BaselWorld Watch and Jewellery Show 2009 is not over yet but we already may make some conclusions about the state of things in the watchmaking industry. It seems that desire of the manufacturers for creating an image of efficient managers who care about their clientele’s purses has recently become a kind of trend which can be called “affordable beauty”. Now some things that were taken for granted a year ago seem to be improper. For example last year the CEO Zenith Thierry Nataf very often used the word “aristocratic” with respect to the brand’s products. This time he made reference to quite the opposite term- namely “democratic”.
Those who presented tourbillons at the fair modestly tried not to accentuate this fact. The company which especially succeeded in this was BNB: this manufactory produced tourbillon for the several participants of the show including Concord, Boucheron, and Romain Jerome with engraved signs of currencies at the moon-dust dial.
Enough for the “beautiful”, let’s get back to “affordable”. Among the funniest consequences of the world financial meltdown are legends created by the manufacturers about the reasons for designing in-house calibres. The new theory has replaced the terrifying story about embargo for ЕТА: doing so the companies may themselves modify components of the movement and use different materials which will allow to bring down the cost of timepieces.
And here is one more curious phenomenon of economy’s total power over people’s minds: the trend for replaceable leather straps has become its first victim. That was proved by the Armand Nicolet stand. If earlier replaceable straps were considered to be a very practical and economical variant now the clients find it non-advantageous – why one should pay more for two straps and a replacement device and complicated clasp? Isn’t it better decide beforehand what watch you want – with a strap or with a bracelet?..
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