The Importance of Respecting A Press Embargo - Or When Exclusive Really Means Exclusion

Per Wikipedia -

In journalism and public relations, a news embargo or press embargo is a request or requirement by a source that the information or news provided by that source not be published until a certain date or certain conditions have been met. They are often used by businesses making a product announcement, by medical journals, and by government officials announcing policy initiatives; the media is given advance knowledge of details being held secret so that reports can be prepared to coincide with the announcement date and yet still meet press time. 

Okay, so we've gotten that out of the way ; )

As the new lead of Tempus Fugit mentioned, despite spending mere tens of thousands of CHF to airlift several more "well-heeled" members of the press to "double-secret" previews, there is always one itchy individual who feels that an embargo is more like a "suggestion" rather than a requirement. And that, among other reasons, accounts for some of the shit-show that was Saturday's retail fiasco with the MoonSwatch.

Was it a calculated move to leak in advance of the other "swells" who enjoyed first class (and deferential) treatment from the white gloved hands of Swatch and Omega? Sure. Would I consider them victims? Of course not. Was something like this happening inevitable? 

Absolutely!

But I would rather light a candle than curse their collective darkness. Therefore I would prefer to focus on the people who truly got the fuzzy end of the lollipop on this one, the customers and the employees of the "Exclusive" Swatch Boutiques.

Now another unrequested bit of Henki lore -

Back in the mid 80s, a certain northern youth grew his hair out in a somewhat abortive mullet in the hopes of catching the eye of the young women in the vicinity who were fans of a band from Ireland. History will reflect that this Northern Youth, along with 3 of his buddies, piled into his 77 Oldsmobile Cutlass and waited all night outside of the Ticket Master location. Said ticket outlet was inconveniently located in the Woolworth's of the Midway Mall -

So after many hours of shuffling around in the February chill, not infrequent runs to the nearby gas station for cokes, and several bio breaks behind the Ponderosa Steak House dumpster, we were finally admitted into the inside of the mall and were able to purchase our tickets at 9:00 AM.

I was happy, and drove the 30 minutes home and slept the rest of that Saturday morning.

Unbeknownst to my friends and I, one of our teachers decided that the day after the concert would be the ideal time for him to give his final exam, because he would be taking his vacation a little early so that he and his family could have some extra time, and thus his exam was moved to the week after exam week. So three U2 tickets promptly changed hands for exactly face value  (Oberlin was not a hotspot for scalping), and the internet had yet to make a real debut. And I developed a certain antipathy for U2 and anything Bono adjacent.

And as I heard tales from my friends around the globe this past Saturday and Sunday, they shared similar tales of angst, irritation, and downright anger. And I thought, not unlike my high school teacher waiting until the week before to announce a schedule change for a final exam, maybe Swatch could have been a little better prepared for what would unfold.

And this is where I, and several of my former colleagues in the Fourth and Fifth Estate are likely to disagree. Was it an incredibly successful launch? YES! Did it break the internet (metaphorically, anyway)? Yes! Did it actually really cause a lot of frustration and leave a lot of people unhappy? Duh!

What the early jumper of the embargo did was effectively ensure that -

1. The Swatch Boutiques would get besieged by a LOT of unhappy people.

2. Potential customers would travel vast distances at great personal expense to get... well, Jack shit, and Jack had just left town.

3. A handful of outlets that had been used to getting spoon-fed all the best releases well in advance of the rest of the plebeians in the press corps would be coming back down to the level of, well, the rest of the press corps. Which in fact might prove to be useful, it's important sometimes to be reminded of where you came from ; )

A few final thoughts:

• Swatch dropped the ball in terms of  logistics on this one. There is no nice way to say it. Some "Exclusive" Swatch Boutiques were so exclusive that they might as well have been excluded, with fewer than 100 pieces allocated to them. 
• Secrecy is no excuse for making so few units in advance and not having a reasonable amount deployed. They say they were working on it for a year. That was ample time to get ready.  

Were they expecting the Keebler Elves to take a break from making cookies and come in and crank out MoonSwatches on the graveyard shift? It is clear that they wanted to make a big, messy splash just before Watches and Wonders (again - Duh!), and while they did make a splash, they also made a mess. And therefore, they will hopefully learn to communicate EVERYTHING first, not just the sexy bits. They should have let people know BEFOREHAND that it was not a limited edition, and that it would be available at a later date, at least for customers who were willing to wait. The last-minute scramble to explain this via Instagram posts did not really come out in official communication, and initially took on the hue of urban myth.

