The best thing that happened to Sydney!

"You will not believe who just opened a boutique in Martin Place" said Bobby,
"FP Journe?"
"No, guess again"
"Richard Mille"
"No, think bigger and more exciting"
"No way! Seriously?" 

As a watch collector, the opening of the A. Lange & Söhne boutique in Sydney is like all my Christmases have come at once. Lange is my second favourite watch brand, and one that is so easy to fall in love with.

Of course, Bobby and myself could not miss the opportunity to poke our noses into the ALS Boutique, first thing Monday morning. With no specific expectations - except for a fireworks display of amazing horological pieces - we were simply blown away with the warm reception from the Boutique manager, Mr Delwyn Dass.  "Welcome to the second largest Lange boutique in the world!" - he proudly proclaimed.

Make no mistake: Lange is unstoppable. When it comes to workmanship, quality, finishes, complications and impeccable performance, the German watchmaker has very little competition at the very high end of haute horology. The pulling power of Lange is irresistible. It takes the will power of Ghandi to say no to the fresh, mint, and spotless 1815 Chronograph ref. 414.031 which is still the most affordable of all Lange chronographs ($73,000).

"What would you rather have- Lange or...?" is the game Bobby and I played all day. Almost every time, no matter what brand or model was mentioned, Lange was the preferred choice.

You see, unlike with most other brands, Lange is all about inner beauty; pure, traditional watchmaking; and impeccable craftsmanship. This is not a watch brand that attracts kids, or snobs, or flippers, or Instagram influencers, or those empty souls who constantly seek "external validation". This is a brand which patiently waits for patronage of true watch aficionados.

You buy and wear Lange because you want it and because you appreciate it - and because you could not care less what everyone else wears, wants, collects and buys. Lange owners simply do not care.

Mr Dass is both a knowledgeable and passionate watch dealer who is happy to explain and listen, but for the entire hour that we spent together, there was not the slightest attempt to over sell the brand, a watch, or his fine service. Unlike any Swiss brand watch representative I've encountered in the past, he was genuinely interested to find out more about our 'Australian manufactured' project. We felt a bit embarrassed to talk about NH watches in a Lange Boutique, but it was clear that when it comes to things that matter - inner beauty - our inspiration and aspiration comes from makers like Lange who share those same traditional values, firmly rooted in haute horology.

Lange's current stock range has around 40 models, of which quite a few are available for immediate delivery. Of course, some examples are made in very limited quantity and others have a delivery time of around 9 months. There is nothing boastful or arrogant about Lange's production and supply policy; no artificially created demand, no silly waiting lists, no patronising - simply an honest, straight forward "here is what we can do for you" approach.

As you walk into Lange's Sydney boutique, the very first thing you need to visit is their art installation known as the 'Wall of Components'. The entire wall is covered in 1316 individual watch parts which, assembled together, are the contents of a calibre L133.1 powering The Tourbograph Perpetual 706.025 (in actual fact, L133.1 contains 1319 components, but the last 3 parts are not on the display - for a very specific reason!).  The 'Wall of Components' is precisely what Lange's mission is all about; to excite us all and leave us speechless - from a novice to a collector; an apprentice to a watchmaker. The true art of watchmaking comes from the inner beauty.

The Tourbograph Perpetual 706.025 is from the famous Pour le Mérite line. "For Merit" was one of the highest orders in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later,  German Empire. It was awarded strictly as a recognition of extraordinary personal achievement, rather than as a general marker of social status or a courtesy-honour. The connection is obvious: when in 1994. ‘newly rebirthed ’ Lange offered it’s first Tourbillon 'Pour Le Mérite' the bar of extraordinary excellence was set. The Tourbograph Perpetual 706.025 released this year is the sixth 'Pour Le Mérite' in 25 years. I'll stop right here though, as I don't want to spoil anymore for you.

