Keeping the Faith - Holthinrichs

After a year long winter that seems to have lasted a decade, we are slowly seeing a potential new spring cautiously peeking around the next corner, but for many it could still be a few months off. COVID has pretty much kicked the snot out of all of us.

The big dogs who were able to keep moving and (as far as I know) also managed to keep the majority of their teams employed are to be commended for their resilience. 

But what has been most impressive (to me) has been not merely the resilience, but the blossoming of a handful of small, and I'm going to use one of my most hated words here - artisanal brands. 

And this is now one of those times when my writing and watches that I personally own converge, this is now a: 

"Why I Bought It/My Opinion As Fact" piece -

Now I can only go by what I see on wrists of some of my erstwhile colleagues from the Fourth and Fifth Estate at BaselWorld (and again, it's been a minute), but I think it is safe to say that I tend to worship at a different church than most of them.

You may have noticed those large banner ads and "sponsored posts" here at Tempus Fugit... oh yeah! That's right, this is a self-funded venture! So to that end, I tend to spend my dollars pretty selectively. More to the point, true confession - I don't tend to buy watches other than the occasional Swatch these days. Don't get me wrong, I have a weakness for sneakers and fountain pens. But when it comes to watches I have gotten to a point where I truly am not all that interested in getting anything new, with a few possible exceptions. More to the point, I have sold or simply given away just about my entire personal collection. So it takes something special to get my attention.

Enter the Holthinrichs Raw Ornament "Henkitime" -

I have known Michiel Holthinrichs for a little while. He was a founding member of Roderich Hess's Wine and Time event at BaselWorld, and is a HYPE2019 alumnus. And it was during Basel 2019 that I became, well, somewhat obsessed with the idea of getting a Raw Ornament for myself. A plan was hatched - slow, steady monthly payments to the Holthinrich's account were even more slowly accumulated, a final version was agreed upon, and last week my erstwhile obsession became a wrist bound reality -

Now to understand why the Raw Ornament is the Shit That Killed Elvis (remember, this is my opinion as fact), it's important to understand "What Makes Henki Run". I have spent the better part of two decades living and working in Watch Town. While there are many beautiful watches made by exciting brands, I tend to gravitate away from the obvious.

I once went to a job interview where the second question asked was - 

"What is your favorite ice cream flavor?"  

For the record, it's pistachio. 

And if I think about so much of what is out there, on offer from the mighty to the small is either vanilla or chocolate. Or in some instances, a runny sicky-sweet version of rocky road. Or put another way, shock for shock value.

But what is special about what the folks at Holthinrichs are doing is borne out in the resulting watches. Watches are made one by one, and with the exception of the 3D printing machine, everything else is done by hand. Yes, they could simply send the case design to a case maker and simply bang out a bunch of them all at once. It would be faster and certainly cheaper, but that is not the watch that Michiel Holthinrichs and his team are interested in making. 

And odd though it sounds, you can feel that dedication when you put it on your wrist. Not just see it, but feel it.

There are plenty of nice watches out there. And I can't and won't attempt to speak for anyone but myself. But with so much choice out there, when you plump for something special, it ought to really be something special. The Raw Ornament is special (even without the custom "Henki" iconography). And the best thing about what Team Holthinrichs is doing? Yes they are making watches, but it is much more than that. A Holthinrichs watch is made with passion and integrity, and while it would have been easy to copy someone else's designs, they have stayed true to their vision. And as I said before, you don't just see it.  You feel it. And in all honesty?  That's why you should want it.

Made In America - The Witch City

The plain and simple truth is that at the moment, there are just a couple of fully, totally made in America watches.  And Vortic is one of them.
Now they do have a new release that you can read about at another outlet, but I thought I'd share mine with you today -

I had this one made back in 2017.  It is the Witch City -

It is based on a Waltham pocket watch. Wendy and I had moved to Salem, MA and owing to this a Waltham seemed like the most appropriate basis to build on.

It is good to know that some things are still made here, but moreover it is GREAT to know that history will continue to tick on and on thanks to Vortic.

