patrick_y
[PuristSPro Moderator]
33570
You're A VERY Fair Man Esharp!
You're a very fair fella Esharp! I tried not to be too fawning in my JLC Golden Ratio event review. Basically by quietly stating I didn't get how the music and the Reverso were related. And also admitting I didn't understand the very modern music. I didn't even bother to mention the celebrities endorsing the watch - what do celebrities know about watches? They're music experts, not watch experts. No courthouse would allow a music celebrity to be an expert witness about watches. So I'm trying to not be too fawning. I do appreciate your comments there. I totally understand where you're coming from. And you should be skeptical of everything written on the internet!
Yes, SJX's pieces are generally well balanced. He's among the best in the industry.
One more thing... FPJ's approach to business is different than other brands, but probably not as different as this article implied - at least to the way I read it. All the watch brands criticize the auction industry because it creates problems for them - but that's only on the surface. In the background, they really love the auction industry when auction results are strong as it implies the brands are in super high demand. And while the brands say one thing with their mouths, they secretly support the auction industry in the background by flying over brand employees to help auctioneers identify, authenticate, and even refurbish pieces for auction. You've heard that Patek Philippe has an "Extract From the Archives" service? Almost all brands that have this service provide it to auction houses for free. We mortal humans pay about $165 for each one! So... At the risk of sounding very unpopular here... I would say the Maisons often say one thing to sound more pro-consumer or pro-mass-market, but their actions are not in line otherwise. I won't name any brands. And I named Patek Philippe only because they're not claiming to be too upset with the auction houses. Thierry Stern has said it's a problem but also a good problem to have. But let's also think from Thierry's perspective - he must be a little frustrated about watches selling for double their value since neither he nor his dealer is getting the money. It's not benefitting him directly - although he is benefitting indirectly as it keeps his brand hot.
At the end of the day, FPJ is definitely one of the coolest brands out there. They've got such a unique design that's VERY TRULY THEIR OWN. Nobody makes a watch that has the look and the design of an FPJ. And that's personally what I like about FPJ, it's such a supremely elegant watch. In my eyes they're thin, they're beautiful, the case is svelte, the crown with its coiled rope edge is such a nice touch, and the dial with the font are so beautifully done and the font is delicious in a classic way. To me, it almost feels like a little bit of Breguet was reincarnated in the 21st century. I adore FPJ timepieces! Tres Bon! Tres Bon! Bravo!
Interview: François-Paul Journe “My Next Launch Will Be In 2027” And “Growth Is Totally Excluded”
An excellent interview by Monochrome: monochrome-watches.com ...
I always love....
reading his thoughts and obviously, seeing his timepieces. I don't consider myself a potential customer of his, but I deeply respect and admire him and what he has done in this business! Thanks for sharing the interview here, cheers, Filip
Respect!
What a refreshing approach - so different from what we’ve seen from the groups (my friends might notice I have been somewhat critical on this point). Of course they are constituted differently and therefore have different motivations. While FPJ’s watches ...
I've got to call a spade a spade. This piece reads like a puff piece. Way too biased Pro Journe in this article...
Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of the Journe brand and I find them to be some of the most beautiful designs in the industry. Over a decade ago, I even flew to NYC to cover the grand opening of the Manhattan boutique for this website. And my mother is a...
Unfortunately…
Just about everything - I’d say a solid 99% - of what I read these days in the online horological press is basically some sort of a puff piece. They’re all feeding at the trough and most of what I see has got to be straight from the PR machine. (Notable e...
You're A VERY Fair Man Esharp!
You're a very fair fella Esharp! I tried not to be too fawning in my JLC Golden Ratio event review. Basically by quietly stating I didn't get how the music and the Reverso were related. And also admitting I didn't understand the very modern music. I didn'...
Thank you Patrick!
See, this is the kind of conversation you get here but not elsewhere. And that’s a good point you make about auction prices and an elevated market generally. They’re a double-edge sword, I suppose. Yes, they leave money on the table which is captured by g...
Yes! Market demand, margins overall, etc. is all interesting stuff!
Grey market dealers typically take relatively little risk. They have very small store fronts so their overhead costs aren't terribly high. They only buy things with the intention of holding onto the product for a couple months at most. You can be a succes...
"The waiting time for my customers and collectors is currently ten years. "🤭ridiculous
I recall calling the boutique in Geneva and they told me the same thing. Then they invited me to go and check out my profile an I replied "sure, I will visit you in 2033 😅". They were surprised but I confirmed "I am looking to buy a watch and if you don't...
The headline is pretty misleading
Within the article Mr. Journe is quoted as saying “I don’t want to grow in volume;…” Other forms of growth seem to be on the table 😉.
To me it's the first time he reveals so much about the future of the brand - I read it with much enthusiasm :)
But yes, I agree that the writing was a bit too quick, but this happens sometimes
Sad!
You have built a great brand, great watches, but no one can buy it. I respect FPJ for his quality, but not even trying to become bigger to have more production to make a real impact? For what because he’s comfortable in his damn office (as he stated)?? Th...
Margins on FPJ should be exceptional.
Mismanagement is usually the culprit of low margins / profits. If FPJ is not able to have a healthy company, especially in these markets, then be very cautious for their future. Hopefully someone buys the company who knows how to operate it properly. As w...
I think you are misreading the meaning of margin in the interview…..
I didn’t understand it as monetary profit margin but the fact that the world of horology has focused more on innovation so it is much more difficult to come up with new ideas. It was easier ten years ago. …….”What remains to be done? Where the majority wo...
Thank you for posting this, Viken.
I think, no matter what people think of the writing style, being puff ect, there are some valid and important points. To recap a few… Reconfirming that he will not increase production numbers but will increase complicated watches and move away from simple...
Puff and padding aside, I enjoyed reading this to know more about FPJ and his ideas.
I just wonder how much MORE hype this kind of article is going to create for his watches. Phrases like "1,000 per year" "10-year waiting list", "allocation of watches is based on a wish list" will surely feed a frenzy of watch enthusiasts. I like to read ...
+2
Puff or not - it holds a lot of new information. On the wait list it is not 10 years across all models but it does in fact hold true on the most popular.
I devour everything FPJ related.
This has some interesting nuggets. I agree the writing itself could be better. But who cares. It’s an interview with the master. That’s worth the price of admission.
Call it what you want, but the "article" appears to have been merely an interview with FP Journe.
He's basically repeating information that he's stated previously and he provides an update on what to expect moving forward. Apparently he's got another surprise coming for Only Watch, which is cool. And he's got plans to introduce a new reference in 2027...
Patience
Thank you for posting. Personally after experiencing a variety of successful brands pursue growth through volume only to then destroy the quality and original ethos of the brand I applaud this self-restraint. Will I wait 10 years - I’m not sure I will liv...