Baumes Away!

Word reached the North Shore offices of Henki Time that speculation was no longer necessary. Richemont has pulled the trigger and an agreement has been reached with the Damiani Group for them to take control of Baume & Mercier, and off of the Richemont books.

Without going too much into the heroes and zeros, I'd like to really address a bigger issue that a few other outlets have hinted at, but nobody has really been willing to address - the lack of understanding of identity that many brands suffer from. And those brands in particular? They tend to reside in larger (and sometimes smaller) groups.

Now if we stick strictly with Baume & Mercier, in truth? It's a brand that with even just a little bit more attention from the Richemont leadership, and a bit more understanding about where they lived within Watch Town writ large? Well they could have made a LOT more money and not be an asset needing to be sold. But a big part of that has to do with what I constantly share with the brands I consult for - you must know who you are, you must be comfortable in your own skin, and you MUST PUNCH YOUR WEIGHT.

Let's look at some other examples. I realize all of the other pundits are talking about Zenith. But in truth that is a bit to obvious. We'll come back to it. Let's talk about my old frenimy - Mido. Mido is a brand that can't seem to decide who they are. Are they retro - with the heritage Commanders and Ocean Stars. But then again - countless numbers of SKUs. And here in the US, opening and closing US offices, and going back and forth with concepts. In truth? The majority of what Mido cranks out could really have any brand's name on it. There is very little to distinguish it. Now, in fairness, I have to assume that from their shared administration offices in Le Locle that they make enough money that for better or worse, Hayek the Younger, and Hayek the Even Younger are willing to swing along.

Staying with the Swatch group, let's consider a brand that has an identity that gives it some flexibility, but also has the ability to know itself - Longines. Longines is, if we're honest, what Baume & Mercier should have always focused on being. A step or two above Tissot, but absolutely priced in real world economics. In the real world, a $1,000 - $2,000 watch purchase is going to be a once in a lifetime purchase for most people. And if I'm being honest? That is really what attracted me to watches in the first place. It wasn't about the brand, or how many I could / would get to have. It was about a nice thing that was with you every day. Something that was truly fine, that you had always wanted.

But I digress...

Let's go back to Le Locle - and Zenith. Zenith is a brand that I admire a great deal, and a brand that seems to be cursed to poor stewardship. It has been traded somewhat like a baseball card that each person who acquires it hopes will somehow pivot and make them millionaires. The reality is not nearly so rosy. 

Zenith has had the misfortune to land in the hands of a succession of wannabe operators who it turns out were just marking time until the next warm body came along. And with the stewardship of Arnault, Arnault the Younger, and Arnault the Even Younger nothing seems likely to change the trajectory of Zenith. The piece none of us pundits really know is whether or not Zenith is profitable, breaking even, or losing money. My sense is that Zenith has become a sunk cost trap for LVMH. And as with so many people who are successful with many things, it is hard to see, acknowledge, and accept failure when it finally rears it's not-so-attractive head. And Zenith and LVMH's inability to effectively address it is Watch Town's Dunning Kruger Effect writ large.

Now unlike the Watch Bros who apparently know more than anyone else, I am not going to presume that I would know how to fix Zenith. To quote that great movie about the watch business - The Sound of Music: "How do you solve a problem like Zenith?"

So what have we learned from all this? Sadly - probably not a damned thing ; )

Watch Town has a painfully short memory. We forget that once upon a time, apart from a handful of successes, the watch business was a grind. The idea of a Rockstar Watch Maker or CEO was ludicrous. We forget that watch making in Switzerland started out as a way for farmers to make money during the winter when they couldn't farm. And I am a bit of a traditionalist, but perhaps a bit of humility coupled with fiscal responsibility wouldn't be too far misplaced?

Richemont's sale of Baume & Mercier is perhaps the wisest decision they have made for some time. Selling a brand to another suitor who will hopefully take it further than you did is not really a failure, it shows the sort of wisdom that is in short supply in Watch Town. But maybe this will be the first shift towards common sense that will hopefully start a trend which will help some of these red-headed step-child brands not only survive, but one day thrive.

But as with anything in Watch Town, we will wait, and we will see.

The Multifort TV Big Date

From Mido -

Courtesy of Mido

This is the latest from Mido - a revised riff on the TV test screen theme.

The case is of stainless steel and measures 40 mm in diameter. Fitted with a stainless steel bracelet, the Multifort TV Big Date ships with two additional rubber straps - one yellow, one blue.

