Independents

pplater
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Planning for the future...

Early in his career, it is said, Picasso was known to give his paintings away in exchange for food. By the time he died he couldn't use a cheque account: so often, the value of his signature alone exceeded the face value of the cheque.

Vincent Van Gogh could not sell a painting in his lifetime, yet three of his works feature in any list of the top ten art sales in history. 

Edgar Allen Poe died penniless after a forlorn attempt to survive on the proceeds of his writing alone; it was his estate (and we) who profited greatly after his death.

As a young actor you could hire Brad Pitt to dress up as a giant chicken for 'El Pollo Loco" foods at a few bucks an hour. Don't ask his agent if he'll reprise the role today.

Where's all this going? Well, we can all name with ease the current superstars of the Independent watchmaking arena and we all have our favourites: Kari, Vianney, Dufour, PSM, Felix, GF, Volker, FPJ - so well known that they are identifiable by one name alone, and sometimes simply by their initials.

We can probably also name other venerable eminences grises - Calabrese, Gerber, Muller - and some of the newer breed arrivistes or up-and-coming talent: Klings, Viot, Zwinz etc etc etc.

However, what about the stars of tomorrow - the bright young things who have yet to make any sort of a name for themselves? Here's the thinking: if you were unlucky enough to 'miss out' on the latest works from the current superstars (say, the GF Invention Piece 2, or the Smith/Daniels watch) then you have [more than] a bit of loose change which you can use to support some of the new breed, and perhaps snare a bargain future rarity in the process.

So: who are these people? They shouldn't be allowed to suffer the fate of a Poe or a Van Gogh; all of us here have an immense fondness for the Independents - let's share whatever information we have on those who may become the great Independent watchmakers of the future.

Cheers,

pplater.