The Curious Case of Francis Ford Coppola

News broke (in fairness, more than a few days ago) that Francis Ford Coppola has made arrangements to have seven pieces of his watch collection placed at auction with Phillips. Most notable of these is this little wrist rocket -

Courtesy of Phillips

Curious to relate, this story (as far as I can tell, but then again I am not always the quickest of bunnies) has not really been picked up by Watch Town's Fourth and Fifth Estates. That, in and of itself, is a wee bit curious. But more curious than that is the (I've got to be honest) levels of glee expressed by the press, not least of which can be read in Stuart Heritage's piece in the Guardian -

Strapped for cash: why Francis Ford Coppola is flogging his watches

In the interest of full disclosure I have not seen his latest film, Megalopolis, so I can't really comment on the film's quality or possible lack thereof. But the buzz around the press (possibly planted by Coppola himself to generate interest) is that after investing $100 million of his money in what in hindsight has proven to be a failed venture, he needs the money. Well, maybe yes, maybe no. 

I would be disingenuous if I did not admit my own bouts of schadenfreude when it comes to the mishaps suffered by certain denizens of Watch Town. And in all fairness, I know of at least one major luminary with his own ubiquitous brand, and a handful of journalists (active and no longer so) who would feel the same about me. We are after all, human. 

But I want to propose another theory which characterizes my recent revelation that two things can be true at the same time. It might well be that Mr. Coppola is feeling the sting of essentially losing that large an amount of money. But at the same time, it might be that he has come to a point in his life where he realizes that he will have less and less control over the immediate future. He is 86 years old, and it is inevitable that at some point we all reprioritize what is important in our lives. In many ways, this ensures that his collection goes to (hopefully) a good home, and he will have some pocket money. 

In addition to the star attraction, other pieces on the block include the F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance that was a gift from his late wife -

Courtesy of Phillips

In addition to these two unicorns, there is a pair of Pateks, a Blancpain, a Breguet, and an IWC.

If you are reading this, it is likely that you are at least at some level interested in watches. And perhaps this is just little me shouting into the void, but it's hard not to be romantic about watches. And regardless of the circumstances, this is an opportunity for folks out there who love watches and are fans of Mr. Coppola's work to own something special.

One final thought - and this is my own story. Back in 1992 I had been struggling for more than a year to find steady work and settle down after finishing university. I had moved to three states in less than a years time still hoping something was going to click. I was living in a room that I paid for by the week. I had sold almost everything of value I had left, save my grandmother's Omega watch. By some small miracle I was offered a teaching job in Japan. I leveraged literally everything I had left except my university ring, a few pairs of jeans, a pair of sneakers, some cds, and a bag to carry it all in. I bought a used suit for my new job, and needed a few hundred dollars more to be "safe" in my new job (I needed to buy my air ticket and have 1 month's living expenses). So down I went to the pawn shop, and my inheritance funded the last piece of my financial puzzle.

Since 1992 I have bought and sold countless watches hoping to get that same feeling that I had for a mid-sized Omega quartz watch that I wore maybe two times. I still haven't gotten there. But the idea that it is possibly still out there holds me in thrall.

In a long career Mr. Coppola has failed, recovered, prospered, and failed. And in fairness, doesn't that seem familiar to all of us?

A Summer Day Dream - What If?

Author's note - what follows is purely fanciful speculation based on nothing other than the whimsical musings of an horological raconteur during the very slow summer watch maker's holiday. None of it is based on anything other than my rather vivid (and sometimes undernourished) imagination. It is intended solely and completely as entertainment.

What if...

Rolex Bought Patek 

I know, sounds pretty nutty, but as summer daydreams go, it's got a bit of a toothsome quality to it.  Remember a few years ago when Stern the Younger floated the idea of possibly selling Patek?  Well, in the interest of summer fantasies, what if Rolex sacked up, and bought Patek?  Now I don't claim to be any sort of authority on Swiss law or the rules of business governance, but as both are private companies, would either be required to acknowledge such a sale/acquisition to anyone other than their board/s?

More to the point, of ANY other independent brand out there, in terms of how they position themselves, communicate with the press, and do business, it's hard to imagine 2 corporate cultures that could be any more similar (and hence easy to integrate if even "unofficially").  

I know, it's a crazy idea...

What if...