The movement is described by Mido as the Mido Calibre 80, or for those in the know, the ETA C07.651.

The asking price is $1,610 here in the lower 48.

As We Head Into Winter...

Let's be honest with ourselves, the portents aren't good out there. Pre-owned prices continue to drop, and suppliers are practically begging brands for orders of pretty much any kind. The vultures are starting to circle more than a few brands, and it will a game of survival for even some of the big dogs.

If I've read the stock reports correctly, Mighty Swatch Group shares spent most of last year hovering between 12 and 13. Let's just say things have changed, as they appear to have closed at 9.11 yesterday.

So let's see what happens as we head towards the holidays. Christmas may indeed be coming, but the goose might need to tighten its belt a bit.

If I Could Create My Dream Mido

If you're just tuning in, what you may not know is that I am, at heart, a pretty devoted fan of Mido -

Fathers, Sons, And All That Comes With It

So if I were given the opportunity to design my "dream Mido", (and you'll have to employ your imagination a bit here), it would combine two existing Mido GMT models -

The basis would be the Ocean Star GMT Limited Edition for Hodinkee -

Courtesy of Hodinkee and Mido

I would opt for a non co-branded case back ; )

I would change the bezel insert to the one from this globe trotting time machine which indicates various major cities -

Courtesy of Mido

Now in a completely perfect world I would replace New York with Zanesville (Ohio), Los Angeles with Eugene (Oregon), Tokyo with Kasukabe (Japan), and London with St. Andrews (Scotland). 

I'm sure the folks at Mido will drop everything and jump on this idea ; )

Enjoy your watches!

The Baroncelli Chronograph Moonphase

From Mido -

Courtesy of Mido

I am a sucker for a chronograph / moonphase. It combines something I actually use - the chronograph, with something that I love - the phases of the moon. Mido has just released something that scores very high on the "Henki Visceral" scale.

Courtesy of Mido

The case is of stainless steel and measures 42 mm in diameter. The movement is billed as the Mido automatic calibre 60. Hours, minutes, seconds, day, date, chronograph, and moon phase.

My only critique would be the logo. Dear Mido, pick one and stick with it! As what could best be described as an "early Mido adapter" (my father was given one the day before I was born), I am a little biased towards the original.

Other than that, it is a wonderful watch in every way. No details on pricing yet, but hopefully the Mido website will have some details shortly.

Stick A Fork In It

It seems that last call has come around for Baselworld. Long story short, what was once THE WATCH FAIR has  said: "no mas", at least for the foreseeable future.

Remember that warm and fuzzy message that Baselworld was, to quote that other great commentator on the watch business - Kool Moe Dee:

Comin' back, like "Return of the Jedi" ?

Well, apparently not so much. It would seem that the much vaunted 24/7/365 Baselworld Spirit is now nothing more than the wistful memories of a romantic encounter years before. 

Early this morning, news limped into the North Shore HQ of Tempus Fugit that Baselworld 2 - Electric Boogaloo was going to be on hiatus for yet another year, and that Managing Director Michel Loris-Melikoff would be dusting off his resume and pursuing other professional challenges.

Here is the press release, in its entirety:

Press Release: Baselworld relaunch needs more time

Basel 12 November 2021 Baselworld organizers have decided to take more time for the launch of the new concept. Baselworld, scheduled for spring 2022, will therefore not take place. This decision is based on the one hand on the experience gained from the Pop Up Event at the Geneva Watch Days and on intensive discussions with manufacturers and retailers. On the other hand, it takes into account the fact that it is particularly difficult to launch a new concept for a new target segment due to the renewed aggravation of the COVID situation and the associated uncertainty among customers.  "Over the past few months, we have studied in detail our Watches, Jewellery and Gems ecosystem and gained important insights from discussions with major industry representatives," says Beat Zwahlen, CEO of the MCH Group. "The conclusion is that the market exists for a B:B:C platform that brings together medium-sized and specialized manufacturers with independent retailers. But their needs must be analyzed in more detail. This means we need to have significantly more time to get there."  In the coming months, therefore, an interdisciplinary team from the MCH Group will analyze the target segments and, in close exchange with manufacturers and retailers, make a deep dive into their marketing and transaction needs. In this context, particular attention will be paid to the latest trends in marketing and distribution with a view to the post-pandemic period, especially internationalization and digitization. The goal remains to create added value for the community's business in its target markets with the internationally anchored Baselworld brand and innovative platforms.  Due to the cancellation of Baselworld 2022, Managing Director Michel Loris-Melikoff has decided to leave the company and take on a new challenge. Loris-Melikoff had taken over the management of Baselworld in 2018 under difficult conditions and brought it to a successful execution in 2019. In a short period of time, he managed to gain access to the industry and win its respect. He initiated and helped shape the necessary transformation and repositioning of Baselworld. The MCH Group regrets his decision. It thanks him for his tireless commitment and wishes him all the best for his future engagements.

