Watches and Woes

When a mega watch fair becomes a shit-show.

Picture, Rod Hess

As has already been mentioned by the folks at Watch Pro: https://www.watchpro.com/surge-in-visitor-numbers-causes-frustration-at-watches-and-wonders/

So the simple question that should be asked is - if BaselWorld was a text book lesson in how to kill the biggest watch event by throttling the golden goose, why didn't the organizers of Watches and Wonders download that particular self-help book on their Audible account?

Long lines, insufficient hotel access, and unlike BaselWorld, most journalists were not offered a rose in the final Rose Ceremony that was run by the (sorry) dim-witted group making the accreditation decisions. Yeah, still a little bitter.

So the real question is this - can, and more importantly? WILL the organizers of Watches and Wonders listen to their better angels and pull their collective heads out of their backsides?

We shall see. 

Three New Offerings From Bell & Ross

Bell & Ross has come out with three new watches that were revealed recently at Watches & Wonders -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

A new bronze diver (above)
The BR 03-92 DIVER WHITE BRONZE
The movement is the BR-CAL 302. The case is of bronze and measures 42 mm in diameter. The water resistance is rated to 300 meters. Suggested retail is $4,700

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

The BR 05 Green Gold (above). Priced at $34,000 this is the latest member of the BR 05 family. The case measures 40 mm in diameter and is of gold (as is the bracelet). The movement is the 321.

And then perhaps my personal favorite -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

The BR 03-93 GMT BLUE! Cal 303 under the hood, the rotating bezel is divided into two segments and color coded to indicate day and night. The case is a reasonable 42 mm in diameter, and the GMT function is one that is cool but also useful. This particular model is a pre-order piece and will be delivering (I believe) in May of this year. It is priced at $4,200.

Who is Ginny Wright?

If I were a betting man? 

The next CEO of Audemars Piguet. 

Courtesy of NBC and the worldwide infoweb

To quote that other great commentator on the watch business, Flavor Flav, this is "Straight up on the Columbo Tip". As I was enjoying my post work bubble bath, and perusing the latest copy of Monocle (thanks again Mr. Brule), I came upon a rather curious piece on Ms. Wright. Ostensibly about leadership and blah, blah, blah. But this was a bit different. It was clear that this was definitely a coordinated effort to get her play in an international publication of record, and frankly, you can't do better than Monocle. The interview occupies two full pages, with a full page photo that I am assuming was styled by Monocle. The leather "parachute trousers" were an interesting choice, but what was more telling was the depth and breadth of the interview. I don't want to play spoiler, but the timing of this article hitting couldn't have been accidental. My suspicion is that some announcement is imminent, possibly the third or fourth day of Watches and Wonders. Swatch group had the Mission to Cash launch last year, this might be just the headline grabber for a certain "small" family brand. 

Monocle has a presence in Switzerland - Zurich if I am not mistaken. And again, the timing of this article and the prominence of its placing is a bit too much of a co-wink-ee-dink.

With that said, I could be wrong...

In fairness, despite tireless efforts to get so much as a press release from the great and good in  Le Brassus, just to simply get on the press release distribution list, they have treated me with the same disdain that might be meted out for an engorged tick suckling on their ankle. So suffice it to say, I have no inside track on info. here.

But if I am right, then the press accreditation czars at Watches and Wonders can SUCK IT!

Daring To Ask The Difficult Question

About Tudor's latest offering...

Courtesy of Tudor

In truth, I have not been to a Spring watch show in Switzerland since 2019. And if I am completely honest, I am not sure that I miss it all that much. Late nights, lumpy beds, and tight schedules, and grumpy brand managers sneering down their noses at you. I always had a set of mixed emotions when it came to Tudor. Very often, back in the BaselWorld days they would group all of the North American & sundry other English speaking journalists together in one "mini theatre". It was generally a smooth running program, and inevitably there would be one or two really nice surprises. The type of new releases that would excite we cranky, underfed, often volunteer journalists. I fondly remember when the first Black Bay 36 (non-diver) was released. A particularly enthusiastic Rolex/Tudor fan from Hong Kong literally shoved me out of the way to get to the sample pieces. Now apart from poor manners, that's passion!