The Hayek Family Ceded Control of the Swatch Group 

While the sky isn't necessarily falling, Swatch Group has not enjoyed the most "amazing" years recently. Moreover, as it is a publicly traded company/group of companies, it would seem that a leadership position in one of the "jewels" of the group seems to be predicated on a DNA Olympics of sorts, in which being born with a last name that starts with H and ends with K appears to be the surest path to running one of the world's 10 most important brands (Breguet, Blancpain). While Omega has a CEO swimming in a different genetic pool, Blancpain and Breguet were both being run by Hayek the Even Younger. I have never met Marc Hayek, but from all I've heard he's a perfectly nice guy and as far as I can tell, he did not crash Blancpain (in charge since 2002) or Breguet (in charge since 2010) during his stewardship of both brands. Which begs the question - why now? As there do not appear to have been any significant seismic shifts (either positive or negative) why now? Official news teased its way out initially on the 12th, and in depth on Friday that  Lionel a Marca would be taking the helm from Marc Hayek, who would be remaining as "President" of Breguet.  

There does seem to be a "Dear Leader" approach to succession plans within the group. Could this mean that Hayek the Even Younger is about to be kicked upstairs and take the big wheel? As there has been no clear or obvious attempts to develop any significant leaders within the group who are not named Hayek to take over some day, my Summer Daydream leads me to wonder if this is no daydream at all and Marc Hayek is about to be promoted again.

What if...

Swatch Group Returned to BaselWorld

In what would be perhaps the most "Baller" move ever, Swatch Group agrees to come back to BaselWorld, but only if they take a partial ownership in the fair and a few board seats at MCH. In some ways they might have already shown some of their cards. They had planned to bring three or so of their less "well-heeled" brands to Las Vegas (which if we're being honest, is a watch show that should be put out of its, and our collective misery). Now with the Delta variant spreading COVID faster than swinging couples spread syphilis, gonorrhea and unplanned pregnancies at Plato's Retreat circa 1976, it now seems unlikely that this will happen as Nevada is an exceedingly "Hot" location, and I'm not talking about the gambling, legal prostitution and all you can eat buffets. Several brands have already reversed course and are not going to be attending. So whether or not the three ships of the mighty Swatch regatta will dock in Sin City remains to be seen, but despite the power of my Summer Daydream, I tend to think maybe not.

How The Statue of Liberty Play Could Save BaselWorld

Now for readers not familiar with American (i.e. not Association or Rugby or Australian) Football, take a quick moment to view the clip below before moving forward -


For those of you who want even more detail -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Liberty_play

In soccer (Association Football) you would probably compare it with the Cruyff Turn -

And for those of you unfamiliar wanting more background -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruyff_Turn

Essentially, it is a sleight of hand or misdirection to create an opportunity when your opponent is looking the other way.

So what do trick plays in sports have to do with what was the world's most important watch show?

Well, imagine if you will, a world where MCH (i.e. BaselWorld) realized that desperate times would require desperate measures.  And then, imagine, if you will, a group that has not been as successful in recent times as it had in the past.  A group that would say jump, and other groups, brands, retailers and pretty much every journalist in the world would ask - "How high?" that now is isolated and on its own.  Switzerland is a pretty large Monopoly board, and even though logic would lead you to believe that the natural choice would be to head to Geneva, the reality is that Hall 1 could sufficiently host SWATCH and all of the other independent brands that have now been left behind. 

This would, of course, be the ultimate Statue of Liberty play.  It would require MCH to reach out to SWATCH and offer a true partnership.  Now the obvious argument would be that without Patek, Rolex, and LVMH there is nothing left in the fair.  Well, maybe yes and maybe no.  Consider other groups (Festina, Movado) who left the fair in the past, that if the environment was a bit more inviting, and the associated fees more realistic, they might consider coming back.  I have gone to a LOT of BaselWorld fairs.  There have been a LOT of brands that have been in and out and in the fair again.  A fair with just the folks left behind is not going to attract much of anyone, particularly if BaselWorld sticks to the proposed dates of January/February.  

But, what if Hayek the younger has been sitting in Biel, quietly calculating just such a move? Stranger things have happened.  And in truth?  We passed strange globally about 6 weeks ago.

I realize it's a wild, hare-brained theory, but what if?

