A Little About me.

Hi.

For those of you who don't know me (which I guess is most people reading this blog), allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rob, I am a prematurely haggard 26 year old, living in Southampton working for the Swatch Group.

About a month ago I passed my WOSTEP (Watchmakers Of Switzerland Training and Education Program) exams and have started working as a junior watchmaker.

Right now I'm learning the ropes in the polishing department, which is a very useful skill to get the hang of, as the modern sequential servicing process implemented by most major Maisons (watch houses) means the guy repairing the movement of the watch (the bit that goes tick), will rarely be responsible for the refinishing of a case or bracelet sent into the service centre.

Despite that, I, like many young guys in the industry, harbour aspirations to one day found my own brand and to do that you need to know EVERYTHING that goes into making a watch run and look beautiful while it's performing its primary function (feel free to debate the primary function of a watch in a world that has the time displayed on most everything from phones, laptops and TVs to smart fridges etcetera).

Right now, though, and for the next few years at least, I am working for the Swatch Group, and part of being a good watchmaker is to know the brand you work for inside and out.

As I mentioned, the function of a watch is arguably more than the telling of time. Luxury watches are bought and worn by those of the population who want that little bit more from their purchases. Choosing a watch that will set you back the cost of a new Mondeo, doesn't just come down to how accurately it can tell you the time. there are all sorts of things that go into the finalisation of that decision, not least the design characteristics and heritage of the brand you settle on.

With that in mind I made it my goal to learn about all of the brands that fall under the Swatch Group umbrella (there are a lot), and thought it might be a nice place to start. You've got to be aware of the product. You've got to be aware of its roots and history. You've got to know WHY people would want to wear a watch bearing a particular name.

So over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to post a brief run-down of some of the brands I may come into contact with while at work.

If you EVER have ANY questions about watchmaking, be they from a retail/historical/stylistic perspective or a technical question on how or why something works, PLEASE comment on my posts and I will do my utmost to answer. My hope is you will ask me something I don't know off the top of my head so I have to research it and learn something new.

This is an open forum. No question is a stupid question. If there is an answer to be found, I will endeavour to find it for you.

Let the good times roll.