Me personally? I have long been a fan of what might be referred to as Tudor's less-loved children. You may remember me from such blog posts as "Advisor, you can ring my bell!"

Courtesy of Tudor

Or "Tudor, you can plant your (North) Flag on my wrist ANY TIME!"

And I say this as a true fan of these (in hindsight) slightly misfit toys. But something about this new iteration of the "GMT Master II-Electric-Boogaloo / Black Bay GMT" leaves me a bit cold.

Courtesy of Tudor

If I am very honest, this reminds me of that time at the turn of the century when Coca-Cola took a quite liberal stance on their "Everything's Better With Coke" slogan with the Coke "Freestyle" machine -

shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

From one machine, a gazillion options. I Cherry Coke, Lemon Coke, Lime Coke, Peppermint Coke... okay, I made that last one up, but you get the idea ; )

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

And it begs the question, just how many iterations can you truly squeeze from one dive watch? And do you really, truly want to try and find out? One glance at the relentless regurgitation that is the DOXA SUB collection should sufficiently answer that question.

As mentioned, I truly admire Tudor and have recently purchased one for myself. But needless to say, I am not feeling any buyers remorse based on this latest offering. I realize that I may well be one of the few dissenting voices on this latest offering, but I wonder if maybe Tudor could take a page from their own marketing materials and "be born to dare" to offer us something a little more adventurous, a little more daring. See what I did there?

But fear not! Watches and Wondering will be back the same time next year, so we'll see what Tudor might have in store for us. 

A Curious Choice - The Maradona Unique Piece

By Christophe Claret -

Courtesy of Christophe Claret

While it was over 35 years ago, Diego Maradona's "Creator Assisted" first goal against England in the 86 World Cup remains one of the most polarizing moments in sport. Love him or hate him, and leaving out this first goal, the second where he left every single England defender for dead is perhaps the greatest goal in World Cup history.

But we come to praise Caesar, not to bury him.

The watch itself, a unique is a wonderful example of miniature painting, by André Martinez. The case is of titanium, and the mechanism is a Westminster flying tourbillon minute repeater provided with a 4 jacquemart automatons. 

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source -

Technical specifications
Movement
Movement Caliber: NBC98, mechanical, 

hand-wound movement
Diameter: 37.00 mm Height: 9.03 mm 

(without hands)
Components: 511 Jewels: 36
Barrel: Single mainspring barrel
Power reserve: Approximately 60 hours
Escapement: Swiss lever 3 Hz frequency (21’600 vph) flying tourbillon with cage bridge decorated with the world cup Tourbillon rotates once every 60 seconds
Functions: Hours, minutes Hours, quarters and minutes repeater on demand Inertia wheel 4-note minute repeater playing Westminster chime 4-jacquemart automata animated when ringing slide to activate the minute repeater function 2-position crown - Drawn: time setting, Thrust: winding the movement

This Is Not A Watch Review - The Earl

From E. Stohlman -

I will be spending the next week with Eugene Stohlman's new release - the Earl. This version is referred to as the "chocolate" version ; )

More deliciousness to follow, stay tuned! 

