Going Back To Go Forward - Tempus Fugit!

Four words I swore I'd never say in relation to watch show attendance -

"I'll be in Geneva!"

Now before you call the "thought police" that manipulate the guest list at Watches and Wonders, relax - they still have not invited me ; )

I will be working (to quote that other great commentator on the watch industry, Dolly Parton) 

"Two doors down."

Technically one door down if I've understood the map provided by Time to Watches. I will be working the booth at Ollech & Wajs, so if you find yourself in Geneva, come by to see us!

And I have to say that I am feeling rather enthusiastic about watches again - and that is a bit of a welcome feeling. And that feeling brought me back to this time machine -

And yes, there is a story to it. And like any good story that I have about Watch Town, discovering cool watches, and meeting new friends, it's a story that involves Roderich Hess. Although it's been (I believe) 7 years now, parts of it seem like yesterday. Auguste Reymond was still in its birthplace of Tramelan. Lorenz Aebischer was still in charge, and there was a real feeling to the brand. The building was very, very cool but definitely in need of some attention / refurbishment. Two watch makers were on site along with administration folks. It was a humble, honest and sincere enterprise. 

Well, that was then. It is inevitable that things can and must inevitably change. Sometimes for the better, sometimes not so much. You can't live in the past, but by that same token you should not forget it, or try to ignore it.

In the end, Auguste Reymond went to new owners, and moved down the hill to the Biel/Bienne suburbs. But I remember it for what it was, something special.

A watch ultimately is a thing, an object. But like so many things that come and go in our lives, this watch for me is also a talisman. It reminds me of the importance of friendship, of commitment, and of working together - just the way I saw Lorenz and his team work together in sometimes overwhelming circumstances. 

I was passionate then. Somehow over the last few years that passion was lost. But oddly enough, an upcoming trip to Geneva seems to be just the tonic to put the bounce back in my step!

So as you go about your day today, pick a time machine to wear (if you have a collection) that reminds you of something special, something that will inspire you, something that will make you smile.

And remember - although nothing lasts forever, your memories are yours for keeps!

Tempus Fugit -

Henki 

A Rōnin's Chronograph

I remember when I first saw it. It winked at me from the pages of iW magazine back at the turn of the century. In one instance it hit every visceral button on my personal control panel -

This is from Auguste Reymond, what is lately referred to as the Jazz Age Chronograph as part of the newly named Tramelan Collection. 

As a civilian watch enthusiast, I was somewhat obsessed with this watch, imagining what it might be like in real life. I left civilian life and entered into the watch business in earnest some 7 years later when I went to work for DOXA, and then got to visit Auguste Reymond's booth while covering BaselWorld in 2012 and 2013 as part of the press corp. And like so many things, with the overwhelming amount of watches and brands that were active at that time, AR took a bit of a back burner position in my mind.

Fast forward to 2015 and my friend Rod Hess and I visited Auguste Reymond the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and there I was shown around the facility, and reintroduced to this wonderful piece (among others).

That visit led to a 2 year project. From 2016 through 2017 I worked with the owners of Auguste Reymond. In the end, the brand was sold, and we went our separate ways. And while it did not turn out the way that any of us wanted, it was a valuable part of my development as a consultant.

For the past eleven years I have been, essentially,  a rōnin. I work in the watch business, I help a brand as much as I can doing what is asked, but at the end of the day I am independent. I am fortunate in that I can move on. But there have been one or two projects that I will always look back on with fondness, and Auguste Reymond before it was sold was certainly one of them.

Auguste Reymond has left Tramelan for Nidau. And it serves to remind me that like so many things in life, nothing is forever, no matter how much we'd like them to be. It is a new company with a newish owner and three new collections. And hopefully it will be successful. 

I realized something important about a year ago, perhaps in one of the darkest moments of COVID lockdown. You can't live in the past. But you also shouldn't jettison it like ballast. 