Too Small To Fail - Holthinrichs Watches

Courtesy of Holthinrichs Watches 

From On The Road, written by that other great commentator on the watch business, 

Jack Kerouac -

I shambled after as I’ve been doing all my life
after people who interest me,
because the only people for me are the mad ones,
the ones who are mad to live,
mad to talk, mad to be saved,
desirous of everything at the same time,
the ones who never yawn or
say a commonplace thing,
but burn, burn, burn
like fabulous yellow Roman candles
exploding like spiders across the stars
and in the middle you see
the blue centerlight pop
and everybody goes "Awww!"

Courtesy of Holthinrichs

Life, as we are currently learning on an increasingly regular basis, is short.  Most of us labor along, do what we are told, punch the clock, until one day we wake up, and...

But what do I know?  To quote Will McAvoy from the Newsroom as played by Jeff Daniels -

"I'm just a middle-aged man that never lived up to his potential."

But there are people out there who have the sack to put down their bet.  Not on something that someone else is doing, they bet on themselves.  

Michiel Holthinrichs is one of those people.  A trained architect, with a secure job, he could have stayed the course, but he opted to go pursue a totally different professional path - watches.  

Courtesy of Holthinrichs

He could have ordered cases from a watch case manufacturer, but instead wanted to make his own.  And, as an architect, he wanted to have even more control, so rather than stamping cases, he turned to 3d printing.

Courtesy of Holthinrichs

Easy is just that.  This is something else.

Holthinrichs Watches -

Too Small To Fail.

What I'd Buy Myself - Part 2

In a continuing effort to cut through the Payola noise that feeds the marketing & pr gas factories providing heat for the watch business, in my "anti-buying guide" outline, the next piece I would probably buy myself would be this one -

Courtesy of Holthinrichs

Now, try to picture this with a green ostrich leather strap and green lume for the hour and minute hand, and you have something that has been haunting my dreams since BaselWorld this past March.

Now in fairness, Holthinrichs Watches are not inexpensive, and they are not for everyone.  And maybe that's the point?  It would be easy to simply order stamped cases and dials, but that is not the way Michiel Holthinrich's mind works.  And thank goodness for that ; )

Although this is not a holiday gift guide, if you would like more info. on Holthinrichs you can find it here -

HOLTHINRICHS

There Can Be Only One - The Dark Frank

From Montfort -

Courtesy of Montfort

One of - you guessed it, ONE!

Here are the pertinents -

LIMITED TO 1 PIECE

Case: 4 Piece Case In Hardened "Super Stainless Steel”

Size: 44 Mm

Water Resistance: 100m/330ft (10atm)

Crystal: Sapphire Crystal Glass (Top And Bottom) With Blue Anti-Reflective Coating

Dial: 3d Printed Stainless Steel Dial "Les Massifs"

Hands: Hour & Minute : Skeleton Rhodium Polished With ‘Cool Grey’ Luminova, Second: Red Pvd Coating

Movement: Swissmade Sellita Sw200 Automatic Movement In Black Galvanic Coating, Blued Screws, "Côtes De Genève" On Oscillating Mass And 26 Rubies

Coating: Deep Black Diamond-Like-Carbon (DlC) On Bezel

Strap: Rubber Strap – 22/20mm

What was Cool at BaselWeek - Holthinrichs

I have written previously about Michiel Holthinrichs and his growing brand.  It is a charming story that lends itself well to the idea of a truly "made by hand" watch.  Now it is important to note that while I just said "made by hand", the watches in many ways marry the best of two schools of thought - hand crafted / artisan (yes, I will from time to time use the "A" word), and modern technology through their use of 3D printing.

Apologies for the less-than perfect photo, but by now you've learned that unlike Playboy, you actually do read Tempus Fugit for the articles ; )

But I will "borrow" an image from the Holthinrichs Watches Facebook page to show the same layout, and the dynamic duo behind the brand -

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

With a new partner/colleague involved in the day to day of Holthinrichs, my suspicion is that they are on the verge of greatness, as the team is well-balanced and focused with equal parts old-timey craftsmanship and pragmatic business sense, my suggestion for the team at Holthinrichs Watches?  Get ready for greatness!