I strongly suggest the following: go and visit all Sydney watch boutiques, inspect the stock on offer, talk to the dealers - and then visit the Lange boutique last. Then ask yourself just one question: if you invest in Lange, would you really want any other watch on your wrist?

This brief review of Lange boutique is unsolicited feedback and a tribute, not a paid article. If you happen to deal with Mr Delwyn or Mr Andrea, feel free to mention my name, it would be mutually appreciated. 

It's good to be back home

The 6 week trip to Switzerland is finally over…And I am ready for a holiday…which, of course, is not going to happen any time soon. Actually, the next 12 to 18 months is going to be the most challenging and busiest time of my life!

Where do I start?

Firstly, we have two very exciting pieces of machinery coming in from Switzerland; soon to be packed and shipped to our workshop (the expected delivery time is around Christmas). I am not going to talk about specifics until the machinery is delivered and installed. However, let me just say that both of the watch part making machines are amazingly precise and amazingly complex and nothing like them has ever been imported into Australia…ever.

This is a huge undertaking which will require months - if not years - of training and practice. Quite frankly, we cannot even imagine what lies ahead, but we are ready to buckle up for an adventure of a lifetime.

Secondly, I have brought with me a sample mechanism for rebelde Mark 1. The case, dial and hands design will start this week and in 3 month’s time we should have the first computer-generated images of the new watch. There will be a number of custom-design movement components as well; and, most likely, a few of them will be manufactured in our workshop in Sydney. This itself is super cool. There is one more announcement about Mark 1 but I have to keep it secret for now. Trust me, you'll love it.

The third challenge is team building. We have received quite a few decent applicants for our engineering position and a couple for the watch apprentice position. Again, the next few weeks are going to be loaded with appointments and assessments. Finding the right people to join our team is our top priority which cannot wait.

The fourth project: Working even harder to source more quality pre-loved watches! This is an enormous challenge because quality stock is hard to find. However, my plan for this financial year is to offer 20% more watches than last year. More watches means more sales, more customer communication, invoicing and shipping, but we've been doing this for decades. We have the most trusted, loyal and supportive customers who love what we do and are happy to support us so it is only logical to try to offer more fine timepieces. When it comes to second-hand dealings, I am very proud of our unparalleled reputation which is a credit to all team members.

The fifth on this list, but really a top priority: To continue with the assembly of rebelde watches which are planned for 2017: rebelde fifty, rebelde pilots and control tower models in stainless steel. All of you who have placed an order while I was away: Thank you for your patience. Your watch will be ready to go in 3 weeks' time. A small curiosity...Since we started the rebelde project 3 years ago, 541 watches have been assembled and delivered. To my knowledge, as I type this, all 541 are in perfect working order! I proudly say, "There is no such thing as a broken rebelde". To this day, each and every watch is still 100% assembled and adjusted by myself. With all due respect to all my colleagues, when it comes to watchmaking and assembly, I only trust my own expertise; so no sub-contracting. In the rare case of non-performance, I have noone to blame but myself, which is how it should be. After all, if you wear a piece with my name on the dial, then you know who to blame or congratulate.

Another curiosity...all 541 watches were sold with ZERO advertising, except of course, for this mailing list. We don't go out telling watch enthusiasts how great rebelde is. The word of mouth and the recommendations of happy customers are more than sufficient to keep the brand going strong. We appreciate your support and if you haven't placed your order for a rebelde watch yet, then feel free to check out our website www.rebelde.com.au

With a starting price at $2,500 for a robust, reliable and fully repairable timepiece assembled in Australia, rebelde has virtually no competition in its market segment.

Sixth: Our small team remains committed to continue with our DAILY newsletter. For the past year we have hardly had a day without a newsletter. I don't know of any other business out there where each and every employee is more than happy to contribute, write, share and talk.  Our newsletter is our core activity and until the newsletter is out, we don't rest. We know you LOVE it and for thousands of subscribers, our daily newsletter is often the highlight of your daily mail. There are countless bloggers and watch forums out there but, unfortunately, most of the stuff is written by people who are simply hobbyists or others who recycle, copy and paste the same-old stuff. We strive to share our own views and talk about our own struggles, and do our own research. While the quality may vary from day to day, you can rest assured that our mail is always honest and authentic. And if you have ever prepared and sent just one piece of mail to your customers, then you KNOW how much time and effort such a newsletter takes.

