"When I want your opinion I'll give it to you"

We live in REALLY goofy times. Watch Town and the members of the Fourth and Fifth Estates who "cover" it have a rather curious relationship. For those desirous of a more close relationship, the more salubrious path appears to be deference, oftentimes bordering on the sycophantic.

Now for my sins, I have been declared excommunicado by Richemont, LVMH, and a liquorice assortment of brands that seem to spend more time thinking about me than I do about them. And some of these brands are downright antipathetic. Almost as if I'd run over their dog and they won't forget it. 

With about 6,000 visitors a day, I accept that Henki Time is not a big fish. And that's okay. But I also have to wonder what loose screw is rattling around the collective PR/Marketing braintrusts in some of these brands that they feel that all reviews, stories, and coverage must be glowing? And no, I am not feeling personally persecuted as I am not alone in this semi-isolation. Astrid Wendlandt (Miss Tweed), Gregory Pons (Business Montres) and others more celebrated than yours truly never seem to get invited to the ball (or more specifically the rather lavish press junkets, etc.,.), or even Watches and Wonders in some cases...

So what's brought all this up? I'm glad you asked! One notable thing happened recently that underscores the problematic rift that exists between some brands and the people who would like to cover them. 

Miss Tweed has been on the outs with Richemont for some time. Curious to relate? She owns stock in Richemont (albeit 1 share) and was recently denied admission to the shareholders meeting. Now let's think about this for a minute, Richemont has already cut her out of any possibility of trying to cover them on a first hand basis by denying her admittance to Watches and Wonders (which is pretty douchey in and of itself). But this latest move shows a certain level of pettiness that is hard to fathom. Now this is just little me, but if I had the resources that Richemont does, I would actually reach out to this person, hear them out, maybe have an actual conversation? The worst that could happen is that the journalist will feel respected for taking the time to ask questions (albeit some of them uncomfortable) and it might just lead to a burgeoning detente. 

But then again, what the hell do I know?

Nostalgia And Watch Town

If the news reported by Miss Tweed is to believed, it would seem that Mr. Kern has his eye on another mostly defunct brand - Gallet.

Now this is curious, and I suspect that it has been secured for far less than Universal Geneve. Gallet had been force fed through a drip iv for the past 20 years, including one ill-advised BaselWorld misfire many years back. Very expensive chronographs that by all accounts never really took off, the website went dark some time ago, and I suspect that the the person pumping the money in is somewhat relieved that someone else will take Gallet over.

So let's see if the Miss Tweed's sources have read the tea leaves correctly, and maybe Gallet will fly high again.

With the market space in Watch Town already becoming increasingly bloated, I honestly have to wonder if this would be the best move. From a strictly fiscal perspective, there are wiser ways to spend your money. It's a gamble. You go back to the well too many times, things can go South. But on the other hand, everyone loves a re-birthed watch brand.

The truth is Breitling's history, reputation, it's arc as a brand had already been written long before Mr. Kern decamped IWC for Grenchen. But with Universal Geneve, and now possibly Gallet, Mr. Kerns can truly state that these were his, and it will likely be his legacy. And fair enough. We all want to make our mark, and be able to say we were "there when"...

We shall wait, and we shall see.