Independents

Incoming..

 

My faith in the watch collecting world has been restored. Amidst the watch world we are currently living in, it is necessary to take a breath of fresh air. As independent brands are now the center of attention in a previously Rolex-dominated market, it has been tiring trying to keep up with them.

Obviously, for many of us, not collecting is not an option. So we have to look for alternatives.. and in the past year there have been many brands that caught my attention, mainly micro-independents, usually run by one person- from watch designing, to watchmaking, photography, and marketing their products. These types of individuals are usually over-looked, until it’s too late. Getting exposure into these micro-brands, meeting the people behind them, and getting the privilege to experience buying a watch from them, would have not been feasible if not for many friends I have encountered during my path for an “alternative”, not knowing that the alternative could take the place of the original.

One of those micro-independents that has taken my breath away, is Lecomte. I have never, ever, had a better experience working on a project with a person as I did with Mr. Florent Lecomte. We have been corresponding for months, on a daily basis, updating me on major and minor progress my watch is going through, from the day of design inception, till the day the way has been completed. Here is a picture of how it started:

After a long phase of making the parts, roughly finishing them, and tweeking the ideas..finally, it was time to assemble, before finalizing the design and finishing each of the components by hand, this was the result:

And on that day, looking at this photo and picturing it with a sandblasted dial, I thought there was nothing prettier to put on the watch. Until I woke up to a message from Florent "Good morning! what do you think of hammered dials? "- and of course, being a fan of Journe, Akrivia, Breguet, and many more, I had to love hand-hammered dials. As soon as I showed my appreciation for hand-hammering, he sent me this:

On his first try.

After a few more weeks working on the watch, the face of the watch was ready, and the movement was finished:

After months of waiting, the watch was finally ready. There was no experience like it, and I am privileged to have been able to go through it with Florent. This man is a living example of what passion, genuinity, and craftsmanship, look like. He is humble, approachable, and a pleasure to speak with. In a world where we have to buy a watch without being able to physically see it, this experience has been delightful. Florent Lecomte, that is a name we should all remember.

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