The Black Sparrow

From Reservoir -

Courtesy of Reservoir

This is a new offering from the folks at Reservoir. Available in three different versions: Sand & Steel (Above) Black & Black and Black & Steel (below)

Courtesy of Reservoir

Courtesy of Reservoir

This will be delivering around July / August.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

CASE 

- 42mm, 316L Stainless Steel Case with Satin finish (or Black PVD 316L Stainless Steel Case with Brushed Finish)

- NEW case inspired from cockpit measurement instruments, fixed with screws and bolts

- Black (or Sand) Dial

- Cathedral Hands With RESERVOIR Logo, Art Nouveau-inspired luminescent numerals (Superluminova)

 - Onion Screw-down Crown, Water-resistant 5ATM

- Anti-reflective Sapphire Crystal

- Opened Case-Back at 360°

MOVEMENT

- Retrograde Minute, Jumping Hour

- Calibre RSV-240: Manufacture Self-winding Mechanical Movement, Patented proprietary 113-pieces module (LJP G100 base)

- 56-Hour Power Reserve

- 28,800 alt./h

- Swiss Made

STRAP

- Black (or Brown Barénia) Leather Strap with White Stitching, 20 mm Width, Steel Pin Buckle

- Additional Leather NATO strap provided with quick release spring bars for easy changing of strap

BOX

- Prestigious Wooden Box

PRICE

- 3'800 €TTC, 3'300 £ incl taxes, 3'800 $ w/o taxes MSRP, 3'800 CHF incl taxes

AVAILABILITY

- Available to order online and through a prestigious network of 80+ high-end stores and specialist retailers in 20+ countries.

- Delivery in Q3 2023

Hiding In Plain Sight

In an interesting twist of fate (which some of us saw coming a mile (1.60934 kilometer) away, the majority of brands that participated in the inaugural Time to Watches (still the worst named watch fair out there) are opting to display their wares elsewhere this year. While there are more brands set to participate than in 2022, it has for the most part been a reshuffling of the deck.

Courtesy of the Luxury Editor

Curious to relate, several of those previous participants have decamped and will set up shop in local hotels. This is nothing new, but it does mark an inflection point. While BaselWorld was never a bargain, it was accessible to enough brands (even in the finale that was 2019) that it could draw enough people to make it interesting. What these break away brands are realizing is that the current iteration of fairs in Geneva is for 2 categories:

The Ultra Rich - Watches & Wonders 

Despite what the silver tongued Watches & Wonders marketing team would have you believe, the only real barrier to a brand participating is a sufficient amount of money finding its way into the Watches & Wonders coffers. And if the Watches & Wonders marketing team is reading this - stop sharing my contact information. If I don't rate a press credential, just how valuable could my press address be to the high and mighty that you are courting? Clearly somebody is selling a nickel for a dime ; )

The Aspiring - Time to Watches

What's in a name? God only knows with this one, but it is curious to relate that most brands that were participating last year have opted for a DYI approach, while not at the Holiday Inn, definitely more affordable than the HEAD.  While I have heard more than one person state:

"But this is a prestigious and important university!"

I can only point out that if that were an important criteria, then you would see the New York City watch fairs set-up shop at a little school in Providence, Rhode Island -

"Watch Time and Wind-Up are proud to announce our 2023 shows will be hosted by Brown University!"

As someone who has organized more than my share of "underground" watch shows, I offer my strong encouragement to 2023's DIY watch shows! For the small and emerging brands, the watch fairs are offering little more than an opportunity to spend tens of thousands of dollars and be on your feet for 8 - 10 hours a day for a minimum of 5 days to hopefully see 10 to 15 REAL customers. It is a deeply flawed model. 

So rather than spend your time trying to get to HEAD, or bribe your way into Watches and Wonders, if you are a retailer or journalist, break out your sneakers and comfortable clothes and prepare for a pleasant walking tour around Geneva's triangle where you can see actual watches and meet actual people who actually care about what they are doing in the watch business. Rather than an exorbitant entry fee that won't even include a cup of water, you can sit with a brand owner and enjoy a cup of coffee in porcelain cup!

Long live the rebellion!

Watches and Still Wondering - 2023

As the big week approaches, the reality becomes ever starker. This appears to be a fairly unique year for the Prom King / Prom Queen vote that is the experience of trying to get a press credential at Watches and Wonders.

