The Watchmaking spirit

What is this "watchmaking spirit" ?

Difficult to explain... so I'd rather use a couple of examples.

I recalled this one very recently through a very good article by Sumit Nag of Revolution about the incredible Harry Winston Bi-retrograde Perpetual Calendar.

This article and its photos immediately put me in a time machine, fast-rewinding my time at Harry Winston with Max Büsser at the head, in the middle of the Opus saga.

If you read the article, you will understand the significance of this very piece, as the first bi-retro QP in the world, but what is noteworthy is elsewhere... This piece was a collaboration between Roger Dubuis and Jean-Marc Widerrecht, joining forces at a very difficult time for the industry (mid-80's, not long after a very painful quartz crisis), and they did not do it because it was easy, but because it was hard (to paraphrase JFK talking about the moon program...). And they did it for a brand which history and significance in watchmaking was at the time of its launch, 1989, very limited.

Eventually, this piece became one of the triggers and an inspiration for Max Büsser to create the wonderful Opus collaboration series,. The Nr 1 was developed with Fran?ois-Paul Journe, and the following ones with many talented, independent watchmakers, who were widely helped by this collaboration that eventually led Harry Winston to be recognized in the watchmaking pantheon. I remember welcoming many competitor brands and watchmakers year after year on the brand's Baselworld booth who wanted to "see this year's Opus!".

Starting Opus for Harry Winston at the time was as natural as embarking in Formula 1 when you are making bikes. An incredible human adventure with many incredible stories.

Another example that comes to mind, much closer to us, is Bulgari with its Octo Finissimo series. In a few years time and a few world records, the Roman jewellery brand has achieved a quantum leap and became one of the two ultra-thin experts, not because they needed it, not because ultra-thin was in their DNA, but because they believed in it, put what was needed behind it, and made it happen. This and few other things as well at the same time.

I guess the point is that this #watchmakingspirit has always been, is and will for a long time remain a fundamental element in order to understand watchmaking, why it lasts and how it is capable of re-inventing itself endlessly: excellence, passion, drive, collaboration, bright spirits, finest hands, giving birth to the best and the unexpected.

In these troubled times for our industry, I shall believe that once again we will soon enough laugh at the face of adversity and overcome the challenges ahead.

Maximilian Büsser (credit: FHH Journal)

Roger Dubuis (credit: FHH Journal)

Jean-Marc Widerrecht (credit: FHH Journal)

#watchmakingspirit