cazalea
[Seiko Moderator]
20750
What a difference a few letters makes! I should have studied French to know Décolletage vs Décollage
Décollage, the opposite of collage; instead of an image being built up of all or parts of existing images, it is created by cutting, tearing away or otherwise removing, pieces of an original image.
Décolletage, the top of a woman's dress, blouse, etc., that is made very low ( by cutting, tearing or otherwise removing, pieces) so the top of the woman's breasts can be seen.
The only terms I know in French are related to automobile service and repair, so this is a great surprise to me to find this turned out to be an article on the building up/tearing down of businesses in the watch world. And it's a wonderfully-done job.
Joepny, you must be a business analyst or something in your day job, as this kind of synthesis and summary of a decade is no easy feat. Bravo to you!
Compared to your assumption that the "average Purist" is mid-Fifties age, I am a decade older, and didn't get seriously interested in watches until about 2000. However, I was focused on used and vintage watches, giving me the chance to see, touch, buy, sell, trade and enjoy most of the brands you mention. And thanks to a tour of Switzerland in 2005, I was able to visit all the brands (Except ROLEX, of course) in their native element and meet giant figures of the industry (Hayek, Biver, Dufour, etc.). But that is just skating on the tip of the proverbial iceberg. You showed us the whole 'berg from 10,000 feet.
Thank you for summing it all up.
Cazalea
Decollage: Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and the big players during the 1990s
KMII and Magnus recently posted threads highlighting a few watches from the 1990s. Coincidentally enough, I have been thinking frequently about the Go-Go 90s ever since I took possession of my 1995 AP RO QP this summer. I’m guessing that the average age o...
Acknowledgements of sources
I want to acknowledge these sources during my amateur research to get my facts straight in random order Professor Pierre-Yves Donze, various works Professor Ryan Raffaelli, various works Carlos Perez, TimeZone Paul Boutros Time and Watches Peter Chong, De...
Don't forget Chopard
Interesting article. Thanks. Don't forget German-Swiss Chopard which established their own Manufacture in the 1990s. Launching the Calibre 96 in 1996. Still competitive today. www.watchprosite.com In the 2017 Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix, Chopard...
Thanks for the input Jim
yes the Chopard owners made a very wise decision to invest and become a fully integrated manufacture
Thanks joepny. Loved this overview of the brand consolidation. So much intrigue and machinations ( same like other business deals I suppose)
In terms of customers service , I think Richemont comes out way on top of all other brand owners Now I need to put a flow chart together to work out who owns who and what brand Julian
Thanks Julian, the palace intrigue became more visible than in the old history
It is the sort of a humanizing effect on the very typically private Swiss business decorum. JC Biver has the most colorful story because, well, he has never been shy about recounting his legacy. He was always ambitious early on. He felt stifled at Omega d...
Can we be honest...
This is really just an article about the Kardashians j/k. Thanks for the great write-up.
Thank you!
What is old becomes new again. The Swiss watch industry loves walking on the same well trodden foot paths, intentionally or not.
Thanks Bruno
yes for you guys who were very smart/prescient to start your watch journeys back in those days, it must be nice to remember. I was not aware of the mechanical watch world but I do have some memories of following the LVMH lawsuits amd how they seem to spen...
a very good, thorough and accurate post reflecting where the watch industry was before. However some important things to add
During the 90's, there were still independent brands like Louis Leroy, Hublot, Ikepod, Union Glasshütte, Glasshütte Original Girard Perregaux, Fortis, Dubey & Schaldenbrand, Frédérique Constant, Urban Jürgensen & Sönner, Chronoswiss,Corum, Eterna,...
Great information as always Georges 👍
thanks! If the Wilsdorf foundation ever needed to raise any money for some funny reason, they could authorize a book of the complete history of Rolex and it would be, I suspect, more eye-opening than anything else because they have kept their secrets very...
Thank you Joepny
Your article is excellent reading material and a great eye opener for those unaware as to the "business aspect" of the watch world we all love here on PuristsPro. Some will find the business side rather depressing, I'm a prime example having been in it an...
Thanks for the kindness Tim
There are lots of compelling stories in the watch world. Some of the best ones for me are when the forces of commerce & wealth-creation come into contact with the forces of heritage & craftsmanship. -joe
What a difference a few letters makes! I should have studied French to know Décolletage vs Décollage
Décollage , the opposite of collage; instead of an image being built up of all or parts of existing images, it is created by cutting, tearing away or otherwise removing, pieces of an original image. Décolletage , the top of a woman's dress, blouse, etc., ...
An inspiring picture: beauty, style & elegance in one
Thanks Cazalea! I used "decollage" in the aviation term - as in a plane's takeoff. 🛫✈️ But the alternative meaning might also work. 😀 I do analytical work professionally but not as a business analyst. It is purely for fun & personal investments that I rea...