Henki's Holiday Shopping List

Every year about this time, anyone who writes, blogs, vlogs, or pod casts about any sort of consumer product will open their emails each day to find a dump of requests from pr firms to write about their client's products for holiday gift buying guides. And while I do read Monocle, Vanity Fair and the Rake (if and when it actually shows up in North America. It is more often than not a no-show, or delayed by 3 months) I am a social worker, and do not foresee any time in the future where a Cartier Tank will find its way into my Christmas stocking ; )

But with that said, I thought I would break with my usual attitude regarding overt product placement by spending the next few weeks writing about watches, pens, shoes, etc. that I actually personally own or admire. With the caveat that almost all of them are actually (relatively) affordable and not the sole domain of the idle rich.

Some years are more challenging / eventful than others. And while we sometimes mark a success or triumph over adversity at the time, we sometimes wait until the holiday and get that extra something for someone we've been cheering for. The first gift suggestion would mark that for me.

And I'd like to kick it of with a watch from Archimede -

Courtesy of Archimede

This is the 1950 - 3. As it is from Arhimede, the case is "in-house" and manufactured by the Ickler family. It is of stainless steel and measures 40 mm in diameter. It is available with either a self-winding Sellita SW 200-1, or an option for a hand-winding Sellita SW 215. 

I would opt for the hand-winding version -

Courtesy of Archimede

The base price is €940.00 incl. VAT €789.92 excl. VAT. The mechanical movement option adds €80.00 incl. VAT / €67.23 excl. VAT to the total price. I personally feel that is more than fair.

And as this is a special year-end self-reward / very special holiday gift for a loved one (assuming I was the loved-one), I would plump for the case back engraving -

Courtesy of Archimede

This does, of course, add a bit more to the total, but this is not a watch for flipping, or for parking in your watch box. This is a watch that I would wear proudly in my "every day".

Courtesy of Archimede

And you have to love the lume! I hate having to grab my cell phone in the middle of the night to get a time check.

As for straps, those are a personal choice and tend to get changed after purchase. One thing I might tweak for weekend wear? I'd pop on an Archimede NATO just to shake things up a bit -

Courtesy of Archimede

At any rate, that is my first holiday gift suggestion. Stay tuned, tomorrow's another day, and another gift ; )

The Reality of the Situation - A Christmas Miracle in Watch Town?

Shamelessly borrowed from the World-Wide Infoweb

As we move closer to the holiday season, a few undeniable truths are becoming more and more apparent. First and foremost? Sales in Watch Town suck. There's really no nice way to put it. Lots of exports going out, but as anyone who's been in the game a minute or two will tell you, exports do not equal sales. So as 100s of SKUs are piling up in various warehouses around the world, the problem of too much stock on hand is going hand in hand with supply chain issues. It's an interesting situation that started with the first domino falling - over production. Ironically, this is not a new thing. It seems that the CEOs of Watch Town still prefer their own bath water to to pretty much any other beverage.

Once it became clear that the supply was far exceeding the already weak demand, the same folks who couldn't have their teams build enough soon-to-be grey market watches then slashed or completely canceled their supply orders. Which, in turn, led the suppliers to make many of their workers redundant. This, in turn, put the squeeze on smaller brands that were living in Reality (a more modest, yet stable municipality that is Watch Town adjacent). This, in turn, meant that although they were selling, they could not fulfill the orders that they were receiving. 

And so here we are - counting down for the holidays, and the Grinch is firmly ensconced under the Christmas Tree.

But maybe, just maybe there's a Festivus Miracle waiting!

Just kidding, that's about as likely as an Arnault offspring being replaced by someone who actually has experience...

Happy Holidays!

Short-Time Work in Watch Town

As things start to get "realer" in Watch Town, the collective belts are needing to be tightened. On the upside? Unlike years past where brands made hundreds of watchmakers redundant but still kept their pet PR projects like yacht sponsorships and million CHF media excursions untouched, this time around the majority of suppliers and brands are taking advantage of short-time work. Essentially, the state in the guise of the Office for Economy and Employment will cover up to 80% of the cost (i.e. lost earnings), with the employer responsible for the remaining 20%. 

