I am not able to be "neutral" about Lip. They are not as fancy as Audemars Piguet. They are not the official time keeper of the Olympics. And you will not (typically) get one ripped of your wrist at gunpoint unlike a certain brand bearing a crown on the dial...
With that said, I have made three trips to Besançon, France to learn as much as I can about the brand, and meet with the people there. And I am now a true devotee!
For many years Lip was simply a brand. It made watches, some relating to a rich and fascinating history. But for the most part, up until a few years ago, before they moved back to their original home in Besançon, they were going through the motions.
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Courtesy of Lip |
I've said it here before, and I'll say it again - the Berards, most specifically Pierre-Alain, have not only rescued Lip. They are beginning to move it even further forward than it was during its heyday. You can market just about anything in terms of watches. But it takes a special person to look to the past, and resurrect things with not only a nostalgic look back, but to do so with a true understanding of what the public wants.
The MINILIP was designed with a "younger demographic" in mind. It was meant to help children understand the time not only as hours, minutes, and seconds, but also to take into account AM and PM. With this new interpretation through quarter and half hours into the mix and you've got quite a time machine!
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Courtesy of Lip |
It is not a large watch, but a fun-sized 29 mm.
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Courtesy of Lip |
Best of all, it is very reasonably priced at €199.00!
And it is also available in a stainless case with white inner dial (above).Courtesy of Lip
Having spent this past weekend in New York at the two big shows and seeing more than my fill of divers, pilot's watches, and other "tough guy time machines", this renewed offering from Lip is just what I needed to remind me about why I enjoy writing about watches!
Un grand merci, Lip!
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