As I get older, I realize more and more that I am hanging onto a lot of things that I honestly don't need or even appreciate as much as I once did. Wendy and I don't have kids, so more and more I have to ask myself who, or what am I hanging onto some of the things in my life for? I have been gradually thinning out the majority of my watch  collection and am about 3 pieces away from having a tidy, sane number of trusted friends. It has actually been quite cathartic. I am pleased to report that what was once a good sized collection has been moved to new owners around the world, and the pieces are being enjoyed, and worn.

My Agusute Reymond moon phase chronograph will be with me for the duration. I have come to call it the Tramelan Time Machine because it takes me back to a time of hopefulness, when an American Rōnin met a small team in a not-so-sexy place in Switzerland working to promote and sell some wonderful watches. 

Moon Phase Mondays - Auguste Reymond Jazz Age

Well, if I am honest with myself, I have to admit that "Mido on Monday" was a bit of a stinker (Mido, you could have been less helpful, but I'm hard pressed to think of how that might be possible). So we will reload and try something new - 

Moon Phase on Monday

So to kick things off, my personal all-time favorite, and one that always brings a smile to face when I think back upon picking it up at the Auguste Reymond head office back when it was in Tramelan.

This is the Jazz Age Chronograph Moon Phase.  Truth be told, I was never a huge fan of the naming conventions for the models, but names aside it is a fantastic watch.

The case for some is "modest" in size at 37.6 mm in diameter, but that is all part of its allure.  It is exactly large enough to house the Valjoux 7751. While there are no dramatic flourishes in the movement's finish, it is respectable and reserved - which honestly is in keeping with Auguste Reymond's ethos.  

I love the coin edge side case and the onion crown.

The hinge lugs are "semi-modern" in that while they have the look and feel of the original type, they are governed by a spring bar meaning that you can opt for the 18 mm strap of your choice.  

Which as you can see I did with a custom made purple ostrich strap from Lic of Belgium.  Now a quick point for full disclosure - I did represent Auguste Reymond in North America a few years ago, and I do currently represent Lic straps. And while I don't currently represent Auguste Reymond, I am still a fan and a proud owner! And now that there is "newish" ownership, I have faith that some really good things might be coming from the brand now based in Nidau, and I promise to keep you posted!

In checking out the Auguste Reymond online shop, it seems that there might be a few of these available, so if you're so inclined I would advise you to move "sharpish".

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source -

Case material 
Stainless steel

Crystal 
Domed sapphire

Case back 
Snap transparent

Water resistance 
3 bar (30m/100ft)

Case dimension (mm) 
37.6

Case thickness (mm) 
14.7

Strap width (mm) 
18/18

Movement type 
ETA Valjoux 7751

Power Reserve 
48 Hours

Strap 
Leather crocodile imitation

And until next time -

Don't let the moon phase you!

What Moves Me - Auguste Reymond

It's hard not to be romantic about watches.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - a brand is more than just a (registered) name.  A brand is the people behind it.  And while I had always had a soft spot for Auguste Reymond, it was a baffling brand for me to try and get my head around.  I had popped in to their booth at BaselWorld once or twice, and I had seen an Auguste Reymond ONCE in San Francisco back in 2000.  Apart from that, they had a pokey website, and (if I'm honest) a pretty bland selection of watches.  With one exception - The Jazz Age Chronograph, which we'll get back to in a moment.

It was back in November of 2015 that I first visited Tramelan with my good friend Rod Hess, not realizing I was going to make another friend that day, the CEO of Auguste Reymond, Lorenz Aebischer -

It was a Sunday, and he met us for lunch, then took us to the factory which he opened up so that we should see it first hand.  I returned to Tramelan about 4 months later just before BaselWorld and Lorenz showed us around for a real tour.  And you can read about that here -

A Grand Day Out - Auguste Reymond Part 1

A Grand Day Out - Auguste Reymond Part 2

And a little while after that, I began to work with Lorenz and team at Auguste Reymond to try and help reintroduce North America (and frankly, the English speaking world) to one of Tramelan's hidden treasures.  It was slow going, because there really was no budget to spend for advertising, marketing, etc.  It was a lot of reviews, a LOT of Facebook activity, and... we started to see some sales.  Not hundreds, but a slow but steady drip began to accumulate, and a few retail partners had approached, and just when it looked like we were going to turn the corner - the new owner of Auguste Reymond decided that he could do it better himself, and Lorenz was moved out.  

