Horological Meandering

What do you do when you're the Chief Operating Officer of one of the largest luxury goods conglomerates in the world, and the former CEO of our beloved JLC... ...and your name is mentioned (in a reserved way) as you walk past, headed to company boutiques ...  

Over the years, I count only a handful of real nice CEOs in the watch industry. Jerome Lambert is one of them. Regards, MTF

From everything I’ve read, Mr. Lambert is one of the shining lights of the whole industry. Now the story would have been better if you had pulled him aside and said we’ve got to make a PuristS Edition JLC sports watch. 😉😜😁 South Coast Plaza...I remember g... 

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Jeeves, my smelling salts! And HURRY! 🤡 Good luck on this potential project, Nicolas. Ano “I feel sporty already!” Nuevo

Something semi-vintage inspired. Something like a Longines Heritage Diver watch but no bulky case like this year's Tribute to Polaris. Looking for Swiss-French design, not Swiss-German proportions. A PuristSPro JLC Reverso, simple, in steel, but with the ... 

This has to be a special watch inside and out! JLC has the habit of only doing elaborate finishing on some really special pieces. Even the base Master Tourbillon's finishing is a little plain. Something special, something faultless, something for a purist... 

Food is delivered... Some PuristSPro members, will have a glass of wine and become very talkative and bother the rest of us whom are hard at work getting that perfect mirror polish. The motorcoach driver doesn't want to wait any longer, we all go to the h... 

While you guys are polishing and beveling and chamfering, you’ll find me in the Enameling Department working on the dial! Ano “Now, WHERE is my single-hair chinchilla brush?” Nuevo. 😜

Hey, sorry, I borrowed your chinchilla brush to tickle another Purist who fell asleep in finishing department. Don't set the place on fire with the firing of your enamel dial!

You’re an honest — Oh, rats, the timer just signaled the end of my 9th firing. Can’t type. Gotta run! Ano “Now WHO took my asbestos gloves?!?l” Nuevo

South Coast Plaza has really grown into a destination shopping venue. Many luxury boutiques, as well as watch boutiques: Lange JLC Vacheron IWC Panerai Patek (run by Tourneau, I believe) Omega Rolex The "Tourbillon" Swatch brands retail space did not surv... 

I think Omega had just started to open their own boutiques in 1996, under JCB.

And Ben Bridge carried Rolex. Tourneau still exists at SoCo Plaza, but for the most part does not carry many Richemont brands at that location (few exceptions). Half its main space is dedicated to preowned watches. And it runs Patek and Breitling boutique... 

It's also super important to support the good people in the industry. Happy to hear such good things about Mr lambert. I've huge respect for him too! Happy that u had the chance to meet him!

I've run into him many times before; most recently in April in Paris at a hotel in the Place Vendome. Glad you had a great interaction with him at South Coast Plaza!

There was no apparent "switch" reflecting the need to be cordial...just genuine warmth and friendliness. Cheers, John

That's him exactly!

I had the chance to sit next to him a few years ago during a JLC dinner. He is a man of class, fun and generosity. He has vision and strategic skills. So far he has been the most inspiring man I met in the industry. It was a true pleasure interacting with... 

Although he presumably still has much influence over both JLC and ALS, so that is good for us.

He has authentically built himself an immaculate reputation. Certainly my favorite horology executive, his time at JLC was paramount. Thanks for the story . Cheers, Filip

I was having a dinner conversation with one of his former staff at JLC (high ranking) who said he was definitely the best and the toughest boss he had ever had. And that he is also a very nice person. - so there you have it.

Recalling the conversation, what he meant by tough was that he was extremely demanding of his staff.

Open minded, friendly, listening to others, a lot of energy, loyal... A friend. Best, Nicolas

. . . with Jean Claude Monachon of Omega several years ago. I was walking into the local Omega boutique, he was walking out. We'd been introduced at Omegamania years before, but I couldn't remember his first name. "Monachon!", said I. J-C turned around. W... 

The humanity behind luxury goods greatly increases the appeal. Cheers, John