The Incredible Shrinking Fair

So news has filtered its way to the North Shore, and if the rather loud whispers are to be believed, it would seem that BaselWorld will be contracting once again.  Hall 2 will be closed and for all intents and purposes, the entire fair will all be in Hall 1 in 2019.

Now for many of us who had to race back and forth between Hall 1 and Hall 2 it meant often being late, and running a very real risk of contracting second-hand lung cancer as we passed through the wall of nervous sales reps and indolent influencers doing their level best to boost tobacco sales by 23% every BaselWeek.  For us, this is not such a bad piece of news.  And if I am being very honest (if unkind) the atmosphere and "decor" of Hall 2 was often more reminiscent of the Jackson, TN Greyhound bus station than of a luxury destination -

Courtesy of roadarch.com

Having gotten off the bus at 11:45 at night at this very station, I can tell you that, well... it's pretty depressing.  

When I worked for DOXA, Hall 2 (somewhat in the right armpit of the building) was where we were located.  The advantage was that the sausage stand was a mere 45 second walk away, the disadvantages?  Too many to count.  When you are in a shitty location, people are more likely to miss their appointments, and not make any effort to reach out for a "make up".  As a rule, nobody goes to Hall 2 unless they have a reason, because the sausage stand has moved across the street.  It just isn't sexy.

And for the fair organizers?  One less building means fewer security guards to pay, lower power bills, etc.  Logistically?  Smoother, easier to deal with.  

In terms of public perception?  Not so good.  Over the last few years we have seen the fair shrink from four halls, now down to one.  The number of attendees (journalists, fans, and retailers) has drastically reduced has well.  And more and more brands have been looking for "alternative" accommodations by renting out cafes, restaurants, shops, even houses rather than drop the cash on space in any of the halls.  And my suspicion is that the powers that be might try to "adjust" pricing to reflect the "exclusivity" of being in Hall 1.  So if you were a brand that was saving some pennies by being in Hall 2, you will be paying Hall 1 prices, or you will be looking for something different.  The question then becomes, will Hall 1 be able to accommodate everyone who wants space?  Or potentially more worrisome, will the potential uptick in price encourage some of the potential tenants to skip the whole thing altogether, leaving a look and feel like a dead shopping mall?

Courtesy of Architectural Afterlife

Let us hope that the new regime in charge of organizing this shin-dig will view it as an opportunity for rebirth and reinvention.  And more than anything else, let's hope they fill the halls and support the brands, the journalists and the retailers - because that will be the true measure of a successful BaselWorld fair.

 

Exports Are Up! So Sales...

Are not necessarily.

Confused?  Fair enough, many have given up trying to make any sense of how the Swiss export numbers actually match up to real sales. 

Courtesy of the FH

On the one hand, the numbers continue to show improvement.  And that would seem to be good news.  But the fact that larger numbers of watches are departing the country does not correlate with greater sales.  So while some might think that happy days are here again, it might be useful to ask the question that continues to be pretty uncomfortable - just where are all of those watches really going?

Most of us can only really rely on anecdotal evidence as to the reality of the market place.  I visit a lot of retailers, and I talk to A LOT of brand managers.  And without putting too fine a point on it, I am not hearing the same level of optimism.  Now granted, this is by no means an exhaustive analysis.  But long story short?  The majority are still not seeing the kinds of sales that they did in the good old days.

Another measure of the industry's health can be taken by the brands participating actively in the grey and the light grey market.  Even the mighty Swatch group is seeing some of its shinier lower priced brands (Tissot and Hamilton) being dumped at more more than 40% off of retail on a few of the "group shop" sites.  Whether this product is coming directly from the brands or from disgruntled retailers remains to be seen.  And this is not one or two pieces, but fairly large amounts of inventory.  So on the one hand, it's definitely a buyer's market.  But on the other?  It underscores the reality that there are still too many watches sloshing around the market place.  Which means that space has to be made for the new flood of watches steaming their way towards the US (and other ports).  And that still has not done enough to create the same type of uptick in the export figures for the US, which is reporting -0.4% for November.

Curious again are the numbers for Japan +22.5%.  