And what followed was a vivid example that, as mentioned above, a brand is nothing without the people.  The new owner, to his credit, did try make some changes, but it was also clear that he didn't really fully get what made the brand special in certain countries.  And after (I believe) about a year, he sold it to the current owner.  In the process, he sold the building.  And that was a tough one to take. I also fairly certain everyone who was still working in Tramelan at the time lost their job in the end.

Which brings us to now.  The current owner of AR is not really having any more luck than the person he bought it from.  He moved the brand from its hometown and it is now, if I am being honest, doing a Sleeping Beauty.  There is a web shop, the Facebook page has over 100,000 followers (you're welcome), and no new content for what appears to be a year or two or more.  When a brand's management is indifferent, how can they expect the buying public to feel any differently?  

Back in 2017 I was feeling a lot more optimistic about the future, and I bought the Jazz Age chronograph you see at the top of this story.  And if I am completely honest, when I put it on it is always a bit bittersweet.  Auguste Reymond could have made it.  But as I have often said it is simply a question of commitment.  If you want a quick fix, there will always be someone ready to throw money at a problem in the mad hopes that it will magically resolve itself.  But good things typically take time, and effort.  Whether or not the current ownership and management are ready to contribute either remains to be seen.  But friendships and memories win out in the end, and here's hoping that someone, eventually, will put the time and effort back into AR that has been sorely missing since 2017.

Breakfast With An Old Friend

Regular readers will know that I spent about a year and a half working with Auguste Reymond to help promote and market them in North America as well as English speaking countries around the world.  It was a fun and exciting time, and in hindsight, it was one of those experiences that was a little heart-breaking. Lorenz Aebischer was the CEO, and I have to say that in many ways, Auguste Reymond was his baby.  

As with any brand, there were shareholders to satisfy.  What was not clear at the time, but became clear later, was that the shareholders did not fully understand what it might really take to not only run the brand on the day-to-day, but also did not truly understand what made Auguste Reymond unique. Think about it, it was a brand that was right in the middle of a huge glut of brands pricing similarly.  Some with enormous marketing budgets, some that would come and go like so many Kickstarter brands seem to be doing lately.  But for whatever reason, it was a brand that resonated with a lot of watch fans, and the 100,000 plus followers on social media underscored that fact.  

Well, in the age of sleeping beauty watch brands Auguste Reymond is right there in good company.  It has now changed hands twice, and the current owners seem to be even more confused about what they bought than the people they bought it from.  

Despite what some brand owners and a few "colleagues" in the Fourth and Fifth Estate might think about me, I genuinely want to see brands succeed.  Nobody (even me) wants to see anyone fail.  But this is a brand with so much potential that is now like a cleaved block of ice, floating further and further away from where they want to be.

Let's hope that Prince Charming is waiting in the wings.  I realize that a watch brand is just that.  But in some instances, there is something more.  An idea, a feeling, something that stirs our passions.  For many people, Auguste Reymond was one of those brands.  Let's hope that a wake-up call will reach the owner and manager and they will stop treating it like a red-headed stepchild, and start treating it like the princess to be that it really is.

A Few Minutes With Fortis CEO Lorenz Aebischer

Courtesy of Fortis

Before we go too deep into this, it is important that I state clearly that the subject of the interview is someone I am very proud to call my friend.  I have worked with Lorenz in a former life when he was the CEO of Auguste Reymond.  