In the past, there was BaselWorld. And in fairness, although it was challenging to get hotel rooms and you paid outlandish prices for basic meals, you could still hope to get a press accreditation. SIHH, although snottier than a frequently used Kleenex tissue during cold & flu season, could justify it because it was (for all intents and purposes) just the Richemont group with assorted "chums". But when the rats finally fled the sinking ship that was BaselWorld, it left a vacuum not unlike when an authoritarian regime is deposed - another authoritarian group filled the gap. So let's ask a few uncomfortable questions:

1. If the purpose of having a press-friendly event is to have actual press attend and cover said event, why would you eviscerate your press accreditation list?

2. If the answer to that question is that "we simply don't have the space", why are you then increasing the number of press invitations that you are giving to certain outlets? Rather than 2, some outlets have as many as 5.

3. If you are not including 80% of the press in the beauty pageant - i.e. they will not be receiving a press accreditation even WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER (global warming is real), why are you gathering the contact information for that same group of disenfranchised journalists and packaging it for your client brands as part of their service fees? Apparently some of us are not good enough to visit the booth, but we are, apparently, valuable media contacts. It's a little sleazy.

Here's the thing - Watches and Wonders has the right to make a fair any way that they want. But don't tell me that Watches and Wonders is inclusive (or even important) when so many people are excluded from attending. And where that used to be a smaller group, several long-term attendees got snubbed this year. So it seems that relationships are not quite as eternal as a Cartier watch ; )

The other shows will continue to get passive aggressive / aggressive-aggressive treatment from the city of Geneva (which is indirectly the firm hand of Richemont, LVMH and the other Gang of 4 up their backside like a Howdy-Doody puppet). And the beat goes on.

So as always, spring brings eternal hope. But as anyone who grew up in the midwest will attest, the thawing of snow reveals the forgotten mess that the dog left in the backyard just before Thanksgiving ; )

Enjoy your watches - and support a free watch press!

A Few Minutes With Eric Wind

There was a time, gentle reader, when buying vintage watches carried more than a bit of risk. I am not referring to fakes in the traditional Canal Street vein. What makes vintage watches desirable is not only the provenance (although that is certainly important), but also the stories (both known and untold) that the scuffs, dings, and patina tell about not only the watch but those who wore it. But with age comes maintenance, and maintenance sometimes means that an original part might not be available, or put more plainly, it often is more expeditious to use a "secondary market" solution. 

So in these increasingly uncertain times, it is great to know that there is at least one guy out there making sure that you not only get the vintage watch you want, but that it comes to you as advertised.  Ladies and Gentlemen, a few minutes with Eric Wind -

Courtesy of Eric Wind

Henki Time -

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

Courtesy of YoJoe.com

Eric Wind - My first watch was a G.I. Joe digital watch with a compass embedded in the green rubber strap. I loved it! My first mechanical watch was a Hamilton Neil my mom gave me in 2008 after my grandfather passed. It was a gift from my grandmother to my grandfather for their wedding in 1947 and my grandfather wore it daily his whole life. It opened up my passion for vintage watches!

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

EW - I was also interested in politics and public service, so I was interested in running for office at some point in my life.


HT - You attended Georgetown as an undergraduate and then Oxford for an MBA - not necessarily a mainstream path! What did you study at Georgetown? And why Oxford for an MBA?

EW - I studied International Politics in Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and business in the MBA program at the University of Oxford. I was always interested in studying at Oxford and I thought I would benefit from learning more about business. I loved the idea of studying business with an international cohort of students and I liked that it was a one-year program so I could return to working after a year.


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

EW - My grandfather's Hamilton Neil was given to me around the time I stumbled on HODINKEE back in 2008. HODINKEE was initially almost exclusively about vintage watches and reading about all these iconic vintage watches, from the "James Bond" Submariner to the "Steve McQueen" Monaco made me extremely interested.

HT - You then found yourself in the world of watch auctions, how did that come about?

