This is Chronofixe's second take on a watch featuring the hero that managed to keep the entire Roman Empire at bay - Asterix.
Courtesy of Chronofixe
Once again, Seconde/Seconde/ has partnered with Chronofixe for this unique collaboration.
Courtesy of Chronofixe
Created to celebrate the 55th anniversary of Asterix in Switzerland -
In Chronofixe's own words -
Designed by Seconde/Seconde/, this Swiss Made limited edition stages Astérix in full infiltration mode: ear pressed to the dial, fingers working the bezel like a vault code. From the bidirectional bezel styled as a combination wheel to the crown shaped like a locking handle, every detail plays into the Swiss banking fantasy. Driven by a Swiss automatic movement and an engraved caseback with “Aussi hermétique qu’un coffre helvétique”, it’s part comic scene, part serious watchmaking. Priced at €740,00
This is currently a pre-order item. Shipping is anticipated to begin in November, and availability is through December 26.
Here are the pertinents -
Case Material: Stainless Steel Case Diameter: 37 mm Thickness: 12.80 mm Lug Width: 20mm Crystal: Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal Dial Finish: Matte black Movement: Swiss Automatic Sellita SW 200 Power Reserve: 41 hours Water Resistance: 20 ATM
In terms of factory visits, I have been to Switzerland a bunch, France a little bit, Japan twice, and Germany never. And seeing as NOMOS is based there, all the better reason never to go ; )
But the other day I was a bit bored, and was reading through watch brand websites. And for whatever reason, I stumbled upon the Zeitwinkel website, and must admit I am now a fan - at least of their communication!
Courtesy of Zeitwinkel
If I have read the info correctly, Zeitwinkel is located in Saint Imier, which if you travel as I often do from Biel/Bienne to La Chaux-de-Fonds, you will pass and see on the left the tiny, makeshift facilities of a tiny player in the Swiss watch industry -
Well, I guess we all have to start somewhere ; )
Zeitwinkel makes some pretty great watches, such as this little bijoux -
Courtesy of Zeitwinkel
But the main reason why I really want to hop off the train next time in Saint Imier? I have got to me the people behind the brand philosophy!
I spend my days (and nights) reading through really painful press releases about celebrity partners, heritage, and timepieces beyond compare (which rhymes with savoir faire, another painfully overused phrase in these press releases)
So I suspect that the folks at Zeitwinkel probably have a pretty solid-state bullshit meter, and that, gentle reader, is why I want to see what it is all about.
And so, gentle reader, I would like to share with you some of the best of the bon mots found in the Zeitwinkel brand philosophy, just as they appear -
craftsmanship
We consider watchmaking to be a craft worth preserving.
Do you know the chocolate commercials where a confectioner is lovingly filling some chocolates or carefully stirring a bowl of chocolate? In reality, both the chocolates and the vast majority of watches are made as automatically and as efficiently as possible. So the watchmaker who assembles a watch from scratch usually only appears in the visitor center or in advertisements.
At Zeitwinkel and at a few independent manufactories, however, the craft is actually still practiced traditionally. Of course, we also manufacture precision parts on machines that can do this more accurately than any human. However, the assembly of all movements and all watches is done exclusively by hand. This is necessary if only because our movements cannot be made by robots due to the German silver plates.
Manual work is not a matter of dogma for our watchmakers. But if something is more precise, better or simply more beautiful to make by hand, then we will make it by hand.
Swiss Made
We believe in “Swiss Made”!
For any watch to be labeled "Swiss Made", in simplified terms, at least 60% of the manufacturing costs of the watch as well as the movement must have been incurred in Switzerland. This rule, however, refers to the costs, not the work involved. So the cheaper it is to buy components and prefabricated assemblies in Asia, the easier it is to meet this requirement in view of the high Swiss wage level.
At the same time, neither components manufactured in Asia nor the watches made from them are automatically inferior; after all, this approach can be found with some of the best-known brands. It may be that as a corporate brand in a competitive market segment, it is not possible to meet the targets set by headquarters in any other way.
From our point of view, a customer who spends a considerable amount of money on a "Swiss Made" watch would indeed expect a product manufactured in Switzerland. At Zeitwinkel, we are therefore very transparent and, whenever possible, have our components that we don’t make ourselves manufactured by partners directly in our region.
discounts
We do not grant discounts - period.
