The Transfer Window Has Opened - and A Great Loss to Watch Time

I have known Roger Ruegger for more than a minute. Our paths first crossed when I was working for DOXA North America (Synchron) and we got to know each other a little better when I crossed the aisle and started Tempus Fugit working in both the Fourth and Fifth Estates. Roger was (and continues to be) a keen fan of diving watches, and was a friend and supporter of smaller, independent brands. His approach to dive watch coverage pre-Watch Time was extremely egalitarian, and merit based. The name on the dial was not necessarily as important as what went into the watch itself. Many now, more established brands owe a great debt to Roger's enthusiastic support of their efforts.

Word has reached the North Shore offices of the "Blog Formerly Known As Tempus Fugit" that Mr. Ruegger will be moving on from Watch Time. And this, for me, marks a bit of a turning point in Watch Town. Way back when (2011 - 2014) there was a bit more camaraderie amongst the media outlets (with a few notable exceptions). We all had day jobs and we all paid our own way to BaselWorld. While I wouldn't say we were all "besties", there was not the same need to "flex" as there seems to be now.  Some of the big dogs I remember when they were wee pups that still peed on the carpet. And this is what has set Roger apart. Even after landing what is considered one of the most coveted jobs in watch media, he still made a point of maintaining relationships, never tried to "dk" (don't know) people.

Obviously change is inevitable, and following a prolific 10 years at the helm of Watch Time, Roger is leaving the party while it is still full, so I say good for him!

Whoever the next person is to slot into the role, they will have some big swim fins (shoes) to fill ; )

Bravo Roger on a job very, very well done, and wishing you the best of success moving forward.

Talk Like A Watch Pro - The Big Comeback!

Okay, it's been a minute, but after putting on The HYPE a few months back, I am happy (and you are no-doubt relieved) to know that Watch Town still has the ability to generate its very own unique lexicon.

I will be providing a refresher, but first? Some new bon mots that will have you talking and feeling just like the big boys and girls in Watch Town -

"Deep South"

The direction retail prices go when your production exceeds your sales actuals by 500% or so. We all get these emails - "Last chance for huge savings!" A multitude of reasons are offered, but long story short? Someone over-spent their allowance and mom and dad aren't happy about it. As that other great commentator on the watch business (Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko) would remind us - 

"The key to the game is capital reserves. If you don't have enough, you can't piss in the tall weeds with the big dogs."

"Nickeled for a dime" i.e. someone sold you a nickel for a dime

It's an expensive proposition to participate in a watch show, particularly in NYC. Approximately $8,000 USD will get you enough space to place a tray full of watches on a "modest" sized table while half of humanity lazily strolls past your booth. This, of course, is great news for alternative shows...

"New investment"

Someone's buying, someone else is selling. No more, no less.

"Nobody likes to hear that their baby is ugly"
Translation?  When you are asked - "What do you think of our novelties?"  You are really being asked - "Could you please offer an affirmation that this watch is great?"

"I'mGonna'stan"
A fictional country that is more a place of the imagination than an actual reality. I'mGonna'stan is a magical place where everything will happen soon, like tomorrow, and tomorrow never arrives.  

"Pick Your Poison"
Translation - you're screwed either way, and I don't really care.

"My friend"
Translation - You fucking asshole.

"You're just like the Tin-Man"
Translation - You've got no heart.  Usually reserved for sales managers just before they are "freed up to pursue new professional opportunities".

"We don't cover brands like that"
Translation - Pay me, and then maybe we'll cover you.

"Our writers are very busy, but a sure way to promote your brand is through a sponsored post!"

See above.

"We're a small, independent brand and can't afford advertising"
Translation - My best friend's spouse works for another media outlet and we already pay them. We're not going to pay you now, or ever, but you should still make time to cover us because, you never know ; )

"We don't make any decisions regarding marketing, sales or advertising during (insert BaselWorld, SIHH, JCK, etc.), but shoot me an email in a few weeks and we can follow-up then."
Translation - Of course we make decisions at BaselWorld, SIHH, JCK, etc., we just have no desire to listen to, consider or entertain any proposal that you might be offering.  But! Here's a nice paper tote bag and an outlandishly heavy catalog (filled with poor spelling and grammatical errors)!  Thanks for stopping by!