Courtesy of Eric Wind / Wind Vintage

EW - I made a name for myself writing for HODINKEE and was recruited to Christie's by John Reardon. I joined Christie's in 2015 as Vice President, Senior Specialist of Watches and it was a whirlwind after that!

Courtesy of the Harry Truman Presidential Library

HT - You are well known as one of the top authorities on the Vulcain Cricket. What is it about this somewhat peculiar watch that attracted you?

EW - A Vulcain Cricket was one of the first vintage watches I purchased and I still have that one! Crickets have woken me up countless times. I love the history of the development of the Cricket as well as the aesthetics. I also love their presidential history.


HT - What is your take on "re-editions" / "homage" pieces? (i.e. DOXA SUB re-editions, Vulcain Cricket re-editions, etc.)

EW - I prefer the originals as a general rule!

HT - Your reputation is for not only being extremely well informed on all things vintage, but being the one person out there who can (to paraphrase the G man in Raiders of the Lost Arc) "obtain the unobtainable".  What attracts you to vintage?

EW - I prefer vintage watches to modern watches for collecting because they are all unique in terms of how they look now, the patina that many develop, and the more handmade nature of these watches compared to their modern counterparts.


HT - When you're not researching and locating rare and amazing watches, what do you like to do for fun?

EW - I love to play with my kids, whether it is dressup with my girls Adelina and Gemma or golf, soccer or basketball with my son Charlie!

HT - Of all the watches that have come and gone in your personal collection, what is the one that "got away"?

EW - Fortunately, I don't have too many regrets about watches I should not have sold! And there is always another watch just a FedEx box away around here, so there is always something new to see each day.

HT - If you weren't doing this, what would you be doing?

EW - Hard to say - I can't imagine doing anything else at this point!


HT - What advice do you have for the next Eric Wind out there?

EW - Keep learning some new things each day!

Repeat - The Trolley Problem

This originally ran (I think) in 2019 or so. With the spring shows gearing up, it seemed like a good time to reheat this one. 

So once again, The Trolley Problem - 

So I had an interesting phone call with a brand owner this morning.  He first thanked me (I think sincerely) for the recent post about the pervasiveness of payola in the watch media.  He then asked (I also think sincerely) "Do you enjoy making enemies?"

Well, I don't expect my phone to ring with the COO of Outlet X begging me to join up anytime soon, so in for a penny - in for a pound.  Here gentle reader, is a repeat on one of my favorites -

The Trolley Problem

The Trolley Problem - As it applies to watch journalism.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

It would seem that the words watch and journalist are becoming more and more incompatible in the same sentence.  Brands work feverishly to sanitize who will receive their release and then monitor closely to watch the "Barium Meal" that is the press release that they sent out to see which "news" outlets will clap and bark like seals, and which ones will experience gastro-intestinal distress. For the watch journos out there who are members of the "clean plate" club and can swallow it all down and reveal the picture of Mickey Mouse etched across the top of their dish? They get a gold star, guaranteed access, paid travel and gifts of various description and best of all?  Advertising revenue!  For those that spend the time after disseminating a particularly foul smelling press missive with a visit from "Cardinal Chunder"?  

Courtesy of the BBC

Well, let's just say they will not find themselves on this year's Christmas list.

But let's get back to the topic at hand - the Trolley Problem.  The trolley problem is (at this point) an age old conundrum conceived to help inform and instruct on moral and/or ethical behavior.  If Wikipedia is anything to go by, it might have first been utilized by Frank Chapman Sharp at the University of Wisconsin to help instruct on moral or ethical thought.  Essentially, imagine that there is a runaway trolley (or streetcar, or tram if you are more familiar, or even a train).  Further down the line there are five people, very much alive, but immobilized and unable to move, and are directly in the path of the trolley, streetcar, tram, or what the hell, even a train... well you get the idea. BUT WAIT! Hallelujah! There is a switch lever, and you are standing right by it! Hooray! You can save the day!  

