Rehoisting the Northflag

With Tudor -

Courtesy of Tudor

Yes, gentle reader, I was there when the first Northflag hit the Tudor stand at BaselWorld in 2015 (if memory serves). The great and the good of Watch Town's Fourth and Fifth Estate had been treated to some sort of overnight camping trip "experience" by Tudor the night before the start of the fair proper. I guess the working logic was that you couldn't really write about a watch unless you sat around a campfire making s'mores and drinking beer...

But I digress... the Northflag represented, in many ways, a failure to launch. It was, in the words of that other great commentator on watches, Sean Connery describing Antonio Cabrini's missed penalty against West Germany in the 1982 World Cup final: "a damp squib".

I think more than anything else, nobody really knew what to make of it. But like Ikepod back in the 90s, the original Northflag was misunderstood at first, but now is living its best life. Which brings us to Tudor's latest curiosity - a relaunch of that original failure to launch.

Like the original, Northflag 2.0 has opted to go with a display case back -

Courtesy of Tudor

Keeping time under the hood is Calibre MT5652-U which is COSC certified. But wait, there's more! It's METAS certified as well...

But in fairness to Tudor, the read out on some key indicators is impressive.

Per Tudor:

• Anti-magnetism

  Smooth functioning when exposed to a magnetic field of 15,000 gauss and precision following exposure

When compared to IWC's Ingenieur which weighs in at more than double the price, it is an impressive achievement - even with the display back ; )

Finally Tudor has the perfect celebrity partner with Electro - because if he wasn't "born to dare" who the hell was?

The bracelet is integrated and micro adjustable.

Power reserve is rated to 65 hours.

I am still a bit more a fan of version 1.0, but for all you New Jacks out there, this might be the scratch to your itch. But at $5,525 I am not feeling it. In this instance, at least pour moi:
"le jeu n'en vaut pas la chandelle". Or as we say in the lower 48, the juice isn't worth the squeeze.

Summer Repeat: She Loves America

I first ran this one in "the Blog fornerly known as Tempus Fugit" several years ago.  Sadly, it's as true today as it ever was. So for you, gentle reader, a cautionary tale about the perils of not developing local talent -

 

She Loves America… but America doesn't Love Her.

This was, albeit the short form, the sentiment that I heard from a blogger colleague of mine referring to the recently appointed replacement coming to "save" the North American subsidiary of "brand x".

I've written on this topic before, but with the inevitable annual "house cleaning" session that we are about to witness, it seemed like a pertinent topic again.  Please indulge me while I revisit the ongoing challenge faced by the watch industry in the US and Canada.  So basically, brand x is in Switzerland.  They have tried several different solutions, that like death can be broken down into specific stages:

1.  Go with a distributor for about 10 years.
Everything seemed to be going okay.  Sales were very, very strong.  But then they started to hear rumblings.  Their watches were showing up in many places that were not exactly "official retail partners" which is a polite way of saying "grey market".  How did that happen?  Simple, the distributor wrote very large orders to stores and store owners who in fact were doing massive amounts of trans-shipping.  In other words, although some of the watches were in the "front area", the majority of the watches were being sold out the back door before they even made it into the store's safe.  So a change had to be made.

2.  Hosanna!  We have the solution!  A young Swiss sales manager saddles-up and heads across the water to "take the situation in hand".  And like any great television sitcom, hilarity ensues!  Language and cultural miscommunication leads to acrimonious feelings between the "natives" and the "over lord".

Sounds pretty harsh?  Trust me, I've heard worse from both sides.  This situation is destined to fail for a number of reasons, but essentially what resonates is that:

To the parent company - The North American team sucks.  They are little children that clearly can't handle the job, and we have to "keep an eye" on them.

To the "home team" - Oh great, another "idiot son" sent to "train for the future" by running the North American subsidiary.  This genius can't even figure out where the toilet is!

Needless to say, things don't work out.  A year to three is about how long this usually runs.

3.  Okay,  let's hire someone to run our subsidiary.  And while everyone may love this person, they stand about the same chances as any new restaurant opening.  Because at this point, the feeling is that things better go right.  This person will usually be given about half the time to fix or establish the brand.    Very few people can do it, and those who can't?  Well don't worry, you'll see them working for a different brand inside of 6 months.