So, let's wait and see.  If the particularly goofy pr initiatives of some of the brands are anything to go by, in addition to the increasing number of job departures in mid-level industry positions, I suspect that the actual sales are not matching up to the number of watches departing the Swiss borders.

 

The 2 Year Review - Wrapping up the BR126 GT

One of the great joys of having and writing for your own outlet?  You get to do what you want ; )

As a watch enthusiast, the one constant conversation that I and my fellow-watch heads have about "the next thing", the "new thing" and more often than not, about love that has dried up.  No, were not talking about divorce or separation.  But that feeling that comes over you when you realize that the thrill is gone.  When that watch that got you so excited no longer does so.  

But I have noticed an interesting trend at the past few BaselWorld fairs.  More and more of my colleagues are not wearing the latest offering.  In ever growing numbers, they are wearing a favorite watch that has been in their collection for two or more years.  And that got me thinking...

So for the past week or so, I have been wearing and enjoying a 2 year old BR126 GT from Bell & Ross.  It was a simple idea - does love endure once the "new watch smell" has worn off?

YES, it does!

The BR126 GT will have a familiar look to several of its fellow Bell & Ross chronographs.  The dial layout is clear and easy to read.  But with a little twist as Bell & Ross utilized a contrasting silver tone to outline the two smaller registers at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock.  The silver rings that highlight the minute counter (9 o'clock) and the constant second (3 o'clock) provides a wonderfully understated bit of pop to the black dial.  The hour and main minute hand are coated with Superluminova.

The outer bezel is fixed and engraved with a graduated tachymeter. This adds a bit of sporty feeling to the overall look of the watch.  For a two year old watch, the engraving has held up quite well, and adds a lot to the watch as a whole.  One thing that I might have changed in the original design would have been to use a flatter crystal, as the slightly domed crystal used on the 126 GT shields the bezel's engraving just a touch.  It is nothing drastic, mind you, but when your eyes are approaching the half-century mark, you tend to notice these things more and more.  The only other suggestion would be to enhance the date window somewhat, perhaps using an "inverted" cyclops window for the date.  But again, this is really a little thing and in no way really takes away from the overall performance of the watch.

Bell & Ross opted for a solid case back for the BR126 GT and this is something that I wish more and more watch brands would revert to.  The original idea of a display back was to admire the fine inner workings of a watch, but more and more brands are using it as a less-expensive way to case up their watches.  In many instances, the exposed movement is nothing special to look at.  So this design choice of using a solid case back really spoke to me.
 

The watch sits on the wrist very well, at 42 mm (but with a more refined case), it is truly from the Goldilocks school of design - not too big, not too small, but just right!

The movement is listed as BR 126 GT : automatic mechanical. Calibre BR-CAL.301.  It is self-winding, offering hours, minutes, seconds (at 3 o'clock) and date as well as what is becoming a "Bell & Ross" bi-compax chronograph (minute, central seconds).

All functions worked without a hitch, with counter hands running smoothly and returning precisely to their starting positions.

The crown and pushers are still in fantastic shape after more than 2 years of use and are tactile and easy to use.

The time keeping was very, very good with the greatest deviation I experienced being a +12 seconds while running the chronograph over an extended period of time.

 

 And last (and all too often thought of least), the strap and buckle.

The clasp is a butterfly deployment and confirms what I have always thought - Bell & Ross makes one of the very best deployment buckles out there!  Easy to use, secure, and pretty good looking!

And the strap was an interesting - and very positive - choice.  It is described as black Alcantara which is suede-like on top, smooth underneath, and perforated to not only add to the sporty aesthetic, but also allows for ventilation.  Very good looking and supremely comfortable!

All in all, it is a great watch for the person out there looking for that one special piece.  It is elegant enough for the office or an evening out, but also sporty (sorry, I know that word has now officially been overused, but it is appropriate) enough for the weekend, or any bouts of daring-do you might have planned.

For many a collector and enthusiast, watches come and go.  But this one might just be that special one you see on the wrist of a writer or collector, the one that they have hung onto because it has stood up to their personal test of time.


Enjoy your watches! 

The Republic

From Manufaktur Waldhoff -

Courtesy of Manufaktur Waldhoff

With time winding down on their Kickstarter campaign, I thought I might preview another of their offerings, the Republic.

