The Transfer Window Opens...

At Bremont -

Courtesy of Bremont

News reached the North Shore offices of Henki Time today (albeit via nontraditional channels) that Bremont, the brand that takes as much pains to establish their English bona-fides as Madonna pre Guy Ritchie split (I believe a commemorative coin of the Royal Coronation is included with the purchase of any new Bremont, but don't quote me on that) have announced their new CEO, semi-fresh off of a brief stint at the rehydrated HYT - Davide Cerrato.

And gentle readers, I feel it safe to say that this one was a wee bit of a head-scratcher. Here is what Bremont put out on its Facebook account:

We are delighted to announce that today, Bremont has appointed industry veteran Davide Cerrato as CEO and a member of the Board.
Bolstering Bremont’s in-house capabilities, Cerrato brings with him extensive experience in branding, product design and development, supply-chain management, and production. Cerrato has a proven track record, having worked with some of the most notable brands in the watch industry including Tudor, Montblanc and Panerai.

“I am incredibly excited to be joining Bremont. I have long admired what Nick and Giles have managed to achieve in a relatively short space of time. The brand has been on an amazing journey and I’m looking forward to working with the entire team to take it to the next level.” - Davide Cerrato.

And this all sounds quite lovely! But in fairness, there is more than a bit to unpack from this Gladstone bag. For most of us who write about this stuff, we did not come across Mr. Cerrato until the launch of the Tudor Black Bay about 10 years ago. And while the Black Bay was a big hit, it also has served to underscore the importance of thinking beyond the next year. I personally own a Black Bay x Rowing Blazers, but I also know from the number of Black Bay watches rolling in and out of pre-owned shops that this was a bit of a one-trick pony that while not having jumped the shark, has probably overplayed its hand. 

A move to Montblanc. And then rebirth at HYT of all places where, if we are being honest, was likely not an entirely satisfactory engagement for all involved.

With what London School of Economics trained economists would refer to as a "shit-ton" of cash, Bremont is set to do some big things. So we wish Mr. Cerrato God's Speed.