The Julius

From Montfort -

Courtesy of Montfort

This is the latest offering from Nyon based microbrand.  

As with every Montfort, it displays an intriguing dial that has been 3D printed.  But if you look closely, there is an added little twist -

Courtesy of Montfort

You will notice that the date wheel is exposed rather than placed under the dial.  You will also note that there is no date aperture/window and there is no additional hand to indicate the date as you would see in a "date pointer" watch.  But if you look closely, just above the 9 o'clock marker, there is a small white dot.  And you will then see that the date indicated is the 25th!  In speaking with the folks at Montfort, the goal was to create something that visually looks like a super-cool complication (which it does) but that does not actually add unwanted layers of cost to produce.  Which in turn ensures that the final price to the customer will be well within reason.

Courtesy of Montfort

As with the other models from Montfort, it utilizes Super Stainless Steel, enhancing the anti-scratch properties of the watch.

The Julius will be limited to 33 pieces and is currently available for pre-order for  SFr. 1,990.00 CHF, with an anticipated shipping date of September of this year.

Here are the pertinents -


CASE: 
4 PIECE CASE IN HARDENED "SUPER STAINLESS STEEL”
SIZE: 44 MM
WATER RESISTANCE: 100M/330FT (10ATM)
CRYSTAL: SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL GLASS (TOP AND BOTTOM) WITH BLUE ANTI-REFLECTIVE COATING
DIAL: BLACK 3D PRINTED STAINLESS STEEL DIAL "LES MASSIFS 2"
HANDS: HOUR & MINUTE : SKELETON RUTHENIUM MICROBEAD WITH ‘WHITE’ LUMINOVA, SECOND: GREY GALVANISED
MOVEMENT: SWISSMADE SELLITA SW200 AUTOMATIC MOVEMENT IN BLACK GALVANIC COATING, BLUED SCREWS, "CÔTES DE GENÈVE" ON OSCILLATING MASS AND 26 RUBIES
STRAP: Calf leather strap - Croc pattern 22/20MM

A Few Minutes with Michiel Holthinrichs

One of the true pleasures of writing about watches is meeting the people behind them.  A little over a year ago, I got to meet Michiel Holthinrichs, the creator of the truly beguiling Holthinrichs watches.  Like many people with innovative ideas - such as using 3D printing technology to "build a better mousetrap", Michiel came to the watch world from outside.  And perhaps that is why his vision was perhaps a little bit clearer and he was better able to see opportunities where others had not.

And now, a few minutes with Michiel Holthinrichs -

Courtesy of Holthinrichs

James Henderson -

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

Michiel Holthinrichs -

My first “real” watch was an Omega pocket watch from 1929. During the early years of my studies I became interested in style and classic clothing, and how beautifully (hand made) details can enhance your appearance and sense of quality.  I thought that the perfect accessory would be a classic pocket watch, with a nice chain decorating a tweed vest.  I ordered it through Ebay, and as soon as I received it, and opened the back, I fell in.. I think, love. By now, I can really say it completely changed my life, as it had a great impact on my later decisions, and the things I find important in life.  That particular watch, I will never sell.

JH -

Where did you grow up?

MH -

I grew up in an old farmhouse in a tiny village in the Dutch countryside.  My parents bought it just after I was born to have enough space for their way of life. 

Even today, the house is completely packed with the art my mother creates, car parts from the 1920s-1980s - related to my father’s profession, and old stuff my parents collect for their intrinsic beauty and quality.  Mostly old French furniture, lamps etc.

You can imagine these were quite abnormal surroundings, and as a child I wanted to break free from all that old stuff, to be more like my classmates.  Later I started to realize how valuable this was for my creativity, and my appreciation for things of quality and durability.

JH -

What did you want to be when you grew up when you were a "little boy"?

MH - 

As I child, I was always drawing. From the age of eight I wanted to become an architect, just like my grandfather, so directly after I finished high-school I went to study architecture in Delft, and then for awhile in Paris.

JH - 

You studied Architecture prior to your "current" life.  Did you ever practice as an architect?