He is one of the most straightforward, honest and decent people that I have met in a business that is all too-often littered with con men, and bullshit artists.  And that is putting it kindly ; )  In a business where all too often the people who actually work for the brand are not valued, Lorenz and the team he is working with at Fortis have really turned around a brand that has a great deal of potential, and now will hopefully realize it.  I still remember the day that I found out he had been named the CEO of Fortis and I was so happy for him that I immediately stepped out of the office to call and congratulate him.  It is truly proof that sometimes, good guys finish first.

And now, a few minutes with Lorenz Aebischer -

James Henderson - With nearly a year under your belt as the CEO at Fortis, how are things looking?

Lorenz Aebischer - Well, with Jupp I have the chance to have not only a president of the board and shareholder but also an operational director in the daily business. Most of his time he is sitting in the office together with us and travelling to meet partners together with us. On the other side we have a great team with the sales manager, the marketing manager and the operational manager. In the management team we are 5 person and come most of the time to a common sense when we have decisions to take.

Very important is also the rest of the staff. I’m happy we have motivated people running in the same way to create the great FORTIS brand story for the next 100 years.

Last but not least, the international partners are also very important. Whatever we are doing, we need our partners to follow us.


So, TEAMWORK I guess is the main issue. And good partnerships. I guess we met a lot of interesting people and we will come within the next months/years with many nice good surprises.


JH - Moving from Auguste Reymond to Fortis was more than a simple move from Tramelan to Grenchen. What are some of the biggest differences between running a brand like Auguste Reymond and running Fortis?

LA - With Auguste Reymond I invested in a small brand with a nice history. My private finances were not enough and the Russian partner became main shareholder. It was very difficult for me to manage a Swiss brand with the Russian culture. Running a small brand with no budget is very difficult and everything you do in a short term view.  Today I already can say, the move from Auguste Reymond to Fortis was great luck.

Courtesy of Fortis

With Jupp as a shareholder we can think about the long term. This is crucial when you want to work with a great brand like Fortis. Amazing history as Fortis was the world first producer of automatic wrist watches, produced plastic watches before Swatch, was one of the first watch brands in the space, was the first Chronograph watch in the open space. So, talking about changes, Fortis has a great history and was a great brand. And I’m very proud to work in the original Fortis building. Fortis is one or the rare brands still in the original building built over 100 years ago. While the previous brand is a brand like others, Fortis has a character. Fortis brand is a good supplement brand in the portfolio of the retailers. The time pieces are robust and have their own unique character. We cooperate with professionals to create precise tools to measure the time.

Another big difference is the team. We have great watchmakers managing all the pieces of a mechanical alarm. All our watches are assembled in-house and we always look to cooperate with local suppliers. We have a great logistics team and a great administration team.


JH - What is the big release for Fortis this year?


LA - 8th of may we could launch the new PC-7 TEAM watch of the air base of the Swiss army in Dübendorf.  All the pilots of the PC-7 TEAM wear this new Fortis watch.  Together with many invited customers we watched the training of the squadron. Amazing to watch that. The PC-7 TEAM stands for dynamism, elegance and precision and fit perfectly to the values of Fortis.  It was a special pleasure for us to present this new watch to them and to the markets.  Especially as this year the squadron celebrates its 30th birthday.

Not a release but we had a big start in the development of the new Flieger collection. This new collection will be presented early next year.


JH - What are some of the biggest challenges that you and your team are facing?

LA - This I see in 2 chapters.  One is outside, and one is inside our house.  Outside, we are working with our partners to strengthen their position and focus on quality retailing and giving them more support with more pictures and videos, new displays and new catalogues.  Inside, we developed together with a big international agency our brand positioning.  Now we are starting to work on our communication channels.  The biggest challenge is to tell the people about what we are doing.  Nobody is waiting for us, but everybody who follows will realize the interesting potential of our brand.

JH - What is the strongest market for Fortis?

LA - Actually our main focus is Germany, USA and Japan.  As an independent brand you can’t drive a strong global campaign.  But we are working with all our other countries to develop them and intensify their activities together with us and cooperate straightly with the local retailers.