The Republic offers hours, minutes and seconds with a dial that not only reveals the inner workings of the movement, it offers a wonderful depth to the watch itself.

44 mm, stainless steel case, Miyota 8250 self-winding movement.  And the price?

Yours for CHF 257 through their Kickstarter campaign.

Here are the pertinents -

 

You can see all of the details of the Republic and (if you're so inclined) participate in the Kickstarter campaign here:

Manufaktur Waldhoff Kickstarter

The BR-X1Black Titanium

This is a truly cool offering from Bell & Ross and as such, is limited to 250 pieces.

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

The measures 45 mm and is constructed of titanium and ceramic with rubber inserts.

The movement is the BR-CAL.313.  This is a self-winding, mechanical movement.  Hours, minutes, seconds, date and chronograph function.

This is pretty dope!

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source -

Technical specifications

Movement -
calibre BR-CAL.313. Automatic mechanical.
‘X’-shaped upper bridge. 56 jewels, 28,800 vph.
Skeleton chronograph.

Functions -
hours, minutes, small seconds at 3 o’clock.
Skeleton date at 6 o’clock.
Chronograph: 30-min timer at 9 o’clock,
central chronograph seconds.

Case -
45 mm in diameter. Titanium and ceramic with
rubber inserts. Rocker push-buttons.
Back with opening in tinted sapphire crystal,
centered on the balance.

Dial -
grey-tinted sapphire crystal. Metal applique
Superluminova®-filled indices. Metal skeleton
Superluminova®-filled hour and minute hands.

Crystal -
anti-reflective sapphire.

Water-resistance -
100 meters

Strap -
woven black rubber

Buckle -
pin. Steel with Rubber insert.

 

 

The Martin M-130

From Towson Watch Company -

Courtesy of Towson Watch Company

We don't get to hear as much about Towson as we should, so I thought this morning I would jolt you out of your Sunday slumbers with this delightfully bright pilot's chronograph.

The case measures 42 mm in diameter and it houses the 7750.

Courtesy of Towson Watch Company

The watch is named for Martin M-130 which was produced by the Glenn L. Martin Company in Baltimore, Maryland.

Hours, minutes, seconds, date and 3 register chronograph.  Available direct from the folks at Towson.

Here are the pertinents -

Case	42mm
Dial	Super LuMinova Markers and Hands
Movement	Highest Grade 25 Jewel Automatic Chronograph Cal. 7750 Adjusted to 5 positions, 46 Hour Power Reserve, Incabloc Shock Absorption, Nivorox Hairspring, Glucydure Balance
Crystal	Domed Sapphire Crystal with 2 Sided Anti-Reflex Coating
Functions	Sweep Second, Minute, Hour, Date, Stop Funtion with Minute Counter at 12-O’Clock and Hour Counter at 6-O’Clock, Constantly Rotating Second at 9-O’Clock, Start/Stop Pusher at 2-O’Clock, Back To Neutral Pusher at 4-O’Clock
Water Resistance	5 ATM (50m)
Strap Width	20mm x 18mm

Numbers Don't Lie... But Sometimes They Fib

May is now in the books, and it does appear that there might be a bit of a recovery in the works -

Courtesy of FH

As you will note, that pesky little blue line is inching upwards again, welcome news for one and all.  

More interesting to relate are the results from some specific markets:

Hong Kong is now up +18.1%

Italy is up 26.7%

and  China?   34.4%

Sounds really good, right?

Well, sorry to bring ants to a picnic, but there is more behind these numbers than I suspect the happy-shiny press releases are going to address.

Interesting to relate, watch brands are not heralding sales increases of the magnitude we are seeing from these numbers.  And the US?  Still in the red at -1.1%, with Japan still down at -3.2%.  BaselWorld and SIHH were stinkers both in terms of attendance and sales.

So this then brings up the next (let's be honest) obvious question - is something amazing going on in China, Hong Kong... and Italy?