Well, there is a lot to unpack here, but as we say in the mediation game, Baselworld  didn't get here overnight. And unlike what a horny teenage boy might whisper in your ear at the drive-in movie, you don't get a "little bit pregnant".

So let's reconstruct part of the series of events that led us here, shall we?

1.    For the past several years - let's say from 2016 to the final gasp in 2019, Baselworld has been shedding participating brands at an ever increasing rate. The stated explanations were myopic at best. The message was consistently - We at Baselworld are AWESOME, and if you are too foolish to see that, then we never wanted you anyway!

And then...

2.      Swatch Group, en masse, gently explained what Baselworld could do with their fair and the associated expenses. And of course all sorts of platitudes were issued from the fair organizers as to how much better Baselworld would be without Swatch Group! Spacious, well appointed areas encouraging customers, brands and retailers to interact! Well, we waited, and we saw...

Shamelessly borrowed from the worldwide infoweb

Baselworld 2019 already had the stink of death, and eerily resembled a midwestern shopping mall in a once prosperous, now forgotten factory town that was once bustling but now deserted since the factory that employed half the town shut down.

At the final go-round in 2019, you could have literally driven a double-wide trailer through the center of Hall 1 and not hit a thing. No amount of impromptu fashion shows, or Lamborghinis on pedestals managed to change that reality.

3.     Avarice - like a grasping bully, the Baselworld sales team in 2020 attempted to get money from every brand that it could, even when the organizers had already decided to cancel the fair. If you signed a contract (even if you did so the day before the cancelation notice went out) you would be getting regular, sometimes rather menacing communications insisting that you pay up, even though the fair was not going to happen. 

And the result?  Well, let's just say that the people running watch brands don't tend to forget that type of experience. So when the call went out for participants for the next iteration of Baselworld, there were very few takers.

Where are your friends when you need them?

4.    You don't tug on Superman's cape - Rolex, Patek and some of the other big dogs decided that enough was enough, and announced their departure.

And that final group departure effectively sucked all of the remaining oxygen from Hall 1. 

And what then remained? Nothing but broken dreams and the unpleasant odor of a bargain priced cologne, flamboyantly labeled: 

"Baselworld Sprit!"  

Revisiting Something Special

From Mido -

Courtesy of Mido

I've dipped my toe in the shallow end on this one before, but as Watch Town is clearly in the doldrums, it has been a time for reflection.

Tempus Fugit "Lifers" will note that my first introduction to watches (albeit on my father's wrist) was a Mido Ocean Star (circa 1968) -

My relationship with my father was not unlike my relationship with the modern Mido - somewhat challenging ; )

But what time and experience have taught me is that nothing (by its very nature) is forever. Things evolve, expand and contract. If not inanimate things, certainly our perceptions of them.

For a while there, Mido was making stuff that was pretty boring, more than a wee bit repetitive, and none-too inspiring. Over the past few years they seem to have regained some of their desire to design and make watches. I am sorry if that sounds harsh, but as a watch fan and a Mido fan in particular, it truly felt as if they were simply going through the motions. 

Courtesy of Mido

The main joy currently is to be found in their Ocean Star Tribute collection.  And this one in particular. Yes, it is a blue dive watch. But in fairness, a not so obvious (navy) blue. It is bright, and it is fun. 

Courtesy of Mido

The case is of stainless steel and measures 40.5 mm in diameter. The movement is listed as the Automatic Mido Caliber 80 (base ETA C07.621). It is self-winding (automatic) and boasts up to 80 hours of power reserve.

Swatch group, in its misguided wisdom opted to pull up stakes in the US a few years back and are "Zooming it in" these days when it comes to managing the US market. You can buy this watch in the US at Macy's, Bloomingdales and a certain watch blog turned colossus. I personally will wait for my next European sojourn.