Let's be honest, that last bit would have made a HUGE difference. Imagine driving 9 hours, camping out all night, and just when you think it will all pay off... being told to take it on the heel and toe, no MoonSwatch for you Mr. and Ms. devoted fan.

Did Swatch inadvertently get damaged by the leak? Sure. Did they set the stage for this to happen? Sorry, but yes. And just as this Northern Youth learned back in the 80s, many of those disaffected Swatch fans "still haven't found what they're looking for".  

Sorry, too soon?

Let's hope that memories are short and loyal fans are forgiving. And in the meantime, I suggest we all try to think about something else. But for now, if the MoonSwatch decides to "walk away, walk away, walk", unlike monsieur Vox, I won't follow.

Further Thoughts on the Swatch X Omega MoonSwatch

A lot can happen in a day and a half. Two days ago, Revolution slipped up and momentarily posted the announcement of the Omega X Swatch MoonSwatch. It was quickly taken down, but nothing is faster than watch nerds on the internet, who screengrabbed the article and marketing photos and reposted it everywhere. The next day, in a release apparently coordinated with Omega and Swatch, Fratello officially made the announcement. Then the entire watch world was set aflame. (Apparently there was some soreness amongst the watch press about Fratello getting the exclusive to announce first, but I can't think of a more appropriate outlet than the originator of #speedytuesday, which has devoted more content to the Speedmaster than any other major site.) 

James already dove into the release a bit in an earlier post, but the basics are as follows. Omega and Swatch--both part of the larger Swatch Group--have come together to create an affordable iteration of the Speedmaster. The watch is dubbed the MoonSwatch (which is admittedly very clever), and will come in eleven iterations inspired by the sun, the moon, and the planets of our solar system (and Pluto). They feature the same classic design as their historic brethren, including the bombé lugs, asymmetrical case, and recessed pump pushers--even the dot over 90 for the diehard fanboys. The cases, however, are made with proprietary "bioceramic," a mix of two-thirds ceramic, one-third castor oil (which somehow merits the "bio" affix). The straps are Velcro, similar to those found on the Speedmaster Alaska Project model and the movement is a jeweled quartz mechanism which necessitates the rearrangement of the subdials. 

It was reported in the announcement that the MoonSwatch would only be available at select Swatch boutiques and there was no indication that they would be regular production models. As a result, in the day since the official announcement, a lot has happened. Swatch boutiques have been inundated with calls (some claiming, hopefully with hyperbole, that they've been picking up the phone every 7 seconds), with actual lines forming outside the storefronts. Perhaps not surprisingly, unscrupulous flippers have already listed the model for sale on eBay at more than a 10x markup. And there have been a lot of opinions. 

Then Swatch quietly confirmed (in multiple Instagram comment replies) that not only are the watches not limited, but they would be available online at a future date. While the flippers and people in line wipe the egg off their faces, we must ask: Why the wasn't it made clear that the MoonSwatch would be made widely available at a later date? 

Let's consider the goal of this watch, which is undoubtedly to entice two groups of people: those that would love a Speedmaster but can't afford one (or don't want to spend on one) and neophyte watch buyers. For the former, it offers a way to access a facsimile of an iconic watch; for the latter, it ideally serves as a gateway drug of sorts, leading to the eventual purpose of an Omega (Speedmaster or otherwise). It's a win-win for Omega and for Swatch. So why the chicanery? As ever, the answer to our questions is money: the surest way to create buzz and make something a runaway success is to create the illusion of scarcity.

This isn't the first time this has happened, nor will it be the last. In 2019, Hodinkee released the Seiko Alpinist SPB089. All the messaging from Hodinkee suggested that Hodinkee was the only place to get it. The reality, though, was that Hodinkee had an exclusive to sell the model first, and it would then be available directly from Seiko; while it was a limited edition, it was limited to the U.S. market, not to Hodinkee. Similarly, later that year, Grand Seiko released a U.S.-only Four Seasons collection, only to turn around and make them available worldwide. The effect is always the same: the watches sell out quickly, appear for resale at outrageous markups, and then leave those who had purchased them in earnest--with a desire to enjoy them--feeling they have something a little less special.