I don't think so.  But there is a looming reality that could be spurring the export numbers to higher levels - the upcoming enforcement of "Swissness".  Because what this really means is that the vast number of watches already dressed-up with nowhere to go in the various Swiss warehouses?  They have to be out of the country, and soon.  Let's keep in mind that just because a watch has been exported, does not mean that it has, actually, been sold.  China and Hong Kong represent "safe harbors" where a big enough brand could shift the stock over to a subsidiary to either dump into the grey market, or to hang onto and strip for what they can get.  Italy while not in the same dire economic straights as, say, Greece or Spain still seems a bit unlikely to be a driver for as much watch "appetite" as these numbers would indicate.  One thing in Italy's favor?  Proximity, just across the border  ; )

So what does this all really mean?  Theories are just that, but mine is this:

We will, most likely, be seeing a very large number of grey market watches hitting the market very soon.  In other words?  Even more than now.  Some very large brands are currently investigating ways to sell their surplus watches via Amazon and other outlets.  And although several brands have cut production and are slowing down their output, there is still a mountain of unsold product which needs to be dealt with - and by the end of this year.

For the watch consumer?  It's going to be a great time to buy!

Getting Personal - A Bespoke Watch From REVOLO

Courtesy of Google:
 
be·spoke

bəˈspōk/

1. 1.

   past of bespeak.

adjective

British

adjective: bespoke

1.

(of goods, especially clothing) made to order.

"a bespoke suit"

I think it is safe to say that we have all had those moments where we wished we could change certain aspects of a favorite watch.  Back in the early part of the century (yes, 17 long years ago) there was a bit of a cottage industry that sprung up where you could get your watch modified.  Anything from hands to custom designed dials.  And that was okay.  You could even, for a price, reach out to the great and the good and maybe get a slight modification to one of their watches.

So when I heard about REVOLO I was both intrigued, and if I am completely honest, a wee-bit skeptical.  As mentioned, others have tried but really failed to deliver on a truly bespoke watch for the watch enthusiast of more modest means.

Spoiler alert - I am now a believer!

I ordered a REVOLO using the brand's online configurator feature and it arrived quite promptly, directly from Amsterdam where it had been assembled, just for yours truly.

Essentially, you go online, you make your choices, pay for the watch, and then the folks in the REVOLO workshop work to assemble your watch for you.

I opted for a 43 mm cushion style case, with a rose gold pvd finish.

Courtesy of REVOLO

  
I added a unidirectional bezel (also rose gold pvd), and a rose gold pvd crown -

 
I selected the blue "sandwich" dial, and a black vintage style leather strap -

secured with a gold pvd buckle.

Courtesy of REVOLO

The movement I selected was the Miyota 821A -

Courtesy of REVOLO

Put it all together -

So, before we get into the review itself, let me explain some of the design decisions.

Way back in 1968, my father was given a gold filled Mido Ocean Star the day before I made my debut in Zanesville, Ohio.

 Yes, the photos are terrible!

Regular readers will know that the Mido my father received and passed on to me is now with my niece.  

So I wanted something with a gold look, ideally without the gold price ; )

The Mido while sentimentally important was a wee-bit too small for my wrist, and as we do not have kids, it needed to go to the "next eligible" family member.

The second design cue came from a brief piece I read in  
The Rake, which was doing a quick take on the actor Michael Nouri.  It listed some of his sartorial trappings and included what was reputed to be a Breguet chronograph in gold -

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

Now some other things that influenced the decision - I am not (nor do I anticipate ever being) a diver.  I do,  however, like to use a rotating bezel for time countdowns.  I also am a sucker for blue dials and wanted a watch face that looked slightly more formal than plain old indices and dots.  So something semi-sporty, but not a sport watch, and in a gold finish, but not gold (remember pals and gals, I'm a humble English teacher).

I think most of all, I wanted something special, that I would always enjoy wearing.

So to finish it off, there were two additional flourishes:

Like the original Mido, I added a similar inscription.  This watch is for me after all, nobody else!

And as it happens, it was possible to add a customization to the watch box itself, so in for a penny, in for a pound -

Okay, so that's the background.  But let's get down to the proverbial brass tacks:

This is an INCREDIBLY comfortable watch!

Although the case measures 43 mm in diameter, owing to its cushion design it actually curves quite nicely where the lugs curve into the case.  As you can see, it occupies the space but clearly does not overwhelm my wrist.

