Henki's Holiday Shopping List - Something To Carry You Forward

I have had a few briefcases. The first was a graduation gift. It was what my father perceived as the perfect bag for a would-be-teacher. It was what is frequently referred to as a "lawyers" briefcase. It was big, cumbersome, and was certainly given with great intentions.

Others followed, none seemed quite right. But there is one I have had my eye on -

Courtesy of bleu de chauffe

This is the Zeppo from bleu de chauffe.

bleu de chauffe is a French brand that focuses on small batch, hand made (in France) production. This particular model has a few compartments without looking too "stiff", but it is also not a sloppy messenger bag. Let's be honest, we all have to grow up some time ; )

The Zeppo is available is several colors, but I am partial to the green. It is available direct, and bleu de chauffe ships (mostly) world-wide.

USD $ 572.91

 

The YEMA x Alain Silberstein Limited Edition

This just in -

Courtesy of YEMA

YEMA has teamed up with Alain Silberstein for his latest collaboration.

Limited to 500 pieces, this diver is priced at $3,900.

Courtesy of YEMA

The case is of titanium (DLC with a micro blasted finish), and measures 40 mm in diameter.

Courtesy of YEMA

Here are the pertinents -

CALIBER

Micro-Rotor Caliber Manufacture Morteau 20
28 800 A/h
Self winding with ball bearings rotor
70h power reserve
Hours, minutes, seconds
Daily rate of -3 /+7 seconds per day

BEZEL

Bi-directional internal rotating dive bezel

Luminescent 3D minute markers filled with Super-LumiNova

CASE & CRYSTAL

Material: Black DLC Grade 5 Titanium with microblasted finish
Diameter: 40mm
Thickness: 11mm
Lugs: 20mm
 
2.20 mm double domed sapphire crystal

DIAL & HANDS

Matt black dial in galvanic treatment and luminescent 3D hour markers filled with Super-LumiNova

Shiny red hour hand bordered with white Super-LumiNova

Yellow minute hand with satin finish and second hand in blue Berlac powder, both treated with Super-LumiNova 

BRACELET

2 premium FKM rubber straps (black and red burgundy)

Grade 5 titanium deployant clasp with a black DLC microblasted finish

CROWNS

Upper crown finished in blue Cerakote® ceramic coating

Screw-down crown in black DLC with microblasted finish

WATER RESISTANCE

20 BAR / 200 m / 660 feet

Get Ready For Greatness Lip!

We left off with Lip and Besançon a few weeks ago and now that the watch makers holidays are over I wanted to finish up sharing my impressions from my most recent visit to Besançon and more specifically Lip itself. And no, gentle reader, this is not the end of the story - we are only getting ready for the bigger story that is coming!

Now about Besançon... 

In many ways it reminds me of La Chaux-de-Fonds. It is not a huge place, but also not small. It is the cradle of French watch making, and at the center of it all, at least in the past 100 years has been Lip. 

And the story of Lip is perhaps even more intricate and fascinating than the story of Besançon itself, full of intrigue, tragedy, and triumph. And there is no way I could ever hope to do it justice in the small space afforded by this blog.

What I will say, is that perhaps the single most important thing that ever happened for Lip (and I predict in turn, Besançon in the future) was the Berard's purchase of the brand, and returning it home to where it all began. After a few "bad relationships" Lip appears to finally be with the right owners. Pierre-Alain Berard has put a great deal of effort and planning into bringing Lip back to its former self, and if what I have seen in my most recent visit is anything to go by, Lip is going to be bigger and better than it ever was before. I can't go into any details here, but let's just say that fans of French watch making are in for some really, really cool things in the not-too-distant future.

I have been reading a very interesting book - American Flannel -

Courtesy of Penguin Random House

It tells the story of how the manufacture of clothing had once been a key industry in the US before  "Heritage Brands" like LL Bean, Woolrich, Levis, Pendleton and others began using less expensive off-shore manufacturers to make their products. It goes further to illuminate the efforts Bayard Withrop (American Giant) and other folks in the clothing industry working to bring textile and clothing manufacturing back to the US. And this, in turn, made me think of Lip and what they are quietly working on. The T18 is only the beginning, stay tuned as I suspect this will be a fascinating story to follow!

