Horological Meandering

Apologies and thanks for being patient with me.

Also, Vianney, if you are reading this...thanks for the mention!!! i am honored.

But it was you who did seriously make me think, that summer at St Croix, that women and men should be equally looking at watches...to sort of bring them together on a single interest to share.

Like all of Vianney's work....his watches have no gender.

 

There are so many "men's" watches that if one were to STOP and wonder: "Are there really ANY watches that ONLY a man could really wear?"

These last two years, I have championed, known to all at the Geneva Grand Prix, the "de genderization" of watches that are male.

Meaning we should have "watches" and "ladies watches".

Many women carry the Rolex and the Panerai VERY well indeed.

I struggle to carry my Birkin 50cm BUT...mine is a true blue navy one made in the early days, before the Birkin became a ladies' handbag.

Those watching AMC's latest series of Madmen and PanAm will know what I am saying.

 

The Birkin taught me that by removing gender from the male bag, the women's market carried it to a level. A new level that is and will prove VERY interesting to men like us who collect watches.

 

I mean, imagine a day when ONLY the gay or the ladies were to be found in watch stores.

Imagine that watch collecting is a 99% women's hobby.

Imagine what the complications and the finish levels will become?

 

I look at Van Cleef and I look at Cartier...that is the meaning of reaching for the ladies.

Without forgetting men.

A two pronged attack on the market.

 

But before that:

Here is proof that SOME watches can only be worn by men.

 

BTW..some of the VERY best users of the Leica are women.

 

Anyway, I was trying out an inexpensive Nokton 1.1 50mm on my trusty Leica M8.

 

I found it VERY hard to go back to the rangefinder way of doing the focus...and 10 out of 11 times, I could not get it pin/tack onto the watch.

 

BUT...I discovered color and bokeh.

 

This is also something not all women photographers talk alot about.

 

I also suspect that IF...and only IF...women became the superior collector..we will see much more color aka MBF3 owl and Van Cleef as well as much more LV tourbillons.

 

And many RM tourbillons with/without diamonds..they are really very popular with the girls here.

And to your surprise...Antiqua!!!

 

The part I personally like, and women do not, (generally speaking) is the way the Leica has a way of loosing their black coating of paint...and revealing hand made brass.

 

If you look at the De Grisogono, and man...am I going to find 33 ways to say something about this watch that I like so much...

 

 

 

 

I like these graphic novels.

I highly recomend these two I just bought...plus another called "The Filth".

But seriously:

Habibi by Craig Thompson, who also wrote "Blankets" is wonderful.

So is "Forget Sorrow" by Belle Yang.

These books touched me. I am now writting for Ulysse Nardin...Rolf's story...and am spending much time in a some places so private and so full of courage, vision and work, that I am being rewarded by simply finding out the meaning of being unselfish.

BTW...Ronald. I am serious. Do you wish to come to Singapore?

Here, I placed the watch next to a work by Britto.

How crazy and how commercial can one get?

But I see not wrong, but a vision and a sense of how to do a business.

Well done Britto.

Here, the watch is place...no it is NOT done by photoshop...on a piece of top grade quartz, the VERY thing that ended and gave birth to a new world of watchmaking...mechanical watches.

It taught me how Rolf learnt his lesson when he was my age...

It also taught me how to make the VERY best of what may just about to seemingly be the very end.

Here is the watch on an oil skin hat that I used to wear when I was in the armed forces.

Yes...a relic from 1976.

This is leather from down under. Australia.

Who knows, which may one day, be the capital of watchmaking!?!?

Now...can a woman wear the de Grisogono?

And really carry it off without looking as if she is wearing her husband's watch?

Will the industry carefully cultivate, and seriously and covertly, do so...a woman's watch interest platform?

From me, I hope they do.

It will double the sales or more....and save many marriages and create new ones!

very insightful. but not everyone has a Dolly, and not everyone has a horological or artistic slant like you. And stop going to Opera Gallery...they are damn over priced!!! you get cheaper Britto overseas.

best,

Horo

Did you know that for all these years..you have not been to my house?

With your family?

Let me arrange a dinner!!!!

Will be my pleasure -

Best,

Horo

For that, you need to find the right woman ...no, not necessarily one that shares equal interest in watches as you, but one who will understand, support any love that you have whether that be watches, fast cars or fine wine.  And it also depends on you as well.  If you love watches more than your woman, then it doesn't matter how much she loves watches too, she will likely not stay.