The usual suspects are being blamed - poorly performing markets in China and Hong Kong. But as someone with their ear to the ground here in the lower 48, allow me to inform the guys and gals in Watch Town that, in fact, it is a slowdown being felt pretty much everywhere. Here in the US there is anxious anticipation as to what the election in November will bring. Despite high inflation, overall the economy is strong with very low levels of unemployment. That is a reality. But just as people who lived through the Great Depression remain frugal even in good times, many would-be watch buyers remain cautious having made it through the worst of the pandemic, Hodinkee had to learn that lesson the hard way. 

I am guessing that purchase of Universal Genève is probably not looking so great right now. The argument could be made that it wasn't Breitling so much as their deep-pocketed investors, but keep in mind it is those same deep-pocketed investors Breitling will need to man the pumps should they start to take on water.

The downturn, more honestly, is down to a growing fear of the unknown... that is what is shaping the not-so-sexy sales figures here in the US, and I suspect elsewhere. What remains to be seen is how long Watch Town will be stuck in this funk. Because the other side of this reality is that although the goose may not be getting fat, Christmas is still coming. This means between now and Halloween, brand managers and sales reps will be wearing out shoe leather to try and get those holiday season orders in. And here's the rub - if all of the components, etc., are delayed because of short-time work...

Well, let's just say it might be a blue, blue Christmas. But you never know, there might be a Festivus Miracle in store for Watch Town. 

Greeting Card Holidays and Unrealistic Expectations

I used to sell watches. I also used to write the copy used by other people to help them sell their watches. And I was not above weaponizing FOMO to sell watches. I remember getting the sales memos from Tag, Baume, Cartier and others pleading with us to push watches priced $1,800 and up for Valentine's, Mother's, Father's and every other Hallmark Greeting Card holiday out there - both real or imagined. I once, only half joking as the sword of corporate retribution was dangling over my neck, penned this tagline for a diamond-encrusted piece:
"She carried you for nine months"
And for the man who brought you into this world, and can take you back out?
"He gave you life, consider this a meager thank you".

And as we are rapidly approaching "Dads and Grads" season, the Tempus Fugit inbox is full-to- bursting with watches priced around the price point of an entry level Toyota and the request that I include Watch X in my Mother's Day Gift Guide. This of course would mean I would have to bump my advertorials for Kay Jewelers and 1-800 Flowers! In other words, it's clear that the guys and gals in these PR agencies have not read Tempus Fugit before reaching out to for a Mother's Day favor.

Now curious to relate, if you were to visit the TAG Heuer or Hublot booth at any watch fair, you will see my picture carefully hidden at the reception desk with the instructions:
"Under no circumstances should you let this guy in, even if he has an appointment!"
Well, now that Mr. Biver has a less active role, you never know, I might get to see the inside of the booths once more ; )

And even more curious to relate? I have been watching Mr. Biver's interviews from a year or two ago and the one thing he keeps coming back to is gifting watches. What I loved about his comments about this were that these were carefully thought out purchases, with real intention and consideration for the person he was giving the watches to. Also important to note - these were significant event/holidays like birthdays and anniversaries. 

In other words, this was not a knee-jerk reaction to some feverish pitch to BUY, SPEND MONEY!

So, being the contrarian that I am, I would like to encourage something, well, contrary to the marketing brain trust of Watch Town -

Buy watches as gifts! But not just any gift or just any holiday, because then it ceases to be special. Buy a great watch for a graduation gift! Buy your dad a watch you know he would love but would never get for himself. Buy your partner a watch when they get that big promotion. These are all great reasons to head down to your independent retailer and buy something special. And hey - why not engrave it? And one other thing? A great watch does not necessarily mean expensive. It means that you thought about what the person RECEIVING the watch would like, not just what the PR agency told you to get them. Whether it be a Swatch or a Rolex, make it significant, and make it special. If you just feel the need to give something because the greeting card companies are telling you need to give something? Well, then give your Mother, Father, partner something else that is special - give them your time.