More importantly, the watch sits flat on my wrist, no slipping or sliding.  And at that point I would like to sing the praises of the strap.  Unbelievably comfortable.  Described as leather, the top of the strap has a nice suede or nubuck feel to it.  All too often, a thick leather strap will not get softer, but rather stiffer (and crispier), not necessarily conducive to a comfortable wearing experience.  Not so with the REVOLO strap.  Soft, comfortable and really nice looking.

The crown is ideally sized, and does not screw down.  Again, given that I am not diving (or swimming) with it, this is ideal for me.  The crown itself is tactile without being "edgy" and the setting and winding motion are unbelievably smooth.  

The timekeeping is (sorry Rolex) superlative!  The folks at Miyota make an unbelievably accurate and robust movement.  More and more brands are making the move to them (even some smaller micro Swiss brands), because to them the cost benefit ratio that the Miyota offers far outweighs the expense and potential fussiness of a Swiss movement which would add a fair bit to the sticker price.  I have been within 26 seconds or so over the entire time period so far.

And the lume was not too bad either -

So all in all, I would highly recommend the REVOLO experience to anyone.  And the best part is that owing to the choice in movements, dials and cases there is not only something for everyone, the price points are downright reasonable.  For right around €500, you get a watch made just for you!  

 
 

Something Cool

form Mondaine

Courtesy of Mondaine

These are the two new Mondaine Helvetica No1 Regular 2nd Time Zone watches.  Available with a silver/white dial (above), and a black dial (below).

Courtesy of Mondaine

This model measures 40 mm in diameter, and offers two time zones.

The movement is Ronda's quartz 6203.B BIG DUAL.

Courtesy of Mondaine

The US retail is $425.  The perfect watch to help you keep time on your summer travels.



 

The Difference Between Shit and Shinola

Is now a little more clear.

Shinola's earlier advertising was sometimes reminiscent of the type of patter you'd hear from seemingly seasoned sharps.  And I, for one, believe that they got a bit of a well deserved rebuke from the FTC yesterday.  "Where American is Made" was codswallop, and that is putting it gently.   What I found intriguing in the letter issued by the FTC was that not only watches, but bicycles were specifically mentioned, along with other unnamed items.  This again ran counter to the assertions, both stated and implied, that Shinola was where American was made.

Here is a link to the FTC's letter to Shinola -

FTC

Having said that, I would ask you to consider a second perspective.  It cannot be denied that Shinola has done some good - albeit not necessarily for the watch industry.   The majority of their employees are (according to several reports)  making fairly scant wages but when you consider the challenges facing Detroit, Shinola does account for quite a few jobs that would not have existed were it not for them - sketchy marketing, intentionally murky origin story and all.  And in fairness, despite cries of cynical marketing (from me as well as others), it is smart marketing.  The idea of American made is something that we are enamored with at this moment in time.  But given the type of advertising and press releases that were out there before, you would expect that it was earnest, hard working artisans assembling your watch using time honored American watch making know-how.  And given the price points that was a reasonable assumption.  We now know that was not exactly the reality.

Whether you call it hipster or hype there is a market space that is rapidly growing from niche to mainstream.  When we are willing to pay $150 US and upwards for blue jeans owing mostly to their purported provenance, it is not too difficult to pitch the idea of an $800 quartz watch that you are led to believe is made in an economically challenged part of the country.

It is clear that the rigors are more arduous to achieve a justifiable Made in the USA label as opposed to Made in Switzerland, but it also places the watch making entrepreneur into a rather delicate and volatile space where words, believe it or not, matter.  Let's consider the case of Weiss in Los Angeles.  They state:

Weiss Watch Company is currently the only watchmaker in the United States designing, engineering, and manufacturing our own cases and dials, as well as finishing each movement by hand.

I am not entirely sure that is accurate.  While I do not dispute that they source their cases, hands and dials from US partners and that those items are, in fact, made in the US, they are not the only ones doing so.  If they were, this would come as news to Niall who essentially do the same thing in terms of making their own dials, cases and hands in the US.  

And more curious was a brief mention of the Weiss brand in April 2016 issue of Monocle magazine stating:

Los Angeles - based Weiss Watch Company, on the cusp of its third birthday, is becoming the first manufacturer in nearly 60 years to produce watches wholly made in the US.

