Harry Winston

bernard cheong
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Cemeteries and the way out.

Dear asg,

Again, I thank you for the critical points you have made. Immediately, just an hour back, I took a jog thru the cemetery a couple of miles from my place. It was 630am...cool, quiet.

The beauty of these cemeteries, and I really love these places, lie for me in their unique ability to make me sit back, think, reflect..and when I leave...I know that I will always be back....eventually.

Most of all, having dealt with death for over the last 25 years ( this august ), as a large part of my work in medicine, I have a weighted view of "things" and values.

Your post made me think. It was one of the BEST posts I have recieved as a reply. I am not a masochist. I like honesty, like yours.

I have to defend a few points.

(1)"Personally, Bernard, I think its very wrong of you, as an impartial moderator to stand on your soap box and preach the praises of MBF while putting down HW. "
 
This soap box is only mine for the timebeing, it can be, and will be taken, eventually by someone else. I try my best, most times, to honor it. It was given to me by Dr Thomas Mao, HWRT, Max Busser and several people who I have not met.

You are correct, I have "preached" MBF1 and Max's good work. I must be more careful here, thanks. I was, still am, very honest about my opinion. It was what has allowed me to rise in my career, both in the military, and in the corporate world, to where I am today. It had also resulted in my "fall" out of the corporate world, into forming my own company years back.

I did not however "put down" HWRT. In fact, in the whole post, I highlighted the history of their achievements. Only TWO points, the opus 7, did I give an a minus and feedback to the short term direction...negative.




(2)Just because you, personally have announced that you will receive a MBF watch, doesnt mean and/or give you the authority to start making personal, and somewhat derogatory statements about the HW watch brand without fact to support your claims. 


I do not announce my acqusitions of watches. Unless...no one else steps up to do so. Or the entire forum will be filled with my posts...horrors. For MBF1, Opus5, and selected pieces that I bought, I hope that I have decided wisely, to announce..chuckles..my purchase. Why?

Some may feel it is to show off my wealth. I can't defend that one. It could actually be true. Anyway, I think all who know me, or have met me, will not think that one. Have you seen the car I drive..sheese...it sucks. Or my office..it is in a hard neighborhood.

I do write, post, announce, a few selected watches that I bought..because I wanted to share my expereince with it. The good parts, as well as bad. Err..mostly good. I bought a few watches that are really not so good...and I refrained from writting about them. Now, I am actually thinking that I should.



(3)Opus 7 left who cold?  You? So what?  That's your personal view and it shouldnt be stated like its "fact" of the history of the HW brand.

Opus 7 leaving me, or any buyer who had the means to buy it, cold or hot....is very important. I want to meet, share, discuss with all Opus buyers. The ones who contemplated buying it, like me, why they did or did not buy it.

The Opus 7, being such an important product, leaves any one + or - feelings, I would encourage them to speak up. It helps the whole industry.

The Opus 7 leaving me cold IS a fact. It can't be otherwise. It was my opinion. If my own opinions, written by me, were not fact...hmmm...it would be strange.

However, whether it leaves others cold...that I do not know.

In no way does Opus 7 leave any "history of the brand". It leaves a footprint.
 
BTW, I have to reveal that I do have a certain acess to data, and data is not always fact, but for hat it is worth at the point in time, data has a certain value. From data available, I do make statements meant to inform the community, the best I can,
without hurting the company or people. This is one of many responsibilities of a moderator.




(4)You state that will HW succede in the short term - your statement is "No".  Tell that to my retailer who can't keep the men's watches in stock.  Honestly, as a long time member of this community, and someone who has admired you and your beliefs and "opinions", I think you are way off base here and you are using your "authority" position to further your personal beliefs of the moment. 

This point, I have to stand firm. I seriously believe that the short term direction that the new owners of HWRT is NOT AT ALL in the direction of Haute Horology. Short term. Long term..I don't know.

As to keeping watches in stock..and good sales...to me, different issue. Market movements, complex beyond the scope of my reply.

I do however feel happy that you have admired my posts, so I am obligated to help you understand the market dynamics and how I process data from the company end. We can continue, but maybe later.

I don't wish to have an authority position. I wish to have a position of expressing opinions. MOST of all...you MUST trust me that I mean it when I say again, that your chastising me is APPRECIATED by me. This is what makes a forum LIVE. Others may not look upon it the same way..but I like to recive BOTH negative and positive replies to what I write. I learn. I like honesty. Thanks.

I have strong personal beliefs. I wish to further them. BUT not for selfish reasons. I want people to see a little more into an industry that is right now, on the verge of elevating itself FROM mere luxury goods TO a higher platfrom....let us try to do that.

The short term goal of the new team of HWRT..is making it's luxury platform stronger, and making its prevous strong art platform weaker. I like Hamdi, he is "for" the art platfrom. But he is unable to exercise his vision at the moment.




(5)This post shouldn't be in the HW forum - it should be in the Independant area - and you should seriously consider if maybe as a moderator and long time purist about making such inflamatory comments without facts.  When I would make personal comments about UN or other brands a few years ago, I would have my head handed to me.  I personally would expect more from a moderator and collector like yourself. 

Well..after you have read my replies above. 1 to 4. This post does belong.

I want to honor Max's many years here. He shaped the company. He created it.

If it inflames..well..sad.

Personal. Yes. My full identity is always revealed in all my posts. So I have to live with what I write, I have to meet people from HWRT and from other companies. I have to answer to ALL of what I write.

I do get my head handed to me. Face to face. It has happened in the past.

I have learned. Got better as a result.

No regrets.

I live life to the fullest. With my own standards of intregrity.

Thanks again!

Cheers from sunny Singapore.

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