A Christmas Memory - A Repeat of Sorts

I think we call all agree that 2020 has pretty much sucked beyond belief, but it has certainly given us all an opportunity to reflect. And no matter how bad a year it has been, like all bad times, we can and will get through it.

As it is Christmas Day here on the North Shore, I am wearing my "Christmas Watch".  And contrary to what the rapacious marketing and PR departments of Richemont, LVMH, Conde Nast and anyone else expecting people to go into 5 figure debt for that perfect "Christmas to Remember" timekeeper, I am rather attached to this (at least in terms of price) much more modest one -

It is safe to say that at several key moments in my "watch career" this watch has been with me. A quick bit of backstory - and apologies to those of you already familiar. Back in 2002 I was (in hindsight) kindly relieved of my responsibilities of running Intrax English schools - a group of 4 ESL schools headquartered in San Francisco with other schools in Menlo, San Diego and Chicago. It was literally the Ides of March.  It had been perhaps two of the most intense, up and down, stressful and ultimately failure riddled years of my career. It was the type of job that had me nervously up at just before 6:00, in the office by 8:00, usually not leaving until 7:30 and coming home shattered. My phone rang non-stop, all day long. I felt I did improve some things, but am honest enough with myself to know that I failed much more of the time. I had a pair of bosses who led with equal parts fear and praise. In hindsight, they really didn't know any better, and for many of us we embraced the idea of being pitted against one another in conspiratorial enterprises that would have put the contestants of Survivor to shame. It was do or die, sink or swim, be a winner or hit the bricks.  After two exhausting years of desperately trying to please them, alienating my own team, and constantly looking over my shoulder for the next knife to come out (yes, duplicitous behavior was not only encouraged, it was often rewarded), I was almost grateful when I was handed my walking papers. 

What followed next was perhaps the most uncertain time in my life. San Francisco was booming, plenty of companies were hiring, and I had a LOT of interviews. I kept making it to the final 2, and not getting the nod. It was pretty disheartening. I was finally hired by Starbucks and sent through their management trainee program. After two months there I was moved to a very busy store as assistant manager, and following that I was finally given the keys my own place as a "temporary" manager that November. And then 2 days before Christmas it was made official and I became the manager.  

That Christmas Wendy gave me the Junghans you see in this story. With it there was a note, telling me how far I'd come and that she was proud of me and that I should feel proud too. That following May I interviewed and got a position working in admissions at a college and slowly, but steadily clawed my way back into a career in education, and later back to running programs and being a leader of people - something I was terrified to take on after my career meltdown in San Francisco. When I put on this wonderful token of my wife's faith in me, I know that as bad as things get, I can get to the other side.

This particular watch for many readers might seem unremarkable.  It was sitting in the display case at Seregin's in San Francisco. It was not considered a high end piece, and was deeply discounted to around $125 or so. But to me it is priceless. 

Over the years this watch worked with me behind the sales counters at Tourneau, and accompanied me on my inaugural BaselWorld visit where I interviewed for the DOXA job. It has had a few straps and I think I finally found THE one that suits it best - an ostrich from Lic straps of Belgium.

Wearing it I am reminded that nothing in life is guaranteed, and nothing is permanent, and that sometimes when you get knocked flat on your ass, the best thing to do is to get back up on your feet and keep moving forward.

So while we struggle with the realities of 2020 and hope for things to get back to normal, please remember that we are all in this together and we will all get to the other side!

Hoping your holidays are happy, healthy and that 2021 is as magical as 2020 has not been.

Keep the faith -

Henki

Tis' The Season

I woke up this morning a wee bit conflicted.  On the one hand, it is the holiday season which is meant to go hand-in-hand with giving gifts and buying things for others (and as a watch retail veteran I can attest) ourselves. And that part of things can be fun.  

On the other hand, it is also the time of year where brands will try to subtly and quietly make changes, redeploy troops and open the transfer window.  