Well, it seems that the Swiss are not the only denizens of "Imgonnastan".  As far as I am aware, the Vallée de Joux is not under imminent threat from the San Fernando Valley as I have yet to hear of movement manufacturing taking place between there and San Diego.  I am, as always, ready and willing to be proven wrong.

My understanding is that Weiss along with Niall also got called on the carpet with the FTC and had to make some adjustments to their statements, etc.  so we shall see what develops out of all this.

But lastly, I wonder who decided to "drop a dime" on several US based watch companies?  It certainly made for a great story.

A Winter Repeat - Winding up the Filip Cleveland Westside Gold

A few years on, still one of my favorite watches to review, so once again -  15 Days with the Filip & Co Cleveland Westside Gold.

I've gone 15 days and beyond with the Cleveland Westside Gold, and it is time to wrap this up!
Starting with the vital statistics:

• 41 mm highly polished Stainless Steel case with exhibition back
  
  
  
  
• Westside Gold Sunburst Dial with Silver Luminous Index Markers
  
  
  
  
• Silver Luminous Slender hands
  
  
  
  
• Fully decorated ETA 2824-2 mechanical automatic movement 
  
  
  w. Rose Rotor adjusted to five positions
  
  
  
  
• Genuine Alligator Strap with single fold-over deployment clasp

Lately it seems that the trend is coming back towards sanity with case sizes coming back down towards 40 mm or so. At 41 mm the Cleveland Westside Gold strikes just the right balance. It has presence and it sits prominently - but not overwhelmingly.

With a case size of 41 mm, the temptation can be to to get the widest lug width you can manage.  It tends to leave you with a STRAP that just happens to have a watch attached to it.  Not so in this case. The Filip Cleveland line uses a 20 mm alligator strap.  In this instance, a beautiful black one that is padded and stitched.

The strap is secured with a stainless steel deployment clasp that simply pulls up to release. Simplicity itself.

The watch has run very, very well. There were 3 days where the variance hit +15 seconds, but by and large it hovered at around 9 seconds per day.

I went a little more than 2 days for the obligatory "power-reserve" test and went a little beyond 42 hours.

The ETA 2824-2 was nicely finished and actually worth looking at through the display back.

So after more than 3 weeks I have to say that this is a watch that I would spend my money on and wear with pride!  Now in the interest of full disclosure -

YES, I did grow up in Oberlin, Ohio.  YES, Cleveland was the closest "big city" so there is a bit of an emotional link.

BUT, before the watch arrived I really was not sure.  You see things online, you read a bit, and you just don't know.  The Filip Cleveland Westside Gold more than exceeded my expectations.

And I think I would like to close this with a brief commentary on "locational branding".  Let's take three different examples -

RGM - focusing on high end, unique, classically designed pieces.  Based in Lancaster, PA - but relying more on the expertise and skills of the watchmaker rather than trying to position themselves as the "watch making savior" of Eastern Pennsylvania.  And sorry if this hurts anyones' feelings, but RGM is RGM for a reason.  They've been at it longer, they have real watch making skills, and they do not attempt to buy "provenance and authenticity" through multi-million dollar advertising campaigns.

Filip & Co. - one man, designing his cases, dials, etc.  Ordering the components, then assembling them one at a time, piece by piece in his workshop in the Cleveland area.  Named his watch after his adopted hometown.  DOES NOT claim to be something that he is not.

Shinola - 'nuff said.  If you know the difference between sh*t and Shinola, I suspect you will purchase something else.  Massive marketing campaigns do not a watch make - and it is a sad statement about the sophistication of the mainstream media that a press release has the ability to become accepted fact.  Assembled in Detroit - sure.  Made in Detroit?  No more so than me - and for the record I was "made" in Zanesville, OH


So ultimately, don't believe the hype.  Do you homework, and honestly - I am just one guy, sitting here in Santa Barbara giving an opinion.  In my opinion, the Cleveland Westside Gold is worth the money, and is AS ADVERTISED.

The Outlet

Anyone who has read even a few of the posts here is going to do a double-take.

Really?

James said THAT?

No, this is not a post where I will extol the "virtue" of Shinola ; )

But more and more I am beginning to think that the next logical step for the watch industry is to finally embrace the concept of the "Outlet Mall".

Does this run contrary to what I have been whinging and whining about for the past five years?