So what am I trying to say here?  PATIENCE needs to be the policy.  Your brand didn't go bad overnight, it was a slow, but steady process.  You will not be able to "fix" your brand overnight either.  Be realistic, and unless your Brand Manager gets caught with a dead body and a bath tub full of cocaine, give them a bit more time - good things, some times take time.

"It's Clean" The Tudor Ranger Beige

Which as we all know is what attracted Major Lawrence to the desert.

With those cinematic bon mots out of the way, on to the latest offering from Tudor -

Courtesy of Tudor

First impressions? Well, here gentle reader, I have to be honest -

Meh.... 

Meaning I was left unmoved, unimpressed, and uninspired. As mentioned on more than one occasion - I am the proud owner of a Tudor. I have had some desirous thoughts about the Tudor Professional (opaline dial), and although it's not everyone's baby, the pink dialed chronograph was an inspired release. And for once Tudor showed restraint by not flooding the market with a gazillion of them. What was mocked by some has become a hot ticket! 

So in fairness, Tudor can execute. It just seems that the execution is somewhat sporadic. The new Tudor Ranger in beige is not "born to dare". It is like my high school soccer coach - playing not to lose. When you're so fearful of losing, you become too afraid to win.

But with that said, and in all fairness, this might be just the ticket for you. So here are the pertinents, straight from Tudor -

Watch Specifications

Reference: M79930-0008

• Five-year Guarantee

  Five-year transferable guarantee with no registration or periodic maintenance checks required

• Case

  36mm steel case, satin finish

  Lugs: 19mm lug width

  Case thickness: 11.0mm

• Movement

  Manufacture Calibre MT5400 (COSC)
  Self-winding mechanical movement with bidirectional rotor system

• Power Reserve

  Power reserve of approximately 70 hours

• Winding Crown

  Steel screw-down crown with the TUDOR rose in relief

• Waterproofness

  Waterproof to 100m (330 ft)

• Bezel

  Smooth satin-brushed steel

• Dial

  Beige, domed

• Crystal

  Domed sapphire crystal

• Bracelet

  Green fabric bracelet with red and beige stripes and buckle

 

Fall Repeat - The Dunning - Kruger Effect

Like any crisis, COVID-19 has laid bare a lot of realities that were probably always there, but that could continue on until external events made it impossible for them to remain unacknowledged.

For those of you unfamiliar, the Dunning-Kruger effect, its name is derived from a study conducted by David Dunning and Justin Kruger back just before the turn of the century (1999). The study exposed a very interesting paradox - in several instances average performing people tended to place themselves in the upper echelons in terms of performance. Curious to relate? In many instances, high performing people tended to down-play their abilities, ranking themselves lower on the scale than their abilities justified.

For those of you who are more visual (and enjoy video over text) here is a fun look at the Dunning-Kruger effect courtesy of Trace Dominguez and After Skool -

Cognitive Bias exists everywhere, and we all struggle with it on many levels.  The recent devolution of BaselWorld into a full-blown 3-ring circus is a great example.  And I want to jump right out of the gate and make clear that BaselWorld is only one of the Ringleaders of this train wreck.  

In Tent Number 1:

Remember the bold words of one mayor of Watch Town who insisted that his brand was special, and didn't actually need a show?  And then like a carpet bagger tried to ease south to Geneva to announce (what in hindsight) was a pretty ham-fisted attempt to grab some press ink with some other like minded mayors for a "mini-show" of carefully curated brands?  (editor's note: along with the use of "my friend" and "timepiece" could we agree to ban the term "curated"?  It's complete and utter bullshit.)  

In Tent Number 2:

If Animal Farm were ever to be re-told with denizens of Watch Town as the protagonists, the advent of the FHH show would be familiar.

George Orwell Animal Farm

Here's the thing, you don't tug on Superman's cape.  It was pretty foolhardy of the BaselWorld organizers to assume that they could try to give Rolex and Patek an "Atomic Wedgie" -

Courtesy of the Simpsons

Now I cannot claim to know or understand every thought process or motivation that runs through the storied hallways of Big Green in Geneva.  I respect my place in the hierarchy ; )

But what I can say is this - while Rolex, Tudor, Patek and Chanel had every right to pick up their tents and move them south, let's not misconstrue that as a blow for the Proletariat of Watch Town.  The "letter of secession" makes it pretty clear that these four brands made their decision based on what would work for them.  Several other not-so-fancy brands may not be invited to join the party.