Overtime with the Siduna M3440 Professional Compax Chronograph

Editor's note - this review originally began the week before I left for BaselWorld, and I wore the Siduna during the fair alternating between my Minase 5 Windows and my Sartory Billard.  I then wore it for an additional 2 weeks following the fair.

Since the announcement of the launch of the new and improved Siduna, I have been very anxious to get my hands on one and put it through its paces.  As I was getting packed-up and ready for BaselWorld, the folks at Siduna asked if I'd like to take one of their new chronographs for a test drive during the fair, and so I took the M3440 along with me.

During the fair, I wore a few different watches, and as I was "working" on behalf of Minase and Sartory Billard, I wore those watches while on duty at The HYPE.  But I switched to the Siduna M3440 for my time inside Hall 1 and other press appointments.  

Now as my photography skills are, I have been led to understand, somewhat lacking, here is a nice shot directly from Siduna so you get a flavor for the M3440 -

Courtesy of Siduna

So you get the idea.  I got a lot of double-takes and comments like -
"I thought you were a social worker, how'd you afford a Type XX", etc.  Upon closer examination, several people were struck by the level of finish, as well as the look and feel of the watch itself.  

Well, let's get back to the review itself -

I will concur with my colleagues in the Fourth and Fifth Estates on the build quality of the M3440.  It is first rate.  The case is definitely in the "Godilocks" category when it comes to size - it is just right.  It measures 40 mm in diameter, with a case height (or thickness) of 16.1 mm.  The unidirectional bezel extends slightly beyond the confines of the case diameter, measuring 42 mm in diameter.

(apologies for the dust spots, I did not give the watch a complete wipe-down for each photo).

The watch has presence, but I don't feel like a poser wearing it.  It is a "wrist-appropriate" size.  And although it has some stature owing to its height on the wrist, it is nothing to forbidding.

The case itself is of stainless steel, austenitic stainless steel to be more precise.  And just what is austenitic stainless steel?  Well, per Wikipedia:

Due to their crystalline structure austenitic steels are not hardenable by heat treatment and are essentially non-magnetic

Now before everyone goes off having a Eureka moment, let's just clarify that 316l falls into this category.  But it is still kind of a fun way to describe the steel type as opposed to the typical numeric designation.

The case back is solid, not a display back and I am profoundly grateful for that.  It maintains true to the overall aesthetic and the original inspiration for the watch.

And just what is the inspiration?  Well, curious to relate, Siduna is now based in Sweden.  But it wasn't always so.  Siduna started out life as a Swiss brand, and then it went the way of so many, shuttering due to the decline of the mechanical watch business.  But  Siduna then found a new home in Sweden and recently the brand changed hands one last time and is now back in business and making watches.  The case of the M3440 is based on a somewhat "standard" case of it's time, incorporated into a watch that was used by the Svenska Flygvapnet (that's Swedish Air Force to you) in 1973.  The original design, per Siduna, was from Ervin Piquerez's SA design, circa 1968. And if it bears similarities to cases of the same era from Breguet, Heuer, Lemania and Bucherer (among others) that is because it was a pretty standard solution.  

The bi-compax chronograph ran smoothly, re-setting was tactile and precise.  The time keeping beyond reproach, in short?  Everything worked as advertised.

The movement is based on the Valjoux's 7750, and again, before all the Pointdexters out there feel the need to express their expertise on this matter, and how it couldn't possibly be, blah, blah, blah...
Relax, it is not exactly an "off the shelf" solution.  In Siduna's own words -

Our movements are based on an automatic ETA 7750 with Top finishing. They undergo several substantial modifications in a small workshop from La Chaux-de-Fonds, such as the removal of the date mechanism and the relocation of the minutes subsidiary dial from 12 o'clock to 3 o'clock thanks to a proprietary module, and an upgrade to blue screws. The calibre 13 Phi received additional modifications on the back side to add the fly-back function.

The crown is screw down, and bears the markings of the famous (albeit esoteric) Compressor model that was, you guessed it, produced by Piquerez.  And for those of you so inclined, a pretty solid piece of research on the subject can be found here -
https://medium.com/sidunawatch/piquerez-from-drivers-to-pilot-watches-961957c25d5d?fbclid=IwAR0na59MUz1ZIzwBzRHNlAMsfm-yQtb5kUv-ws-Kv-6SXmFyhsjr0Z2DAiI

But, important to note that although the crown bears the markings of the Compressor, it is not the same function, it is aesthetic, but I think pays a nice, subtle homage to the original case.

