Just Under The Radar - the Méraud Antigua

Having sat out most of the last year, I hope that I can be forgiven for missing a few shots across the bow in terms of new releases. This one is from a small and "newish" brand based in Ghent,Belgium. This is the Antigua, from Méraud.

Courtesy of Méraud 

And while Belgium is a small country, it has provided the world at large with quite a lot -

Tintin and Snowy © Hergé 

Perhaps the most famous reporter never to win a Pulitzer, Tintin.

A former volunteer nurse and struggling chorus girl.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

And newspaper delivery boy who many feared had missed his true calling.

But back to the Antigua -

Courtesy of Méraud 

In a world of countless black-dialed micro brand dive watches, this is a bit special.

Limited to 100 pieces, this chronograph measures 40 mm in diameter and houses what Méraud describes as a "restored" Landeron 248 under the hood. Now I am (despite my cynical nature) a romantic. Having owned a few "modern" watches with restored Landeron movements, I can say that there may be the potential for occasional quirks. In my case it was a hesitation in the main chronograph hand. But in fairness, that could happen with a brand new Valjoux. More to the point, if the descriptions are anything to go on, Méraud has been working on this release for some time, so with luck it should be a winner.

The Méraud Antigua weighs in at a reasonable $1,922.00 (US$). This is a pre-order item, so you 

will need to be patient as delivery is projected for 

September.

The Méraud Antigua will be available in two flavors:

Courtesy of Méraud

"Soft Sand"

Courtesy of Méraud

"Miho Black"

For more information and ordering details, visit Méraud's website -

meraud watches

Worth It! The Spitfire

From Gavox -

Courtesy of Gavox

So let's be clear - I am not now, nor do I ever foresee myself desiring to be a pilot. Having said that, there is something so fundamentally right and logical about pilot's watches. Clearly laid out, extremely legible, and accurate. Well, that's what it's supposed to be, but all too often this is not the reality. All too often, brands feel they need to dress up the dial as it it were an F1 race car. Not so with the Spifire.  The dial is elegantly simple. The time is easily read, and owing to the quartz movement, it is going to be bang on time. Which is sort of the main reason why you wear a watch, right?

The Spitfire's case is of stainless steel and measures 36 mm in diameter. And isn't refreshing to have a smaller sized watch? Odd though it may be for some, less is often more and in this case that is absolutely true.

And last but not least?  The price - just north of $200 US!

Here are the pertinents -

Smallest unit displayed 1 Hz

Calibre Seiko Instruments VD75

Autonomy (+/-3 years)

Accuracy (minutes per year) 4

Measurements Ø 36.0 x 41.5 x 7.9 mm

Water-resistance 3 bar (50 m / 199 ft, static)

Time base Quartz Oscillator

Limited Warranty 24 months

Measure between horns (lugs) 18 mm

Sapphire crystal (AL2O3)

Anti-magnetism 1,600 A/m

A New Voice at Tempus Fugit

This year marks ten years (in July) for Tempus Fugit.  And truthfully?  Ten years is really more than enough to listen to just one point of view.  And owing to this, I am particularly pleased to announce that you will soon also find the insightful opinion of another industry veteran - Francis Jacquerye.

Francis comes from Belgium, the other chocolate "making" country, and broke into the watch industry after contacting several companies with a design and being hired on the spot by the Sector Group. He worked on a dozen fashion licenses in Italy before completing a lengthy recruitment process with Longines in Switzerland, where he was promoted to Head of Design within 4 years.

Before opening his own agency and giving a little push to friends who were launching Tsikolia, Gavox and Gorilla watches, Francis released limited editions under the brands Techné and Tärnan. He relocated with his family to southern Sweden in 2015 to help put together and launch Kronaby.  He also was working to personally relaunch Siduna. When Kronaby filed for bankruptcy in Spring of 2019, he helped the Festina Group to preserve a dozen jobs from the software division.

