Independent Watchmakers Find a Stage to Shine On

The inaugural Geneva Time Exhibition (“GTE 2010″) was held January 17-22, 2010, concurrent with this year’s SIHH.  Although I did not aggressively cover GTE 2010 here on First In Watches, I did express my excitement for the event’s potential in my January 9, 2010 article Geneva Time Exhibition 2010: Independent Watchmaker Showcase, particularly for its ability to bring much needed exposure to the  many independent watchmakers who will be there.  I previewed the Snyper watch and the Rebellion Predator, too.  Thus I am pleased to report that the event appears to have been a resounding success.

There were about 5,500 visitors from 5 continents in attendance, of which 500 were media people.  Perhaps the best measure of success, though, is that all 38 brands who exhibited indicated that they would be back in 2011.  On that high note, here is a neat video from Perpetuelle.com media partner The TimeTV who produced a video recap of the event.  In particular you will see and hear commentary from Florence Noël (GTE co-founder along with Paola Orlando and Dominique Franchino), along with “spotlights” on 3 brands:  ASPEN Watch & Jewelery Co. (Founder/CEO René van Ass), Volna (CEO Sébastien Bottinelli), and Louis Moinet (CEO Jean-Marie Schaller).

Congratulations to all – events like this are just what independent watchmakers need!  And stay tuned for the Mumbai Time Exhibition in September 2010!

The Full List of Exhibiting Brands

2/8/10 Editor’s Update: added high-res pictures and watch specs

Rebellion’s First Round Case Watch Will Be at GTE 2010

This watch was designed in collaboration with award-winning designer Eric Giroud.  Giroud is the creative mind behind watches including the Harry Winston Opus 9, MCT Sequential One, and MB&F’s HM-1, to name a few (by the way, recommended reading:  a fantastic and just published interview of Eric Giroud the Watch Lounge’s Tom Mulraney).  As with Rebellion’s other timepieces (you can see the Rebellion REB-5 Tourbillon Full Diamond here), the Predator draws inspiration from racing cars.  The honeycomb dial is also a unique design element.  The watch case is available several combinations (red gold, red gold/ceramic, steel, steel/ceramic and red gold/steel) with a bezel attached by 8 distinctive screws with heads in the brand’s logo (very cool – kinda like Hublot does with it’s case screws).

The only thing that gave me pause about this watch when I first saw the picture of it is that it somewhat resembles the Richard Mille RM025 Tourbillon Chronograph diver’s watch that was introduced not too long ago.  But as I look at the two more closely now I think they are actually quite different!

Movement

Automatic, RE-1 calibre, 28,800 vib/h, 50-hour power reserve

Functions

Hours, minutes, sectorial seconds, chronograph, date

Case

Red gold, red gold/ceramic, steel, steel/ceramic, Numbered middle Bezel affixed with 8 Rebellion screws, Red gold or steel crown with rubber ring, Screw-down sapphire back,Water-resistant to 100 m

Dial

DLC black honeycomb, Red gold or steel hourmarkers with Superluminova,Hour, minute and sectorial seconds counters at 6, 3 and 9 o’clock respectively, Date window at 4.30

Bracelet/Strap

Black rubber with red gold, ceramic or steel patented folding clasp

This Is One Snyper That Will Not Be Out of Sight the 2010 Geneva Time Exhibition:

Photo:  Snyper SA

Who’s behind Snyper SA? This is the question I asked about 7 months ago in an article I wrote on Fratello Watches (go ahead, click through and read it!).  Well, it seems that we now know the answer to this question, and more – thanks to my friends over at TheTimeTV.  Check it:

Well, now that some of the mystery of “who” is behind the brand, I am more interested in the watch itself.  Actually I was always primarily interested in the watch but as I said in my original article (did you read it yet? c’mon now!) I was at the time intrigued by the relative secrecy of the people behind the brand