But wait -

If you choose to divert the trolley, tram, street car, train (you get the idea) to this other line, it will then head down the track and run right over your infant son who you left in his stroller on what you believed to be a disused stretch of track while you went to grab a six pack at the off-license.  Yes, this is why your partner does not trust you alone with the kids ; )

So now you have a real dilemma - do you act, and by acting sacrifice your son for the greater good of the 5 strangers?  Or do you do nothing?  I mean, it's not like you put those five people there on the tracks in the first place, you just wanted to get some beers.

In the "normal" world, and I use the word normal cautiously because we are living in very abnormal times, but in the normal world, if you report on fact, or offer opinion (not slander, defamation, or falsehoods) but fair and balanced opinion, you should not be afraid to do so.  But we are not living in normal times.  And curious to relate?  The watch and luxury business has been trying to run a somewhat authoritarian press bureau for some time.  Step out of line, you are left in the cold.  And in all fairness, there are a fair number of people out there trying to make a living, and not necessarily willing to throw that switch lever and watch their child (or in this case, their media outlet) get mowed down.

Recently with the triumph in court of Vortic, there was a real opportunity for several owners of large press outlets to do the right thing and actually speak up. These are outlets with deep staffs, and a fairly secure revenue stream (at least by comparison to others), with truly large readerships. They all chose to remain silent publicly.  And this is a shame. Because in trying to stay on the "good list", they collectively took a shit on a very deserving, very sincere brand that has struggled nobly forward for many years, and frankly? Deserved a hell of a lot better than what they got. And what I find so frustrating in all of this is that I KNOW these media outlet owners. They were once in the very same spot as the brand owner. They were not always so "mighty", and I have shared more than one dreadful lunch at BaselWorld with several of them over plates of over-aged open faced liverwurst sandwiches and tap water trying to conceive of an alliance of our then much smaller blogs and outlets to come together so that we all might make some money.  
Editors note - the alliance never really fully materialized.  2 of the outlets became big time, one of the bloggers now runs a magazine, I chose to remain a solo act.

And on one level I get it - we all have to eat, we all have bills to pay, and fortunately for me, I am not dependent upon Tempus Fugit, and therefore not dependent on brands writing me checks.

But on the other hand, whether we all admit it or not, nobody needs watches. More particularly?
Nobody really needs watch magazines or blogs. We like them, we enjoy them. But the outlets should also all be willing to offer honest opinions without fear of losing advertising revenue.

Because ultimately? The watch press should be much more than simply an extension of a brand's pr and marketing office. Because when the line is as blurred as it currently is? It is no longer actual reporting. It is just candy floss.

The Kanister 316

From Reservoir -

Courtesy of Reservoir

This is the latest iteration of the Kanister from Reservoir.  It features what is billed as the new caliber rsv-240, which if my assumption is correct is based on the LJP-G100 from Manufacture la Joux-Perret in La Chaux-de-Fonds. It is priced at $4,600 US.

Here are the pertinents -

Case:

– 41,5 mm, 316L stainless steel case with brushed finish
– Black Dial
– Screw-down Crown, Water-resistant 5ATM
– Opened Case-Back at 360°
– Anti-reflective Sapphire Crystal

Movement:

– Retrograde Minute, Jumping Hour, Power Reserve
– Caliber RSV-240 : Manufacture Self-winding Mechanical Movement, Patented proprietary 113-pieces module (LJP G100 base)
– 56-Hour Power Reserve
– 28,800 alt./h
– Swiss Made

Strap:

– Stainless steel strap, 20 mm Width
– Stainless Steel Butterfly Folding Clasp
– Additional Black Leather strap, Black Stitching, 20 mm Width

The Bamford B80 Part the First - Adventure

Bamford London has just released an intriguing new collection. It offers up three different interpretations, and the first up here at Henki Time is the Adventure collection -

Courtesy of Bamford London

                    The B80 Adventure Green

Courtesy of Bamford London

       B80 Adventure Brown

Courtesy of Bamford London

                            