So Mido it seems have awoken from their own doldrums. Let's hope that they can keep it up.

Enjoy your watches!

The Multifort Patrimony Chronograph... In Blue

From Mido -

Courtesy of Mido

The case is of stainless steel (with rose gold pvd treatment) and measures 42 mm in diameter.

Courtesy of Mido

The movement is the self-winding/automatic Caliber 60 which is based on the ETA A05.H31, featuring two and a half days of power reserve.  Just enough for the weekend if this is your "going to town" watch (i.e. Monday - Friday).

Courtesy of Mido

This one definitely appeals to me. As my odometer is approaching 53, and I am firmly ensconced in the world of non-profit administration, I feel confident (barring a Lotto windfall) that I will never be walking into a boutique and placing my platinum card on the counter to purchase a solid gold chronograph, so this is within the realm of realistic possibility for yours truly. 

Courtesy of Mido

And the price?  

CHF 1,990 is the ask.

Twice Again - Realistic Luxury

 

Courtesy of Swatch

I am, admittedly, a huge Swatch fan. And as much as I love the wild and whimsical, the one that really kicked it all off was actually pretty plain - black and white!  

I appreciate that if you are reading a watch blog, you are probably hoping for something a little more high brow, but in many ways, that original black and white Swatch was a powerful salvo in the way we looked at and thought about watches. Unless you were REALLY into watches, they were utilitarian, and not that interesting.  Hayek the Elder changed all of that with a relatively modest purchase price of $35 or so. And let's be honest, when compared with the MASSIVE price escalation of other watches out there, it is quite comforting to know that you can still lay hands to a Swatch for south of US $100.  

Now obviously Mr. Hayek is the one we all remember, but there were some other important players involved in the birth and growth of the Swatch, and if you want to go deeper, here is (my opinion as fact) great article -

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/581875/swatch-watch-history

In the case of the Twice again? You're looking at $80!

The Ocean Star Tribute (In Green)

From Mido -

Courtesy of Mido

Came across this little buzzer while cruising the Mido website this morning. This is (I am assuming) the latest iteration of Mido's Ocean Star Tribute.

Courtesy of Mido

According to Mido, the case measures 40.5 mm in diameter. The lug width is an aggravating 21 mm. The movement is listed as being an Automatic Mido Caliber 80 (base ETA C07.621).

All yours for CHF870.00

Reaching out to the folks formerly responsible for North America in the not-so-distant past, myself and a colleague from the Fourth Estate were informed that Mido no longer had offices in North America. So I am not 100% sure if the retailers listed for the US are "still in action", but sometimes the search is half the fun!

Let's hope this is one of those times ; )

Making American Watchmaking Great Again...in Switzerland.

Okay,  a little back story and some inside baseball.  Following Hamilton, Waltham is perhaps the best known of the "original" made in America watch companies. Hamilton was slowly diluted and ultimately acquired and moved lock, stock and mainspring to Switzerland and is now part of the SWATCH Group. Despite what their crack marketing team would have you believe  the brand today is about as American as Nutella - you can buy it here, but you'll most likely go for strawberry jam or peanut butter. 

Waltham has had a much bumpier passage. It has been traded back and forth like a slightly damaged (not in mint condition) Spiderman Amazing Fantasy #15. 

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Sure, it's interesting, it has historical "what's it", but because it has been neglected, it is not going to fetch "new/mint in mylar" prices. A few folks tried to take whatever goofball idea that they had and slap the name Waltham on it and hope it would sell. And this has proven that there is more to a successful watch brand than simply a well-known brand name.

One thing that is known is that the Waltham name has been registered in one form or another by a few different entities, but the word around the campfire is that the actual rights to use the name in the manufacture and sale of watches belongs to one unique owner based in New York, and according to the TESS search system, it is M. Z. BERGER & CO.

So when news popped into the Tempus Fugit mail box this Boxing Day morning that the Waltham Depollier (or the Field & Marine) watch will be coming back - like Return of the Jedi (props to Mohandas Dewese - that's Kool Moe Dee to you), I was curious.

Here is the info just as it arrived -

Courtesy of Watch Angeles

The forerunner of the Dive Watch is coming back!
 

All dive watches watches owe their existence to the Waltham Depollier Waterproof "Field & Marine" Watch, the watch that started the waterproof market. 

In February 2021 a new chapter of the biggest story in American Watchmaking - Waltham Watches - will be Crowdmanufactured by Watch Angels.