JH - Who are your key competitors?

LA - As mentioned Fortis has it own character. We do watches we love and we do it with passion.  Therefore we don’t see a key competitor but for sure our customers compare Fortis with IWC, Bell & Ross, Breitling.  We want to be seen and compared by them. We don’t call them competitors but purchase options for similar customers.


JH - What should we be on the look out for from Fortis?

LA - I guess watch fans, watch lovers and retailers have to follow our Instagram and Facebook but also in various print magazines and in some months our new internet site.  They will see step by step changes and interesting news.  In the last months we had so many contacts with various partners and exceptional personalities. We will create with passion new tools to measure the time and we will communicate more with all our actual and new ambassadors. Very soon, in August and in September, you will hear some news with our partners Castor Fantoba (who just became Spanish Champion some weeks ago) and Peter Balmer.

Stay tuned and follow our great evolution. We are FORTIS!

A Chance Meeting with an Old Friend

As I have made clear before, I do work with a few watch brands as a consultant, etc. and in some instances a little more directly and more involved - such as my relationship with Auguste Reymond (I am responsible for Auguste Reymond in North America).  Owing to this, you will note that you do not see any posts about Auguste Reymond on Tempus Fugit. 

But a few weeks back while wandering around Cambridge I bumped into a watch that although related to Auguste Reymond, I felt it was a distant enough relationship that I could write about it here.

But first some background.  As many readers know I have lived in  a lot of places, with my longest adult residence being in San Francisco and Santa Barbara California.  Many also know that I grew up in a tiny town in Ohio (Oberlin), that I did my undergraduate work at the University of Oregon (go Ducks!), and that I lived and worked in Japan, Portugal, Scotland and Finland. But what many don't know is that right after finishing my BA at Oregon, I accepted a job in Cambridge, MA and lived and worked for six months there.  And so it felt a little like "bringing it all back home" when a few weeks back I was wandering around my old work neighborhood - Harvard Square.  And what should I find in the vintage case at a watch store?

A beautiful, bi-compax gold chronograph.  And the name on the dial is from Auguste Reymond's sister brand ARSA.  Now back in the day, ARSA was a brand in its own right.  But these days they are known by their our customers primarily for the braille watches that they produce. 

And for those of you who have not met the owner/CEO of Auguste Reymond, Lorenz Aebischer, I will say that I was touched when he spoke about the production and sales of not only the braille watches, but in addition the ones made for people with failing eyesight.  He described it to me as a pleasant responsibility.  One that does not necessarily make a ton of money, but one that provides a needed solution for a lot of people.

And suffice it to say, it gives me a lot of pride to be involved as well.

So that's all you'll hear about Auguste Reymond or ARSA here at Tempus Fugit.  Rules are rules ; )

Enjoy your watches, and keep an eye out for long lost friends ; )

Auguste Reymond Returns to North America

Before going into any further details, an announcement of sorts in the interest of full disclosure -

As of March this year, I have undertaken the responsibility of marketing and representing Auguste Reymond in North America.  Owing to this, I will not be writing any opinion pieces.  Simply information only.

Now that that's out of the way -

If You Can Read This Post

You probably don't need this watch.  But you just might know someone who does.

Courtesy of Auguste Reymond/ARSA

One of the coolest things I got to see when I visited the Auguste Reymond facilities in Tramelan were the braille watches.  Which means exactly what you might think - watches made specifically for the sightless.  A smart phone will not be of much use to someone who can't see the screen.  And a "talking watch" is an even bigger potential liability as it has the potential to disturb those around the wearer.  

While I realize that there are many who may feel that this is a "low tech" approach, it is one that works, and one that I am pleased Auguste Reymond continues to follow through it's ARSA brand.

