Comments:
Anyone going to Geneva Watch days or have any questions?
So I got invited to go see and talk to many of the Independents next Wednesday and Thursday in Geneva. If anyone is going, hit me up and we can grab a drink or have lunch.
This is the schedule I received for the 26th.
It will be a unique opportunity to discover the novelties, discuss prototypes, and possible future projects as well as speak directly with CEO of the brands.
The meetings starts at 10am until 18:00 pm and at 20:00 there is a VIP dinner organized by Bovet CEO.
List of brands :
10am : Moser
11am : De Bethune
12am : Urwerk
13pm : Ferdinand Berthoud
14pm : Carl Bucherer
15pm : Louis Moinet
16pm : Bovet
17pm : MB&F
20pm : VIP diner with Bovet CEO
As for the 27th, no idea yet but I suppose a few more Indies as well so should be fun. I would like to see and speak with FPJ, Rexhep Rexhepi, and a few others if I get a chance.
Looking forward to speaking with the CEOs and watchmakers as I have some questions of my own. So if anyone has any questions they would like to ask, I can act as your proxy 😁
I only have an hour with each Indy as the schedule appears tight but I can see and speak with them afterwards as well I assume 🤷♂️
Will try and take a few photos if we are allowed so hopefully I can give a firsthand assessment of the new references 😁😉
This is the schedule I received for the 26th.
It will be a unique opportunity to discover the novelties, discuss prototypes, and possible future projects as well as speak directly with CEO of the brands.
The meetings starts at 10am until 18:00 pm and at 20:00 there is a VIP dinner organized by Bovet CEO.
List of brands :
10am : Moser
11am : De Bethune
12am : Urwerk
13pm : Ferdinand Berthoud
14pm : Carl Bucherer
15pm : Louis Moinet
16pm : Bovet
17pm : MB&F
20pm : VIP diner with Bovet CEO
As for the 27th, no idea yet but I suppose a few more Indies as well so should be fun. I would like to see and speak with FPJ, Rexhep Rexhepi, and a few others if I get a chance.
Looking forward to speaking with the CEOs and watchmakers as I have some questions of my own. So if anyone has any questions they would like to ask, I can act as your proxy 😁
I only have an hour with each Indy as the schedule appears tight but I can see and speak with them afterwards as well I assume 🤷♂️
Will try and take a few photos if we are allowed so hopefully I can give a firsthand assessment of the new references 😁😉
Congrats Justin, I think this is a wonderful opportunity! Looking forward to the pics as well! ;-) [nt]
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Fully agree Fab. Will be fun and I will try and take decent photos if I can. Don't plan on bringing a DSLR so the phone will have to do 😁🤷♂️ [nt]
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Would love to know how the Independents mastered the crisis, especially the very small ones, such as Akrivia.
Would be great if you could ask and let us know.
I cannot go to Geneva Watch days and dont want actually.
Enjoy
I cannot go to Geneva Watch days and dont want actually.
Enjoy
Could you be more specific? Crisis meaning during COVID-19 shutdown or crisis meaning ?? [nt]
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Covid and the following shutdown... as well as the slump in sales in asia, if that is a topic at all for such a "small" producer
Thank you
Well, for MB&F we know they had what I believe their most successful launch ever (the Moser collab). Which is pretty interesting really. [nt]
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Yes indeed. Still a bit heartbroken that I did not act fast enough to snap up one of the red LM101s when I had a chance. Long story but it involved a birthday within the family so I lost out by 1 day [nt]
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Have fun there, my friend. Will go to Switzerland a bit later, Late Sept or October. Enjoy. [nt]
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Thanks Gros. It was not planned as I was invited last minute by a friend and a couple Indies so cannot miss this opportunity...
hopefully things will go smoothly as I don't want to be quarantined for 14 days like the UK and elsewhere 🤷♂️
Very true. I just hope it will still be ok this upcoming week and all he'll does not break loose while I am in Geneva 🤦♂️🤷♂️ [nt]
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Can you ask...
...what they considered their greatest technical obstacle, how they overcame it, and how they felt? Sincerely, John.
Loaded question which might elicit a very long response but well noted 👍 [nt]
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Wow, I'm so jealous! Sounds like it should be a fun event!
I'd definitely be curious to hear more about the brands we rarely see here on the independents forum: Berthoud, Bucherer, Moinet, and Bovet.