Follow the project on our social medial channels and sign-up to participate.

And this is where, gentle reader, I have to admit that I am a bit, well, scoobied. Does this mean that the "Angels" at Watch Angels have struck a deal? Does it mean that the watch will bear the Waltham name, or the Depollier label?

And truly confusing, why use both names?

They are currently operating out of a website labeled: https://waltham.ch

And good news for all of you out there who believe in pixies - a truly nationalistic tag line to appeal to real red-blooded Americans -

Making American watchmaking great again.

And then if you read the top menu language, that apparently means - Making American watchmaking great again...in Switzerland.

Well, we will wait, and we will see.

In the meantime, for those of you seeking some interesting background on a real Waltham Trench Watch from a trained historian and actual archeologist, I highly recommend Dr. Jack Carlson's entry in A Man & His Watch.  Just promise me you won't buy it from Hodinkee ; )

The Verdict Is In...

And David has won!

Or in this case, R.T. Custer and Vortic Watch Company.

After five long years, Vortic has emerged the winner in the case that was brought by Hamilton (you know, that tiny little micro brand owned by SWATCH Group). Long story short, Hamilton asserted that Vortic was guilty of (in all honesty) a laundry list of things that in the end were not proven in the eyes of the court. 

And if nothing else? For this small outlet we are always happy to see right triumph over might ; )

Here is the release, straight from Vortic -

Vortic Watch Company Wins Landmark Lawsuit Against Swatch Group Brand, Hamilton

U.S. Federal Judge’s ruling sets precedent for the entire upcycling industry.

Fort Collins, CO (September 14, 2020) — Vortic Watch Company announces victory in a trademark case filed against the company by Hamilton Watch International, a Swatch Group brand. In a decision made by the U.S. Federal Court on September 11, 2020, the judge ruled in favor of Vortic on all counts. After a five-year battle, Federal Judge Alison Nathan determined Vortic has the right to salvage and restore antique pocket watches and turn them into wristwatches, including those that bear the Hamilton trademark.

“I always knew what we did was not wrong and did not violate trademark law.  What we do celebrates and preserves these wonderful antique watches,” says R.T. Custer, co-founder of Vortic. “I’m so thankful the U.S. justice system validated that and protected our American Dream.”

The Swatch Group, a Swiss conglomerate which oversees the once-American Hamilton brand, accused Vortic of trademark infringement and counterfeiting in 2015. The case finally culminated in February 2020 with a bench trial in the Southern District of New York.

“We’re happy with the precedent that’s been set in this historic case,” says Vortic’s attorney, Robert Lantz. “We demonstrated that the business model of upcycling antique pocket watches into wristwatches is fair and legal. Moreover, the Court’s ruling protects thousands of American small businesses that preserve history, and enhance or find new uses for antique products.”

Vortic successfully presented its efforts to avoid any consumer confusion in advertisements by describing its watches as works of art – “a museum on the wrist.”

“I couldn’t be prouder of both my team and the Justice System.” says Custer. “We won one for the little guys today.  This was truly a David vs. Goliath case.”

Downsizing - Change Is Inevitable

Now it is not news at this point, SWATCH Group has made the difficult decision to permanently shutter several of its retail stores, and 2,400 jobs are now forfeit. More detail on this can be found in this Bloomberg article -
Swatch Cuts 2,400 Jobs as Watchmaker Trims Store Network

SWATCH Group is many things, and more than anything else, at this moment in time they are the canary in the coal mine of the watch industry as a whole. To put it simply, if SWATCH is hurting, how is everyone else doing? Well, the simple answer is that some brands are (at least by most accounts) doing okay - i.e. Rolex and Patek. But other brands (and sorry SWATCH, some of your babies are in this group) are suffering now from a lack of vision. 

And what do I mean by that? 
Back at the turn of the century, everyone was convinced that Hayek the Elder was the smartest man in Watch Town and (for the most part) incapable of error. And there were some very sharp ideas, and let's be honest, some that could have been better handled. And as it applies to the actions now being taken to close company owned stores, it underscores what had been a long simmering concern with the push to not only "control the means of production" but also to try and control the means of consumption. The amount of grey market products sloshing around doesn't exactly help. The move to exclusive boutiques was maybe (maybe) not the best advised. Here in Boston-Metro we have two pretty glaring errors, the Omega boutique in that (insert sarcasm here) highly visited Boston neighborhood - Natick! For those of you unfamiliar, Natick is actually a different town (yes, designated a town, not a city), in a completely different county, more than 20 miles away from Boston (depending on which route you drive, because... no convenient form of public transit goes from there to Boston unless taking two buses and walking just under a mile is convenient). Ironically, there was, and still is a lot of good retail opportunity in downtown Boston. 

