands that want to expand their distribution. Friendly, open spaces, the concept of the Watch Lounge under the leadership of Roderich Hess and James Henderson, is based on a more informal atmosphere aimed at bringing together more than fifteen brands with media and collectors in a relaxed and interactive way.  Michel Loris-Melikoff, Managing Director of Baselworld said: «I am delighted to welcome all of these dynamic entrepreneurs to Baselworld. We are continuing our work to transform the show. Baselworld aims to be a community and unifying entity. Listening, dialogue, entrepreneurship, and creativity are essential as we continue to implement our 2020+ strategy and work to make Baselworld not only the best business platform but also the most varied and complete show of its kind.»  James Henderson commented: «When Rod and I had the opportunity to participate in the creation of a new concept for small, independent, and so-called micro brands at Baselworld, we jumped at the opportunity! Baselworld is, and continues to be, the most important watchmaking event in the world. This is the only time in the year that people from all over the world come together to share their passion for watches. We were very impressed by the organisation's desire to create something special, and we look forward to bringing this new format to Baselworld!» By engaging in a constructive and transparent dialogue with the many independent brands who contribute to the richness and diversity of the watch industry, and taking various measures in consultation with them, and thanks to the commitment of Michel Loris-Melikoff, his team and an entire community have worked to strengthen and redeploy the rich and varied ecosystem of independent brands present at Baselworld, the show has repositioned its offers to better meet the expectations of brands. This  has always been carried out with a pragmatic attention to costs that now allow more competitive pricing. Printable media image material is available for download free of charge as part of reporting under the following link: https://www.baselworld.com/en/services/press-mediadatabase

WilTell

I had done a bit of a "hit and run" with the new WilTell watch awhile back.  Since then, Eddy Burgener has made a concerted effort to get the word out about his new brand. So with the help of more info, here is a more in-depth report -

Courtesy of WilTell

The idea behind the WilTell watch is pretty 
simple - create, market and sell a SWISS watch that meets all of the Swiss Made requirements, and to do so at a very aggressive price.

But the WilTell team wanted to go further.  In their own words:

From there came up the idea of a 100% Swiss Made for its production but still had to find some tips to avoid excessive costs and manufacturing ways other than the usual manufacturing process of used in the watch industry. Approaching a different production concept but just as reliable as traditional methods. Innovate and use know-how from another area of expertise.

And from there, a new watch brand was born.

Courtesy of WilTell

The of going beyond, and providing (per the legend on their dial) a 100% Swiss made watch.

The case measures 42 mm in diameter and is of stainless steel.  The hands and outer chapter numbers are filled with lume.  

Courtesy of WilTell

The WilTell is available in 2 different dial colors (black and white) with two different "outer ring" color options - also black and white ; )

This is actually a very clever way to offer four different versions for, ostensibly, 2 different sets of parts - very, very smart planning on the part of WilTell!

While I suspect many folks will opt for the all black or the two different tuxedo versions, as is my nature I am going to go the other way, and if I were picking, I'd pick this one -

Courtesy of WilTell

And at a price of CHF 498, this is a bit special.

Here are the pertinents, straight from WilTell -

The WilTell watch is water resistant to 3 BAR (30 meters) and meet with the REACH European standards.

The high quality components of the WilTell watch are 100% produced in Switzerland

Watch case: Ø 42mm in stainless stell 316L refined , fully machined and finished with laser engraving.

Crystal: sapphire, carved and machined.

Gaskets: manufactured, turned and injected.

Casing ring: Made out of brass, machined and treated.

Dial: Painted dial and transferred on stamped brass plate.

Top Ring: synthetic, injected, treated and transferred and equipped with luminescent material. 

Hands: stamped brass, treated and fitted with luminescent material.

Crown: stainless steel 316L, stainless steel 316L tube, machined with laser engraved decoration. 

Movement: 11 1⁄2 ‘’’ automatic Sellita SW 200-1 in up graded quality.

Strap: Genuine leather, refined, cut and assembled.

Buckle: In stainless steel 316L, set on spring bar.

Presentation box: recycled cardboard, cut, printed, folded and assembled.

Yes, you read that last part correctly - the box not another heavy, see it once or twice in your life before it is banished to the basement or garage item.  It is what it should be, a simple, light weight, recyclable item used to ship the watch.  PERIOD.  Well done WilTell!

Courtesy of WilTell

ETA, COMCO and the Return of SWATCH Group's Chickens

Okay, the news that everyone is talking about is that of COMCO finally holding SWATCH Group's feet to the fire and ensuring that they keep to the terms of the deal that they (SWATCH Group) pushed for.  In essence that they would no longer be required to sell to brands outside of the group.  Now the reality is that COMCO is now saying not only do you not need to sell outside of the group, but you can't.

