As a reader, you most likely don’t know this, but currently, the email servers of WatchTime are in overdrive, as are all our phones. The reason for this is that Watches & Wonders is just a few weeks away, and this means that we have started meticulous preparation. It is somewhat of a military operation, as everybody wants to see as many brands as possible. Still, the success of Watches & Wonders, with now nearly 50 brands participating, has made this quite a challenge.
Our solution is simple: divide and conquer. For me, this means that I am very much interested in seeing a cross-section of the industry that is presenting itself. As Editor-at-Large, I fortunately also have that liberty. This means that my schedule is an eclectic collection of different appointments. Of course, Rolex and Patek Philippe are there, but also Baume & Mercier and Panerai. I was pleasantly surprised to see both Charriol and Pequignet being part of Watches & Wonders this year, as both bring back memories of my early days in this industry. Part of the success of Watches & Wonders is, in my opinion, also that smaller but equally important brands have a stage there. I am already looking forward to visiting Louis Moinet, Czapek, and Angelus.
Before social media, there was a veil of mystery over the fairs, as you had to wait for articles to upload and magazines to come out to get the news. Now everything is all over the internet on day one. This has an upside and a downside, as it democratizes the information, but at the same time makes it harder for some new models to get their deserved time in the spotlight. Here is where people like me come in as well. When the dust is settled, we still have a fantastic magazine, both print and online, to give the watches the attention they deserve.
Now, if you will excuse me, I have a suitcase to pack.
Leave any Watches and Wonders related questions in the comments!