And ladies and gentlemen, train your eyes to the center ring here in the Big Top!:
BaselWorld was clearly living in a different reality than a lot of the larger brands that were willing to continue to pay the price to be there.  And truthfully?  These are some of the real victims in this three-ring shit-show.  If you are a Richemont brand?  You are safe, Watches and Wonders has you covered.  If you are viewed "luxurious and exclusive enough"?  Not a problem, FHH will certainly deem you worthy and you can join them.  But what about some of those other big, notable, and dare I say it - POPULAR brands that actually sell a LOT of watches?  Where do they get to go?  

You get the idea.

Now I still like my personal crack-pot theory that Hayek the Younger has been sitting back in his stronghold in the Biel/Bienne hinterlands, biding his time and waiting to come back to BaselWorld. But then again, I have frequently been guilty of the Dunning-Kruger Bias ; )

Truth or Dare?

Sometimes you should pick truth...

Courtesy of Tudor

So a bit about me. I am the proud owner of a Tudor x Rowing Blazers Black Bay. I have caught myself contemplating selling a few pieces from the bank safety deposit box to fund a Tudor GMT model - most likely with a white / opaline dial. I have long been a fan of the reinterpretation of the Advisor, and the North Flag - two pieces that have moved out of the collection.

Suffice it to say, when it comes to Tudor, I like to think I have an open mind.

Courtesy of Tudor

The Cellini Moonphase is dope (that means good). And way back in the day Rolex offered up a now legendary moonphase watch.

Courtesy of Tudor

I applaud Tudor for looking to evolve, but in truth this is one that I just don't get... 

But to quote the Poet Laureate of New York City - Mr. Lou Reed:

"And just remember, different people have peculiar taste"

Some basics - the case is of stainless steel and measures 39 mm in diameter. The movement is the Calibre T607-9. It is rated to be water proof to 100 meters.

On the positive side? Very reasonably priced at $2,800.

Endings and Beginnings

Okay, in reading Robert-Jan Broer's post on his pursuit and purchase of a GMT Master (Rootbeer) -

https://www.fratellowatches.com/why-i-bought-a-five-digit-rolex-gmt-master-ii-again/

Courtesy of Tudor

I got to thinking of "What's Next?" in my own collection. Before going on, let me state plainly that I have resolved to thin the herd by about 5 pieces. It is important to understand that as I work for/with/represent several brands, I have no small amount of choice when I go to the bank deposit box to select something for the week.

With that being said, I am getting to a certain point where priorities are most assuredly shifting. Like most Americans I will likely be working closer to my 70s rather than my 60s. Overall, I'm okay with that as Wendy and I don't have kids (meaning no grandchildren to fuss over and take up our time ; ) 

But moreover, I have gotten to a point where apart from "work watches" (which I love, don't get me wrong!), I tend to wear 2 or 3 in particular, meaning that while they are secure in the bank box, several watches are just sitting there, where they are safe, but unworn and (unintentionally) under appreciated. So in the next few months I hope to remedy that. If you are looking for a good deal on some pre-owned time machines, follow my feed on Instagram for buying options -

https://www.instagram.com/henki_time/

But back to the matter at hand -

As mentioned in the second half of my Geneva notes, I returned to the Boston and learned my Aunt's husband was quite ill. She and his daughter worked tirelessly and selflessly to take care of him for a few weeks until he had to be hospitalized, and he passed shortly thereafter. And this really resonated with me. I think we tend to trivialize long-enduring relationships as something everyday or common. And of course if we think about it, we realize that just isn't so. For over forty years their lives had been intertwined, learning each others shorthand, and maintaining their individuality while growing stronger together. 

"Okay Henki - what's this got to do with watches?"