Viva La Lip!

So where we last left off, I had decided to revisit one of my favorite places - Besançon, France. And what drew me at this particular time? It was a new watch that Lip had come out with. But I was drawn not just as a journalist, but as a potential customer...

I wrote about it when it just came out, but to re-heat the pertinents, this is the Lip T18 Original.

It is based on an original take on the current Churchill series. What makes it so special? Well its movement is based on an original hand wound caliber -

Courtesy of Lip

This is special because at no small effort and expense, Lip committed to making something true to the original, with the help of local and regional partners. They could have done a cheap-and-cheerful homage, but Pierre-Alain Berard and his team in Besançon set their sights a little higher!

Per Lip - 

"The components of its movement are machined in Switzerland by the La Joux-Perret factory and assembled in Besançon by the Humbert-Droz company. The casing and inspection are carried out in the LIP workshops in Besançon."

This photo was taken by yours truly at Lip HQ, back in March. And based on what I saw, and was able to try on? I was very, very impressed.

So impressed that I broke my cardinal rule:

"Never get high on your own supply!"

If you were to visit the Lip website to look this little wrist bound bijoux up, you'd be out of luck. It sold out REALLY FAST!

But it would seem that fateful day back in March, my luck was in! I was able to put my marker down, and was able to secure the final piece of the series (all the others were spoken for) - lucky #180 / 180!

And a few weeks ago, it found its way to the North Shore, where I have been enjoying wearing it immensely!

There is quite a bit more to come about my visit, Besançon, and the people at Lip who are truly bringing back traditional watch making to it's ancestral home in France.

Stay tuned!

Royale Paris 2024

It would seem that Paris is (as is often the case) inspiring passion and creativity this summer -

Courtesy of Pequignet

Before we go any further, if you are unfamiliar with the song made famous by Joe Dassin, allow me to treat you to a modernized take. Ironically, a song about Paris, France, romance and everything else particularly awesome in life was originally charted by a young man born in Brooklyn, who studied at the University of Michigan and might have had a possible career as an author having won a prize for fiction as an undergraduate in Ann Arbor. And although I am a traditionalist, I have to say that this updated version of Les Champs-Elysées from Pamplamoose (best band name EVER!) is the shit that killed Elvis!  You're welcome! 

But back to watches -

Pequignet had a special treat up their sleeves to help celebrate France and Paris in particular. 

Courtesy of Pequignet

This is the Royale Paris 2024 - LIMITED EDITION. It is based on the Royale Paris. The functions include hours, minutes, small seconds located in the lower right quarter, power reserve in the lower left quarter, and a wonderfully legible large date just between 12 o'clock and the center of the dial. And as a special flourish? The day is in blue, the dates in white and red.

Courtesy of Pequignet

The case back is another homage, with La tour Eiffel (that's Eiffel Tower to you) etched in pride of place.

This new release is limited to 33 pieces.

And is priced at 7,700,00 € TTC

Here are some of the pertinents, straight from the folks in Morteau -

Case:

Steel, polished finish with polished/satin finish caseband
Crown with embossed "Fleur-de-Lys" logo Bezel secured with screws

Dial and Hands:

Opaline white
Hands in polished steel
Large date display and jumping hours
Date display blue-white-red
Power reserve at 8.00
Small second at 3.30

Movement:
Calibre Royal®
Frequency of 21.600 Alt/h
88-hour Power reserve
39 jewels
Sunray and rhodium oscillating weight 

The Big Comeback - Lip

Over the past 8 years or so, I have been fortunate enough to witness something pretty special - the reformation of one of the most iconic brands in France. 

Now theologians might question my use of the word reformation to describe the very positive things happening at Lip. But I would beg to differ. One definition of reformation is -

The act or process of changing a religious, political, or societal institution for the better.

