The Snow Star

From Milus -

Courtesy of Milus

The third, and in many ways for some of us, most exciting piece in the initial three model family offering for Milus is the Snow Star.

As I previously mentioned, I got more than a jump on my colleagues in the 4th and 5th Estate as Milus was one of the brands participating at The HYPE during BaselWeek this past March.  

The former Sleeping Beauty was awoken from a rather unfortunate slumber a few years ago when the brand was purchased by none other than Luc Tissot.

It is available in the silver version (above) which is based on the original -

  

The red date is that extra something that really adds to the watch.
The only thing that I would change?  I would use an "inverted cyclops" date window for the crystal, as I think it adds a certain "what's it" to the watch overall.

It is also available in a very attractive black version -

Courtesy of Milus

The case is a very welcome 39 mm in diameter, and is of polished stainless steel.  A very traditionally laid out dial, hours minutes, seconds and date.  The movement is ETA's 2892A2  (TOP).

And the packaging is actually useful!

Courtesy of Milus

Priced (at least in my opinion) quite fairly at CHF 1,690, direct from Milus.

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 HYPE

So in the interest of full disclosure, I am one of the people behind the event you will read about below.

BaselWorld is nearly upon us once again.  And as I am sure you know, watch brands will not be restricted to Hall 1. 

This year, something rather unusual happened.  10 independent brands all agreed to work together and support each other in an open format that will be more accessible to journalists, potential retail partners and collectors.  To make this possible, these brands wanted a location that would invite curiosity and discovery, and they felt that there was no better place to do that than the lobby of the Hyperion.  What they wanted was a way to show their watches and connect with people without all of the noise, signage and HYPE found in a typical trade show environment.  What they wanted was something different - an opportunity to simply show their watches, to speak with journalists, collectors and retail partners honestly and openly without all of the noise.  A simple meeting where you can simply come and see the watches, and talk about them.

They didn't want a show, they wanted a collaborative space to share their creations, to meet with people one at a time, and to do it in a more stripped down environment.

It started out with the two brands that I represent - Minase and Sartory-Billard.  And then a few other brands heard about our idea, and they wanted a similar opportunity.  And The HYPE now involves 10 brands who will be working together during five days of BaselWeek - Thursday - Monday.

More details below -                                                                                                                                                                    

February 5, 2019

I wanted to take a moment to let you know about a special collaboration of small, independent and micro brands who will be hiding in plain sight at the Hyperion hotel during BaselWeek this year.

10 brands have come together to support each other and share their products with journalists, retailers, distributors and collectors in a less formal, more inviting atmosphere.  Come by the Hyperion (Formerly the Ramada) Hotel’s ground floor (in a secret location to be revealed in March) and experience the HYPE of BaselWeek 2019!

The following brands will be participating –

Minase                                              

Sartory-Billard                                  

Holthinrichs Watches                      

Lundis Bleus                                      

Straton                                               

Muse Swiss Art Watches                 

ISOfrane / Tropic                              

Vortic                                                 

GoS                                                     

Ophion                                              

The format is open and brands, their owners and representatives will be on hand to show their watches and share their opinions and insights. 

                               

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The Incredible Shrinking Fair

So news has filtered its way to the North Shore, and if the rather loud whispers are to be believed, it would seem that BaselWorld will be contracting once again.  Hall 2 will be closed and for all intents and purposes, the entire fair will all be in Hall 1 in 2019.

Now for many of us who had to race back and forth between Hall 1 and Hall 2 it meant often being late, and running a very real risk of contracting second-hand lung cancer as we passed through the wall of nervous sales reps and indolent influencers doing their level best to boost tobacco sales by 23% every BaselWeek.  For us, this is not such a bad piece of news.  And if I am being very honest (if unkind) the atmosphere and "decor" of Hall 2 was often more reminiscent of the Jackson, TN Greyhound bus station than of a luxury destination -

Courtesy of roadarch.com

Having gotten off the bus at 11:45 at night at this very station, I can tell you that, well... it's pretty depressing.  

When I worked for DOXA, Hall 2 (somewhat in the right armpit of the building) was where we were located.  The advantage was that the sausage stand was a mere 45 second walk away, the disadvantages?  Too many to count.  When you are in a shitty location, people are more likely to miss their appointments, and not make any effort to reach out for a "make up".  As a rule, nobody goes to Hall 2 unless they have a reason, because the sausage stand has moved across the street.  It just isn't sexy.

And for the fair organizers?  One less building means fewer security guards to pay, lower power bills, etc.  Logistically?  Smoother, easier to deal with.  

In terms of public perception?  Not so good.  Over the last few years we have seen the fair shrink from four halls, now down to one.  The number of attendees (journalists, fans, and retailers) has drastically reduced has well.  And more and more brands have been looking for "alternative" accommodations by renting out cafes, restaurants, shops, even houses rather than drop the cash on space in any of the halls.  And my suspicion is that the powers that be might try to "adjust" pricing to reflect the "exclusivity" of being in Hall 1.  So if you were a brand that was saving some pennies by being in Hall 2, you will be paying Hall 1 prices, or you will be looking for something different.  The question then becomes, will Hall 1 be able to accommodate everyone who wants space?  Or potentially more worrisome, will the potential uptick in price encourage some of the potential tenants to skip the whole thing altogether, leaving a look and feel like a dead shopping mall?

Courtesy of Architectural Afterlife

Let us hope that the new regime in charge of organizing this shin-dig will view it as an opportunity for rebirth and reinvention.  And more than anything else, let's hope they fill the halls and support the brands, the journalists and the retailers - because that will be the true measure of a successful BaselWorld fair.

 

Remembering Stuart Hubbard

Yesterday was a sad one for many of us who cover watches.  After nearly a year-long struggle, Stuart Hubbard passed away.

Stuart was a constant, friendly, enthusiastic soul who had a way of seeing the positive in just about anyone in the industry (which will continue to baffle me), and never had a bad word to say about anyone.

I personally felt an affinity for Stuart and his tireless efforts because like myself, Stuart had worked both sides of the BaselWorld halls as both a brand representative and as a media advertising salesman.
 
In a business built on guile, grift and moral flexibility, Stuart always managed to come across as if he had stumbled out of central casting to play the “rube” in the big city, waiting to have the big city sharps put the touch on him.  Needless to say, that was an easy miscalculation to make, and one that Stuart always proved wrong.  And in a time where magazines were churning through their sales teams, Stuart was steady and solid. Something I know that the advertising brands, and the magazine management found reassuring in turbulent times. 

He was unique in his earnest approach, and I sorely wish there were more folks like him in the industry.

You are already missed Stuart, we’ll be saving you a spot at the Ramada bar this BaselWeek.