These aren't oversights or innocent miscommunications, and these brands don't have a lack of confidence in their product selling on their merits. On the contrary,  these are large companies intentionally manipulating the market to their advantage. They do it precisely because of their confidence in their product; the momentary ire of the watch community does not affect the bottom line. To be sure, the blustering over how the MoonSwatch was released has, from the start, been eclipsed by the excitement for the watches.

The excitement is deserved. From the perspective of someone who not only loves watches, but loves the watch community, this is only a good thing. The release of the MoonSwatch will bring more people into the community and allow those already here to own a Speedmaster where they may not have been able to before (Don't argue with me on that second point: the watch says "Speedmaster" right on the dial. It's a Speedmaster.) On top of that, the watches are cool. A ceramic watch modeled after an icon, offered in Eleven different case colors, each with a unique dial and matching strap, all for $260? There's something for literally everyone. 

Whether or not they will be learned, the release of the Swatch X Omega MoonSwatch has some lessons to offer. For brands: be more transparent in releasing a watch. For customers, especially the watch community: Don't buy a watch simply because it's a limited edition (or worse, because you think it is). For commentators (press and otherwise): clarify, get the full story, then react. 

While it's not clear when the MoonSwatch will be made more widely available, we know that it will, so we can all settled down. If you're feeling calm and like you can approach things rationally, both Omega and Swatch's sites have you covered. Omega has a page that tries to justify why it made an affordable copy of its best-selling watch and Swatch has a page bragging about how it made an affordable Speedmaster. 

You Can Only Have 1 (well, technically 2) - The MOONSWATCH

Okay, the cat is officially out of the bag). It would seem that first Fratello, were tipped to "drop" the drop yesterday afternoon (Eastern Time here in the lower 48). This, in turn, led to a mad scramble from several outlets to put out as much info as they could, as fast as they could. Here at the current HQ of Tempus Fugit Tallulah, Sabrina and I opted to reach for the popcorn and watch.

So first and foremost, bravo to Swatch and Omega for the ultimate tease/just kidding/no maybe we're serious/pay no attention to the man behind the curtain/psyche out. Was it a teensy-bit douchy? Well... sort of. But in fairness, it was effective.

But while some of my soon-to-be former colleagues in the Fourth and Fifth Estates are feeling (in some cases) more than a bit put out, here at Tempus Fugit we prefer to focus on the products themselves.

Courtesy of Swatch

But before that, a bit of Henki lore:

My second mechanical watch was a circa 1963 Omega Seamaster 30 that I found at an indoor flea market in Turku, Finland in 1996 -

The First Kiss

My first mechanical chronograph was a yellow Speedmaster Schumacher. I was also the custodian of a circa 1969 Speedmaster Professional -

Astronauts and Cosmonauts

And I do, at times, miss that Speedmaster. But I also feel that the current price levels being sought from the folks in Biel/Bienne are not dissimilar to the amounts usually negotiated with the aid of a pistol and a getaway car. So I don't really see an Omega Spedmaster in my future.

With that said, it has been a long time since a product launch (no matter how it has been handled) has made me and so many other people smile. And when you strip away all of the goofiness that got us to this point, in the end it is supposed to be about the watch (or Swatch) itself.

Is this an actual Omega Speedmaster? No. It is fair to describe it as a Swatch Chronograph in Omega Speedmaster livery. But that does take away from the fun. Because this is a Swatch that will appeal to pretty much everyone who loves (or even likes) watches. It is fun, it is whimsical, and it is (by Omega standards) a bargain. Is it a bargain by Swatch standards? Well...

But let's get back to the fun! The MOONSWATCH collection is made up of references for each of the planets (including the our own), the sun and our own modest satellite, the moon. I suspect that the Mission to Mars and Mission to the Moon versions will be the hot sellers, and they are indeed very nice. But I thought I'd focus on what might be an under appreciated model, the Mission to Jupiter -

 

   

Courtesy of Swatch

While I realize it might not be everyone's planetary destination (at least in Swatch Land), it speaks to me.

The price tag is US $260. So if you have the money, that is (you would think) all you need. Well, not so fast Spaceman Spiff -

Swatch, in their wisdom, decided that if you want one, you can only get one from a Swatch boutique. Okay, fair enough! Oh, but wait...

Not just any boutique, but a "select" boutique!

Now I realize that particularly in light of the world's problems today, this is a spoiled-brat, first world problem. But then again, it is a little specious for Hayek the Younger and Omega's CEO Mr. Aeschlimann to crow about how this is now accessible to everyone. Well, if you are in Switzerland, that is abundantly true as you can't really swing a Flik Flak without hitting a Swatch boutique. 