Spending Time With The Mühle Glashütte Sportivo Travel GMT

All good things must come to an end, maybe...

Okay, before we go too far into this, I have to go back to where and when I first encountered the Sportivo Travel GMT. I was wandering through the booths at the Wind-Up show in New York this past October. I had briefly spoken with Damir Armstrong of Duber Time - the US distributor for Mühle Glashütte at the Watch Time event the night before, and as I waded through the masses of the Wind-Up show the next day, I was on a mission. I had to have a second look at something that had caught my eye and beguiled me. 

If you wanted to spend a quality minute or two on Saturday at the WindUp show, you had to commit to pushing through a throng of folks, three to four bodies wide, several wearing backpacks stuffed beyond a fully-prepped paratrooper just before jumping into Normandy. You had to show commitment ; )

Courtesy of Mühle Glashütte

So needless to say, after struggling past (I'm sorry, but in all honesty) some less-than fresh smelling folks, and dodging latte splashes and hurdling baby strollers (what the hell were these parents thinking?) I had Damir walk me through the the GMT Sportivo, and that more than anything else I saw in New York stayed with me.

So fast forward to "nowish" and the Sportivo Travel GMT found its way to the North Shore for me to spend some time with it.

Courtesy of Mühle Glashütte

Mühle Glashütte makes some fancier pieces, not least of which is my ALL-TIME favorite - the Robert Mühle Mondphase Limited Edition. And although what I am about to say may seem contrarian, this versatility is why I far prefer the offerings from Mühle Glashütte. And this is why I find the Sportivo Travel GMT such a perfect counter point to the (let's be honest) very high priced pseudo sport models offered by their neighbors in Glashütte.

So let's dive in, shall we? (see what I did there?)

Let's start with the basics - the case is of stainless steel, and measures 42.5 mm in diameter; with a height of 11.4 mm.

The level of quality in the case finish is of an impressive level - brushed and polished stainless steel. And yes, aesthetics are important. But just as important if not more so? The engineering that often goes unseen, and can be under appreciated or even taken for granted.

The Sportivo Travel GMT is rated to a depth of 30 bars - that's 3 ATM (atmospheres) or more specifically 300 meters.

Under the hood, the Sportivo GMT is driven by a nicely customized Sellita SW 330-2. How customized? Glad you asked!

The specs on the Mühle Glashütte website break it down -

Movement: SW 330-2 Mühle Version, automatic, Mühle version with woodpecker neck regulation, own rotor, characteristic surface finishes, stop-second, fast date correction, 56-hr power reserve.

And now here is where the NOMOS fanboys and fangirls will whinge - "But it's not a manufacture movment..."

Well, allow me to relate a few sad realities about owing a watch with a manufacture movement - service, movement failure, high service cost, long service wait times. This is the reality. So when we are talking about a watch that you actually intend to, I don't know, actually wear... well you might want to consider how you want to spend your money, and time ; )

The timekeeping of the Sportivo Travel GMT has been quite good, very steady, not real variances. And that's as it should be.

The strap is an interesting design choice, and clearly speaks to the actual intended use of the watch.  

It is crafted of canvas and rubber. The rubber portion is textured to ensure that the strap is breathable, not slippy, and most importantly in less wintery-weather? It won't be slimy.

The strap is similar to what I have seen from Hirsch. And as many of you know, Hirsch straps are not exactly inexpensive, and are highly praised for their quality.

Now all of these are important things, but ultimately you could have a perfectly engineered watch, but if it is uncomfortable to wear, it will either sit in your dresser, or be traded or sold for something else.

After several weeks, I can honestly say that it is one of the most comfortable watches I have worn in some time. 

But now I need to get a little personal. Because despite all of the wonderful craftsmanship (both artisanal and technological), the Sportivo Travel GMT hit (and still hits) me with a visceral sucker-punch. 