Having been on both sides of the curtain as a watch collector and an industry professional, Francis has been trying to foster a honest dialogue between brands and consumers, but he is not afraid of calling his peers when they are bluffing. Before the rise of social media he curated WatchProjects.com to try and give visibility to more than 200 micro-brands, and in 2009 he inadvertently helped to uncover the Seiko roots of the TAG Heuer calibre 1887.

Francis likes to challenge preconceived ideas about the past, present and future of watchmaking; and in 2013 he published "The Speedmaster Standard", which compared the price of watches, wages and cost of life across several decades.

Francis borrows from economics, social science and marketing to explain the dynamics of luxury and watches, and he was nominated a Top Writer 2018 by the knowledge sharing platform Quora.com, where he has been garnering more than 3,000,000 views.

I am thrilled to have Francis join me here, and know that you will truly enjoy and learn from what he has to share.

Too Small to Fail - Gavox

There are a lot of micro brands out there.  Truthfully, they are ten a penny.  Micro brand has become really, truly misunderstood and misapplied.  All too often, what micro brand leads people to assume is - bargain, value for money, even cheap.  What everyone fails to understand is that micro brand really should mean:

A brand that is small.  

And small does not mean weak, it does not mean insignificant, and in fact it should not, de facto, mean new.  Moreover, it should not default equate to "poor man's version" status for anything.  Now, when brands are in the "homage" business, then that is a barb that they will have to face.

But what about those people who do something completely different?  Something totally off of the radar?

Enter Michael Happe and Gavox.  And I think the watch that best sums up what the best possible meaning of micro brand should mean, is the Gavox Aurora.

My first review of this watch was nearly four years ago, and you can find it here -
http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2016/04/practical-useful-and-shit-that-killed.html

And I have mused on it since -

http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2016/10/the-gavox-aurora-why-i-bought-it.html

http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2019/10/revisiting-gavox-aurora.html

Simply put, the world does not need more watch brands.  And the rapid destruction of several brand out there serves (albeit painfully) as a stark reminder of that fact.

But the world does need dreamers, people who thought - why not make a complex, multifunction quartz watch?

Gavox - too small to fail.

A Modest Proposal about Luxury

Let's face facts, it is called the "luxury market" because it is, well, luxurious.  And luxury has, in the past, traditionally meant expensive.  In our rush to have that elusive, shiny, rare object we often park our common sense, and more importantly a small part of our humanity at the door.   Now before you jump to the conclusion that this is a piece designed to shame anyone, or to preach from a lofty height, fear not!  More and more I am becoming less of a fan of crocodile or alligator straps owing to the way that the leather is obtained and harvested by some suppliers.  I realize that customers still request them and they want something exotic.  And I am not asking or expecting ANYONE to subscribe wholesale to my opinions.

BUT - I also think that there are some interesting options out there.  One of them is SALMON!  Now to be 100% transparent, I was a bit less than impressed by the first salmon straps that I saw.  They were rough, not super well-finished and more of a gimmick than an actual product.  Sorry, that is how I see some of the early efforts.  But what if a REAL strap company started working with salmon skin to make a strap, and to make it a real luxury item?

This is a strap from Belgian strap maker LIC.  You will notice that it does NOT look like something stitched together by an ironic hipster, and rather looks like something you might find on a high priced, dare I say it - LUXURY watch.

I was presented this strap in Basel and (full disclosure) was encouraged to wear it and enjoy it - WITHOUT necessarily reporting on it.  But in the course of initially wearing it I have been very impressed.  Now again - I did receive this strap, I want there to be ZERO misunderstanding on this point.  BUT - I also want to make clear that I am writing about it because it has been a great strap so far and more importantly, it underscores that there are alternative, more renewable resources that can be used to create luxury items that you would actually WANT to use.

I will be back to you in a week with an update.  