In North America, you will be picking up the phone and hoping like hell that someone on the other end is going to:

A. Take the Call

B. Sell you one

Because here in a fairly large (geographically) country, Swatch has decided that you will probably only want one of these MOONSWATCHES if you live in:

New York City Metro (extending down to Philadelphia), Texas (Dallas and Houston), Las Vegas, Miami, San Francisco and Hawaii. Now my specialization as a teacher is linguistics and adult continuing education. I am not a trained geographer, nor do I claim prowess in demographic studies. With that said, I have heard rumors that Chicago, Denver, Boston, Los Angeles, Seattle and other cities might just have people who might just want to buy this watch. But again, Swatch in all of their wisdom set up their one and only Boston Swatch Boutique in a fairly deserted portion of Boston Logan Airport. Needless to say, it "departed" some time ago and has not yet been replaced elsewhere in the Boston Metro area.

Further to this point, our neighbors to the north are even more hosed on this one. Because despite what the sales brain trust in Weehawken, New Jersey might think, there are more cities in Canada than Toronto and Montreal. They would be aware of this if they followed the NHL more closely. Just saying.

So for those of you reading this in the hinterlands of Chicago, St. Louis, Memphis, Ottawa, Edmonton, Los Angeles and elsewhere, bonne chance! I have reached out to my "network" and we will see if I get lucky!  Stay tuned, as my Mission to a Select Swatch Boutique gets underway.

New Release: ochs und junior settimana classic black

Note: Our contributor and former Managing Editor, James Henderson, has taken on a consulting role with Ochs und Junior. He is not involved in any Tempus Fugit activity related to brands with which consults, including this article.

Following the launch of its Settimana Classic White in November 2021, innovative Swiss brand ochs und junior is expanding its non-customizable offerings with the Settimana Classic Black. 

Courtesy of ochs und junior

Like it’s white counterpart, the Settimana Classic Black features a a 7-day module developed by Ludwig Oechslin. On the dial, the days of the week are displayed in a minimalist fashion by a black dot seen through one of seven apertures—one for each day of the week  and the end of the week, the dot quickly traces a longer arc, returning to the one o’clock Monday aperture  (the watch below shows Wednesday).

Courtesy of ochs und junior

The watch features the same stark case design seen on all the brand’s models, here rendered in grade 5 titanium. It will be available in both 40mm and 36mm. You’ll have the option of either baton markers or Arabic numerals in either case size.

Courtesy of ochs und junior

While ochs und junior is known for the ability to customize a model ad infinitum, the ochs und junior Settimana Classic Black is another addition to the brand’s lineup of models with set designs; no customization is available. What you get is a watch with clear ochs und junior DNA: aggressive in its simplicity with a novel weekday module. I’d venture a guess that this will be an even better seller than the white option. The Settimana Classic Black will be offered at CHF 2,600 (CHF 2,400 excluding VAT) with a lead time of 8-12 weeks. You can learn more here. 

Why You Should LOVE The BR 05

Black Steel & Gold -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

Bell & Ross came out with the BR 05 some time ago, and there have been several iterations. With that said, the one that truly stands out for me is the Black Steel & Gold model.

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

Way back at the turn of the century, Hublot was sorta' cool, somewhat under the radar, and not so (insert word that describes your feelings here). I sold Hublots at Tourneau and I have to say that I really dug them. And at that time, I sold something like 5 of them in the month of January - which was a lot back then for our little pocket of a store.

What was cool was that it was gold, possibly steel and gold, and an integral rubber strap that smelled pleasantly of vanilla. Nowadays that doesn't seem like such a big deal, every brand is trying to slap something together. But in truth from the mighty Audemars Piguet on down the line, none have really done it justice. Then Bell & Ross dropped their take on a steel/gold case with integrated rubber strap, and in doing so, they dropped the mic.

Now if you absolutely must go "full metal", B&R has you covered -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

But for me, it's gotta' be the rubber strap. As I get ready to hand over the keys to Tempus Fugit, I am struck more and more by visceral memories. I know that sounds somewhat counter intuitive to the practice of writing about inanimate objects. But the BR 05 Steel & Gold with the rubber strap takes me back 19 years ago, when I would work all day managing a Starbucks, then dash to Tourneau and slip into my suit. I didn't need the money, but I loved hanging out and talking about watches - basically getting paid to talk about my hobby. The BR 05 brings back that feeling, that love of something special and out of the ordinary.