And as you probably guessed from my post, I'm particularly interested in Berthoud. The FB 1.L4 is a grail of mine, and one of the very few watches in its price range that I would ever consider both buying and wearing (not that I can afford it yet 
). If you get to try some on, let me know if you find them wearable despite the size. I'm hopeful with the octagon case due to the fact that it's lugless. Also, I know that these are certified chronometers, but I'm curious if they have any more info about the timekeeping performance and if they do manage to get tangible benefits from the fusee+chain and tourbillon/remontoire. Not a problem if it's mostly for show, but it's great if it does in fact help!
). If you get to try some on, let me know if you find them wearable despite the size. I'm hopeful with the octagon case due to the fact that it's lugless. Also, I know that these are certified chronometers, but I'm curious if they have any more info about the timekeeping performance and if they do manage to get tangible benefits from the fusee+chain and tourbillon/remontoire. Not a problem if it's mostly for show, but it's great if it does in fact help!Well, I tell you right away that the FB 1.L4 is indeed wearable even though it is huge...
have already tried it on multiple times as the same friend that invited me to Geneva runs an boutique that focuses on Independents in Monaco. Next time I am there, I will make sure to take plenty of wirstshots to show you how it wears. I believe we have a similar sized wrist so that would give you a good point of reference.
As for timekeeping, no idea but from what I have read and seen, the JLC Master Tourbillon (caliber 978) won the award for chronometry beating out the runner up which was also a JLC (Reverso Gyrotourbillon).
The JLC caliber 978 had an overall deviation of 47 secs per year!!! That is ~ 0.13 secs / day or ~ 4 secs / month 😂🤣 which is absolutely ridiculous.
As for timekeeping, no idea but from what I have read and seen, the JLC Master Tourbillon (caliber 978) won the award for chronometry beating out the runner up which was also a JLC (Reverso Gyrotourbillon).
The JLC caliber 978 had an overall deviation of 47 secs per year!!! That is ~ 0.13 secs / day or ~ 4 secs / month 😂🤣 which is absolutely ridiculous.
Great to hear! Just have to add more leverage on my portfolio, and I'll have the 1.L4 in no time ;)
Incredibly impressive result on the JLC as well! If they can get that kind of accuracy consistently, that is amazing!
Well hopefully your portfolio will grow rapidly so you can get one soon 😉
As for JLC and accuracy, everyone knows I love JLC and they are probably my favorite Swiss manufacturer so I have owned many different references over the years. They have all been super accurate with my 3 Duometres probably at the top. My Duometre QL timed out at +4 - +5 secs/week the 2 times I tested it while on the wrist. Almost the same for my 2 Duometre à Chronographes. I was thinking about adding an Amvox 3 GMT Tourbillon in the future which has an updated caliber of the Master Tourbillon which won the chronometry test as I feel it is a highly underrated watch with modern tech that is still tough to beat today.
Think about it, it is a ceramic cased GMT with a Tourbillon, a jump date, and a power reserve via rotating disc's that is WP to 50m. Pretty cool in my book 😉👍
Think about it, it is a ceramic cased GMT with a Tourbillon, a jump date, and a power reserve via rotating disc's that is WP to 50m. Pretty cool in my book 😉👍
I would like to hear their opinions on the depth of the buyer market for Indies.
Any data points they can share (for example, I’m sure Max will tell you that the Moser collaboration was a huge success, best ever). If they are telling you it’s the strongest ever I would like to hear how sustainable they believe this might be, and how are they reacting to this in terms of production numbers. Urwerk too seemed to have a really great sell through on the 100, maybe their most successful launch ever too. So could that be two of these indies seeing really strong performance in the last 9 months?
You can ask 10 of them this question and my guess is that 2 of them may give you a real answer and the remainder it will be waffle. So, given that your duty is to keep asking until you find the 2 (Max Busser will likely be one of those).
Enjoy the trip, sounds like it will be a great few days. And stay safe.
Good question but I think we could probably answer that one for ourselves...
and you are most likely correct regarding MB&F and Urwerk for the past year. I would also say Rexhep Rexhepi (Akrivia) and Kari Voutilainen have also had a stellar year with an important waiting list as well. Will see what they say and if they choose to give me the lowdown 😉
Just walked by it While I was going for a stroll with my son
I live maybe 400m away. I am around if you would like to meet up for lunch or coffee.
I
I think you are talking about the exhibition. My meetings are directly with the CEOs and watchmakers in the hotel Beau Rivage where I am also staying...
schedule is a bit packed Wednesday, and dinner is already planned with Bovet.
We could maybe grab a drink Thursday morning or afternoon as I already have plans for lunch, or even after lunch 😉👍
PM me and we can exchange numbers 😉👍
We could maybe grab a drink Thursday morning or afternoon as I already have plans for lunch, or even after lunch 😉👍
PM me and we can exchange numbers 😉👍