Absolutely.

Am I more and more convinced that this is the only logical next step?

Absolutely.


Now on the one hand, many of us tend to think of watches as more of a "durable" commodity.  The reality is that more and more, watch brands are tending to take a short view in terms of the models that they are offering.  They treat them like milk or eggs that will "go off" if they aren't sold in a prescribed time frame.

This is due to a multitude of reasons, but let's examine the key offender:

Over production -
Watch companies have budgets, and budgets are predicated on PROJECTIONS, not ACTUALS.  These budgets drive everything - sales goals, pricing of the actual watch, salaries - not the least of which the CEO's salary and bonus.  Because the CEO has proposed a budget that, in all honesty would only work during the "bluest" of moons, "creative" solutions are often required.  In order to meet the projected numbers, you will need a boat-load of product.  Oh, p.s. - you'll also need to SELL that boat-load of watches.  When it becomes clear that you won't sell all the units you have to save money in other areas - leading to lay-offs, dumping of watches on the grey market, etc.

This has been a problem that the fashion industry has been aware of for decades, and found a good solution for - the Outlet Mall.

For those of you not familiar, the Outlet Mall is an American phenomenon that is beginning to take hold in other parts of the world as well.  The concept is pretty simple:

Take all of the stuff from the previous season or two that you were not able to sell, place it in YOUR BRAND STORE in the outlet mall, price it at a more realistic price, and sell your stock.  Because YOU own the store, you control the price, distribution, etc.

It is also the place where you can market and sell the products that "didn't make the cut".  Yes, it happens, brands will come up with a line or collection that for whatever reason they decide NOT to move forward with even after they produce it.  Take it to the outlet and sell it, and you have turned a total write-off to a potential patch of black ink in the ledger.

Now if the watch industry would embrace the Outlet concept, it could do two very important things -

1.  Cut the grey market's allure, ending a lot of shady dealings, and reduce the inevitable feeling of betrayal experienced by the customer who bought watch X at full retail only to see it "blown out" by the brand and dumped on the grey market for pennies on the dollar.

2.  Convince brands of the need to better estimate production, and take better control of the distribution chain.

Now the temptation is to stare down our noses at the Outlet - but Giorgio Armani, Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren and even Tag Heuer have outlets now.  Perhaps it is time to embrace this idea.

And One that Esquire Got Right

It's a pretty bad wind that doesn't blow someone some good - I think that's the way the saying goes.  And while there is a lot left "wanting" in the Esquire Big Black Book in terms of actual research and imagination - there is one that I think they got very right -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

This is from the Bell & Ross Vintage collection.  The Bell & Ross 123 GMT 24H.

When I worked at Tourneau I was always torn between the Rolex Explorer and Explorer II.  I loved the big numbers and clean look of the Explorer, but I also appreciated the GMT functionality of the Explorer II.  As IWC aficionado Adam Craniotes said about a particular IWC design he liked (and I am quoting from memory something that was said over a few libations) "It's as if they reached into my head and pulled out my dream watch." - apologies in advance for any misquotes Adam ; )

Well Bell & Ross, it's as if you reached into my head and pulled out my dream watch!

Now the argument could be made that Bell & Ross advertises in the Big Black Book - but in fairness so did at least one other brand that (thankfully) did not make the cut.  My old sparing partner from the Motor City, Shinola.  Shinola spends money on marketing and advertising like a drunken sailor on shore leave spends it on (use your imagination).  And this is an important distinction.  I have a LOT of respect for Monocle magazine, but they pander to Shinola with a near sycophantic urgency that is about as subtle as Shinola's earlier advertising campaigns.

But back to the 123 GMT 24H -

Clean, easy to read dial.  Large, visible GMT hand.  Clean and subtle 24 hour bezel.

Hours, minutes, seconds, date (between 4 o'clock and 5 o'clock), GMT.  I also really like the strap which is described by Bell & Ross as "weave rubber".

Here's the rundown, straight from the source -

Mechanical automatic movement. 
Functions: 
hours, minutes, seconds, date. 
Second time zone 24h (GMT).


Satin-polished steel case. 
42 mm diameter. 
Graduated bezel. 