Should you be feeling that romantic pull as well, here are the pertinents -

Movement: 

calibre BR-CAL.321. Automatic mechanical.

Functions: 

hours, minutes, seconds and date.

Case: 

40 mm in width. 18 ct rose gold and satin-finished and polished steel. Screw-down crown. Sapphire case-back with a 18 ct rose gold plated 360° oscillating weight.

Dial: 

black sunray. Rose gold gilded applique numerals and indices filled with Super-LumiNova®. 18 k rose gold gilded skeletonised hour and minute hands filled with Super-LumiNova®.

Crystal: 

sapphire with anti-reflective coating.

Water-resistance: 

100 metres.

Strap: 

black rubber or bi-material 18 k rose gold and satin-finished and polished steel.

Buckle: 

folding. Satin-finished and polished steel.

It's A Mad, Mad, Mad World! Part 2

Perhaps one of the most talked about watches last year was one that almost nobody could get their hands on - the M.A.D.1. It was a special project that made an MB&F creation more affordable and accessible to two sets of folks near and dear to the success of MB&F - previous customers (or the Tribe), and people who have collaborated with MB&F in the past on various projects (suppliers, etc.).  While the materials were listed otherwise, many came to think of it as a time machine cunningly crafted of "unobtainium".

But  Maximilian Büsser clearly wants to connect with as many people as he and his company reasonably can. So he and his team spent the last year working on this little bijoux, the M.A.D.1 Red -

Long story short, for those of us on the outside (which in fairness, most of us are), we now have an opportunity to throw our hats in the ring with a chance to win one of the coveted slots to purchase our very own M.A.D.1 Red.  This will be done through a lottery system. Should you get one of the golden tickets, you will be contacted and given instructions on how to place your order.

Courtesy of MB&F and M.A.D.

As the images will show, many of the elements are the same, with some changes that Mr. Büsser  outlines in the YouTube video.

Courtesy of MB&F and M.A.D.

The price you pay, should you be one of the lucky winners will be - CHF 2900 excluding tax.

Courtesy of MB&F and M.A.D.

Should you be tempted to register for the lottery, here are the pertinents, straight from the source:

ENGINE

Inverted Miyota 821A automatic movement with winding rotor on top and lateral time display system.
Revolving hour and minute rings in aluminium alloy, engraved numbers with Super-LumiNova.
Winding rotor in titanium and tungsten, Super-LumiNova highlights.
Power reserve: 60 hours.
Frequency: 3 Hz / 21'600 a/h.

CASE

Frame material: stainless steel.
Sapphire crystal on top, main section in mineral glass.
Diameter 42 mm, height 18.8 mm.
Water resistance: 30 m / 90 ft / 3 ATM

STRAP & BUCKLE

Black calfskin leather with red stitching.
Folding buckle in stainless steel.

A Few Minutes With Richard Press

I grew up working in the locker room at the Elyria Country Club back in the 70s and the 80s. I polished a lot of shoes (if the family of the late George Steinbrenner is reading this, it was not me that burned his cordovan tassel loafers back in 82 on the buffing machine!) and I saw a lot of polyester double-knit. So truth be told, I did not have any sense of aspiration to the stylings of the various US Steel executives who made up a good bit of the membership. That was until a scholarship holder from an "ivy adjacent" liberal arts college came to work in our little corner of Satan's closet (no air conditioning, lots of astringents, cleaning fluids and fumes from the various shoe treatments) and changed the way I looked at clothing, and personal presentation. The young man in question was 20, I was 13. The way he dressed was something totally different. Not fancy. No polo players on his shirt. But often well-worn (but not tattered) Oxford cloth button down shirts, khakis of seemingly limitlessly varying shades of olive and tan, and two pairs of Alden loafers (black and cordovan). A tennis sweater, and a blazer with a piping of green surrounding its edges. There had been a badge on the pocket. You would only discover this by looking up close where a few tell-tale holes remained where previously countless thirty-year old stitches once held true. None of the clothes looked flashy, they looked good. His first day on the job, he was working the buffer when the head locker room attendant walked in and politely told him that we would be happy to take care of his shoes for him - "just leave them in front of your locker." 