  

Other Roads

From Gavox

Courtesy of Gavox

When most of us think about Gavox, we immediately think of aviation, and Belgium.  But interesting to relate, since he first started out, Michael Happés brand has grown and evolved beyond the confines of Brussels, Antwerp and Bruges.  With customers from all over the world, he wanted to pay small tribute to his now global fan base, and has done just that with his new Roads collection.  

Based on the same specs as the now well-known Squadron series, the Roads is a tri-compax chronograph that also features an alarm function.

The piece pictured above is the Gavox Roads Icefields Parkway.  This is a tribute to Alberta Highway 93 which is also referred to as the Icefields Parkway.  For more info. on the inspiration of this new piece, here is a link to our friends at Wikipedia's rundown -

Alberta Highway 93

But keep in mind that we are talking about ROADS - as in more than one!

As someone who has made the (at times) white-knuckle drive along 1, I can say that it is indeed scenic and beautiful.  And Gavox is offering two different pieces to commemorate it -

Courtesy of Gavox

 It is available in stainless steel (above), and a black PVD (below) -

Courtesy of Gavox

A black dial with grey sub dials, both versions are striking.

And last but by no means least - and far and away my favorite of the three versions, the Gavox Roads Atlantic Ocean Road, inspired by the Atlantic Ocean Road in Norway.

Courtesy of Gavox

 It is available in two versions - with date (above), and without (below).

Courtesy of Gavox

Each of the three versions features a "triptik" of sorts, highlighting the important milestones along the way engraved on the case back. 

This is a very limited series, with only 25 pieces of each version available.  Available on pre-order, and priced to move fast at: 330,58 € for the stainless steel version, and 363,64 € for the PVD Highway 1 version.  

If you are interested in pre-ordering, you can find the Gavox Roads pre order info here:

Gavox Roads Pre Order

Here are the pertinents:

Gavox Roads Specifications:

Surgical stainless steel case
Sapphire Crystal
Case diameter: ø 41mm
Case depth: 12 mm
Screw down CrownLuminescent on hands and dial (Superluminova)Turning Bezel 120 step (unidirectional)
Ronda Movement Swiss partChronograph 12H
TacimeterDate displayAlarm 12hSurgical Stainless Steel BandWater resistant: 10ATM (300 feet)

In Honor of Belgian National Day

When we think of Belgium our thoughts might first go to:

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

 Or possibly this guy -

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

Or as we are in the final days of the Tour de France -

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

But as this is allegedly a blog about watches, I thought it would be worthwhile to have a look at two of my favorite watch brands (which just so happen to be based in Belgium) and the guys behind them.

Gavox is the no-longer-small micro brand launched by Michael Happe.  Based in suburban Brussels, Michael has created some truly wonderful watches, and I am the proud owner of two of them.  He has an ability to take the seemingly mundane, and sprinkling in the secret spice that makes the ordinary something special.

In case you missed it, here is a repeat of my interview with Mr. Happe.  This first ran in 2014, about 2 and a half years ago -

A Few Minutes With Michael Happe

Wendy and I had the very good fortune to spend some time with Michael Happe over lunch and a beer in Brussels a few weeks back.  That will be a different post ; )  But that planted the seeds for this interview which you'll find below.  And now, a few minutes with Michael Happe -

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

Michael Happe - My first watch was a Kelton which I received when I was 8.  It was supposed to be water resistant to 25 meters  and I loved it.  However from time to time, when I went swimming with it, water leaked in.  This is when I started getting a closer look at the movement. 

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

MH - I wanted to be a pilot and Astronaut.  The sky, space and sciences were great sources of inspiration for me and are still today. 

TF - What did you study in school?

MH -I graduated from university with a Diploma in Agricultural Engineering.  I loved my studies and learned so much. I do believe this is one of the best programs if you want to study all science topics. 

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

MH - At the age of twelve I discovered the LCD and Quartz revolution and started collecting watches.  Later the mechanical watches caught my attention. And now it is a dream to make my own watch brand. 

TF -  So what is the idea behind GAVOX?