Now last, but not least?  The strap!  The strap is a very, very nice bit of kit!  This one is the Havana Brown version.  Curious to relate, it was a very comfortable strap right out of the box, whereas some straps can be a bit stiff even after the "get ready roll" -

So here's a friendly tip from your old pal Henki, who learned it from his old pal Rod:  if you have a strap that you feel is too stiff (calfskin!  I would not necessarily recommend this approach with anything exotic), simply roll the strap ends up like a tube of toothpaste.  And boom!  You're ready to rock!  The strap itself was smooth, supple and extremely well finished.  The perfect pairing to the M3440.  It is completed with a signed Siduna buckle -

Quite smashing!

But just to keep things interesting, I had pre-ordered an Erika's Original strap  -

And Erika herself delivered it to me in Basel!

It gave a fun bit of twist to an already super-dope watch!

And for those of you unfamiliar, the straps made by Erika's Originals are The Shit That Killed Elvis!  Yes, they are that good.  Throw away your shitty old NATOs and get ahold of the real thing!

Back to the M3440, here are the pertinents, direct from Siduna -

DIMENSIONS 

• Bezel diameter 42.0 mm
• Lug width 20.0 mm
• Case thickness 16.1 mm

MECHANICAL MOVEMENT

• ETA/Valjoux 7750 base
• Thickness 7.9 mm
• Self-winding mechanism
• 25 bearing synthetic rubies
• 28'800 alternances per hour (4 Hz)
• Seconds stop
• ISO 764 Anti-Magnetic
• ISO 1413 Shock-Resistant

CASE

• Austenic stainless steel, satin brushed
• Double-domed aspheric sapphire crystal, anti-reflective coating on the inside
• Screw-down case back, individually numbered
• Screw-down crown
• ISO 22810 Water-Resistant
• Pressure-resistant to 10 bar

FUNCTIONS

• Hours, minutes and subsidiary seconds
• 30 minutes and ¼ seconds chronograph

DIAL AND HANDS

• Matte black dial with recessed subsidiary dials
• 5 minutes indices with Super-LumiNova® BL C3 Grade A
• Numerals with Super-LumiNova® BL C3 Grade A
• Hour and minute hand coated with Super-LumiNova® BL C3 Grade A

LIMITED WARRANTY

• 2 years

The M3440 is also available in a Flyback version, the one I wore and reviewed is the standard.  Both are extremely well priced, with the Compax priced at € 1,480 without VAT.  It gets a very solid two thumbs up from this reviewer, without a doubt one of the best automatic chronographs I have worn in some time.

Omega's New Five Year Warranty

News reached Tempus Fugit this AM that OMEGA had made the bold decision to extend their warranty to a new five year coverage period.  On the surface, this is very good news and it represents a true acknowledgement that the business has changed and with he glut of grey market watches out there, it is in their best interest to drive potential customers through actual brick and mortar stores (including their own boutiques).  In their own words -

GUARANTEED EXCELLENCE

OMEGA has continuously been able to raise the boundaries of watchmaking quality through revolutionary innovation. Only watches having successfully passed the most stringent quality control earn the right to reach your wrist.

Our quest for excellence has allowed us to extend the international warranty to 5 years, on all of our new timepieces purchased as of July 1st 2018.

Courtesy of Omega

PEACE OF MIND

The international warranty covers material and manufacturing defects existing at the time of purchase of your OMEGA watch.

If you face any issue with your timepiece during the warranty period, you can trust that we will provide you with the customer care you deserve and resolve it free of charge.

Your OMEGA boutique or authorised service centre will be happy to assist you and answer your questions in case of a warranty claim.

Note: Please refer to the operating instructions for specific information about the warranty conditions and restrictions or if you purchased your watch before July 1st 2018.

That last little bit of italicized fine print is important, and underscores some of the rationality of this decision. Essentially, make sure you bought it from a legitimate source, and if you bought it before July first?  Sorry dude.  In fairness to OMEGA, there has to be a clearly defined starting date, and in truth it would be just as easy for them to push the date to November 1st, so take heart OMEGA fans!  And the real question - will the rest of the SWATCH Group follow suit?  We shall wait, and we shall see.  