Once that case of mistaken identity was resolved, he became part of the team for the rest of the summer.

What I learned from him was that you did not have to be rich to dress well. More importantly, you didn't have to have a large wardrobe. A few good pieces would last much longer than ten cheap ones. His only sartorial mishap was one Sunday morning when he showed up wearing one black, and one cordovan loafer. He arrived to work, somewhat disheveled, applying deodorant and tucking his shirt in as he jogged into the locker room. I am sure there was an interesting, maybe even salacious story behind his appearance that day, but we never asked, and he never said. I saw him two summers later in my hometown, Oberlin. He was, just as I remembered, smartly turned out in his signature look - paint stained khakis, white Oxford cloth button down, striped tie (roguishly askew), that same blue blazer with the green trim. He was sitting at a table in the old Campus Restaurant working on grad school applications. He asked me to join him, and before I could get to my second cup of coffee (daringly sophisticated for a 15 year old Northern Youth) there had been at least 5 young women who came over to say hi to him. After the fifth encounter I asked him how he knew them as he was not from Oberlin. His answer? He didn't! I can't definitively say if it was his personal style or simply what was referred to in Seinfeld as the "Kavorka" that made him so popular with the opposite sex. 

We said our goodbyes, and I went straight to the vintage store where $36.85 bought me a gently used blazer and a tennis sweater.  I never looked back.

Personal style is, at least in my experience, a personal journey. And one man has been there, often behind the scenes, helping tens of thousands of men around the world navigate the rocky shoals that separate fashion from style. His name is Richard Press -

Courtesy of Richard Press

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

Richard Press - I had an uncle who was the eastern sales representative for Benrus Watches. Owing to this, just as every male in the immediate family had to wear J. Press they also had to wear their Benrus watch. Me included. This Benrus connection lasted maybe thirty years, and ended when I lost it in the gym.


TF - If I understand it correctly, you grew up in New Haven, CT?

RP - I grew up in New Haven, although I actually left at age 14 for 4 years to attend Loomis Chaffee boarding school in Windsor, CT.  This was followed by 4 years at Dartmouth College.


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

RP - I always wanted to follow the blood lines at J.Press.


JH - I have been reading your wonderful blog for JPress, Threading the Needle, for some time. 

Any anecdote in particular that stands out that might not have made the blog yet? 

RP - Stay tuned.

Note - For you fans of IVY Trad style wanting to take some glimpses back (as well as forward), JPress has released a compilation of some of Mr. P's dispatches in a lovely bound edition that can be ordered through the link below.

Courtesy of JPress

            Threading The Needle Collection

JH - After growing up in New Haven, you attended Dartmouth College, graduating (I believe) in 1959. What did you study? 

RP - My favorite subjects were Comparative Literature, European and American History.


JH - It seems you were destined to join JPress, but you did not remain in New Haven, what is it that took you to New York? 

RP - All due respects to my New Haven residing father and grandfather, my love of theatre, night clubs, living the high life, and the New York Yankees made New York a natural.


JH - JPress had outposts in Cambridge, New York, even San Francisco! Is it safe to say that JPress took Ivy style farther than anyone up to that point? 

RP - Not really. Brooks Brothers with their Urban Ivy led the pack with dozens of first rate Ivy retailers spread coast to coast.


JH - To be clear, I am not saying anything negative about the Andover Shop/s in Cambridge and Andover, but to those of us outside of the industry (non-garmentos), it seems that both stores had semi-similar foundations. JPress grew to be international, while the Andover Shop/s remained a regional entity. To what do you attribute the growth and expansion of JPress? 

RP - The Andover Shop co-founder Charlie Davidson worked for a short time at the New Haven J. Press before his stint in Cambridge. Growth and expansion occurred maintaining the quality and style that signifies the original brand and the international marketing talent of the current Japanese owner Onward Kashiyama. They are smart, holding forth the quality and style of the brand that they took over.

JH - I have been led to understand that you were something of a fixture in the New York theatre scene, performing in several off-Broadway productions. What was your favorite role? 

RP - My favorite role was Uncle Oscar in a now forgotten off-Broadway musical portraying a lascivious cad belting out "Think Of Me As A Kind And Loving Uncle" with a half dozen lovelies on my lap.


JH - JPress was sold to Kashiyama in 1986, and you worked with them for a bit before moving on to another company. And now you are back with the fantastic Threading the Needle Blog! How did that come about? 