Anyway, since I wrote about the Snyper watch last July, it seems that the brand has increased its ambitions a bit – from both a price and a distribution standpoint.  First, the original price the watch was offered for and as I noted in my article on FW was 6,950 CHF ($6,850 USD), but now the price is now listed slightly higher – 7,390 CHF ($7,300).  This is a farily modest tweak to the price actually – about 6%, or a $450 increase.    Secondly, as you heard in the video, the watch is now to be sold online through Snyper SA’s website as well as through more traditional channels (ie authorized dealers) for example the famous watch store Chronopassion ran by Laurent Picciotto Picciotto Laurent (typo-sorry LP!).    Originally, and as you heard in the video, the plan was to offer this watch exclusively online.  Finally, we heard also in the video that they are hoping to extend the range up the price ladder.  This will mean things like precious metals and other enhancements – hopefully no diamonds or jewels though – this would be totally unbecoming of the Snyper mentality I think!

Photo:  Snyper SA

Based on these things, it seems to me like things are going well for Snyper SA, and it is great that the Snyper watch is taking advantage of the opportunity to show itself in plain view at the upcoming 2010 Geneva Time Exhibition (which I just recently previewed, here).

In closing – as you can see from the watch and from the couple pictures I pulled from Snyper’s Facebook page, it is as its creators intended a very masculine, very tactical, looking watch.  And in a cool “sniper” looking sort of way.  What can I say – I like it!  I will continue to keep my eye on the Snyper!

If you want to read more of the specs on this watch, or even “pull the trigger” and buy one, here is Snyper SA’s website (click here).  Sorry I could not resist the puns.

Geneva Time Exhibition Will Showcase 38 Independent Watch Brands

Many of you are eagerly awaiting the upcoming Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2010 in Geneva, better known as SIHH 2010, and of course your dedicated team here at Perpetuelle will be bringing you all the action on our SIHH 2010 forum so be sure to check in early and often!  But did you know that there is another equally exciting luxury watch event ocurring at the same time this year?  It is called the Geneva Time Exhibition.  Unlike the SIHH which is comprised mostly of well established, well known brands under the Richemont group umbrella, the Geneva Time Exhibition was created for independent watch brands.  In fact, there will be 38 watch brands at this year’s inaugural event!

I am quite excited for this event and the exposure that it will offer the many independent watchmakers who will be there.  In my experience, many of these smaller, independent brands lack the human and financial capital to “get the word out” about their brands.  This is a real challenge facing any independent watch brand because as we know marketing is key to the success of any watch brand, and so I really am excited that the organizers of the event, Florence Noël, Paola Orlando and Dominique Franchino of Time Exhibitions Sàrl, were able to bring it all together with such a large group of indepdenent brands.  Hopefully the visitors (be they retailers, distributors, individual watch enthusiasts or others) will now do their part and turn up as well to see what the event has to offer them!

Although I have received communications from some of the brands who will be at the Geneva Time Exhibition, I have not heard from many, and I have not seen much mention of this event on any of the many other watch blogs either.  Makes me wonder if they missed a crucial and low-cost opportunity to get the word out about their show!  This is understandable given that it is the first year for the event, but hopefully in future years they will be able to continue to broadent their outreach to the online watch blogs and communities such as Perpetuelle.com and others.  That said, Team Perpetuelle will do our best to share with you the many new watches unveileved at the inaugural Geneva Time Exhibition.

Some of the brands at this show you may have heard of – perhaps because I have written about them on here on this blog  (Linde Werdelin & Ateliers de Monaco just to name 2) or perhaps elseshwere.  But my guess is that most the brands you may be new to you, and my view on this is that it is always a fun prospect to learn about new and exciting brands so receive these brands with arms and eyes wide open!  Here is a snapshot of all the brands that will be on display and that you may be seeing and learning more about here on this blog in the weeks to come:

You can read and see more about the Geneva Time Exhibition here on their website.