Fair question, allow me to retort -

A watch, be it a mighty Rolex or a $10 Snoopy Timex that your parents bought you in the 70s is not a "timepiece", rather it is a time machine. It has the ability to take you to a different time and place (hopefully a happy one). It can mark a milestone - such as a graduation, wedding, wedding anniversary, promotion, new job, etc. It can mark the end, and also the beginning.

And I think that I am coming up to a very pivotal point in my own life - both personal and professional. On the personal side? I've never been happier. Wendy and I will celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary this week. The brands I work with are doing well, and although bittersweet (as her longtime partner is no longer with her), I get to spend each summer with my Aunt. The work side I have come through what I can only describe as a crucible. For those unfamiliar, here is AI's take on the definition:

A crucible is a cup-shaped container, typically made of porcelain or metal, used in laboratories to heat and contain substances at high temperatures. It can also refer to a severe test or trial, or a place where things change or are influenced by concentrated forces. The word also appears in Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible", which is a powerful dramatization of the Salem witch trials, often used as a metaphor for political persecution and the dangers of mass hysteria.

I am currently the Executive Director of a MassHire Career Center. Our mission is to help people who have lost their job either enter or re-enter the workforce. This is done with counseling, as well as hard and soft-skill training. It is very challenging work, but also very rewarding. I work with a phenomenal team of extremely committed people. I wouldn't call it a family because that just seems like a cliche. But I have never worked with a team so focused, dedicated and united in what they do. So maybe it is what a work family could and should be. We will have a new operator on July 1, and we have been made to understand that many of us will be shown the door. I am, by and large, the newcomer with a little over 2 years spent.  With that being said, I have colleagues with nearly 20 years invested in what they do, and it has been heartbreaking to watch them try to navigate this enormous change that they know is coming. 

For me personally? It has been disappointing to see the work of the last two years get somewhat methodically pulled apart by the future operator, not unlike a sweater that slowly gets unravelled. And believe me when I say it, we did a lot in just the two years that I have been involved, and no doubt much more in the time before I arrived. It goes without saying that the only certainty in life is change. But change can and should be managed, but sometimes the way it gets managed is outside your control.

So again - "What's this got to do with watches?"

I was re-reading Will Guidara's best seller,
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect

and he shared a quote from his father:

"Adversity is a terrible thing to waste."

Think about that for a minute. 

My team did something remarkable these past few months, knowing full well that they would probably not be doing what they've been doing for the past 5 years or more, they continued to show up every day with a smile, focusing on helping our customers. Think about that. While the temptation might be to go into Eeyore mode, they continue to be professionals, right up to June 30!

And for some of us, this now presents an opportunity to explore other paths, to turn left at the fork in the road rather than the right turn that we have always taken up to this point. We have the power to put some control on our future by collectively saying that this is not something that happened to us, but something that is happening for us!

And for me, I want to mark what has been a career defining 2 plus years. I had great early success managing programs and teachers in Finland back in the 90s. I thought for sure my career path was set. I got a huge job in the US, moved home, and promptly failed. It was a series of very hard lessons to learn. What followed was a series of aimless jobs that (in truth) I was overqualified for, but felt secure and safe in that I would not have the burden of leadership and the fear of failure that accompanied it. Nearly 20 years later I found myself leading a team of 3, which grew to 10. Together we built one of the strongest adult education programs in the region, growing from 60 students to over 130 - and doing so during COVID. This led to my current (soon to be finished) tenure with MassHire. In 2 years we have achieved similar results in terms of our performance and the customers we have served. So again, this coming to an end is somewhat bittersweet.

So I know now that I can lead a team, that it is always worth fighting for what is right, and that I don't want to hide in the shadows any longer.

I am not a wealthy person, so the watch that will mark this new chapter will not be brand new. But I do want it to be special. I have a few things in mind, but the Tudor Black Bay GMT Steel and Gold seems to tick all of the boxes. Gold, but not "Gold-Gold". 

Courtesy of Tudor

A GMT feature which connects me to friends around the world, and in this instance I think not a bracelet. I think the black "fabric" strap lends itself more to my chosen career in the "helping business".

Courtesy of Tudor

So that's all for now, stay tuned for the next dispatch.

Tempus Fugit!

Pecan Pie With Lime Sherbet à la Mode...