RP - I was a featured columnist knocking off over fifty column for the blog Ivy Style when J. Press asked me to host a NY store event. I brought down the house and they proceeded to bring me on as “Archival” Consultant, columnist, author, MC at store events, brochure intro writer and hanger on.


JH - Is there anyone out there (other than JPress) that is doing something interesting with Ivy these days? 

RP - Haven’t seen it yet.


JH - An honest truth - the majority of men who are very into watches seem to burn up all of their style and creativity calories on their time machines, often dressing either as fashion victims or college kids just after exams finish. I have my own answer but I want your take -
Why is a personal sense of style important? 

RP - To publicly enhance whatever talent you may possess.


JH - In many ways the growth and evolution of JPress from preppy icon to global label happened under your stewardship. Any advice for the aspiring entrepreneurial manager out there/ 

RP - Work hard, don’t give up the ship when it rocks, learn all aspects of the business, especially requirements of targeted customers.

The Transfer Window Opens -

At Hodinkee.

News arrived at Tempus Fugit HQ that a new CEO has taken the helm at Hodinkee. Jeffery Fowler is taking over from Toby Bateman who took over from Hodinkee's founder, Benjamin Clymer in December of 2020.  Reporting from WatchPro can be found here -

https://www.watchpro.com/hodinkee-appoints-former-farfetch-america-president-as-ceo/

We wish Mr. Fowler the best of success in his new role.

Passing The Baton

Henki in Paris

When I started Tempus Fugit back in 2010, I was fresh off of three years working for DOXA (Synchron) and wanted to offer some different perspectives to what was out there in the digital realms of watch writing. In truth, Tempus Fugit was more "fan-boy" centric in the early days.

Over time, Tempus Fugit evolved to be more of a site that would offer some (occasionally) contrary views, and not necessarily serve up "feel good" warm and fuzzies about the industry at large.

And in the process, I was drawn more and more back into the watch industry as a consultant. So much so that I now feel that as I work on behalf of brands, it is no longer really appropriate for me to write about brands or releases. I have long believed that there is a clear demarcation between the press and sales/marketing. Although I do disclose all business relationships when writing about any potential, current or past client, I also feel that the time is right to step back and pass the baton to the next steward/s of Tempus Fugit.

Over the next weeks and months, you will see some changes, I hope changes for the better and ones that you will appreciate. There will be a shift to offer more enthusiast related content such as reviews, event coverage, etc.

I will still be popping in from time to time, offering a column on the watch industry from the inside. So although I am handing over the keys, I will still be here, the grumpy uncle, tilting at the occasional windmill ; )

I look forward to introducing you to the new managing editor in the coming days, so watch this space!

Why now?  It is not lost on me that I need to pay heed to the advice that I so copiously dispense, and I refer back to that other great commentator on the watch business, Barry Hearn -

Barry Hearn's Rule #10 - 

Know Your Sell-By Date

I am rounding the corner, heading towards 54 in July. I have been writing Tempus Fugit pretty much solo for the past (going on) 12 years. And to be honest? I am a dinosaur. What you, the readers should be looking for is not the same old shit coming from old farts like me. You should be looking for new voices with new perspectives and new opinions. It's time for the next generation to take the wheel and chart some new courses. And I think we're all in for a hell of a good trip!

And finally, I wanted to take this moment to thank all of you who have supported Tempus Fugit over the years. Whether as a watch enthusiast, a brand representative, designer, marketer, owner, or sales manager. It has been fun, feisty, informative and always interesting. I wish you all the very best of success moving forward.

Tempus Fugit!

The BR 03-92 DIVER WHITE

From Bell & Ross -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

Here are the pertinents -

Movement: 

calibre BR-CAL.302. Automatic mechanical.

Functions: 

hours, minutes, seconds and date.

Case: 

42 mm wide. 12.05 mm thick. Satin-finished and polished steel. Unidirectional rotating steel bezel with 60-minute scale and black anodised aluminium insert. Screw-down crown. Crown guard.

Dial: 

silver opaline. Applique indices with Super-LumiNova® inserts. Skeletonised applique Super-LumiNova®-filled hour, minute and seconds hands.

Crystal: 

sapphire with anti-reflective coating.

Water-resistance: 

300 metres.

Straps: 

woven black rubber and ultra-resilient black synthetic fabric.

Buckle: 

pin. Satin-finished and polished steel.