                                 The B80 Adventure Orange

The B80 is crafted of titanium, and measures 39 mm in diameter. The movement is the SW300-1 from Sellita. It is available direct from Bamford for £1,041.67

Here are the pertinents -

MODEL:

Bamford 80
TYPE:

Automatic Watch
MOVEMENT: 

Sellita SW300-1, 25 Jewels, 28,800 Vph, 56 hour power reserve
FUNCTION:

Self winding mechanism. Time only
CASE MATERIAL: 

Titanium. Sapphire Crystal with antiglare/span>
CASE DIAMETER:

39mm
CASE THICKNESS:

10.5mm
CASEBACK MATERIAL:

Titanium
WATER-RESISTANCE:

100m / 10 ATM
LUG WIDTH:

20mm

In Case You Missed It - The GEO.GRAHAM Tourbillon Orrery

This is not a "hot drop" in the traditional sense. It is not new, it has been around for awhile. But the interesting thing for 3 lucky collectors out there, is that there are still a few available!

Courtesy of Graham

Known as "Honest George Graham" by fellow watch makers, George Graham was an unlikely hero in the quest for longitude, or more specifically the ability to determine true longitude at sea. John Harrison was provided an introduction to Mr. Graham, who in turn became an advisor to him. Honest George provided Mr. Harrison with interest free loan to begin work on his marine chronometers, and introduced I'm to the Board of Longitude.

Courtesy of Graham

When taking George Graham's horological exploits into account, there really couldn't be a more fitting tribute than the GEO. GRAHAM Tourbillon Orrery. A modern tribute to George Graham's original Orrery - a clock-bound mechanical solar system that was presented to the 4th Earl of Orrery, Charles Boyle in 1713.

Courtesy of Graham

Per Graham -

The Orrery's display includes the Moon, Earth, Mars, and the Sun based on a 300-year calendar. The Sun is represented by a pink gold (18K) hand-engraved Tourbillon bridge with 2 Phoenix heads which celebrate the decoration used by George Graham. The year counter on the case back enables correction for the planets (Moon: 7 years, Earth: 1156 years, Mars: 25 years).

The case is of gold, and measures 48mm x 17.60mm. The movement is noted as caliber G1800. It is manual winding with a 72 hour power reserve. It was created in cooperation with Christophe Claret.

Courtesy of Graham

English Is A Curious Language - A Sociolinguistic Primer

Available today in Tokyo, Zurich, London,Milan, but curiously not anywhere in Kentucky!

Courtesy of Swatch / Omega

I realize we are talking about different languages and different cultures, but when I read the Omega/Swatch teaser I pictured a prohibition era moonshiner -

I am fairly certain this guy will not be replacing Cindy Crawford or George Clooney as a friend of the brand any time soon.

But with that said, given the hyperbolic nature of the first Mission Swatches, and the teaser for this new model, I was a bit underwhelmed when I saw it.

Etymological Spoiler Alert:

No, apparently Omega did not come up with the Moonshine name based on the prescribed base ingredient for the preferred aperitif of Ivy Leaguers - You can keep your Negronis, I'll have a snifter of the Jungle Juice, my good man!  

Not that I would really know anything about it, I went to a land grant university, but I digress.... 

The Moonshine in Omega's Moonshine Gold is not  the concoction of a tax averse denizen of Appalachia. It is the name given to the gold used to paint the hand. It is apparently composed of recycled gold that is sourced from a refinery within the Swatch Group. So props on the eco-friendly touch. The extent of this is limited to (or focused on, depending on your point of view) the main chronograph second hand. 

