The Presidents And Vulcain - Joe Biden

And now we get to one of the most misunderstood Vulcain/Presidential connections.

Joe Biden was gifted a Vulcain Cricket from the Paajanen family, Keijo Paajanen specifically. It was presented to him while he was still Vice President in 2011. In fact, he received his even before the Vulcain Cricket that Keijo presented President Obama. It is also worth noting that President Biden is the one President in modern times who actually paid for and kept the gift that he received. And also interesting to relate, his was the "base" model - stainless steel. It is, in fact, just like this one -

As Keijo's brother Rauno put it in his communication with Penelope Colston of the New York Times, in many ways it's as if Keijo gave the Cricket to Joe Biden first as he maybe suspected what might be in the future for Amtrak Joe, and there is a slight hint of sadness when I think about this, because I also wonder (in my own way) whether Keijo somehow knew that his time was limited, and that he would not get a chance to present a Vulcain to Joe Biden himself when he actually became President. This is what Keijo's brother Rauno shared with Ms. Colston -

"As I said in the first reply, our family and many others in Finland see the US as a safeguard that Finland can stay as a part of the Western World. The Winter War experience in the family is passed to the future generations. Our family wanted to thank the Presidents for paying a visit to our country. I quote Joe Biden´s letter here:

'Please know it is the kindness of people like you that continually renew my confidence about what we all can achieve together.'

It is a mutual feeling."

Rauno Paajanen

Election Day, Vulcain, and Finally the Rest of the Story!

There is a certain shabby nobility in laboring away in anonymity, not least of which is that you get to write about just what you like ; )

Now one of my passions has been, and remains even now, the Vulcain Cricket.  But my passion is rooted more firmly in the "between time" between quartz crisis and the later "tarting up" of the brand by new owners.  That time being when the Paajanen family had the Cricket produced under license and presented them as gifts to US Presidents.

Now one very important factoid that the Big H, and then every other outlet that keeps referencing them (like GQ),  keeps getting slightly wrong is that the actual Vulcain that was actually given to Joe Biden, who actually wears it was actually not given to him by Vulcain, but rather by the Paajanen family. 

Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

But today is, a wonderful day for me - because FINALLY someone else out there has reported the true story of the Paajanen family, and the revival of the tradition of giving a Vulcain Cricket to the President (and sometimes Vice President) of the United States -

The Allure of The President’s Watch

THANK YOU Penelope Colston and the New York Times!!!

So I have already completed my civic duty and cast my ballot.  I dressed up my "Paajanen Cricket" with a beautiful new blue ostrich foot strap, and I am going to savor today as the day that hopefully, the rest of the world will finally learn about the true Vulcain ambassadors, and particularly Keijo Paajanen.

Sadly, I finally confirmed that Keijo did, indeed, pass away last year. Curious to relate, about three years ago I pitched the idea of creating a new watch called the Paajanen Friendship 1.  Like so many ideas, it never happened, but I like to think that maybe it could still could ; )

The last US President to receive a Cricket from the Paajanens was Donald Trump who received it in 2018, and sadly, that is the end of this part of the story.

Wishing you well Keijo, and wishing you were still here -

"Truth" in Advertising

So today brought the Sunday New York Times.  And as I read through a very interesting article on the newly, soon to be appointed Chief Executive at Burbery, I stumbled across the latest "factoid" from Shinola:

"SOMEDAY THEY'LL CALL GENEVA THE DETROIT OF SWITZERLAND"

So here's an open request to Shinola -

Please quit all the bullshit, make some watches that are more than the magic pixie dust that you are sprinkling through your advertising, and for God's sake - STOP hyping a preexisting quartz movement as a "made in Motown miracle".  Honestly, I'm begging you, spend some real money not just on your advertising, but spend some on some actual long-term and more in-depth training and development of your employees to become true watch makers.  Please understand, this is not a "quartz bad" commentary.  There is NOTHING wrong with quartz - but quit presenting this as if is is some artisan's breakthrough that will put all of Switzerland on notice!

To quote my great grandfather, you've been drinking too much of your own bathwater.  Let other people tell us about how great you are, it will lend a bit more credibility, and will not have the same whiff of "shinola".

SWATCH, ETA and the Hayeks in the New York Times

The below referenced article appeared in the New York Times.
For the international readers out there, the Times is considered
THE newspaper of record here in the US.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/23/business/global/23swatch.html?_r=1&emc=eta1


Needless to say, this is a situation that is not going to resolve itself in the very near future.

We shall see...