F.P. Journe

albcwc
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I have to admit I agree

In fact, my first thought when I saw the Centigraphe was.... nice watch.... but the first bunch aren't going to work just right.... so you'll need to wait

Now, why would that be my first reaction?

Experience?

Note well, this is not just Journe. This is endemic to the boutique watch business.

It's also true in the very high end home audio business, which most consist of ma & pa businesses like FP Journe. I eventually decided that the incremental sound quality, if it was there at all, was not worth the cost in unreliability compared to more mass-produced products.

If you turn out products in very small numbers, you simply cannot achieve the kind of robust production quality and reliability that manufacturers who make very large runs will achieve. There's just no way. So reliability issues for these types of products is a fact of life.

I don't know about FPJ, but in other manufacturers the workers jokingly refer to some of these products as "green bananas." As in, sold before they are really ready.

Cash flow is an issue and new products=a jolt to cash flow. So there is pressure to get them out.

FPJ does set extremely ambitious targets for himself, so you need to give him a bit of leeway.

On the other hand, FPJ has made a conscious decision to move beyond the "invenit and fecit" watch enthusiast crowd towards the realm of high fashion, as exemplified by his trendy boutiques in the all the most fashionable locations, all the very trendy androgynous people who seem to attend the openings and the parties, etc.

And that's where you need to start getting more careful about product quality issues, when you've gone beyond the cheerful hobbyist to the fashion-conscious consumer. That's where reliability issues will kill you.