We Sail Tonight for Singapore - The Voyage Continues

Numbers, they say, don't lie.  But sometimes they fib.

Courtesy of FH

Yes, numbers are up.  EXPORT numbers.  And interesting to relate, the US is again up.  Which makes sense because the big three as well as Rolex and Patek have subsidiaries here and they can "park" a lot of watches here.  In speaking with my friends in the retail sector, they are not exactly going out and buying a new sports car.  And some once very influential and successful retailers are seriously contemplating whether or not they will make it through this year.  Because what we often fail to understand when we read the (insert the metaphor of your choice) love-story-comeback-feel good-triumph story put forth by some of my colleagues in the 4th and 5th Estates is the reality that exports are not the same as sales, and more importantly, the increase in exports is very likely to level off fairly dramatically once the new SWISSNESS standards are fully in force.  December 31st the clock will strike midnight, and many of the small and the mighty in the industry will watch the  stock that does not meet the standard still remaining within the Swiss borders turn into pumpkins. 

And apart from that, there is one very curious statistic that I will share, the phenomenal improvement shown by that titan of watch sales... Singapore! 
Mighty Singapore showed an uptick of, wait for it, +25%!  Point of full-disclosure, I have never been to Singapore, but I suffer from a distinct sense of incredulity in believing that the demand in Singapore is that great right now.  Is the Grey and Soft Grey market demand great?  Sorry, silly question ; )

And now a little inside baseball for all of you who think I might be full of it, ever wonder how the grey-market and soft-grey market always seem to have so much product?  And have you ever heard the near comedic response of brand managers and their Swiss and German ownership claiming to be just as shocked and concerned as their frustrated and pissed-off retail partners?  Well, to quote that other great commentator on the watch industry - Gabriel Byrne as Tom Reagan (Millers Crossing) -

“I’d worry a lot less if I thought you were worrying enough.”

Here's hoping that I'm wrong.

Elvis Has Left The Building... Maybe

Boy, you go to sleep the night before, you wake up and the world has gone crazy!


Unless you have spent the last several hours in an isolation chamber, you now know that Nick Hayek dropped the SWATCH bomb, and went with what American politicos term the "nuclear option".  As per too many news outlets to credit, SWATCH Group has announced that they will not be rolling out the red carpet for their retail partners, the press and the general public at BaselWorld 2019.

Now if we look at this on the surface, we can totally appreciate all of Mr. Hayek's reasoning.  The fair is way too expensive to participate in - tell me about it!  The returns don't justify the outlay, the watch making and buying world has become more transparent, yada, yada, yada...  

But there are a few things that, upon reflection, don't ring true to me.  First and foremost, harping about the cost of the building itself is nonsense.  Essentially, and I am paraphrasing here - that it is not up to the SWATCH group to help recover the cost of building the BaselWorld Halls in the first place.  Well, based on that logic, it should not be up to me, the customer, to help recoup the expenses of "maintaining" the Gerber-Crawford relationship, the massive construction project going on in Biel/Bienne, and the exorbitant rent for the New York City boutique/s with the purchase of a rather steeply priced Omega that I will likely find in the grey market at an equally steep discount a little later down the road.  So in fairness, to me this is a bit of the pot calling the kettle "less than shiny".

But if we go a little deeper, there are some other considerations.  Now on the one hand, SWATCH group posted fairly significant gains in their half year report recently.  On the front page of their half year report, SWATCH stated that "growth" in "America" had been particularly good.  Well, I can't really speak to that with anything specific, because I do not have access to the sales ledgers.  But I would point out a few key points.  For starters, SWATCH has a fully owned subsidiary in the US.  So what that means is that actual sales are a bit dicier to quantify from the outside.  The single biggest problem with trying to gain anything "knowable" from the Swiss export numbers is the realities of the new Swissness regulations - SWATCH Group and all of the other big (and small) dogs still have a shit-ton of components that were manufactured under the old standards, and they need to assemble and export them by the end of the year.  It is July 29th, which when you factor in the holidays (which essentially start in the second week of December) it's essentially four months.  Because when the clock strikes midnight, quite a few watches will turn into wrist-bound pumpkins.  So if you are running these brands, you know that by that date everything must be out of Switzerland as any of the remaining stuff can't be used anymore.  It's safe to say that this definitely leads to higher export volumes which (if we are being honest about it) don't really match up with what the real market demand is.  As a friend who knows about these things pointed out to me, Hong Kong‘s wholesale is dead but the export figures to Hong Kong continue to explode.  
Un petit mystere, nes pas?