With a little skill, you can easily negotiate a discount at most jewelry stores, even for watches of well-known brands. This is often less due to the negotiating skills of the customer than to the inventory pressure of the jeweler.
After all, the manufacturer's new collection will arrive soon, and if the watches of the rather unpopular group brand are not sold, the attractive models will also no longer be supplied.
This cycle of model changes, bundling of corporate brands, inventory pressure and cash flow concerns of the jeweler on the one hand, and quarterly financial statements of the luxury groups on the other hand, creates the need to sell ever more watches. This is often only achieved through discounts, especially since many watches have an expiration date thanks to the frequent model changes.
Gray market dealers and specialized internet platforms regularly act as saviors of hard-pressed jewelers, but do not tend to contribute to the retention of value of the watches traded.
We do not condemn any retailers who optimizes their sales figures under such pressure. However, it does not reflect our philosophy and we would not be able to increase our production volume sufficiently so the remaining margins would still be enough to pay our expenses.
In other words, our watches offer excellent value for their price. We would have to raise our prices significantly in order to participate in that game of frequent discounts and still be able to afford our level of quality.
If you are planning to purchase a high quality watch from us that will hold its value over the long term, you will be pleased to hear that discounts are not part of our calculation. brand ambassadors
Even after many years, we still don't have celebrity "brand ambassadors" or a circle of well-known "friends of the brand."
Perhaps it's because we don't understand why we should pay anyone to like us. More correctly, that she or he pretends to like our watches.
We don't have the marketing budget for the really big names anyway. And what if our famous ambassador steps into an all-too-human faux pas? Or if he or she is not really credible in terms of their newly acquired watch expertise?
So we continue to rely on satisfied owners of a Zeitwinkel watch to tell their friends about us. And that our customers require neither an actress nor an athlete to find our watches interesting.
astronauts
Sometimes we are asked what Zeitwinkel stands for. In the ensuing dialog, it becomes clear that the question is about which sport or exciting activity the brand should be associated with. The answer is as simple as can be: nothing or whatever you want!
In the search for structure or the fulfillment of fantasies, even intelligent people sometimes get themselves involved in strange pursuits. How else could the anti-aging industry achieve such sales? And does anyone really believe that that top athlete wears the sponsored watch even in training when no one is watching?
Quite a few of the common PR stories about watches refer to long-gone fame, are arbitrarily chosen or completely pulled out of thin air. Of course, that actor looks impressive in front of a fighter jet. But if you want to feel like the agent with the exciting life and the gun, the way is probably not through purchasing a watch, but through acting school.
Zeitwinkel simply stands for excellent watches at the highest level of craftsmanship. We decided not to buy an old brand name and therefore do not refer to an alleged tradition. Our watches will not turn you into a better tennis player, an astronaut or a helicopter pilot. In any case, we don't think you would believe any of that anyways.
P.S.: Better take off your mechanical watch when playing tennis or golf or when doing loops in a fighter jet. The mechanical movement will thank you!
This is the Prologue Chapitre 1. It is the first offering from a new brand - GUEBLY.
It is an interesting watch with a beautiful movement. But at (if I have been informed correctly) CHF 38,900 it is more than a bit of a heavy lift. It goes beyond ambitious and charges right ahead to, well, I honestly don't have words. It's pretty expensive. I would simply put it this way - take a moment and research what the price is, and compare what else is out there at a similar price point.
Courtesy of Guebly
With that said, I am clearly not the demographic that the creator of GUEBLY is targeting ; )
The press release is a wee bit verbose, not to mention confusing in its English format, so I am just going to leave you with the pertinents -
Model Name: GUEBLY PROLOGUE CHAPTER 1 Series of only 15 pieces per year Case Grade 5 Titanium Diameter: 42 mm Thickness: 10.56 mm
Dial Blue color Appliqués and hands in titanium Hour and minute indications at the center retrograde appliqué in titanium Seconds indication at 6 o'clock over 120 degrees Hour indication for 12 hours Secured with screws
Caliber
21.31 automatic winding, with micro-rotor Made from Grade 5 Titanium Diameter:
36.6 mm Thickness:
7.0 mm Power reserve:
Approximately 70 hours Water resistance:
10 ATM (approximately 100 meters) Frequency:
4 Hz Jewels:
35 rubies Components:
215
Strap
Blue grained calf leather Blue rubber lining Velcro closure Grade 5 Titanium buckle
The case measures 47 mm in diameter, and per Graham is of Epoxy resin with
orange dye and metallized carbon fibers.