As for the de Grisogono, or any other "men's watch", I believe that a woman can absolutely wear it and pull it off.  A lot has to do with confidence.  The woman has to make it part of her individual style, outfit or wardrobe, not just borrow her husband's watch for the sake of wearing his watch.  One way this can easily be done is changing the strap.  For women, the most obvious change can be color.  This will easily make the watch more feminine and part of her own style.  I cannot stress enough the importance of having the appropriate size strap for a woman so that the watch fits snuggly.  This is always the first step when I get a hand-me-down from my husband - shorten the bracelet, punch extra holes or get an entirely new strap.  I have to admit that watches that are greatly oversized are difficult for women to pull off.  47mm is a challenge but always worth a try.  

I think in order to cultivate a more prominant woman's watch interest market, the companies need to develop interesting, innovative  case and dial designs.  Sure they can slap a bunch of diamonds and jewels and flashy colors on the watches and this would be the easy way out but not without success, i.e. Hublot Tutti Frutti (which supposedly is hugely successful for them) But that is too easy and obvious.  Women like to feel special so watches need to be created that make them feel that.  I think RM is really smart.  The case is unique, cool, high-tech looking and so comfortable to wear for a woman.  So that with RM watches, even in the absence of diamonds, a woman can still feel special wearing it.  Also, more unique watches need to be available for women at lower price points.  Marketing also needs to play a role....the whole idea that a woman wearing an intelligent watch is highly attractive to men.  That will get women's attention and inspire them to make more serious watch choices. 

Just a few thoughts.  Thank you for your insight Bernard!

I am unaware of so many obvious things.

Also...I am sure you have saved me much pain.

I totally agree with you on RM.

You know...I employ an often toxic substance, known to man, but often consumed without prior care, called "metaphor".

Often I use it in overdose.

My last 12 or so posts (main ones) were over dosed with metaphors and I think people who read it, consumed the substance metaphor in such huge doses that my intent to cause a spur of lateral thinking caused instead a semi comatose event in my own brain.

Thank you for helping me come out of a coma....I need to understand my own daughters and my wife.

I like internet friends!!!

Bernard

Just kidding...Well now don't I feel stupid.  Here you were trying to be symbolic and I'm talking about women wearing men's watches.  I apologize.  You are too poetic for me   

There is nothing wrong with metaphor.  It can be beautiful.  But sometimes in life I've realized that it's also good to just take things at face value.  That can be beautiful too. 

I wish you and your family a happy and warm holiday season.

 

Seriously!!!

Hi Bernard,

That part only though:

"The part I personally like, and women do not, (generally speaking) is the way the Leica has a way of loosing their black coating of paint...and revealing hand made brass."

Firstly and very shortly it annoyed me, and then I thought: It's really mine now!

And should I confess that there is a handful of ladies watches that I'd like top wear, like a ladies pink gold Corum Golden Bridge (no stones though), or the new Patek Philippe Ladies minute repeater with officer case (and what makes it a ladies' watch and the 5959 a men's watch?) ....

Best

Dje

Man oh moan..the year 2011 has come to an end.

I was and may agian be a man who wants things to happen my way. It brought me great sucess and money. But not always happiness.

I must learn to be happy with things as they unfold.

Thanks man!!!

Happy New Year coming for you and family!

Bernard

And very eloquent as usual...Love the pics too! 

Couldn't agree more with most of your points.

I have heard it said, by a top sales trainer who works witrh many high-end luxury brands, that there is no more 'mens' or 'ladies' watches. As indeed it would be a shame (from the brand's point of view at least) to miss a sale because of the slip of a tounge by a sales associate saying something like 'that watch is a ladies model' to a gentleman who was interested in it for himself. Sales have definitely been lost this way. Of course, its goes in both senses...it has all been said already re ladies wearing bigger 'gents' watches. Italian ladies seem to have been at the forefront of this phenomena (as they often are with modes and fashions), being Offshore and Pam wearers for years...  

 

When we buy something...it also works in that way somewhere deep in the amygdala..I think.

And when I am thinking, how much of my brain, the cortex, am I using or am I using alot more of the stem than I am thinking?

Men's...ladies...approval...being liked...appreciation..sometimes, I like to juggle those thoughts.

I am now in my mid 50s, and it is very much time to think about how I live out my years...and I hope my days are long...