So let me venture a few theories -

Paul is Dead

Borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

People of a certain vintage will remember this one.  It got their  attention, people were talking, until...
 

Courtesy of Life Magazine

So, maybe this is a lot of bluster.  Essentially, make the announcement, and make the BaselWorld organizers jump to the height you are requiring.  Simply put?  With the current state of the watch business, I do not think that there are sufficient numbers of deep pocketed brands to fill the vacuum that will be created by the SWATCH group's absence.  So it is possible that a spirit of détente will be reached by both sides.  Keep in mind, we still aren't even to September, if Hayek can go from a yes to no for BaselWorld, he can go back to yes again.  Stranger things have happened.

But let's say that, in Hayek's mind, to quote the Dude (The Big Lebowski) quoting President Bush (the first):

"This aggression will not stand, man."

And maybe, just maybe, he feels that there truly has been a seismic shift in the watch business.   Well, maybe yes.  But given the vast amounts of cash thrown into pr and media things for SWATCH group brands, I don't completely buy everything he is selling.  Because after everything has been said and done, while Omega can certainly manage without BaselWorld, the less glamorous brands in the group actually really need to be seen. 

My gut tells me something different (and in fairness, it is possible that my gut has shit for brains) but let me air it out for you -
I think that the reality is somewhere in the middle.  BaselWorld is crazy expensive.  If the feeling was that the fair was failing and that it's expenses couldn't be justified?  Well they would have walked away a few years ago.  But more than just the fees for participation, a big component of BaselWorld is the cost of the actual booth itself.  You budget for them, and the cost is amortized over time.  And every several years?  You build a new one (or in the case of SWATCH group - several).  Now I do not know this as gospel, but just a theory - what if the cost of the booths (yes, that is plural) has been amortized and it can go off of the books?  Well, then you have a perfect opportunity to walk away.  At least for one year ; )

Why might that be important?  Well, let's get back to that whole export / Swissness bugaboo.  The analysts would have you believe that the watch industry is experiencing a comeback of heroic proportions.  But the truth is far muddier than that.  Exports are up, but that is not necessarily a corollary to strong sales.  In many cases, this is just products being shunted out of the Swiss borders and over to subsidiaries overseas.  If and when retail stores start crowing about their record breaking sales (which in fairness, all of us would be happy to see), it is a dubious notion to talk about recovery.  So keeping that in mind, it also stands to reason that the actual number of watches departing Switzerland after December 31st might be, well, smaller.  Meaning that in order to keep shareholders and the analysts sweet, you need to find savings.  And although numbers like CHF 50 million are bandied about for expenditures during BaselWeek, I suspect that they could, in fact, be higher.  So if your sales numbers slump due to smaller production and export, you might want to find money wherever you can.

On the other hand -
You could cut some of your budgets, don't spend the amounts of money to fly people in and out, close the cafe, etc.  Savings could be found.  But that might not really be the point of all of this.

So whether this is hard hearted pragmatism, or Kabuki theater for the goofy, time will tell.

Summer Repeat - The Shifting Tides

This originally ran back in May, but after reading (I'm sorry) an incredibly lame-brained treatise on the watch industry from someone who has never actually worked in it, I thought it might be worth airing out again.

 

The Shifting Tides

At a time when Swiss watch exports are down, retail sales are dwindling, and the grey market and it's newborn step-child the "soft grey" market can't absorb all of the overflow, it is curious to relate that this same time period has seen a true resurgence in the "micro-brand".  

The term micro-brand used to be a bit of a back-handed compliment paid somewhat begrudgingly by so-called "big boy" brand reps, managers and CEOs.  A brand that produces a very small number of collections, relies heavily on direct sales, and operate on a shoe string.  Even more interesting to relate that several of those highfalutin guys and gals from the big groups are now in search of new career opportunities as they and their brands could not see that the winds were shifting. 