Per Graham's website, the movement is as follows:
Courtesy of Graham
G1790, automatic skeleton chronograph with view of the balance wheel
and escapement. Black & rhodium movement with hand-drawn strokes decoration. Openwork balance bridges and plates. Oscillating weight with hand-drawn strokes decoration and snailed external segment
28’800 A/h (4Hz)
Incabloc shock absorber
29 jewels
Power reserve: 48 hours
Yesterday's post got me thinking even further on GMT watches, and here is another that is even more affordable, and possibly just under the radar for many of you.
Catorex is owned and operated by the Cattin family, who in turn, own and operate the white label company Cattin & Cie.
The Voyager GMT 42 comes in a few different color codes, but the blue sort of spoke to me.
Catorex sells its watches direct to the general public through its online web shop.
Courtesy of Catorex
Here are the pertinents -
Case diameter:
Ø 42 mm
Movement type:
Automatic
Case color:
Silver
Dial color:
Blue
Bracelet Color:
Blue
Bracelet Material:
Nylon NATO
Buckle:
Ardillon
Case material:
Stainless steel 316 L
Movement model:
ETA 2893-2
Case height:
10.25 mm
Weight of the watch:
94 g
And best of all, the price - CHF1,013.46 If I have read the details correctly, this includes shipping and duties.
*Editor's Note - James Henderson has recently begun working with ochs und junior in a consulting capacity. As such, this is strictly a reposting of press information, and will contain no opinion/recommendation/review.
The settimana next is housed in a grade 5 titanium case. The movement is Sellita’s SW 200-1, and the weekday module is Ludwig Oechslin’s own design. The color way was conceived by Ludwig Oechslin's daughter, Cajetana Oechslin. The textile strap and leather pouch are both provided by Sabina Brägger.
This is a non-customizable watch, available in either 36mm -
Courtesy of ochs und junior
or 40 mm -
Courtesy of ochs und junior
Priced at CHF 2’500 — incl. 7.7% VAT.
CHF 2’300 — Export price.
Here are the pertinents -
settimana next - 36 mm
Weekday watch designed by Ludwig Oechslin
A violet dot moves clockwise across the 7 blue “weekday” dots (starting at the 1 o‘clock position and ending at the 7 o‘clock position) highlighting the specific day of the week
Grade 5 Titanium case
Sellita SW 200-1
Black dial
Hour, minute and second hands with Swiss Super-LumiNova® in white
available in two sizes:
Ø 36 mm and Ø 40 mm
Non customizable
Black textile strap and leather pouch handmade by Sabina Brägger.
I am, to be honest, a huge fan of Brellum and pretty much everything that Sebastien Muller has done with his brand.
Courtesy of Brellum
This is the latest iteration of Brellum's (now) signature take on the chronograph. Unlike many brands out there both mighty and wee, you know a Brellum when you see one even without the text or logo. When I think of how long Brellum has actually been in business, it amazes me how clearly Mr. Muller has defined his brand and its flagship.
Courtesy of Brellum
This latest offering is a triple calendar moon phase, and it is perfect. The case is of stainless steel, and it measures 41.80mm in diameter. The movement is based on Valjoux's 7751.
This Swiss piece of awesomeness is limited to 15 pieces TOTAL, so if this is in your wheelhouse, move sharpish!
The price is a VERY REASONABLE CHF 3'607.95, with delivery anticipated in early July.
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 -
So for those of you not familiar with Who Moved My Cheese? Allow me to fill in the gaps in your late 90s corporate education.
Courtesy of Spencer Johnson via Wikipedia
The story involves two mice, and two "mini" humans. Spoiler alert, they traverse the halls of a corporate HQ searching for "Cheese Stations" where they can find... cheese. And yes, the halls are a metaphor not only for a maze that lab rats would run through, but also the "maze" that is navigating corporate life. In the story the mice figure out pretty quickly that the cheese supply at a given station is about to be exhausted, so they take it on the arches and seek out new sources for cheese. The two "mini" humans keep eating the cheese until it is pretty much exhausted, and then begin blaming each other for their fate. Eventually one of the "minis" slings his hook and strikes out in search of as yet untapped cheese stations, leaving the "stuck in his ways" colleague behind.
