Joepny
1970
I get what you’re saying Patrick
What is different in this scenario is that MB&F have a stated mission and well-known history of working with independent watchmakers and honoring them and showing that it is all one big extended loose “family”. It is the MB&F unique marketing story that Max Busser honors a living artist/watchmaker through the collaboration they create. That was not the case with the rival business entities like PP, VC, & AP and remains so, they are fierce competitors.
Yes MB&F have a right to choose who they work with and of course they can make the turtle. But I feel the spirit of what MB&F has stood for has been contradicted here by making specifically the blue turtle that is broadly similar to Raul Pages, a living artist/watchmaker who is selling his work. I know technically in function they are different but the visual similarity is plainly there. And I believe MB&F knew this beforehand, so it would have been generous on MB&F’s part (because of their well-known collaborative spirit & mission) to give a nod officially to Mr. Pages in their marketing release or to avoid completely the visual similarity. They did neither beforehand. It was only after many people on IG raised the issue that MB&F came out with their statement.
A tempest in a teapot?
So I've been spending way too much time lately on IG but it's better for my wallet than going to watch boutiques. Yesterday, there was a little brouhaha that brewed up over a turtle automaton series released by Max Busser & Friends (MB&F). The pro...
"Tempest in a Tortoise Shell?"
Would make a good title. If they had given a nod to Mr. Pages, then that would have drawn interest to his work, making it a win for all, since they are not competing at price points, etc.
Yes, mountain out of a molehill
In my opinion, it’s not our problem to solve or our place to provoke. Pages made one, MB&F made ten, the designs are different, the legs are different, the singing bird animation ... etc. Cazalea
But I think the general parallel is so pertinent to PuristS on HoMe
We hear about this scenario so often: (1) you see a watch you like and it’s made in a small qty and you buy it for various reasons; (2) another brand subsequently releases a similar style watch with a slight difference and it’s cheaper but more are made. ...
I thank you for having launched this thread
It is the reason why we are on Purists and not somewhere else. You are rising good questions. I have a lot of respect for Max and his team, I have a lot of respect for Raul. I know them both. I saw Raul's tortoise in March for the first time, I hope to se...
thanks Fx
For sure I hope that Raul Pages finds a good outcome through this MB&F event. 👍 I like to root for the little guys more often than not.
It's important to stand up for the little buy... But it's also important to step away and not stand with anyone when nobody did anything wrong.
Nobody did anything wrong. Nobody stifled anyone else's creativity. Nobody infringed. If nobody infringed, we have no victim to protect. If we accuse MB&F for making something too close to Raul Pages' tortue, then we need to complain to Patek Philippe the...
I get what you’re saying Patrick
What is different in this scenario is that MB&F have a stated mission and well-known history of working with independent watchmakers and honoring them and showing that it is all one big extended loose “family”. It is the MB&F unique marketing story that M...
I do see your point and the same thought occurred to me upon first
Seeing your OP. After my initial gut reaction, though, my more lasting feeling is more similar to Patrick, Alex, and others... In brief - I take nothing away from Max and MB&F for doing what they did and how they did it. I would have given them brownie po...
yes, agreed it would have been an EXTRA STEP to take
and agree that MB&F officially does not owe Raul Pages anything. It is really just my hope for a very generous spirit from one small firm to another even smaller guy and the opportunity has already been lost.
Speaking for the Turtles/Tortoises...
The Turtles/Tortoises want to say, we don't all move slowly... I'm use every excuse to share this funny YouTube video!
Ok...
Overall, I can say that the employees at MB&F have among the highest ethics within the watch industry I've seen. Their commitment and loyalty to their customers is one of the reasons why they have such a loyal cult following. Obviously, the innovative...
Just the living artist/watchmaker who is also trying to sell a visually similar work
That is what I'm specifically advocating in theory. In this case, I think Raul Pages may be the only one. Not asking MB&F to go through the exhaustive list of dead artists/watchmakers or previous firms because they're not actively making the same type...
I do see a difference between acknowledging
Jaquet Droz and Raul Pages. ... 😉 Seriously, did Pages advance the art or craft (besides using white metal and blue "shell") that MB&F should acknowledge it or him? (Serious, not ironic or loaded question, I really dont know.) Jaquet Droz was a significan...
Hehe...you caught me inadvertently equating Jaquet Droz and Raul Pages
Raul Pages appears to be a talented guy, but of course he is not in the league of the long-gone Jaquet Droz. I think Raul Pages piece is very strikingly modern and extremely different from the jewel-encrusted turtle automatons of the past. I don't think h...
lol
yeah, I thought that comparo was a bit of a stretch... 😂 " too much to ask?" imho to ask that of someone else? yes. but to ask of oneself? absolutely not! 👍👏 cheers, TM
Bravo MB&F! Excellent response!
As a fan of automatons and having studied the history of automatons, I know that there are turtle/tortoise "tortue" automatons that date far back both of these. The example by Asprey is a fairly recent but beautiful example as I've personally seen some to...
I really don't see the issue and MB&F are correct, the tortoise or any animal automata belong to
horological history and not just one person/brand. Furthermore the Pages turtle opened up to show the mechanism whereas the MB&F Turtle features a singing bird so I think that makes them different enough. Just my 2c and I didn't see this much talk when Ne...