And then there was the SWATCH boutique at Boston's Logan airport. Now logic would tell you that airports are natural choices. But... it was in the International Terminal, and another little factoid about flights in and out of Logan for the uninitiated?  A lot of international flights DO NOT leave from the International Terminal. Strange but true!

Curious to relate? There is a thriving (albeit, pre-COVID) retail neighborhood on Newbury Street, and a boatload of space in the Prudential Center as well as the adjoining Copley Place shopping center. My best sense of these two decisions is that they were taken by people who really did not understand Boston, and really did not put in much effort to do so.

And let's now connect the dots - the majority of watch retail is (for the foreseeable future) going to be online. Now also curious to relate - I can buy an Omega watch online from Omega, and I can buy a SWATCH directly from them. Come to think of it, I can buy a:
Tissot
Hamilton
RADO
but not a Mido, not a Longines... and both of those brands are priced more affordably than Omega. Why not join the 21st century?

SWATCH Group, it is time to pivot. 

Don't Let The Moon Phase You!

I used to love the watches put out by Union Glashütte, and to be honest, they had gone stale for awhile.  But just for laughs, I had a wander around their site this AM and stumbled upon this -

Courtesy of Union Glashütte

Here are the pertinents -

1893 JOHANNES DÜRRSTEIN EDITION MOON PHASE

MOVEMENT

Manual movement UNG-58.S1

FUNCTIONS

Hours, minutes, small second, second stop, 24-hour display, manual winding, day, month and moon phase display in dial windows

CASE

Stainless steel 316L, pressed sapphire crystal case-back

GLASS

Sapphire, anti-reflective on both faces

WATER­RESISTANT

Up to a pressure of 10 bar (100  m)

DIAL

White with Arabic numerals, enamelled

HANDS

Blued, Rose gold-coloured

STRAP/BRACELET

Black leather

WEIGHT

94 g

DIAMETER

41 mm

HEIGHT

12,23 mm

REF.

D007.458.16.017.00

The De Ville Prestige Co-Axial Power Reserve

From Omega -

Courtesy of Omega

Probably not the fist place most hard-core watch guys are going to look, but the De Ville collection has some interesting pieces that probably don't get the attention that they might in an admittedly Seamaster/Speedmaster-centric universe.  

While I appreciate dive watches and astronaut approved time machine as much as the next guy, there is still something to be said for restraint.  Size and weight do not necessarily correlate with innovation or precision.

Courtes of Omega

A longer, more personal post on Omega, and its conflicting place in my watch loving heart will follow in the next day or so, but for now, here are the pertinents for this one, straight from the folks in Biel/Bienne -

MOVEMENT
Calibre: Omega 2627
Self-winding chronometer, Co-Axial escapement movement with rhodium-plated finish.
Power reserve: 48 hours
CRYSTAL
Domed, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti- reflective treatment inside

WATCH CASE & DIAL
Case: Steel
Case Diameter: 39.5 mm Dial Colour: Silver
WATER RESISTANCE
3 bar (30 metres / 100 feet)
FEATURES
Chronometer
Date
Power reserve indicator Small seconds

And Justice For All

So for those of you who have been gently napping, as a public service announcement we remind you that today is a very big day in the watch business here in the US.  In fact, it goes well beyond that.  Today, in New York City there will hopefully be a final determination regarding Hamilton's legal action against Vortic.  

Again, for those pulling a Rip Van Winkle, Vortic is a brand based out of Colorado that, essentially, up-cycles abandoned, forgotten pocket watches.  Old cases, dials, hands and movements enter a cocoon in Fort Collins, Colorado, and emerge as wrist-born butterflies.  Long dormant family heirlooms enjoy a second life.  To quote Elvis Presley in "It Happened at the World's Fair" -
"Happy ending, happy ending
give me a story with a happy ending".