Spoiler alert part deux - the intrepid "mini" human struggles, but eventually discovers more cheese and in the process unfurls a thesis on change and adaptability that would make a Harvard Business School professor proud. And I thought today, after reading the latest "falsely rosy" outlook from the FH on the truly stinky export figures, I thought we could air out Who Moved My Cheese for the big dogs in Watch Town. To wit, I present:
Who Moved My Gruyère?
Change Happens
They Keep Moving The Gruyère.
So maybe Watch Town should respond with a different approach than the same one they always try. And this is true at every level:
1. Brands - stop putting all of your eggs in the same basket in terms of retail and marketing. Take the time to actually do some research. Also, take the time to develop relationships with media outlets beyond paying three or four of them and ignoring the rest. Beyond marketing - play fair with your retail partners. Stop selling directly to the grey market, and stop dumping loyal, independent retailers who actually pay their bills in favor of large chains.
2. Media - take a moment and try to remember what got you into covering watches in the first place. Content is what is (apart from click farms) going to drive traffic and engage readers.
Anticipate Change
Brands - If you dump your loyal retail partners and the "volunteer" media that so loyal supported you for free, be prepared for the reality when your budgets shrink to the point where you have to cut your advertising.
Media - If you paint yourself into the pay-to-play corner that is payola, be prepared for fewer and fewer brands to have "cheese" for you.
Monitor Change
A read of the latest FH is actually sorta' comical when it really should be a grave bellwether. Change has been churning in Watch Town for the past 5 years, but it is also clear that Watch Town. has not always had their eyes on the prize. Referring to the latest export numbers as a less marked decline is about as accurate as being "a little bit pregnant.
Adapt To Change Quickly
Unfortunately, not everyone's idea of quick is the same, and sometimes a brand can go back to the well one too many times. A quick example - maybe dropping boatloads of cash on an American football player is perhaps not the most "transmittable" idea for an international clientele to get their heads around. This was maybe not the most realistic or well thought out approach to help your retail partners (even the ones in North America "reach their star" - wherever the hell their star may be. In fairness to Zenith, this is straight out of the LVMH playbook. But it is myopic. It looks good to a handful of people, but it fails to take into account that Zenith has been and will continue to be a brand that is unlikely to ever have the mass appeal in North America of TAG Heuer or even Hublot. And in all honesty, without Biver pushing, the celebrity partner game is a tough sled.
Change
Move With the Gruyère!
Courtesy of Wikipedia
Enjoy Change!
Let's be honest - what other options do you have? Yes, Italian sports cars dressed up as company cars and performance bonuses based on, essentially doing nothing are great! But when you brand is losing money hand over fist, year upon year? Look for a vintage Yugo and live within your limits.
Be Ready To Change Quickly And Enjoy It Again
They Keep Moving The Gruyère. Just ask Aaron Rodgers...
Sorry, too soon?
Editor's note - Henki is actually a pretty big fan of Aaron Rodgers and takes pains to point out that he is one of the few big time quarterbacks to emerge from a JUCO (Junior College) to not only play Division 1 (at California) but move on to a very successful pro career. Henki's point is simply this - CURRENT pro athletes are always a tough sell, but those who have played and are still relevant after their playing, driving, skiing, running days are over? Well that's something else again. Sabrina MacIntosh - Senior Editor
Here are the pertinents - Displays: Off-center hours at 12:00, central minutes, retrograde seconds at 6:00
Case: Solid 17-piece, stainless steel case with brown PVD coating, with satin finish; bezel sand blasted matte with partial knurling and curved, double coated anti-reflective sapphire crystal, screw- down case back with satin finish and sapphire crystal, onion crown, water resistance up to 10 bar, strap holders screwed down with patented Autobloc system
Measurements: Ø 44 mm, height 13.35 mm
Movement: Chronoswiss caliber C. 301, automatic, with stop seconds
Diameter: Ø 36.50 mm, impulse-angle 51°
Jewels: 33
Balance: Glucydur, three-legged
Balance spring: Nivarox 1
Fine Adjustment: Via Excenter
Shock protection: Incabloc
Frequency: 4 Hz., 28‘800 A/h (semi-oscillations)
Power reserve: Approx. 42 hours