Now it is important to note and understand that there were precursors to this current trend.  Several of these enterprises were birthed, lived a quick and bright existence, then quietly disappeared into the night.  If we look at the years in question, there was a period of three to five years in the early part of this century (feels weird saying that) where the propensity of watch discussion forums created built in marketplaces to create, promote and sell a brand new watch.  The forums were populated by LOTS of people looking for information on watches and a place to exchange their own knowledge and experience.  

SPOILER ALERT - contrary to some (admittedly humorous) assertions, there were plenty of places to read about watches prior to Hodinkee ; )

But then a shift happened that a lot of these folks did not see coming.  And that was the emergence of the blog and the online magazine.  Where before a small brand owner only had to contend with one forum owner or administrator, suddenly there were more outlets than you could shake a free watch at.  But this took on a whole new complexion when these outlets realized that with a high page view rate (regardless of whether the clicks were legitimate or originating from a click farm in the Asian sub-continent), they could then lure advertising money away from print outlets.  Brand marketing managers got excited, unreasonably so.  So excited that they didn't even flinch when some of these outlets and "influencers" suddenly stopped running their content without the benefit of what we will gently refer to as a "sweetener" in addition to the advertising money that they were already paying to them.  A few outlets were silly enough to create rate sheets ($XXX for a review, $XXXX for a new release, etc.).  A few of these rate sheets fell into the hands of competitors who were more than happy to publish the information, exposing the "disconvenient truth" that payola was alive and well in the luxury watch industry.  And at that point, the little brands could not really survive.  I mean, maybe Richemont and LVMH have $1,000 per Instagram image they can afford to spend...

So at this moment, you might say to yourself - game over!  But then print magazines, feeling the lack of love from their former favorite advertisers started courting small and emerging brands.  This meant content that didn't cost anything other than the time to send some images and spec sheets.  And then one other interesting thing happened - Facebook emerged as the replacement to the watch forum, and to some extent the blog.  Think about it, a watch forum or blog you have to go out and look for.  Facebook is right there on your computer, phone and tablet 24-7.  And it then enabled the owners of these smaller brands to seek out and connect with people who would communicate about their brand - you know, people like me ; )

So the stage was set, but the final piece was somewhat surprising.  It was the steady slide of the big dogs who have been on a 3 year losing streak.  Because this triggered a few more things:

1.  Customers started becoming disillusioned by spending $3,000 US on a new watch from an authorized retailer only to  see it for half or even less than half price on a grey market Internet store that was receiving its stock directly from the brand.  These are folks who probably bought one or two watches a year.  And as they began to peel away the layers of the onion, they realized that to some extent they now REALLY had options.  And they also felt that the brands really did not care about them at all.  The micro brands?  Communicative, friendly and welcoming.  Unrequited love sucks - especially at $3,000!

2.  Some of the micro brands are now being launched by industry insiders.  But what is interesting is that they have shed a lot of the old thinking and are combining their experience with the new ideas brought forth by the new guys.  So you get the warm fuzzies along with the watch making bonafides.

3.  The suppliers that had never given the micro brands a passing thought?  Suddenly these suppliers are falling over themselves to catch the eyes of these smaller, emerging players because the big dogs are cutting off their orders.  And the micro brands owners are now in a position to say no thank you to a bad deal.

4.  A few angels have emerged  - people with the connections who have shepherded several of these aspiring new comers, helping them avoid the potential pitfalls that have bedeviled so many others.  One in particular comes to mind, and what he and his network have done can't really be bought or taught.

5.  Many of us who cover this stuff?  We're ready for something new!


So here's to the micro brands!  

The Classics Automatic GMT

From Frederique Constant -

Courtesy of Frederique Constant

This is the latest GMT model from the folks in Geneva.  The case measures 42 mm in diameter and of stainless steel.  It is available in a rose gold plated version (above), and a stainless finish (below).

Courtesy of Frederique Constant

Hours, minutes, seconds, date and GMT indication (red tipped hand).  The movement is the FC-350 which provides 38 hours of power reserve.

A silver toned guilloché effect dial is complemented by Breguet - style hands.

Prices are reported to be under the level of 2,000 CHF.

Getting Personal - A Bespoke Watch From REVOLO

Courtesy of Google:
 
be·spoke

bəˈspōk/

1. 1.

   past of bespeak.

adjective

British

adjective: bespoke

1.

