Editor’s Note: Marc André Deschoux is the founder of thewatches.tv. The views expressed here are his own.
It was a smart move for world-leading watch show SIHH to invite the small independent brands that embody the new face of watchmaking.
We have seen the rise of these young brands over the last 10 years and they have definitely brought in some freshness and coolness in the industry. With a mix of real, traditional watchmaking and outside-the-box thinking, they have all developed their own little territory and unique offering.
For sure, they cater to a small group of potential buyers around the planet – compared to watchmaking’s grand old names – but these are the trendsetters, and maintain watchmaking’s “cool.” Everyone benefits from it.
The boom is over, but no need to panic
In the last 15 years, we’ve seen double-digit growth of the industry, but these are now behind us. We will most probably see the rise of “less but better” in the months and years to come.
I find it fascinating that in the 21st century there still is space for a 500-year old craft that deconstructs a very intangible notion, time, into a mechanical object.
I will always love the simple fact that to be a successful watchmaker, you need to be creative and at the same time think like an engineer.
It’s a bit schizophrenic, and putting more than 500 components in a space smaller than a matchbox is crazy.
Having all these components work in a harmonious and reliable way, even crazier!