Black dial. Appliqué metal index and numerals. 
Skeletonised metallic hours and minutes hands filled with Superluminova®.
Antireflective sapphire glass.


Water-resistance: 
100 m.


Weave rubber strap.
Satin-polished steel pin buckle.

Some More Chronofighter Goodness

From Graham -

So I was asked about "trends" at BaselWorld.  Well first and foremost was the "hipster beard".  No, I'm not talking "Ben Clymeresque" studiously curated stubble - no, I'm talking living in Canton, Ohio but trying to project that I live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  These were beards of truly epic scale that essentially made me question whether these "bros" had significant others or possibly they just all hung out in "tragically ironic" dive bars drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon and taking selfies of their Bremonts and Shinolas.  Just sayin'....

But rather than further discuss the "Amish Outlaws", I'd rather focus on another trend and that was the "camo" look.  And Eberhard and Graham were the two brands to successfully harness the feeling.

So some basics:

A chronograph with seconds and a 30 minute counter.  The date is in a refreshingly unusual location at 8 o'clock.  Powered by Graham's Calibre G1747 and boasting a power reserve of 48 hours.

The case is of black PVD stainless steel and measure s 47 mm in diameter.  The "fast action" left-hand 'trigger' lever is constructed of black carbon.  The reset pusher is black rubber.

The bezel is black ceramic, and the sapphire crystal is domed sapphire.  The back display crystal is "smoked".

Water resistance is rated at 100 meters, 330 feet or for the more nautical of you out there - 10 bars.

The dial is painted in a green camouflage motif, with an identification number on the seconds counter.  This is based on regimental numbers.

This piece makes up art of the Black Arrow Trilogy - but more on that later.

Well Done Shinola

Three words I am sure you never thought you would read here, and three words I never thought I would write.

Word has made it's way to Santa Barbara (and in delayed form to your's truly in Brussels, Belgium) that Shinola has announced something that if done correctly will lead to more actual skilled jobs in Michigan.

Dials.

The word is that with an "off-shore" partner, Shinola will start producing watch dials for themselves.  Now whether or not that is the full on, soup to nuts dial; or in fact simply stamping the dial remains to be sen.  Let's hope for the latter.

Enjoy your watches!

An Open Letter to GQ Style

Dear GQ Style,

After reading your GQ Style issue Fall * Winter 2014 I can only conclude that:

The person you charged with writing about watches in your "A Week's Worth of Watches" is:

The nephew of the publisher

Is owed a favor by the editor

Both

I have read some unbelievably vapid, uninformed, and downright dumb-assed things in my time, but the tripe offered as wrist watch wisdom in a feted "bi-annual" compendium of male sartorial guidance is so poorly researched and incorrectly referenced… let's just say you could have saved yourselves whatever you paid for this and just left it up to the images to tell "the story".

So because I care, here are some basics so that the next time you tap some junior flack on the back and ask him/her to write about watches - he/she might hope to do so without being compared to a feminine hygiene product:

Regarding your reference to the Shinola Chronogaph -

1.  It's called a chrono because "chrono" is an abbreviation for CHRONOGRAPH.  Not because it has "two chronograph sundials".  A chronograph is essentially a watch that is combined with a stop watch. Per Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronograph  

It is NOT called a chrono because of the two "chronograph sundials", son.

2.  The "straps" on stainless steel and gold watches are only known as "bracelets" if they (the bracelets) are made of, I don't know, stainless steel or gold?  Which would explain why the strap on the Shinola, is a strap?  Even though the watch case of the Shinola is (allegedly) made of stainless steel?  Now perhaps it was in reference to the two individual watches that were referenced (but not actually referenced)?

Because in fact, the "straps" on the Boca, the Pulsar and the Tudor are actually, I don't know… STRAPS!

3.  I have run out of silently held expletives for the person who wrote this turd and had the temerity to be paid for it, go now and promise to never write about watches again until you get your "poop" sorted.
In the name of all that is good and just, do not let them write about watches again.

GQ, you have boatloads of cash, you tend to spare no expense.  Why do you insist on allowing crap like this to be published?  If nothing else, this helps explain the continued existence of Invicta.

PLEASE GQ - if you are going to (presumably) write about watches, engage someone with either a little bit of knowledge, or someone who is willing to do some fu&*^ng research.