(of goods, especially clothing) made to order.

"a bespoke suit"

I think it is safe to say that we have all had those moments where we wished we could change certain aspects of a favorite watch.  Back in the early part of the century (yes, 17 long years ago) there was a bit of a cottage industry that sprung up where you could get your watch modified.  Anything from hands to custom designed dials.  And that was okay.  You could even, for a price, reach out to the great and the good and maybe get a slight modification to one of their watches.

So when I heard about REVOLO I was both intrigued, and if I am completely honest, a wee-bit skeptical.  As mentioned, others have tried but really failed to deliver on a truly bespoke watch for the watch enthusiast of more modest means.

Spoiler alert - I am now a believer!

I ordered a REVOLO using the brand's online configurator feature and it arrived quite promptly, directly from Amsterdam where it had been assembled, just for yours truly.

Essentially, you go online, you make your choices, pay for the watch, and then the folks in the REVOLO workshop work to assemble your watch for you.

I opted for a 43 mm cushion style case, with a rose gold pvd finish.

Courtesy of REVOLO

  
I added a unidirectional bezel (also rose gold pvd), and a rose gold pvd crown -

 
I selected the blue "sandwich" dial, and a black vintage style leather strap -

secured with a gold pvd buckle.

Courtesy of REVOLO

The movement I selected was the Miyota 821A -

Courtesy of REVOLO

Put it all together -

So, before we get into the review itself, let me explain some of the design decisions.

Way back in 1968, my father was given a gold filled Mido Ocean Star the day before I made my debut in Zanesville, Ohio.

 Yes, the photos are terrible!

Regular readers will know that the Mido my father received and passed on to me is now with my niece.  

So I wanted something with a gold look, ideally without the gold price ; )

The Mido while sentimentally important was a wee-bit too small for my wrist, and as we do not have kids, it needed to go to the "next eligible" family member.

The second design cue came from a brief piece I read in  
The Rake, which was doing a quick take on the actor Michael Nouri.  It listed some of his sartorial trappings and included what was reputed to be a Breguet chronograph in gold -

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

Now some other things that influenced the decision - I am not (nor do I anticipate ever being) a diver.  I do,  however, like to use a rotating bezel for time countdowns.  I also am a sucker for blue dials and wanted a watch face that looked slightly more formal than plain old indices and dots.  So something semi-sporty, but not a sport watch, and in a gold finish, but not gold (remember pals and gals, I'm a humble English teacher).

I think most of all, I wanted something special, that I would always enjoy wearing.

So to finish it off, there were two additional flourishes:

Like the original Mido, I added a similar inscription.  This watch is for me after all, nobody else!

And as it happens, it was possible to add a customization to the watch box itself, so in for a penny, in for a pound -

Okay, so that's the background.  But let's get down to the proverbial brass tacks:

This is an INCREDIBLY comfortable watch!

Although the case measures 43 mm in diameter, owing to its cushion design it actually curves quite nicely where the lugs curve into the case.  As you can see, it occupies the space but clearly does not overwhelm my wrist.

More importantly, the watch sits flat on my wrist, no slipping or sliding.  And at that point I would like to sing the praises of the strap.  Unbelievably comfortable.  Described as leather, the top of the strap has a nice suede or nubuck feel to it.  All too often, a thick leather strap will not get softer, but rather stiffer (and crispier), not necessarily conducive to a comfortable wearing experience.  Not so with the REVOLO strap.  Soft, comfortable and really nice looking.

The crown is ideally sized, and does not screw down.  Again, given that I am not diving (or swimming) with it, this is ideal for me.  The crown itself is tactile without being "edgy" and the setting and winding motion are unbelievably smooth.  

The timekeeping is (sorry Rolex) superlative!  The folks at Miyota make an unbelievably accurate and robust movement.  More and more brands are making the move to them (even some smaller micro Swiss brands), because to them the cost benefit ratio that the Miyota offers far outweighs the expense and potential fussiness of a Swiss movement which would add a fair bit to the sticker price.  I have been within 26 seconds or so over the entire time period so far.

And the lume was not too bad either -

So all in all, I would highly recommend the REVOLO experience to anyone.  And the best part is that owing to the choice in movements, dials and cases there is not only something for everyone, the price points are downright reasonable.  For right around €500, you get a watch made just for you!