Of course this is big news, and the blogosphere and Forum land are both abuzz. Yes, COMCO is basically reintroducing their proverbial foot to the proverbial floor and stating that SWATCH will not be allowed to sell outside of the group.  Now what is interesting in all of this is just who is crying foul.  Richemont and the certain son of a certain German/Swiss jeweler/watchmaker are aghast.  In fairness, Richemont is probably keeping their own counsel on this one, but you get the idea.  Because despite all of the crowing and marketing dollars pumped into their respective gas machines, it would seem that certain brands boasting manufacturing capability are still dependent on SWATCH Group's ETA as a base. 

The Sky is Falling!

Well, actually, the sky fell a few years ago.  I have read with (I'm not going to lie, a wee bit of amusement) that some brands will be "crippled" by this new restriction.  And honestly?  I'm calling "Bullshit/Light" on this one.  Will brand X be able to make as many new watches as they want from brand new ETA movements? Well, no.  But it begs the bigger question -
How many watches does brand X currently have in inventory or did they pump into the grey market?  Put another way?  So many brands continue to run on the same belief that, somehow, watches are perishable like milk or eggs.  And they are not. It does require a certain commitment to their brands and the products that they put out. 

Moreover, to use the golf analogy? They could have "pulled up" and spent some time, money and effort to identify other alternatives for movements.
Remember when the shit hit the fan back in 08?  Remember how a few brands, you know, the ones that didn't insist on having completely new collections EVERY YEAR seemed to weather the storm?  

Also, when we talk about small brands, believe it or don't but they typically had to go to outside brokers to get movements in the first place.  You think ETA was going to sell directly to them?  Think again.  And with a smaller brand, there is greater flexibility and ability to pivot.  

I can make a very personal parallel example -
Watch brands will state that there is only enough marketing money to go around and therefore, sorry smaller outlet, no marketing (read ad/advertorial) money for you.  Does that mean that it's "end of days" for watch media?  Of course not. Because like any industry, there is always contraction and expansion.  And it is often the smaller, pluckier company that can surprise the experts.

Some brands saw this coming and made alternative arrangements.  Some ordered well in advance.  Some cut back on their production and re-forecast what they would actually build and sell and they are going to be okay in the immediate future.  I realize that is clearly NOT how every brand thinks.  

But again, it begs the bigger question for the bigger brands-
When you continually OVER ESTIMATE how many watches you are actually going to sell through regular channels and continually dump through the grey market, you not only dilute your brand in the NOW, you further dilute the demand in the future.  Moreover, when you claim to have manufacturing capabilities, but in truth you are dependent upon ETA for the basic platform what is that really saying?  It's great to have flashy, sexy complications.  But none of that matters if you don't have the base to mount them on.

Now I suppose that is an easy comment to make, particularly if you are brand X and you felt that you had a solid agreement with SWATCH Group to get your movements.  

But the irony in all of this is possibility that SWATCH is now is sitting on more movements than they know what to do with for the foreseeable future. Remember, they assumed that what COMCO would say is, go ahead and sell to whoever YOU want.  And they probably accumulated sufficient movements to re-assert their control of the market once 2020 arrived.

Lastly, think about this - When certain grey and light grey outlets are listing brand-new watches on their sites MONTHS before they arrive at authorized retailers, it tells you something.  And what it tells you is that the brands have not really learned any discipline and are still over-producing.  It also tells you that there is a willing avoidance at every level of a brand to really understand and accept what the RETAIL reality is.   By continually over producing and selling to any outlet necessary in order to ensure that it appears that they are meeting sales goals, they continue to cheapen and degrade their brands.  

It has been a non-stop merry-go-round for the past 10 years, and it would appear that at pretty much every level, the buffet has been closed and it is time to pay the check.  Let's see who's got room on their credit card.

Or put it even more simply than that - remember when you were in school and mom or dad would constantly ride you to get your homework done before Sunday at 11:00 PM?  

Casio is Audi 5000

So the news came forth like a soggy bit of ill-timed flatulence at a staff meeting - Casio has opted out of BaselWorld 2020.

The brand that brought you the G-Shock, the Oceanus and some very nifty desk calculators (I have one in my office) will not be displaying next April / May.

The reason?  Presumably several, but chief among them might be Golden Week.

One of the things I loved about living and working in Japan was the bumper-crop of holiday weeks in addition to individual days.  Golden Week is one that falls in (you guessed it) late April, early May.  So along with Ramadan, the schedulers managed to hit another major holiday period.  