Special features: Skeletonized and galvanic-black-plated, with Côtes de Genève and ball bearing; polished pallet lever, escape wheel and screws; bridges and plates with perlage
Dial: Elaborate 42-part construction on two levels: bottom level red varnish, upper level featuring screwed-on skeletonized train wheel bridges and funnel-like construction for hour display, as well as a retrograde seconds display and cylinder shape Super LumiNova indexes
Hands: “Trigono” shape, especially designed by Chronoswiss; lacquered grey; with Super-LumiNova inlays and tips
Sounds like a silly question, because hey - the name's on the dial, right? Well, yes and no. The majority of watch brands from the small micro to the mighty group member use various forms of white label companies to put their watches together. But wait, there's more! Several so-called white label assemblers don't do any actual assembly themselves either, they farm it out to different sub contractors. Not unlike the construction of a new building is designed by an architect, then a contractor is hired, who then hires carpenters, electricians, plumbers, well you get the idea. And it goes further. Just as you don't expect the Mayor of Flavor Town himself to be preparing your "Guy-talian Nachos" or "Tex Wasabi’s Koi Fish Tacos", it is ridiculous to think that F.P. Journe himself put your watch together. The good news is that at that level, he (or at this point, whoever is in charge of production) has hired, trained and now supervises the watchmakers. And that is fair enough, by all accounts he is a bit of a hard case and insists on only the best of the best. And as for the Mayor of Flavor Town? Well that's for you daring would-be culinary critics to determine for yourselves ; )
Shamelessly Borrowed from the World Wide Infoweb
So what am I driving at here? Essentially, there's not really much "there" there. In a few very rare cases you are going to find a watch actually assembled by the actual company with the name on the dial. And I highly doubt you're going to find that at a price under $500. So maybe it is time to stop reading the dross that is force fed to you by (I am beginning to believe) the same group of copywriters who are apparently writing for 90% of the Swiss brands waxing lyrical about Savoir Faire. It's almost as if you're stuck in a high school drinking game where every time Savoir Faire is mentioned, you have to take a drink.
Gentle reader, pick a watch because you like it. If you're shopping based on the name on the dial, chances are better than likely that your watch was only finally touched by the brand when the watch finally arrived with all of the rest of the outsourced assembly order to be inventoried and shipped. But then again, apparently a lot of people love going to Flavor Town, so what the hell do I know?
A bit of a hybrid of sorts. It is at its heart a mechanical watch, but with a twist - an electronic module. I will let them describe it in their own words -
it incorporates an electronic module whose function is to measure the rate of the mechanical part. It has its own power source, separate from the rest of the movement. Positioned on the side of the case, a large retractable lever raises a dynamo which feeds the control micro-circuit. Thanks to its laser diode, it is able to collect two essential data relating to the movement. Pointing towards the balance, it reads its amplitude (an indicator of the movement’s state of health) and the rate deviation (which is an indicator of accuracy), while comparing them to an internal clock. The latter takes the form of a processor operating at a frequency of 16 MHz and serves as a reference oscillator, i.e. a benchmark.
Courtesy of URWERK
It is limited to five pieces, so if this one hits your buttons, don't dawdle! Here are the pertinents -
URWERKEMC TimeHunter Desert Sage (five-piece edition) Case
Material:
Ceramic-lacquered grade 5 titanium and stainless steel
Dimensions:
Width 43 mm; length: 51 mm; thickness: 15.8 mm
Glass and case-back:
Transparent sapphire crystal
Water resistance:
Pressured tested to 30 m/3 ATM
Finishes:
Satin-brushed; micro-beadblasted
Movement Calibre:
Calibre UR-EMC2, designed, developed and produced by URWERK
Escapement:
Swiss lever escapement
Balance: ARCAP P40; exclusive design; coupled with the optical sensor Frequency:
28800vph-4Hz
Balance-spring:
Plat
Energy source:
Series-coupled twin vertical barrels
Power reserve: 80 hours Winding:
Manual winding
Finishes:
Côtes de Genève motif; snailing; micro-sandblasting; bevelled screw heads
EMC TimeHunter Generator:
Maxon® hand-wound generator charging the accumulator
Control organ:
Optical sensor controlled by an integrated circuit; reference oscillator operating at a frequency of 16 MHz
Indications
Hours, minutes, rate deviation, amplitude and chronometric performance indicator δ, power reserve, fine tuning screw.