Lip is one of those rare entities that goes beyond a simple product category. Like Peugeot, Airbus, L'Oréal, and Michelin (to name just a few), it is interwoven not just in the French psyche, but is known around the world.

The Lip affair was a seismic event not just in watchmaking, and not just in France. It galvanized a group of seemingly different people who had one thing in common - they needed to come together and act, or they were going to lose their jobs. In 1973, Lip was about a heartbeat away from oblivion. Massive layoffs were looming, and if not for the drastic action of the workers, Lip would be a footnote today. 

 

Spoiler Alert - Lip survived and after more than a few ups and downs, including the indignity of being moved away from its historical home of Besançon, it has been gradually moved back to France's watch epicenter, and this is all thanks to the Berards, particular Pierre-Alain Berard in particular -

This past March, I made my third visit to Besançon and to Lip HQ. And what motivated this trip? 

This is the Lip T18 Original. As mentioned in previous stories here, the T18 is something that marks a brand new chapter in the evolution of Lip. It is the first step towards movement manufacturing returning to Besançon, and it seems fitting that the man who worked to bring Lip home is leading the way to moving Lip back more fully into the world of mechanical watch making.

So now that I have whetted your appetites, I encourage you to tune in to our next episode where we will go deeper into the T18, the city of Besançon, and Lip's role in its evolution.

Real Men Wear Pink!

The Pequignet Concorde...in pink -

Courtesy of Pequignet

Pequignet came out a little while ago, and while most outlets went with the black or blue dial versions, I am going to share with you my personal favorite - the pink version.

Like every other member of the Pequignet Concorde family, it is a wonderful integrated case and bracelet concept. And while it is available in a 36 mm case, in truth I would opt for it in 40 mm. 

Courtesy of Pequignet

It is priced at (what I think) is a very level, 4,000 Euro. And what does 4,000 Euro get you? Quite a bit it turns out! A unique integrated case/ bracelet design which carries Pequignet's manufacture calibre - the Calibre Initial®. This one is dual direction winding (MERCI, Pequignet!), and has a beautiful level of finish.

So if you're as in love with this watch as I am, and want to know more, here are the pertinents, straight from Pequignet -

Case

316L polish, satin finish stainless steel
Crown with embossed "Fleur-de-Lys" logo

Details of the dial

Pink
Polish steel hours and minute's hands, Super Luminova TC1 (blue)
Polish steel second's hand
Large date display at 3.00

Details of the movement

Calibre Initial®
Dual direction winding
Frequency of 4 Hz (28800 Alt./h)
21 jewels
Stop second
Pierced oscillating weight with snailing decoration and embossed "Fleur-de-Lys" logo

Case thickness (in mm)

9.25

Waterproofing (ATM)

10

Back of case

Secured by 6 screws, sapphire opening on the movement

Power reserve time

65 hours

Just When I Thought I Was Out...

Lip pulls me back in!

Courtesy of Lip

Okay, a few factoids about me (Henki), Lip, and Besançon.  Back in 2015, just before Thanksgiving, I visited Besançon for the first time. It was right after the Paris attacks, and I was truly moved by the energy and spirit of the people I encountered. I visited Lip's HQ, toured the facility, had a great lunch with the sales team and the owners - the Berards, and left with the feeling that Lip was about to do some really great things. I went back four years later, and great things were beginning to happen. And then COVID hit.

When it comes to the current owner, Pierre-Alain Berard, I must say that he is without a doubt one of the kindest and most straight forward people you will ever meet in the watch business. During lockdown we had a few conversations and I was struck by two things - his care and concern for his team at Lip, and his belief that they would come out of the other side with some renewed energy.

And the latest step in this evolution is the Nautic 3. A 39 mm diver that hit me square between the eyes with a visceral sucker-punch. The first watch I ever bought for myself was when I was 17 and I walked into May Company at the Midway Mall and bought myself a Swatch Calypso Diver. And it's like the folks at Lip dove into my subconscious and pulled this beautiful diver out!