MH - My aim is to make technical and ergonomic watches that are easy to use and possessing useful functions.  Moreover, to offer this at the best quality for a fair price.  I offer watches in three categories: higher (aviation and space exploration) farther  (land and see exploration) and deeper 

(ocean and depth exploration) .

TF - I know that it is hard for a "father" to choose his favorite "child", but which is your favorite GAVOX?
MH - This is a difficult question for me to answer.  On one hand it would be the Gavox Squadron as this was born from a collaboration with the Belgian Air Force and myself, and I am so pleased that many pilots wear these watches with pride.

  

Courtesy of Gavox

Courtesy of Gavox

On the other hand I love the Gavox Legacy Navy, my first automatic watches with a lot of hidden detail to look at.

TF - What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced so far?

MH - My biggest challenge was and is the creation of the Gavox Aurora. This watch will bring some real innovation and I challenged many suppliers to produce the best parts that they could. This watch will be very innovative and unique. 

TF - What has been the most successful GAVOX model? 
MF - The Gavox Legacy Collection is very successful.  I often receive happy customer feedback telling me the watch is better in real life than in pictures.

TF - What is your strongest market?

MH - Europe and all English speaking countries. I sell mainly through my web shop to clients who want something unique that is offered in small series. 



TF - Who else out there is making watches that interest you? 

MH - I love all smart and simple innovations like Oris has made with the Big Crown ProPilot and Aquis Depth Gauge.  I appreciate the people who have managed to get mechanical and simple devices to measure altitude and depth in a watch.  I also love many of the watches from Sinn and Nomos.

TF - Having visited Belgium recently I was surprised by what a "watch place" it was.  Has it always been this way?

MH - Belgium was always kept in the shadows regarding watches with very talented people working in Switzerland after a good watch study scholarship in Belgium.  However in terms of Belgian watch brands it mainly took at new turn in 2005 with Icewatch.  Today  We have great watch maker full of ideas in Benoît Mintiens with his great brand Ressence.

TF - I understand that you have a few "famous" customers, can you tell us a bit about some of your more "well-known" GAVOX clients?

MH - James, I understand your curiosity ;-)  Out of respect of my customers, I can't disclose this type of information.



TF - Please tell us about your partnership with some of Belgium's flying squadrons.
  MH - It started with my passion for aviation, I was a glider pilot and was trained on a Cessna.  I have many good friends who are pilots who flew in the Belgian Air Force some years ago.  They introduced me to two Belgian squadrons and we developed a watch that fit their needs and specifications. Their logos have been integrated on the dial and case back of the Gavox Squadron. 

TF - What do you like to do in your "down time"? 

MH - The first thing I like to do is to take some time with my wife and children, playing board games, visiting museums and going on city trips.  I love meeting new people and discovering new culture.  I also have other passions like volleyball, whisky, folding knives and art.


TF - What advice do you have for the aspiring watch "start-up"? 

MH - Stick to your dreams and face the challenge, it will only make you stronger.  Ask advise but follow your instinct.  If you believe in your product your will reach your client .  Good Luck and have fun!

But wait, there's more!  Another interesting guy doing interesting things is the man behind Ressence, Benoît Mintiens.  Here is a repeat of my conversation with him from 2011 -

A few minutes with Benoît Mintiens

One of the most talked about people at BaselWorld this year was the creator of the Ressence watch.

So now, a few minutes with Benoît Mintiens -

James Henderson - What was your first watch, was it a gift? Is there a story behind it?

Benoît Mintiens - My first watch that i can remember was probably a transparent Swatch. It worked for 6 months I think.  I found it very fun to see the components... but my first love was the Bulova Accutron Space view.  It is such a beautiful concept to give time with a wavelength!

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

MB - It was only at the age of 18 that I discovered that design was a profession.  Before that I thought of being an engineer or something.  As a kid I used to design things all the time and build them, being an industrial designer was the perfect solution to translate my hobby into a profession.

JH - Where did you go to school, what did you study?