It is now well understood that Swiss Watch exports remain down, and it is also clear that things in Hong Kong are not turning around any time soon.  A few exit visas have been processed and former loyalists are now "in the wind" looking for the next campaign to join.  And sitting where I do, somewhat uniquely sandwiched between Brand, Retailer and Journalist I thought today would be a good day to offer a few observations and a few suggestions.

1.  Good things, believe it or not, often take time.
In an industry where the most common excuse/admonishment to outsiders is:
"You just don't understand this business".  It seems to be rife with quick-change artists.  How often do we read about how Person X single-handed turned things around?  

Remember Nataf?  How about Perriard?  I could offer more recent examples, but I think you take my point.  Brands take more than months.  In all honesty?  They take more than a few years.  And this is true whether it is an established brand like Zenith, or a new creation like HYT.  But that's at the top level.  The same is true at the lower / middle levels as well. It strikes me as oddly puzzling that for several brands, some in the big groups, a CEO is viewed almost like a utility midfielder in a football (soccer) team.  Instantly interchangeable and replaceable.  Ever wonder why brands launch into a series of seemingly unrelated PR initiatives and sales strategies?  That's because they've churned through a serious of seemingly unrelated employees.

2.  Less is more - short and sweet.  Stop intentionally over-producing with the notion that you can sweep it under the China/Hong Kong trans-shipping carpet.

3.  Stop feeding the Grey and Light Grey market.  It's a poorly kept secret that brand executives (present and past) have invested in grey and light grey market outlets by selling their brands' watches directly down the river.  Ever wonder how a grey-marketeer has Brand X's watches for sale at 40% off BEFORE their authorized retailers and brand boutiques have them?

To quote Anthony Bourdain -
"Can't believe it's not butter?  I can."

Pete Rose can be banned from the Hall of Fame for betting on baseball games, but apparently it's perfectly okay to bet against your own brand's boutiques, retail partners and direct customers.

What it all comes back to is change.  The fear of it, the anxiety created by it, the pain of undertaking it.  

We are on the cusp of yet another new year, another 12 months of possibilities.  Let's see what develops.  

What I'd Buy Myself

Okay, one thing you gentle readers might not be aware of is the effort put forth by marketing and pr departments to put watches in front of you in so-called holiday shopping guides.  And for the past 9 years I've had to politely decline to construct such a thing.  

But despite what some of my peers would have you believe, I am not Krampus, the Grinch or Scrooge.  So I thought, rather than serve up what gets forwarded to me, I'd do the digging and let you know what I personally would buy for myself.

First up would be the Chronoswiss Chronograph Skeleton.

Courtesy of Chronoswiss

Now they do make an absolutely beautiful gold version, but I have to remind myself that I am a former English teacher currently managing a non-profit Adult Education program to help immigrants get established in the US.  Translation?  I have to live within the reality of my means ; )

Chronoswiss is a brand that I have a lot of time for.  John Keil of Watch Gauge fame put in some serious work for them, and the current team is a nice bunch as well.  Moreover?  They aren't trying to be anyone other than themselves.  

So that's the first up.  Stay tuned!

Merry Christmas...

It seems that it's that time of year again in watch land.  And while I would truly like to start being wrong about this stuff, I didn't even need the over/under on this year's Tempus Fugit office pool.  

Shamelessly Borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

Albert Einstein is attributed with the following:
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results".

Now in fairness, I never met the man, and there are a lot of conflicting memes out there with variations of the above quote.  But the sentiment is the same no matter how you slice it.  

So as is often the case in watch land, it seems that Santa is bringing a package of poop for more than a few dedicated employees working for one of the big groups. Suffice it to say, this is a group, and a brand that has gone through exactly the same thing in the not-so-distant past.  And it is a brand that you would like to think might have learned something from the recent past.  No need to mention names here, the news will ooze out soon enough and put paid to a fairly large number of folks employment conditions - as in they won't have any for the immediate future.