Courtesy of Lip

It measures 39 mm in diameter, and is assembled in Besançon. Most intriguing is the movement. Under the hood you'll find what is described as:

Franco-Swiss analogue mechanical automatic HD G100 Manufacture Lajoux-Perret

And the price is particularly attractive - 

€1,099.00

There is more to come about this watch, this is just a brief introduction. But if this watch along with what I call the Titanium TV is anything to go by? Lip is about to be BIG!

In Honor of Bastille Day - A Few Personal Favorites

I love Lip watches, and to that extent doing a Bastille Day post solely about them would be a cheap/easy move. But because I love them, and because I personally like the owners, they definitely deserve inclusion -

Courtesy of Lip

This is the new Churchill Automatic - and as previously mentioned, it is the Shit That Killed Elvis!

From a watch for the people, a watch for the "not so many" from Pequignet -

Courtesy of Pequignet

I am going to be very honest, I do not read French, so I am doing my best with Google Translate.  I believe that this model is referred to as the "Attitude" (crap name, sorry), and is limited to 100 pieces.

The movement is referred to as the "Initial" -

Courtesy of Pequignet

Apparently the deposit to secure one is 3000 €, it is not clear what the final price will be (at least as far as I can see), but even assuming that the deposit represents 1/4 of the price, it is a pretty interesting proposition.

And on to someone who should be far better known outside of France, Colin de Tonnac has already made some great impressions with his brand, Semper & Adhuc -

Courtesy of Semper & Adhuc

And I am looking forward to COVID19 finally fucking off once and for all so that I can try to set up a visit to the workshop, and pick up one of these -

Courtesy of Semper & Adhuc

And lastly, a clear example of why I still write Tempus Fugit -

Courtesy of Sartory Billard

This is one of those cases where I can honestly say "I knew him when".

Armand Billard is a unicorn. There is no shortage of people trying to create their own brand. Well, that's the easy part. The trick is how do you make it relevant? Further, how do you make a watch that is so desired that people are willing to wait the months it will take to get? And you do it without the aid of a big PR agency, fancy retail partner or large marketing budget. Armand Billard is the only functioning example of someone who has managed to listen to advice, take feedback, read the situation - and actually make HIS OWN DECISIONS about how to run his brand not just successfully, but insanely so. Now it's important to state clearly - Armand is a friend, and I am biased. But he is also the functioning example of everything that the watch industry should be striving to be - open, curious and kind. He is generous with his time for customers, press and even other brands who could be viewed as competitors. Watch Town needs more Armand Billards. Let's hope his attitude and spirit is contagious! 

Merci Lip!

Courtesy of Lip

Have you ever really wanted something, but just figured it would never happen?  I have been chasing Lip not unlike a jilted boyfriend the Sunday after the Junior Prom.  And they make a lot of watches that have caught my eye, but with this one, they have finally shot an arrow into my heart (metaphorically, not literally).

Quartz is many things - it is affordable, it is precise, and it is modern. But when I think about the Lip Churchill, I have to be honest - I feel a bit nostalgic. I feel the need for something a wee bit more tactile and mechanical. And it's as if the Montres Gods of the Mount Olympus that is Besançon heard me and now the Churchill is available with an automatic/self-winding movement! 

Courtesy of Lip

And gentle reader?  All is truly right in the world!

So if like me, you have been holding out for an affordable horological dalliance that will stick with you well past the Senior Prom and all for less than 450 Euro, then read on for the pertinents -

Case
steel 316 L, dimensions 46 mm x 26 mm, steel back case

Dial
silvered 2-tone, IP GUN hands and black arabic numerals, date at 6 o'clock

Glass
sapphire

Strap
22 mm dark brown genuine bovine leather

Movement
automatic SEIKO NH05B

Waterproof
30 meters

Warranty 2 years

Made in France - Besançon

Notes From Besançon

Today marked the start of a new chapter at Tempus Fugit Media with the launch of Notes From Besançon!

Notes From Besançon will be a stand alone online resource that will focus primarily on Besançon, the surrounding region, the watches of that region, and the people and brands who design, produce and market them.  