MH -

Starting from my second year of my studies I came to work at an architectural firm as a side job.  I worked there every now and then until recently.  The firm is specialized in the restoration and redevelopment of early modern architecture, and I got to study and work on some very interesting buildings designed by famous Dutch architects from that era.  This refined my interest in details in design.  

Besides that job, three friends and I formed a design collective together to redevelop interesting architectural and industrial heritage.  We did a couple of projects, but then we started to all develop into other directions.  

JH -

You compare watch making and design quite a bit to architecture.  What are some of the parallels?  

MH -
What I find the most interesting in architecture is the power it can have on society.  I strongly believe that great design, which shows that attention is paid to the people actually using it, has a direct impact on the feeling and behavior of people.  Therefore, even the smallest detail has a tremendous impact on the whole, as it shows the actual level of attention and perfection.  However, I then became really disappointed in the architectural practice, as I learned that often it is not vision nor design ambitions, but money, and developers driven by money, who are actually calling the shots.

Then came the pocket watch. I discovered that watches are actually really about beauty, especially nowadays!  There has to be a perfect balance between design, craftsmanship and technology to make it a good and appealing object, something that can make you proud of owning it, and makes you feel good. This makes that watchmaking, or rather watch designing, has a lot in common with architecture, however in watchmaking, a designer does not have to make concessions, and really make what he or she believes in. In my case: the pursuit of finding my own definition of beauty.

JH -

What makes Holthinrichs watches special?
 

MH -

Attention to details, an honest story, and a product that is a true result of a real ambition to make good design.
Every part of the watch is developed by me, and I know all the involved producers personally, so that I can learn from them, and know how to make the best design for the specific techniques.  

Courtesy of Holthinrichs

The fact that it is intrinsically driven makes the product very personal, and that will attract specific customers, who I like to work for.

A search to find true beauty has a lot of frustrating obstacles and disappointments, but the good thing is that it is never ending. 

Courtesy of Holthenrichs

JH - 
What motivated you to utilize 3D printing?

MH -

This actually started during my studies.  4.5 years ago, I had a first design ready for production.  3D printing was really becoming a hype in my faculty. 

Courtesy of Holthenrichs

I wanted to have full control over the process, so I needed to find a producer nearby.  However, the numerous details on the design, and the low quantities that would be produced made it practically impossible to use conventional methods.  As 3D printing provides a lot of opportunities for design, it was the way to make the details I desired, and the best thing is that it permits production in low quantities or even unique pieces.

Courtesy of Holthenrichs

The 3D printed product has a course exterior surface, which I think can add to the design.  Where smooth surfaces are desired, handicraft work (like that of a goldsmith) is required. 

Courtesy of Holthenrichs

This results in beautiful contrasts, and in my opinion really adds to the already existing crafts in watchmaking.  I really do think that this can be “A new craft in watchmaking”. 

Courtesy of Holthenrichs

JH -

You have two current pieces in your collection (correct?), has one proven to be more popular?
 

MH -

Correct! I started with the Ornament 1 – Ruthenium. 

Courtesy of Holthenrichs

A watch with a dark dial, very distinctive and discrete, just what I think is very stylish. Soon after the launch I made a version with a silver dial to be a more classic counterpart. Together they are limited to 250 pieces.

Courtesy of Holthenrichs

As a tribute to Delft, the beautiful city where I studied and started the brand, I made the Delft Blue. A very limited model (10 pieces) with a handmade Delft Blue inspired dial, and a bespoke hand engraved movement. The engravings are done by befriended Dutch engravers, real good and nice craftsmen. Thereafter the movement is finished in my atelier. 

Although this piece is more exclusive in numbers, and in pricing, it proves to be popular. I think a client willing to buy a watch from a small brand, or directly from the maker, they really appreciate a unique product, showing the authenticity of the brand.

The next steps will show new case designs, and bespoke artistic dials, made by me in my atelier.

JH -

As an independent watch brand, what are some of the bigger challenges that you are facing?

MH -

Proving your right to exist. Exposing what you can make (and developing that), and prove to be worth it to be interesting.