I mean, everybody loves a happy ending, right?
Well, maybe not so much... 
I refer you to the following article -

IS SELLING A RECONDITIONED PRODUCT TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT? HAMILTON V. VORTIC

What is particularly telling in this whole drama is the manner in which the person responsible for Hamilton's arguments has artfully avoided actually, I don't know, participating.  I refer you to  

the following from Justicia Law:

Hamilton International Ltd. v. Vortic LLC et al, No. 1:2017cv05575 - Document 63 (S.D.N.Y. 2018)

As mentioned in a previous piece, the very notion that the key technical representative for Hamilton could not appear in court because the cost would be too high, is pretty difficult to accept considering the amounts of money Hamilton, and the SWATCH group at large spend on events, pr, media, etc.  Don't get me wrong, I love comped first class press junkets as much as the next watch dog, but if you can afford to pay for not-so-widely read journalists to travel to  various events, sponsor racing airplanes, etc., I think you can afford a business class ticket Zurich-NYC and a few nights of accommodation.  Moreover, let's keep in mind that it was Hamilton's decision to pursue this matter in the US.  

Will we ever know exactly what the thought process was behind this rather regrettable PR gaffe? Most likely not.

Was all of this avoidable?  Of course it was.  And what comes next?

Win, lose or draw, this has had an impact on Vortic.  For many of us who support what they are doing, we hope that it will have the Nietzshe effect, and that it will not kill Vortic, but rather, make it stronger.

And for the shot callers at SWATCH, I would ask you to consider another quote attributed to Nietzsche -

You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.

Mediation pals and gals!  It will save you a shit-ton of money, and PR headaches!

Repeat - Yogi Berra on Brand Management

I originally came out with this just over three years ago.  At that time I was in Malmo, Sweden for the launch of Kronaby.  After a fairly successful launch, followed by a strong BaselWorld 17, and  a BaselWorld 18 that was off the chain (the booth was jam-packed and I saw someone in front of the booth with with a can of grease and a crowbar trying to get more people in), shortly prior to BaselWorld 2019, word leaked out that Kronaby was, in fact, toast.  Now it's funny looking back, because at the time I was somehow thinking that maybe the folks at Kronaby (and let's say that's the four shot-callers and a few key employees that, in hindsight, never should have been anywhere near a watch brand), might be approaching things differently.  Shortly after launch, it began to become clear that, in fact, that was not the case.  Just prior to their first full-on BaselWorld (I'm talking about a week prior) the brain trust in the marketing department thought it made sense to cancel a large chunk of media appointments that had already been booked.  The result, a lot of press took that particular fuck-you at face value and not only didn't bother to re-schedule, but wrote Kronaby out of their collective consciousness.  Ironically, that BaselWorld found all four of the shot-callers hanging out in front of their booth, not unlike used car salesmen prowling the lot, looking for a possible mark.  Curious to relate, the next year was quite good, with people literally spilling out of the booth!  So what happened?  Well, a few things and some that parallel another fairly spectacular fall from grace, Klokers.  And if and when I am asked to deliver a Ted Talk I will endeavor to boil it down to ten minutes or so ; )

But for now, it seems like a good time to re-heat this one!

Yogi Berra on Brand Management

A late night (in Malmo) Face Time call came in waking me from a peaceful slumber.  Clearly I need to figure out some sort of "out of office" message for that when I am out of the country ; )

Worrying that it could be Wendy and there might be something important, I picked up.  At first, relief as it was not Wendy but a fairly senior fellow who works for a company in Switzerland that produces, markets and sells watches.  We had not spoken in 11 months and he was unaware that I had moved to Salem, MA and was no longer in California (and clearly he did not know I was in Sweden).  This turned into the semi-annual call where X (no names, so don't ask!) was on his latest talent hunt.  It generally starts out with some pleasantries:

X:  "How's Mary?"
Me: "Who is Mary?"
X:  "Your wife!"
Me:  "Well, that's news to me as I've been calling her Wendy since 1992."

So let's just say that X's memory is not razor-sharp, and therefore it is safe to say, he's not so good on every detail ; )

X:  "We're looking for a brand manager for  (no names).  Any suggestions?"
Me:  "What happened to (no names)?  You were so sure they were perfect."
X:  "Well, it turns out that (no names) was not a good manager."

And then X split open like an over-stuffed piñata.  And out it flowed.  X shared all of the problems and I listened.  And to quote that other great commentator on the luxury industry, Yogi Berra:

It's like deja-vu, all over again.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/y/yogi_berra.html

"It's like de-javu, all over again."