What do I mean by visceral?

Per Merriam-Webster:

1. : felt in or as if in the internal organs of the body : deep. a visceral conviction. 

2. : not intellectual : instinctive, unreasoning.

Visceral Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

When you work with and around watches, and most of your waking hours are spent trying to describe them, sell them, market them? It can become a bit like, well, work...

Courtesy of Watch Charts.com

The Swatch Calypso Diver is not exactly an horological marvel. It's a plastic cased quartz watch with a plastic strap that I think I bought at the May Company in the Midway Mall in Elyria, Ohio back in 1985. That watch strangely meant quite a bit to me, even more in hindsight. I had moved out of the family home, I was 17 years old and staring down the reality that I would have to work nights and weekends at the now defunct Selenti's Pizza, while going to Oberlin High School, haplessly chasing a soccer scholarship that the OHS coach spent zero effort to help me with. Let's just say that one year probably still resonates more with me than any one before or since.

More than anything else I remember about that time was that I wanted to do more, wanted to see more. I knew that there had to be more out there than Northern Ohio, and the dream of travel, learning a new language, living in a different country with a different culture? This started as an aspirational notion that evolved into an obsession.

When I wear the Sportivo GMT, it hits me on so many levels. Now I realize that the point of a watch review is to be objective, but sometimes things are more personal. And my feeling is that the right watch (which is different for each wearer) does more than tell the time. And for the Mühle Glashütte Sportivo Travel GMT is more - it is a time machine. 

The Mühle Glashütte Sportivo Travel GMT is very well priced at $2,999.00 on the canvas strap, and $3,249.00 on the stainless steel bracelet.

Here are the pertinents, straight from Mühle Glashütte -

Movement: SW 330-2 Mühle Version, automatic, Mühle version with woodpecker neck regulation, own rotor, characteristic surface finishes, stop-second, fast date correction, 56-hr power reserve

Case: Brushed/polished stainless steel, Bidirectional rotating bezel with black ceramic inlay, Double anti-glare sapphire crystal, Transparent case back, Screw-in crown, Water-resistant to 30 bars.

Strap: Waterproof canvas/rubber strap with stainless steel pin buckle or stainless steel strap with butterfly clasp

Dimensions: Diameter – 42.5 mm; Height – 11.4 mm

Dial: Black, Applied indices, Hour markers and hands coated in Super LumiNova

I Could Do It Better Myself - The Volunteer Media - An Update From Henki

I wrote this back when I still owned and operated Tempus Fugit. A fair bit has happened in that time. I opted out of a job with a brand, I sold Tempus Fugit to someone who handed it to someone else, and it now appears to not be publishing anything, I accepted the job I have now which is working for MassHire - we help people find jobs and train for new careers. It is very satisfying work albeit with very long hours. Owing to this the publication pace and nature of Henki Time is not as manic as others. With that said, I still feel I have something to say, and this piece is one that I think still rings true. So brand owners and brand managers - don't forget to support the volunteer press. 

Even when we say things that might cut a bit too close to the bone ; )

A much younger Henki teaching English in Villa do Conde Portugal in 1995. You might recognize the gentleman on the far right as the current Secretary General of the United Nations.

I Could Do It Better Myself - The Volunteer Media - An Update From Henki

Despite what some folks think, the majority of the press covering the watch business these days is of a voluntary nature.  This is largely the result of brands cutting advertising budgets, and people going back to former occupations, getting married, or finding better ways to earn a living and spend their free (and not so free) time.

So gentle reader, an inside look at a day in the life of Henki -

5:30 - Whether I like it or not, Tallulah (the older cat and Executive Publisher) is awake and waiting to be fed.  Sabrina (the younger cat and Editor in Chief) is waiting as well.  I head downstairs, turn up the heat in the house, and feed the cats.  I gulp down my morning tablets with a glass of water, have the first of several espressos and head back upstairs to the office.