BM - I have a Master degree in Industrial design and a Master in Business administration.  ( 7 years in total... )

JH -  When people think of Belgium, watch making is maybe not the first profession that comes to mind.  How did you get started in the watch industry?

  

BM - This is a very long story.  I had always been attracted to new watch concepts but was realistic enough not to love them to much. The Ressence project started with a friend who asked me to design a watch with lots of diamonds - but for men.  While working on the project and after TAG Heuer launched their Diamond fiction watch, my friend left for Hong Kong and I was left bitten by the watch virus.  So, I decided to design a watch for me.

JH -  Did you ever consider doing something else for a living?

BM - My job ( the one that pays the bills at the end of the month ) is as a consultant in industrial design.  My work for Ressence is for serious fun!

JH - You've now been at it for awhile.  How is the Ressence brand evolving?

BM - Ressence is a niche product for people that can appreciate the values I have tried to put into the product.  For the moment people are buying a watch concept, to some extent, Ressence is only a name.  The brand will have to build from that.  As this needs huge marketing resources, this will take time.

For the moment my priority is to develop new models.  

JH - Thinking back to the start, were there ever nights where you woke up in a cold sweat, wondering if things would work out?

BM - I still have sleepless nights.  I think it is normal ( I hope )! 

My biggest concern being the difficulty to produce the parts.  

I don't know why but it is very hard to get your parts in time.

And as I'm only starting, I need to go through a learning curve with every step.

JH - What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced?

BM - The biggest challenge was to create a network of suppliers.

Not being Swiss, not being a watchmaker and not living is Switzerland, I can tell you it is not easy to start for the simple reason that I did not know where the start was...

JH - Having spent a little time by your booth at BaselWorld it seemed as if your watch was one of the hottest things this year - what do you attribute the Ressence's popularity to?

BM - I can not judge because I did not move from my booth.

When I listen to the reactions from people that pass by, they 

usually stop for the unconventional design.  They found it 

attractive and start looking closer. At that point they think the 

watches are fakes/dummies.  In fact they are working models!

I often hear: Oh, the display is printed on the (plexi) glass?  

The ones that know a lot more than me about watches say -

"oh, yeah, I see it's a regulateur but different"...

When they see that the screen they saw, is animated they usually smile.

JH - Who else out there is making watches that interest you?

BM - I'm too much of a Belgian to give names ;-) 

JH - If you weren't doing this, what do you think you might be doing?

BM - Running a design company

JH - What is a typical "day in the life" of Benoit Mintiens?

BM - Are you sure you want to know this?

Get up, get my kids cleaned up, bring them to school, and  go to work.  As a designer I work within a European agency.

I often work for French clients like SNCF, Veolia, RATP.   

But I also do some work for Browning,  Frisk, Thalys, Siemens, Bombardier, etc... 

A project usually starts with the question why, for who and how.

For example, for the moment we are designing the new tram for Basel.   ( yes, in Switzerland )

Depending on the project you need to focus on different aspects.

If you're asked to design a new TGV for SNCF, you first have to think:

How do people what to experience a high speed journey?   What does it mean to be French in a European high speed market? Who are the travelers, what do they need? 

What is their mindset in the morning and in the evening? etc... 

JH -  What do you like to do in your spare time?

BM - For the moment my spare time is reduced to zero because  of my double activity.  But when it is good weather I like is to drive my old-timers. ( after years of working on them... )

JH - What was the inspiration for the Ressence?

BM - This is impossible to say.  Why does anyone have an idea?

One day I just had it (the idea).  What can I say, the guy that can 'generate' idea generation is called God I think?   No?  Essentially, creativity is 5% inspiration and 95% labor.

JH - What advice do you have for the future Benoit Mintiens out there?

BM - I understand this question as "what advice would you give to yourself?"

In the short term, try to stabilize my activities and balance it better.

In the longer term, transform Ressence into a brand.



www.ressence.eu