You see, X and I have a very similar conversation approximately every 18 months.  It is not always exactly the same date, but generally tends to fall between the close of the year and JCK.
And every 18 months I tend to ask the same thing:
"Why do you keep hiring the same type of person and expect different results?"
Long time readers will know that Moneyball is my default reference, and I even gave a copy to X as a gift a year or so back.  I don't think he ever read it and it's pages were probably used to start a fire in his swanky ski chalet.  So I thought I would dumb it down in the hopes that he might get it this time.  So without further delay, here's some hiring advice from Yogi Berra himself -

"We made too many wrong mistakes"
As an English teacher, I realize that this sentence makes no sense.  But look a little deeper and you will find a kernel of wisdom.  Essentially it reminds me of the anxiety and fear of looking foolish that compels recruiters, hiring managers and even CEOs to go with the same type of candidate again and again.  Simply put, the belief when hiring a brand manager in North America (I honestly can't speak to the other countries) is that they (usually he) must be a sales person.  Now, in and of itself this is good because, you know, you need to sell watches.  But there are several other elements that oftentimes get overlooked:
Management/coaching/mentoring.  Sales is, by its very nature, a fairly solitary pursuit.  While sales people get managed, it is very seldom that they have been called upon to manage the diverse group of personalities that typically make up a brand's office.
PR/Marketing/Media.  Again, frequently a lack of understanding of ROI vs. money actually spent.  If brand managers had a better understanding of this, then certain magazines and "influencers" would probably stop attending BaselWorld as the gravy train would clearly be shut down.  In addition, certain brands would not be the watch world equivalent of "Christmas/Easters" (i.e. people who only go to church two days a year).  Some of us call them Basel/Vegas.  You will only hear from these folks just prior to these two events.
Customer Service. Again, dealing with angry customers is an alien experience for a lot of these folks.

There are some people who, if they don't already know, you can't tell 'em.
Simply put, X, and plenty of other shot-callers in the industry just can't bring themselves to believe that there might be a different way to approach things.  As a friend of mine who works behind the scenes as a very in-demand consultant in Switzerland put it -
"these guys at Richemont, Swatch, and a lot of the others?  They're like trains running on the tracks.  They only move one way, and that's because the 'station master' (i.e. senior management) is following the same schedule they always have.  Which works great in normal times, but quite differently in a heavy snow storm".  And that snow storm started a few years ago and is still screwing up traffic ; )  Perhaps it is time to invest in an alternative "vehicle"?
Now X will probably go out and hire another big group loyalist who is expecting a base salary of 6 figures, business class travel, and a very deep marketing budget.

X:  "But they worked for Cartier for 20 years!"
Me: "So they are still with Cartier?"
X:  "No, but they were there from 92 - 2012."
Me: "So, essentially you are telling me that they have not worked for 4 - 5 years?"

At the risk of sounding mean, there is usually a reason why these people are available.

Nobody goes there anymore.  It's too crowded.
At the risk of sounding crass, X has a boner for big name, fancy retail partners.  The logic being that If you are in "so and so's" store in Las Vegas, LA or New York you will have made it big.  Sounds good, but the realities are something very, very different.  Those stores will most likely be MEMO. (Our old friend of the watch retailer meaning the brand provides the watches and waits for them to sell, and then maybe the retail partner will pay for them.  Then again, maybe not.)  So essentially the brand is acting as the bank, as well as the "supplier".  And if you think that is the only expense, consider the travel to visit the retail partner to do the safe count, the money that will be demanded for co-op advertising, the POS collateral materials that the retailer needs.  In other words, a shit-ton of money that the brand will be putting out there without any confirmed sale in sight.  And once the brand is in the store, they are fighting for case space, because frankly there are just too many brands.

So my strong advice for X after a few hours of sleep is this -
If you come to a fork in the road, take it. 
This is a perfect opportunity to consider a different approach.  There are plenty of talented people (some of them are even female) who despite not being solo artist salesmen might have exactly the talents and more importantly, the temperament to steer the Good Ship Watch Brand through the stormy seas of North America.

Or, you can go ahead do the same thing again, hoping for a different outcome -
Even Napoleon had his Watergate.

There are some people who, if they don't already know, you can't tell 'em.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/y/yogi_berra_2.html

It's like deja-vu, all over again.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/y/yogi_berra.html

It's like deja-vu, all over again.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/y/yogi_berra.html