tourbillon1
18
Not sure if this is the right time....
Feb 26, 2021,10:36 AM
to sort independent watchmakers by terminology while the industrial brands are representing 99% of the watch production.
While I fully underline the need for transparancy and well understand what the young master would like to express, it just reflects his very personal opinion.
Interesting but in my opinion too insular and a little self-serving. (Sorry, that's my personal opinion)
It scares me - honestly speaking - to find myself and my own work put in a certain stiff matrix thought out by a respected individual who basicly just tries to put his very own work in relation to others.
It kind of reminds me to our Austrian trade law which basicly lasts back to 1883 but is still valid if somebody founds a new business here.
(This is the reason why there is no real start-up scene here in this country!)
So f.i. Austria does officially not know "watch industry" (a non-artisanal watch production) till today because there was none in 1883.....
In an era where watchmakers in the industry get fired and replaced by production robots we should rather seperate (if we wanna seperate) the market into "watchmakers" (individuals who make watches) and "industrial-brands" and welcome everybody who does products on his own. What ever way/machine/tool etc. he or she uses is secondary.
The making of (mechanical) watches survived because of the individuals behind.
Individuals can be easily approached, 30 years ago we sent letters, now we use social media.
Everybody can ask the makers directly and ask for transparency and get answers.
We should welcome everybody who joins this global club of watch making individuals and welcome any idea coming along to make us thinking over if certain (old) phrases are still up-to-date.
best regards
Richard