So the question remains, is brand X ready to maybe consider that they can do things a little differently?  Let's be honest, layoffs suck.  Layoffs happen not because the people who are being laid off did anything wrong. They suck for the shareholders, they suck for the brand and they absolutely suck for the people who get laid off.

Curious to relate?  The people who should have had their eyes on the prize?  If this latest round of layoffs go anything like they have in the past, they will all be fine, home and dry and opening presents with big bows on them, planning ski trips. and winter getaways.  The people who actually make the watches and take care of practical matters?  Well, let's just say that they have the joy of explaining their kids why Santa stiffed them this year.

Here's hoping I'm wrong next year.  And that Krampus has a little something special for the people who keep dropping the ball.

The Deadweight Loss of Christmas

I promise you that I am neither Scrooge or Krampus -

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

But yet another year is rapidly coming to a close, and the emphatic requests from watch pr folks urging me to include their latest offerings in my "Gift Guide".  This told me first and foremost that they really had no idea about me, and likely had never read Tempus Fugit.  Well, fair enough.  

But then it got me thinking on the angst and economic necessity of the holiday gift giving season for the watch industry.  It goes without saying that it truly does largely determine how well (and not well) a brand is going to do that year.  And I can understand how for a lower end brand that could and maybe even should be the case.  A SWATCH, a Fossil, even a G-Shock is not an unreasonable amount to spend on a Holiday gift to stick under the tree or give on the eighth night, or whatever else your winter holiday gift giving might entail.  But where I feel we have lost the plot as watch fans is that the big events that are meant to really be meaningful (Graduations, Marriages, Anniversaries, REALLY BIG PROMOTIONS at work) all seem to drift by the wayside with the sensory overload that the holidays can bring.  

I heard a very interesting bit on NPR today and found this via Google -

The economics of wasteful spending: The deadweight loss of Christmas

And it really made me think about trying to understand how much do we really value that one or two "special" watches, and do they really even exist for some of us any more?  Now I realize that is a bit of a holiday downer, and I don't mean to piss in anyone's eggnog, but if you are reading this and your feeling down because you haven't (and likely will not) receive that much wanted Patek Philippe, Rolex or other beyond extravagantly priced holiday present, don't feel bad about it.  

I realize that this is just my own personal opinion, and may well be part of the reason why I don't work full-time for a watch brand any longer, but what I love (particularly) about the two watches my wife Wendy has given me for Christmas presents is that they really meant something on that particular holiday (and still do).  So any Christmas, you will see me wearing my Junghans Max Bill (circa 2000, gold plate and manual winding) which she gave me the Christmas after I had lost my high-flying career and been brought back down to earth managing a Starbucks in San Francisco.  It was in some ways the very worst and the very best thing that ever happened to me professionally.  And in the process I rediscovered myself and what made me happy.  And on Christmas, you are just as likely to see me channeling my "inner-Hayek" by wearing a watch on my right wrist as well - a burgundy SWATCH which was one of the first larger "Gent's" size models that SWATCH came out with.  And as I recall, this was the Christmas after my father died, and for the first time I didn't have a parent to call or get a call from on Christmas.  It was something that reminded me that while life has a time limit on it, it is something that should be enjoyed.

Now I realize, again, that this is all a matter of personal opinion, and no judgements from me if you disagree and feel that a holiday isn't a holiday without a new $3,000 to $5,000 watch on your wrist.  All that I would say is that it should not be the price tag on the watch that moves you or the person who buys it for you.  It should be the thought that goes into it.  Now if that person has the disposable income to make such a grand gesture?  Make sure you appreciate and treasure it, and don't go looking to re-sell it to fund your next "dream watch, and the one after that, and the one after that ; )

Happy Holidays!  And enjoy your watches!

Remember Singapore?

Apparently the FH has already forgotten ; ) 

Try to remember, that kind of September...
To refresh your memory about last month's results -

Happy Christmas from McGonigle

Season's Greetings from Quinting

Courtesy of Quinting

Holiday Cards! Happy Holidays from BRM!