The bottom line: the next 12 months will be a huge challenge but we are ready to rock and roll. If you wish to support us then remain subscribed, tell your friends about us, place an order for a rebelde watch and stay tuned for a range of fine pre-owned watches. You never know what may come up next!


Even if you do just one of the above this financial year, then our mission will be accomplished.

Happy collecting,

Nick

So what is your dream?

This week I've learnt my second French word. It only took 26 hours to figure out its English translation and its true meaning. 

It all started when I asked my Swiss host to put me in touch with a specialist watch dial maker who may be interested in producing a batch of dials for the next rebelde project. Without any hesitation, he loudly and proudly proclaimed: "Schansaintsheer" or something that sounded like that.

"Sorry, I've missed that. John Sheer? Jean who?"
"Schan - Saint - Sheer" he replied. "You must see him".
"Where is he located?"
"Here, in La Chaux-de-Fonds; we've past his factory earlier today. If you like, I'll take you there tomorrow."
"So you actually know the guy?" I’ve asked naively; realising instantly that that was a silly question, since everyone knows everyone in LCF.

That night I started googling 'dial makers LCF' but without much luck. How frustrating…I still couldn't work out even the dial-maker’s name.

The next day we spent most of the afternoon inspecting piles of used watch machinery so both of us forgot about the dial. But later, at dinner, I asked again:

"Hey, about the dials, what is the maker's name?"
"Which one?"
"The one you've mentioned yesterday; the one with the unpronounceable French name."
"Schansaintsheer? Ha, you must see him. You don't know who he is? How come you don't know him when you’re a watchmaker? Surely you have seen his dials," poked my host.
"If you would only speak clearly, and in English perhaps, then I would know who the hell is Schansaintsheer or whatever his name is."
"Schan - Saint – Sheer. He is famous; he made dials for Rolex and Omega in the 1960s and 70s, and many other Swiss brands.  He is really, really famous."
"Well, what I know for certain is this: all Rolex vintage dials ware made by SINGER, not your guy", I’ve said in frustration. After all, this was no longer about dials, but my own reputation.
"Bravo - that's him! But in French we say SIN-SHER; Jean Sin-sher"
"Jean Singer and Cie SA is your guy? The most famous dial maker of all times? You seriously want to take me to their factory? You seriously think SINGER would take an order for 200 dials from the smallest watch brand in the world??"
"Of course, if you pay and wait they will do it. It is sinher; they are the best."

A few days later in Geneva, during the Watch Fair, I met Ms Claudia Henry, Assistante de Direction from Singer Manufacture de Cadrans Soignes. 

Jean Singer firmly remains one of the last and the best independent dial manufacturers in Switzerland. The business was established in 1919 by Jean Singer and his wife. It started out in a small detached house at number 32, rue des Crêtets in La Chaux-de-Fonds, and stands on the same site today. Currently, the firm employs 250 dial-maker specialists and still supplies cadrans to the most famous Swiss watchmakers.

Would Singer be interested in taking a rebelde order?

Unfortunately, Ms Henry could not provide a definite answer. That would depend on a number of factors, of which two are potentially limiting: The batch volume and delivery time . A basic dial could cost around $500 per dial, plus setup and tooling costs. The precise amount can be calculated after a review of the technical drawings. Delivery time? Due to current production commitments I would be looking at 2 years' turnaround time, IF I can get a queue placement at all.

But…she didn't say NO, meaning that potentially, one day, a rebelde watch could have a Singer-made dial…

So what is your dream?

Happy collecting,

Nick