The Voyager GMT 42 Blue

From Catorex -

Courtesy of Catorex

Yesterday's post got me thinking even further on GMT watches, and here is another that is even more affordable, and possibly just under the radar for many of you.

Catorex is owned and operated by the Cattin family, who in turn, own and operate the white label company Cattin & Cie.

The Voyager GMT 42 comes in a few different color codes, but the blue sort of spoke to me.

Catorex sells its watches direct to the general public through its online web shop.

Courtesy of Catorex

Here are the pertinents -

Case diameter:	Ø 42 mm
Movement type:	Automatic
Case color:	Silver
Dial color:	Blue
Bracelet Color:	Blue
Bracelet Material:	Nylon NATO
Buckle:	Ardillon
Case material:	Stainless steel 316 L
Movement model:	ETA 2893-2
Case height:	10.25 mm
Weight of the watch:	94 g

And best of all, the price - CHF1,013.46
If I have read the details correctly, this includes
shipping and duties.

The (Once Again) Friendly Skies

And a meditation on the BR V2-93 GMT Blue from Bell & Ross -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

I don't want to jinx it, but not unlike the optimism many of us feel by the second or third week of March when we think that maybe spring has truly "sprung", I am feeling more and more optimistic that the worst part of the pandemic is now truly behind us and we can all spread our wings again!

For my part, I was grounded until this past July when I participated in the Watches, Whiskey and Wine show in Hagerstown, Maryland. That felt okay, so I went to Switzerland in September. And as things seemed to be going well, I went again in November! And then just before the latest variant ran rampant across the globe, I snuck down to New York just after Thanksgiving. 

And then... well, you know the story. But we got through it, and now we're finally all thinking that the time might be right to grab our passports (or at least our flip-flops and sunscreen) and head out. And that means that we will not only want something sporty for paddling around the pool (tidal or hotel), but something that will keep us informed not only of our current time (which as it's vacation, we're ignoring) as well as the time back home (where reality, children and work live).

So now, gentle reader, allow me to inform you as to why the BR 03 - 92 should not only be a choice, but in fact the default choice for those seeking a high quality GMT watch that will not break the bank. Unlike the Rolex GMT Master II "Unobtanium", the BR V2 - 93 GMT Blue can actually be purchased by mere mortals.

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

First and foremost, in a world of Rolex "homages", Bell & Ross defiantly went "the other way" with this one. The day/night bezel insert is blue and grey. Not blue and black, black and black or blue and red.

Secondly, although this spiffy globe trotter can be had with the Bell & Ross stainless steel bracelet -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

this particular iteration comes with a fantastic NATO style strap which is produced by strap savant Erika of Erika's Originals. I own one of her straps, and it truly is the Shit That Killed Elvis.

A third reason is "obtainability". While a lot of Watch Town's offerings are clearly priced in Crazy Town, the BR V2-93 GMT is realistically priced for normal, human consumption. The movement is industrial, which I have come to decide is much better in the long run than anything manufactured. Sooner or later your watch is going to need servicing, and ideally not at a "superlative" price. Bell & Ross has got you covered.

And finally? I just dig it! I was in a discussion panel not so long ago where myself and other chatterboxes who write, speak or YouTube about these things were asked what intrinsic qualities a watch must have. After what seemed like several hours of posturing, self-promotion and (frankly) endless bloviation from my peers -

my answer was remarkably succinct -

"You either dig it, or you don't. But don't fake the funk."

And the BR V2-93 GMT Blue has a friendly price, $3,500 US with the strap. If you want the bracelet, it's $300 more.

So if you are of a similar mindset, and ready to embrace your inner traveler again, here are the pertinents -

Movement: calibre BR-CAL.303. Automatic mechanical.

Functions: hours, minutes and central seconds and date. Second time hand of 24 hour rapid-setting, independent from the hour hand.

Case: 41 mm in diameter. Satin-polished steel. Bi-direction. al bezel with 24 hour scale. Blue and grey two-colour anodised aluminium disc. Screw-down crown. Sapphire case-back.

Dial: blue sunray. Numerals and indices coated in white Super-LumiNova®. Metal skeletonized Super-LumiNova®-filled hour and minute hands.

Crystal: box-type sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating.

Water-resistance: 100 metres.

Strap: grey and blue elastic canvas or satin-polished steel.

Buckle: folding for metal bracelet.


Ref: BRV293-BLU-ST/SF