Tempus Fugit will continue, and continue on its focus on industry insider content.  Notes From Besançon is a passion project written by a fan of the region and the brands that call it home.  I hope that you enjoy it!

Lip

An important note to this story - in the time since my visit, my partner Rick Marei and I have been in discussions with Lip to represent them in North America and sell them through our soon-to-open online store.  So while everything I am writing here about Lip is absolutely from the heart, it is important to disclose to you, the reader, that I am in discussions to make that relationship more of a business one, so I am biased, and I do have a potential business interest.  They have not paid for this content, it is my own.  Both Rick and I are looking forward to bringing Lip Watches to North America.  Stay tuned!

I have held off on posting this because I was still taking some time to digest my visit to Besançon this past November.  

I feel it is safe to say that if you are looking for technical content, or brownie hounding then Tempus Fugit is probably NOT the outlet for you.  

But, contrary to what some brand managers out there might think, I do have feelings, and sometimes my heart will draw me in what I would honestly say are unexpected directions.

And this past Thanksgiving week, I returned to Besançon pretty much four years to the day that I first visited.

And while there were some touristy things that I did, the most important part of this one-day stop was to visit Lip. 

Lip has become something of a cult figure here in the US.  Not for nothing, the Mach 2000 is something of a anomaly in the world of watch fans.  If we are honest about it, in its current format is essentially, a quartz chronograph.  But this is a watch that demonstrates that a watch is far more than the sum of its parts.  Think I'm kidding?  While in France I received a Facebook message from a fellow watch journalist stateside asking me to pick one up while I was there and bring it back for him.  There are certain watches out there that hit visceral nerves, and for me Lip has a few models that speak to me on levels I can't really quantify.  They are emotional as much as pragmatic.  Lip, at its very heart, is as much a feeling as it is a brand.

I refer you to an article by Adam Sofineti -

http://www.watchpaper.com/2020/02/02/lip-nautic-ski-hands-on-review/

A part of Lip's history is a "passing around" of the brand.  When I visited four years ago, Lip had been living sort of a diluted life, really treated by the (then) owners as a label to brand watches under, and not the watch brand that they truly were.  

Enter the Berards - Philippe and Pierre-Alain.  In the time since my last visit, they have taken ownership of Lip, and reinvigorated it.  I am not here to criticize the previous owners.  I am, however, here to applaud the Berards, and the entire team at Lip.  

How do you manage a legend?  Curious to relate, Lip stirs a LOT of emotions in not only watch fans, but in the French consciousness.  But prior to the Berard's, that emotional connection was more of a sense of nostalgia.  

Since the Berard's?  I hate hyperbole, but walking around the streets of Besançon, Paris, and the offices and workshop at Lip, I really felt the energy, the passion, I really felt why some brands connect on the level that they do with fans and the public at large.

It would be easy to do a Blancpain and "start from year zero", but the team at Lip live in the real world, one where you don't manufacture history.  To that end, they have a rather unusual (in today's watch world) department that handles vintage Lip questions, assessments, and if I understood correctly, possible restoration (but my French is lacking, so I will need to get clarification on that point).

And while it would be easy for the Berards to simply have bought the label and turn to a white label company for everything, it was very clear to me that Lip clearly represents something special to them, and I got that same feeling touring around the new facilities that they have installed for mechanical watches.

It is not enormous, but it is not insignificant either.  And I think what is encouraging about it to me, is that it represents the first step forward.

It also bears mentioning that Lip has stayed true to its roots.  

While it would be easy for them recreate themselves as something that they are not, and never were, they have held the line on pricing.  In a world where brands both big and small jack up their prices only to jettison their unwanted stock to the grey market where it is discounted down to the bare bones, Lip offers something novel - a great watch at a fair price.

Now I realize that everyone wants to go to Switzerland to visit the historic Maisons, and that's fair enough.  But if you are really a fan of watches, history and culture?  Get yourself to Besançon and soak up all of the history and charm that this wonderful city has.

and pick up a Lip watch while you're at it, either here, or the City of Lights.  You don't have to be a Hipster to be a Lipster ; )