5:45 - emails reviewed, and...
Not a sausage! 
Not only has watch advertising money dried up, watch brands are producing fewer and fewer models, and some have made their PR functions redundant.  News is scant, and unlike some of my colleagues in the Fourth and Fifth Estate, I prefer not to manufacture it.

6:15 - Go down and make a coffee for Wendy who is up and getting ready for work.

6:25 - I receive a follow-up email from the PR manager at Brand Y.  Y for "why won't you write a paid piece about us?", which I have explained a few times - I don't write advertorials.  I realize my unwillingness to do so is probably holding me back financially, but a man must have a code ; )

6:45 - Email in-box pings, and... 

Good news! I am the winner of the Nigerian National Lottery! Maybe I'll buy Watch Time from Ebner so I can finally have my own magazine!

7:15 - Finally I decide that as no news is forthcoming, I will write an editorial type piece. The Grey Market is always good for a few hundred words, and is showing no sign of slowing down.  Oh, wait! A PR staffer from Brand X has sent me a personal email with a story about a watch event featuring their brand, in Marblehead, Massachusetts (which I could literally have walked to from my house as it is the next town over), with several "Important and Respected" watch journalists who were flown in from New York and Europe a few days previous. The PR person feels that as I live nearby it would be great to have a story about this wonderful and glamorous event (lots of swag, 4 star meals, etc.) from a local perspective! I take a beat, decide to ignore the irritation that essentially - this person wants me to write a pr piece about an event that I wasn't even invited to even though my attendance would have cost Brand X $0... and I simply don't reply.

8:00 - Kiss Wendy and wish her a good day as she heads out the door.

8:35 - Hastily showered and dressed, lunch made, it's off to work.

8:55 - Parking lot duty.  Where I work we have very limited parking, and as such the students have been informed that they cannot park in the back lot.  Needless to say, it is a game of cat and mouse as several try to slip in anyway to avoid parking on the street.  This, in turn, prevents other staff members and board members (who have a meeting today) from parking.  While being the Director of Adult Education and Workforce Development has its perks, playing parking lot "sizzler" is not one of them ; )

9:05 - Call with my contact at the Dept. of Education office.  Nothing major, clarifications regarding programming made, and all seems under control.

9:35 - Call from reception, someone is interested in learning English, could I come down and speak with them?

10:30 - Class break time.  I try to speak with each of the four teachers, make sure everything is under control.

10:45 - Back to work on the grant application.  It is due on Friday, signatures are needed from the boss, and I still need to nail down the budget.

12:15 - Text message from brand manager in Switzerland.  Could I recommend a sales manager in Florida.  I file that under "not pressing" and dive back into "grant writing land".

12:30 - Lunch with the teaching team.  Brief ad hoc meeting to review a few items coming up.

13:45 - Call from former student of mine who is interviewing for a job. Would I act as a reference?

2:30 - 30 minute walk around the surrounding area to clear the head.

3:25 - Personal email pops on my iPhone, and I see that the watch from Brand X that three of the big outlets already wrote about 2 days ago is suddenly now a press release for "the rest of us".  I delete the message.

4:15 - draft of the grant application is finally ready to be reviewed by the boss.

4:45 - The phone rings just as I am leaving the office.  Meeting arranged for Wednesday morning to review our proposed adult education program with a new partner one town over.

5:15 - Stop at Trader Joe's for dinner items.

5:35 - Feed the cats dinner, scoop out the litter box, make a coffee and fire-up the laptop.

5:55 - Complete text edit for one of the brands that I "side-hustle" for, and respond to a customer query for another.  Yes, the watch in question is available, yes, it does cost that much, no there will be no discount!

6:17 - Phone rings, it's Japan (not the whole country, but one of the brands with whom I have a relationship) with an urgent request for a special event, could I help organize it?

7:25 - Dinner is nearly ready, and Wendy arrives home after a long day.

9:26  - Story lined up for tomorrow involving a review of a new brand's watch.

10:25 - After 15 minutes of futility, I give up trying to read any more of the book I've been working on since Christmas.  Turn out the lights and off to sleep.  Tomorrow is another exciting day in watch media!