Now is the time of year when the holiday e-cards start rolling in!  And in many ways, it seems appropriate to share these with you - for after all, it is all of you who really keep this little "bloggy-wog" going!

Courtesy of BRM

I'll try to get as many of these up as I can in the coming days!  Happy Holidays one and all!

Bremont Says: Yes, Prime Minister

This is something new from Bremont - a watch box fit for the Prime Minister - or even you!  Here are all the details straight from Bremont -


Courtesy of Bremont

BREMONT'S BUDGET BOX -

Bremont has created a unique watch case inspired by the Budget box which is famously held up for the photo-shoot outside 11 Downing Street before the Chancellor of the Exchequer announces his annual budget plans to Parliament.

Courtesy of Bremont

 The Bremont box is an exact replica of the box which is traditionally made from pine, lined with black satin and then covered with scarlet leather. The very first Budget box or ‘Gladstone box’ was made for William Ewart Gladstone in 1860. The box was lined with lead to ensure that it sank when thrown overboard in the event of capture and also makes it completely bomb proof. With Bremont enthusiasts amongst those who like to jump out of planes and climb up mountains, a replica of an indestructible watch case seemed the perfect fit!

Courtesy of Bremont

The box has been hand made in England and locks on the bottom, just as the Budget box does, which guarantees that it is secure before it is carried. The Bremont box can be custom made to any specification, as well as colour, and can secure up to 10 watches. It is available at the Bremont Boutique in Mayfair.

Courtesy of Bremont

 www.bremont.com

Junghans, Max Bill and the Bauhaus

Over the past few weeks I've been catching up on some reading. About a year ago I received a biography on Charles-Édouard Jeanneret - also known professionally as Le Corbusier. What was interesting to learn was that his father made watch cases for, among others, Longines.

I then moved onto a relatively new book on some of the founding members of the Bauhaus and there was Max Bill who later went on to lead a group of Swiss artists that came to be known as the Allianz.

Of course I am also thinking about the Max Bill watch that Wendy gave me for Christmas in 2002.

This is the more "classic" size, hand wound (and would you really want it any other way?) and perhaps one of my all time favorite designs.

The Turkey Test

Yesterday was Thanksgiving here in the US, and as promised the Bianci White Beach Ceramic was pressed into service as I broke out the heavy equipment and spent the afternoon preparing my part of the meal.

So the turkey timed in at exactly 3 hours and 12 minutes.  This verified by both the Bianci and a separate time source.  And the turkey was pretty delicious!  

For those of you who noticed, yes I stuffed the bird with limes.  While I realize that this is non-traditional, I recommend it.  The citrus ensures that the turkey itself will remain fairly moist, as a very subtle flavor, and you don't lose any of that valuable stuffing!

The second major timing event is now only a little over 30 minutes away with the Ducks of Oregon trying to remain perfect.

Bianci has some fantastic offers going on, so check them out as you can buy direct -

www.bianciwatches.com

TechnoMarine Cruise Sport Snow

This just in from TechnoMarine - the Cruise Sport Snow - cue Bing Crosby...

Betsy over at TechnoMarine was kind enough to send me this release - and in fairness, her press release is more eloquently worded that I can manage so read on -

NEW for when the mercury drops below freezing, TechnoMarine introduces Cruise Sport Snow, the holiday season’s ultimate accessory. The newest member of the Cruise Sport family, this chic stainless steel watch goes anywhere, whether swishing down a mountain or cozying up by a fire.

Diamonds randomly set into the bezel give the appearance of flurries just landed; a non-diamond version has a silver and graphite hued bezel. Snowflakes engraved onto the dial—either mother-of-pearl or mirror—complete the winter wonderland effect. No need to wait for the first blizzard, TechnoMarine has the coolest snowflakes all winter long!

Cruise Sport Snow is the perfect gift this holiday season.

Cruise Sport Snow is 40mm, 3-hands, with a day/date indicator. The soft white silicone strap and clear case cover are easy to remove and swap with other colors.

With diamonds US$975; without diamonds US$345.

For further info please visit TechnoMarine -  www.technomarine.com