In addition, however, it is another indication that business, overall, is not great.  While the fair schedulers probably didn't fully understand the knock-on effect that scheduling conflicts would produce, the brands have to take some ownership of the fact that the business in general (meaning sales, etc.) is not in what could be called "fighting shape".  And while it is easy to pick a big target like BaselWorld, there are several realities that BaselWorld has no control over that will impact how retailers and brands will determine whether or not to participate.

1.  Sales are bad - This would give the brands one of two options.  They can cut all marketing expenses (BaselWorld just being one of them), or they can embrace the opportunity to participate in BaselWorld and find savings elsewhere.  

Bad sales have a domino effect.  If sales are down, that means that there is less budget to spend, and that means that advertising money is going to be clipped.  And yes, that means the media at large, but most specifically the media that is dependent upon advertising money, advertorial money, and the intentionally vague "package" marketing fee (i.e. in general, you are paying to appear in outlet X on any level) are going to think twice about coming, and likely only visit brands that they have, or hope to conduct commerce with.

So this means that now a lot of media aren't going to come.  But guess what?  That means that brands can actually focus on the media outlets that DO come!  And chances are good that if brands focus on building or re-establishing those relationships, they will have people committed to covering them EVEN WITHOUT GETTING PAID TO DO SO.  Because even though some of the larger "media" outlets will not be sending their "squads", there will be a lot of eager, enthusiastic emerging talent who will welcome the opportunity to connect.  So note to brands - take advantage of the opportunity!  Shake hands, kiss babies, pour coffee!  Don't snob, hob-nob!

2.  Fair style watch shows are dead.  Well, to hear Hayek the younger muse on it a year ago, you would have thought so.  Yes, fairs are so dead that... SWATCH group is (unless I have misunderstood) having their own fair in March to follow-up on the (excuse me while I die laughing) run-away success of their last effort (retailers in Zurich, press at various high end brands separately at no small expense).  So clearly, Mr. Hayek can say fairs are dead all he wants to, but by his group's actions it is clear that he doesn't really think so.

And again, as apparently my specialty is being contrary, I will say it again. BaselWorld is an easy target to shoot blame at. But the truth of the matter is that it takes two to play chicken. And in all honesty that is what brands and the fair have been doing for the last 20 years. When brands were flush, they could not have cared any less about expense. Times get tough? Well, let's just say that we didn't get here overnight. Many brands are fighting a war of ink - black vs. red. And while the fair represents a major chunk of money invested, there are plenty other "fatty portions" that could have been trimmed - friends of the brand, football, rugby, sailing sponsorships, etc. But in hindsight? We always have 20/20 vision.

And again, to be contrary, I think that there will be some opportunity for pioneers and brands that can see the possibilities.

Stay tuned!

The Tourer GMT/Triple Calendar/Three Hand

From Straton -

Courtesy of Straton

These are the latest releases and as always, Straton has strived to offer variety and options to its dedicated customers.

Owing to that, the Tourer is available in three different versions:
GMT
Triple Calendar
Three Hand

And is also available in different sizes and colors.  But they go a bit further.  They are offering different movement types as well.

The current pricing is pre-order, and is currently at its lowest level.  The price will adjust upwards as the number of available watches decreases.  As Straton puts it:

Proud to launch the Straton Tourer GMT, Triple Calendar and three hand watches. By pre-ordering early you are saving up to 30% on retail prices. The prices will increase by $50 every month until it’s retail price is reached so ordering as soon as possible guarantees not only the lowest price but also delivery, price includes delivery. Each version of the Tourer is limited to a first production of 300 pieces per variation (example GMT Automatic limited to total of 300, GMT Quartz limited to 300, etc.

Courtesy of Straton

The Tourer GMT is available in a 43 mm version (Strap only) for $499.  $519 will get you the bracelet, and $539 will get you both the strap and the bracelet.  

It is also available in a quartz version either in a slightly smaller 40 mm version, or in a 43 mm version.  This one is $299 on a strap, $319 on a bracelet, and $339 with both strap and bracelet.

Courtesy of Straton

The Triple C Automatic is 43 mm and is priced at $499 on a strap, $469 on bracelet and $489 with both.

The Three Hand Automatic is available in 2 sizes - 40 and 43 mm. It is currently $399 on the strap, $419 on the bracelet, and $439 with both strap and bracelet.

As is often the case with Straton, you also have some choice in terms of color ways -

five to be precise!  Black, Blue, Gold, Green and Rust/Brown.

We will update with news and developments as Straton gets closer to delivery date.

Stay Tuned!