Why would anyone be interested in my work.

The designer has to be very loyal to his beliefs, “vision” and intuition, making decisions based on that.  This sometimes can be really hard, as there is so much to learn.

For every independent starter some of the biggest challenges is to really stay put

JH -

Who is the "typical" Holthinrichs customer?  

MH -

This surely is the niche customer with good taste. Someone who looks behind the famous brands (sometimes he already owns those famous model) to find interesting small and creative companies and really special and original watches.

Some customers insist to have a numbered version, in case the brand may become famous. They believe I my work, and my brand. This of course gives me some great motivation!

Some of my customers do not buy my watches as an impulse purchase, take their time to get information about the brand, and the watches I make. Because they are very involved in the making of the watch, and the client can have direct contact with me, they often purchase it as a family heirloom piece, dedicated to a special event (a wedding for example), or a special remembrance. This makes working on the watches very special.

JH -

You've taken the (somewhat) bold decision to open your own shop/boutique.  How has that been received?

MH -

Jups! Well, bold…: it is just the thing I had to do! There was no choice, and I tent to listen to my intuition, as it points me in directions I really want to move intrinsically, and thereby giving me a lot of energy to go ahead.

I opened it to be able to have an proper atelier clients could visit, and to strengthen my website and online appearance. The impact is immense, locally but also international. Although I opened it very recently, I directly noticed the neighborhood embraces it very warmly (a watchmaker I your street, how interesting is that these days!?), and I can surely say I already have made some extra sales which I would not have done without.

JH - 

What is right with the watch business?

MH -

In the better segments, the innovation, creativity, the sense of beauty, and the appreciation for what has been beautifully made and durable.

JH -
What is wrong with the watch business?

MH -

The fact that it is very speculative: marketing is often telling fake stories, and prices are rising beyond reason.

JH -

Who else is making watches that interest you?

MH -

There are quite a few. Obviously I like the niche, and my focus in on design. Movements are really important, but when the overall is ugly, what is then the point?

To name some:
Grönefeld brothers: Bold (movement) design, great finishing and materials.

Lundis Blues: Great case design, and really loyal to their original concept, and their own capacities. Furthermore simplicity in variation with great style.

De Bethune: Gosh what great designs!
 

JH -

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

MH -

I would be building my own architectural firm. However, would that really be a real option?

JH -

What Advice do you have for the next Michiel Holthinrichs?
 

MH -

I really feel honored for being asked that question, and personally I am not sure jet if I am already in the position to answer this. However, I do think one should really listen to his heart, and do what it says. It will not always be the easiest thing to do, but would it make you happy? It sure does!

The Boston

From Vortic

Courtesy of Vortic

Seeing as Tempus Fugit is based here in Boston, this seemed like an appropriate watch to feature today.  This is part of Vortic's American Artisan series.

Fort those unfamiliar, Vortic offers a made in America watch by creating a titanium case via 3D printing technology to offer something that harnesses some leading edge US manufacturing technology.  But it is important to understand that while the team at Vortic is creating a somewhat "new fangled" watch case, the heart of the Vortic Boston is a restored vintage Waltham pocket watch movement.

Courtesy of Vortic

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source -

Watch Specs

• Manufacturer: Vortic Watch Company
• Product Year: 2017
• Warranty: Vortic 2-Year Revolving Warranty
• Watch Dimensions: 
  • Diameter = 46mm
  • Height = 12mm
  • Lug-to-Lug = 55mm
  • Lugs = 22mm
• Case Finish: Raw Titanium
• Crown/Hardware: Knurled Raw
• Crown Location: 3 O'Clock (Hunting)
• Water Resistance: 1 ATM
• Crystals: Anti-Fingerprint Gorilla Glass
• Case Back: Exhibition, Stainless Steel
• Hands: Original Blued Steel
• Strap: Leather

Movement Specs

• Original Manufacturer: Waltham Watch Company
• Jewels: 17j
• Size: 12s
• Function: Manual Wind
• Power Reserve: 36-42 Hours
• Finish: Nickel