Courtesy of Tudor

Now before I go any further, I am the proud owner of a Tudor X Rowing Blazers Black Bay -

But I am not, at least I don't believe, a fan-boy. To that end, when I first clapped eyes on the latest release from Tudor posted by the big dogs the past few days... I winced. While I wouldn't say it looked so bad that it hurt my feelings, I would say that it immediately reminded me of an epic night at a restaurant in Gloucester, Massachusetts back in the late 50s/early 60s.

My father did not have what could be thought of as a celebrated academic career at the Cornell Hotel School. He had twice been asked to partake of what could kindly be called a sabbatical to reflect on his commitment (or lack thereof) to not only the pursuit of a career in hospitality management, but post secondary studies in general. It was during this first timeout he was hiding out from his parents in Texas thanks to a kindly cousin who found him a job as a bell-boy/front desk receptionist at the Shamrock Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. Suffice it to say, the strength of family bonds was tested when word found its way back to the ranch in Brady that the old man had tanked his class in plumbing. This seemingly insignificant academic blip would prove crucial during the diarrhea outbreak that swept the Henderson household during the Christmas holiday of 1975. Yes, gentle reader, after the single toilet failed in a house with 5 youngsters and 4 adults (our cousins from Rockport were visiting Ohio, we resorted to cleaning buckets, and the menfolk skulking about the shrubbery in the neighbor's yard. 

Shamelessly borrowed from the worldwide infoweb

Pepto Bismol would be running short in that region of Northern Ohio for over a fortnight following the outbreak of what came to be known as "white lightning & chocolate thunder" (all apologies to Planet Lovetron's favorite son Daryl Dawkins, his signature dunks would come a few years later). And when the plumber's bill was presented for emergency services provided over the holiday period, both of my older sisters were encouraged to consider attending the local vocational school, as plumbing appeared to be a career with a very lucrative future.

But back to Gloucester...

My father had a good friend from Cornell (who would later become my uncle, but that is a story for another time), and this friend's mother owned a restaurant on the waterfront that was very popular with out of town tourists. My father's Texas accent was thicker than a shag carpet after a frat party, so as you can imagine he was already a minor source of comic relief among both the staff and guests. My father spent one or two summers working at his friend's mother's restaurant. And together, they spent their summer working hours contriving ways to trick the rubes (read innocent restaurant patrons) into ordering some truly diabolical items that weren't on the menu. One particular weekend stood out as the freezer had conked out, and there was a mad push to sell as much of the frozen stock as possible. Free ice cream with everything! But the final Saturday night left them with a heavy surplus of one item in particular. As they prepped for service they agreed on a dessert that would not only clear out the freezer, but help reshape the culinary habits of coastal New England...

Pecan pie with lime sherbet à la mode.

Spoiler alert - they sold out! In fact, a travel writer for a midwestern news outlet wrote about it after being duped into ordering it. This led to a strange surge in requests from out of town diners hailing from Michigan (he was based in Grosse Point). God knows what could have happened if this had taken place during the Food Network's heyday, or with social media today, but that little Gloucester restaurant would never again feature their erstwhile signature item. But in my and my cousin's households, the legend lives on as a testament to what people will buy if you can just convince them that it's authentic.

Now back to the matter at hand - 

Courtesy of Tudor

The marketing folks in Le Locle assure us that this is a "BOLD AND VIBRANT CHOICE". I can certainly agree with that assessment. The same thing was once said about pecan pie and lime sherbet à la mode ; )

The asking price for this "Flamingo Blue" Black Bay Chronograph is $5,875. As a side note, I would encourage the brain trust at Tudor to visit Florida, a zoo, or even consult the internet... flamingos are, by and large, pink. Per the AI feature embedded in Google:

Flamingos are pink because of the carotenoid pigments in the food they eat, such as algae and shrimp. The color of a flamingo's feathers can range from pale pink to crimson, depending on the species.

So if you too are born to dare, and unlike John Waters prefer your flamingos blue, here are some basics -

The case is of stainless steel, and measures 41 mm in diameter with a lug width of 22 mm.

The movement is the Manufacture Calibre MT5813, offering time, date, and chronograph functions.

The dial is a "daring" Flamingo Blue.

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