A Grand Day Out - Auguste Reymond - Part 2

So picking up -

Auguste Reymond is now, not unlike so may other smaller brands, reintroducing themselves.  As regular readers will note, I do not have a lot of time or patience for money wasting for vanity's sake.  And that is absolutely what you will not find at Auguste Reymond either in their facilities or their watches.

As I said yesterday, the workshop space is adjoined to the sales and administration offices.  And rather than redecorate, the team at Auguste Reymond has embraced the wonderful fixtures, furniture and amenities.  I am a sucker for "atomic age" furniture and architecture, so I love the space and it's furnishings.  But taking my personal style preferences out of the equation, this place is fantastic because it truly embodies the feeling of a certain place and time when elegance was possible without flamboyance.  And that sensibility truly lends itself to the Auguste Reymond of today.

While there are many links to the past -

The today's Auguste Reymond are very much of today -

The links to the heritage, to the foundation are there to be seen at any point. Even a reference clock just inside the entrance -

But today's Auguste Reymond is not your grandfather's watch company -

Courtesy of Auguste Reymond

Clearly based on a classic design idea, but updated and given a contemporary twist.  And owing to  the realities of life for smaller watch companies, there are some items that are not taken care of completely "in house".  Yet and still, it bears mentioning that Auguste Reymond actually makes things.  All too often watches are completely put together (from start to finish) by a third - party assembler and delivered to the administration office to be "finished off" with a price tag and then packed for shipping.  Not so at Auguste Reymond -

Real watches being assembled by real people at real work benches.  Again, you will note that the work benches are most definitely not the latest, most cutting edge, they clearly still work just fine!

Perhaps what was so enjoyable about the visit - it was both a look back and a look forward at the industry.  Classic equipment from the previous generation being skillfully utilized by the next one.

So in a time where it seems like watch companies disappear only to be "reborn" and retooled, I am grateful that there are still companies out there like Auguste Reymond, real watches from real people, assembled in an atmosphere that evokes all of the feelings that we associate with the industry.  It was a wonderful experience, and you never know, if things continue to improve for Auguste Reymond, visits from the public may become possible ; )

There is one more item to share - so stay tuned!

A Grand Day Out - Auguste Reymond

As is often my BaselWorld tradition, I try to get at least one factory visit in either before or after the fair.  Well this year I had a small window of opportunity to visit one of my favorite watch brands of the past (1999 - 2005) was Auguste Reymond.  And it was particularly fun as with their latest releases they are rapidly becoming one of my favorite current brands as well.

So off early this morning to Tramelan.   For those of you unfamiliar Tramelan is a small town in the canton of Bern.  It also hosts the offices of Armand Nicolet as well as Dimier.  But today was for Auguste Reymond!

I was welcomed by Lorenz Aebischer, the CEO of Auguste Reymond, and shown in through the lobby area -

Auguste Reymond now resides in what was previously the Nitella S.A. building.  It is a pretty neat space occupying two floors and a basement.  The current set-up includes all of the watch making and administrative functions on the first floor.

 And what is particularly cool about today's Auguste Reymond is this wonderful old facility.  You will notice that it is not the latest, greatest technological leaps, but rather wonderfully old workbenches colored by the patina of a previous generation.

And while these are not so-modern facilities, the watches coming out are absolutely modern and (at least in my opinion) pretty cool!

There is more to come on this as well an interesting "twist to the tale", so tune in tomorrow for the second installment.

Affordable Elegance

From Auguste Reymond

Courtesy of Auguste Reymond

Rumor has it that Auguste Reymond may be ready to make a comeback here on these shores, and in an effort to encourage that effort, here's another wonderfully affordable piece from the folks in Tramelan, this being the Elegance Automatic 40 -

Technical Characteristics

Case material	Stainless steel
Case finishing	Rose PVD
Crystal	Scratch-resistant sapphire
Case back	transparent with 6 screws
Water resistance	5 bar (50m/165ft)
Case dimension (mm)	40,5
Case thickness (mm)	9,4
Strap width (mm)	20/18
Movement type	ETA 2824-2 / Sellita SW200
Rewinding	Automatic mechanical
Autonomy	39 hours
Strap	Leather crocodile imitation
Movement functions	Hour, minute, second, date

The Moon & Stars

From Auguste Reymond -

Courtesy of Auguste Reymond

This is the Jazz Age Chronograph Moon phase, and if I'm honest, I think a very under appreciated watch.  While I realize that the case design might not be for everyone, for me that is the point.  It is different.  Of a different time.