All naming conventions aside, as far as releases go, this one was a bit of a squib. While we are not as "chummy" as we once were, I have a lot of respect for Robert-Jan Broer's Speedy Tuesday programming, and I think that this would be not only a logical, but wildly popular next "mission" Omega/Swatch mash-up. It seems a bit of a missed opportunity. There was momentum, there was interest, but an EVEN MORE exclusionary (not exclusive) Mission Swatch just leaves an even more bitter taste in the mouths of the faithful, and no amount of Everclear is going to wash that out -

Courtesy of Wikipedia

A March Repeat - Fathers, Sons, And All That Comes With It

I originally put this out there in September of 2021. It had been a very positive trip to Switzerland with some gains in terms of consulting clients and a very positive outcome with one in particular. It was one of those turning points, and I did the one thing I swore I would never do - I paid "full-pop" for a watch at Hour Passion in the duty free area of Zurich airport. In hindsight, it would be easy to say that it was the free-flowing prosecco in the Swiss business lounge. But the truth was that I had just experienced a pretty major life achievement, the type of thing that I would have (in earlier, and better times) called my father to speak about. I think we all have those instances in our lives, when we have to be reminded that what was once, is no longer as it was. But it also reminds us of the importance of remembering and treasuring that which was good.

And as I get ready to embrace another significant moment (fear not, a very positive one), I thought I'd open up the tupperware and reheat this one. So gentle reader, a few notes on Fathers, sons, and all that comes with it -

If there were a Facebook section for father-son relationships, my status would read:

"It's Complicated..."

I made my debut in Zanesville, Ohio back in the summer of 1968. The day before I dropped, my grandfather presented my anxious soon-to-be father with this -

I had it for a good while, and then I passed it on to my niece who now has a son of her own.

While I don't regret passing it on, I would be less than forthright if I didn't admit to a pang of loss. And in truth, not for the object itself, but rather what that Mido represented.  When I think about my relationship with my father, it is in many ways a play in three acts. The first act would be happiness, growing up in a small town. The second act would be struggle and frustration as we tried (often unsuccessfully) to maintain a positive relationship after he remarried. The third would be acceptance, as we grew further apart in terms of geographic distance, but reconnected now and again and tried to focus on the positive memories that we shared. 

In truth, this type of evolving relationship is not unique, we all go through it in our own way with our families and relationships. And to some extent, I always connected that first, "happy" period with his/then my/now my niece's Mido. I tried to recapture the feeling with other vintage Midos, but it was really never the same. It almost felt as if I was trying to channel my memories through someone else's horological talisman.

I recently found myself face to face with a relative of my father's Mido, and decided it was finally time to buy one for myself. I waffled back and forth for a minute, and finally made my move.

Now to be completely clear:

No. This new Mido did not make me more handsome, did not make me any smarter, food does not magically taste better, and I am not suddenly capable of tremendous feats of strength or daring-do.

But there is something that this new Mido did do, almost instantaneously - it hit me with a visceral sucker punch that I really wasn't expecting. I felt (and feel) a strange familiar calmness that takes me back to 1977 in that small Ohio town. My sisters and I are under the giant oak tree in the Pierce's side yard, we're playing jailbreak, and Dean Mason is "it", and he is the fastest runner any of us have ever seen so we have to be quick, sneaky, or simply cheat if we're not going to get tagged out ; ). And it finally gets so dark that we have to go inside, and my father is there in the living room, watching another hopelessly cursed Cleveland Indians team end the season in the same morass and ineptitude that have come to be a hallmark for the big city to the north. He comes up to my room to say goodnight. We talk about what we did that day - which really means that I tell him about my day, the ups and downs. And he smiles, gives me a hug and says "don't worry, things will look a lot brighter in the morning!" And with that he turns out the light in my room and heads to bed.

I thought it might be appropriate to wrap this up with a quote from that other great commentator on watches, the poet philosopher - Master Po from TV's Kung Fu:

Shamelessly borrowed from the worldwide infoweb

Caine: Is it good to seek the past, Master Po? Does it not rob the present?

Master Po: If a man dwells on the past, then he robs the present. But if a man ignores the past, he may rob the future. The seeds of our destiny are nurtured by the roots of our past.

Enjoy your watches - and give your dad a call!