Horological Meandering

ThomasM
[PuristS]
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It is an amazing watch, and to me, just as important, it is backed by a company

that is on the move. And definitely on the move up in the brand firmament.

As someone who has been watching the industry for well over three decades as a fan of high watchmaking, and someone who has supported the industry with his own collecting dollars for nearly as long, I have come to the point where the people behind the watch are as important as the watch itself.  This, to me, is the "soul" of the watch, as much as the escapement design, or the fineness of the finish.

I had the chance to meet with Mr. Philippe Merk recently (see previous interview done and posted by PuristSPro moderator SJX) and to exchange some ideas about the direction the company is going; the concept behind the Memoire 1; and his personal vision about both the company, the brand, and the watch industry in general.

Mr. Merk is a man with incredibly strong drive and vision. His piercing eyes drill right through to the heart of the matter -

He has a wry sense of humour which never for one instant loses sight of the main point in discussion or the sense of purpose, a character common among engineers and successful executives -

He has a herculean hand grip consistent with the character indicated above -

All of these characteristics will be important in the endeavour ahead of them, to elevate Maurice Lacroix to the highest levels of high horology brands, and to that end, Mr. Merk has put together a team that is as impressive as any I have met in their efficiency and professionalism. (more about individual team members shortly)

The product will speak for itself; I have seen it as non-fully functional prototype, and the cased whole is quite impressive. The diameter and thickness forces the watch to be noted, but then, it was not designed to be discreet or a shrinking violet.  I will say that both their industrial design for the movement and the case are well considered, and to my eyes, aesthetically pleasing.  It makes a powerful statement.  As I have not had the chance to handle or use a fully functional specimen, I will reserve comment on the watch at this time.

But if the people behind a watch and watch company are any indication, this watch, and Maurice Lacroix, will be a smashing success.

"Watch this space"

TM

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