The case measures 37.6 mm which I realize many people might feel is too small, but I feel is a wonderful size, particularly given the thickness of the case at 14.7 mm.

The movement is the Valjoux 7751, and perhaps my favorite detail?  The man in the moon is smiling out at us.  Call me sentimental, but it gives me a warm & fuzzy feeling ; )

Here are the rest of the particulars -

Technical Characteristics

Case material	Stainless steel
Case finishing
Crystal	Domed sapphire
Case back	Snap transparent
Water resistance	3 bar (30m/100ft)
Case dimension (mm)	37.6
Case thickness (mm)	14.7
Strap width (mm)	18/18
Movement type	ETA Valjoux 7751
Rewinding	Automatic mechanical
Autonomy	48 hours
Strap	Leather crocodile imitation

There is no Auguste Reymond distribution in the US as of now, but maybe with luck that will change soon - stay tuned!

A Housewarming Party for Armand Nicolet

Armand Nicolet has moved into new digs.  While it is safe to say that this is not on the magnitude of a full-blown manufacturer like Vacheron relocating, it is still sort of a big deal ; )

Courtesy of Armand Nicolet 

So who is Armand Nicolet?  Well that, in fact is a two-parter which really starts with Who Was Armand Nicolet?

Well, he was the son of a watchmaker, he set up shop in Tramelan, Switzerland.  In 1902 he dropped a bit of an horological bomb with a pocket watch featuring a single button chronograph, a complete calendar and a repeater.  Not an hour repeater, not a quarter repeater, not a minute repeater - no this one had all three!  

And to prove that external beauty is also important, he crafted a rose gold case and adorned it with an
enamel dial.  So it is not like this was a guy "shoeing horses" in the summer and "tinkering" in the winter months.  Safe to say, Armand had "skills to pay the bills".

Courtesy of Armand Nicolet

But as they say, that was then - what have you done for me lately?  Well, I think in fairness at least in North America it would be fair to call them a "work in progress".  But, and I suppose this is my romantic side - 

DEEP DOWN, I KNOW THEY CAN BE SPECIAL!

So how to do that?

No more partnering with dog-shit distributors.  Stop going for the fast score by dumping watches into grey market.  And most importantly - DAMN IT - If I hear one more time "Were big in Russia..." I am going to void my digestive tract and chuck up the alphabet soup my mother fed me back in grade school.  Be "average" everywhere - regional does not impress anyone.  I truly could not care less if you are number 1 in Ulan Bator.  Just be true to yourself.  Be honest, 

Courtesy of Armand Nicolet

And unlike a lot of brand claiming irrefutable "bona-fides" while essentially paying someone else to design and manufacture their watches - as you can see, it does not appear that Armand Nicolet using an assembler.

AND - I want to make one thing very, very clear - there is NOTHING wrong with using an assembler.  There is NOTHING wrong with this - but be honest.  Don't claim that you are doing something that you are not.  And it seems that Armand Nicolet is  - if the photos are anything to go on - being honest.  It would seem that they are doing the assembly there.  This is the hope.  

Courtesy of Armand Nicolet

The watch world is a funny place.  People assume that a brand assembles their own watches, but in fact you never see images from their facility.  They are essentially marketing/branding companies - AND AGAIN - nothing wrong with that.  So, I am going to say this - Armand Nicolet - you have a nice new facility - you have our attention - NOW it's time for greatness!  

Courtesy of Armand Nicolet 

Show us something - we are ready to applaud it.


Enjoy your watches!