Type 23

From Dodane -

Courtesy of Dodane

I have been writing the Tempus Fugit blog since July 2010.  During that time I have made countless efforts to contact Dodane and be able to report in better depth.  Let's just say it has been time and effort that have been for naught.  I mean, you never know, I might get lucky next BaselWorld but I am beginning to view Dodane as that popular kid you will never get any sort of acknowledgement from.  

At any rate, still a very cool watch ; )

 

We sail tonight for Singapore...

Don't fall asleep while you're ashore...

Courtesy of the FH

Now on the surface, this continuing upward climb is encouraging.
But when digging into the actual numbers, this latest report from the FH brings up more questions than it actually answers.

Interesting to relate, Singapore rocketed into the third position for September's numbers.  In fact, Singapore's rapid rise is curious at best, or to put it more plainly, somewhat dubious.  And I think the numbers as reported by the FH bear this dubious curiosity out:

1.  Hong Kong 213.4 Million CHF, 12.1% export share, an increase of 13.7%.

2.  USA 198.8 Million CHF,  10.9% export share, a decrease of -0.6%.

3.  Singapore 122.2 Million CHF, 10.1% export share, an increase of - wait for it - 89.6%!

Un petit mystère, n'est-ce pas?

Or as that other great watch commentator, Tom Waits noted -

We sail tonight for Singapore
Don't fall asleep while you're ashore
Cross your heart and hope to die
When you hear the children cry
Let marrow bone and cleaver choose
While making feet for children's shoes
Through the alley
Back from Hell
When you hear that steeple bell
You must say goodbye to me
Tom Waits, Singapore

Or to put it more plainly, while these numbers are numbers, they simply don't add up.  Or to put it even more plainly, these curious spikes of exports bound for increasingly random locations further bear out the possibility that what we are really seeing is the further push to clear the supply line pipes prior to the new Swissness regulations.

Let me state this in a different context - Puerto Rico represents one of the least publicly acknowledged, yet most important destinations for watches in the "US" market.  Confused?  Don't be, despite what a certain orange-hued fellow might have you believe, Puerto Rico is a territory of the US.  More pertinent to this conversation?  The reality of natural disasters that have hit Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico.  And why is Puerto Rico important to the North American watch retail numbers?  Because of the sheer number of watches that go in and out bound for the wrists of tourists (and parallel markets). Just as the wildfires raging through Northern California will radically impact the wine market in the coming years, the inability of retailers to sell (or shift) the very large quantities of watches in locations like Puerto Rico will, naturally, have a knock-on impact on already anemic sales in North America.  

Now to be fair, there are some watch brands and retailers who reported good sales in August.  And I sincerely hope that these were one-off months.  Like everyone else involved in the watch business, I have a personal stake in this particular game of poker, and I hope we all get some winning cards dealt.  But card-counting and gaming the system are not long-term solutions to very real problems.
 

A Darker Shade of Laureato

From Girard-Perregaux -

Courtesy of Girard Perregaux

Here are the pertinents -

Laureato 42 mm Ceramic

Technical specifications

Case

Material: black ceramic

Diameter: 42.00 mm

Thickness: 10.90 mm

Crystal: glare proofed sapphire

Case back: smoky sapphire

Dial: black with “Clou de Paris” hobnail motif

Hands:  baton-type, enhanced with luminescent material

Water resistance: 100 meters (10 ATM, 10 bar)

Movement

Reference: GP01800-0025, mechanical self-winding

Diameter: 30.00 mm (13’’’) 

Thickness: 3.97 mm

Frequency: 28,800 vph. (4 Hz)

Number of components: 191

Jewels: 28

Power reserve: 54 hours

Functions: hours, minutes, center seconds, date

Bracelet

Black ceramic, polished and satin-brushed finishing, ceramic triple-blade folding clasp

Reference 81010-32-631-32A

A Galet Square Porcelain Limited Edition

From Laurent Ferrier -

Courtesy of Laurent Ferrier

Here are the pertinents, right from the source -


GALET SQUARE PORCELAIN LIMITED EDITION
MICRO-ROTOR, ESCAPEMENT WITH DOUBLE DIRECT IMPULSE ON THE BALANCE
OR ECHAPPEMENT NATUREL ACCORDING TO A.L. BREGUET

Movement: FBN calibre 229.01, automatic winding with pawl-fitted micro-rotor
− 72-Hour power reserve
− Micro-rotor: fixed between the main plate and the micro-rotor bridge
− Silicon escapement with double direct impulse on the balance
− Silent-block shock protection system for the micro-rotor
− Indications: hours, minutes, small seconds at 6 o’clock
− Movement diameter: 14’’’ = 31,60 mm
− Movement thickness: 4.35 mm
− Number of components: 186
− Number of jewels: 35
− Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)

Case: in white gold, cushion-shaped
- Back bezel : numbered out of 10
- Case dimensions: 41x41 mm (diagonal: 45.35 mm)
- Water resistance: to 30 m
- Case thickness: 11.10 mm

Dial: White porcelain, anthracite nickel Breguet type numerals, 12 o’clock in scarlet red, gold circular minute dots for the minutes, four diamond-shape gold markers at 3, 6, 9 and 12, and smaller diamond-shape gold patterns for the tenths.

Hands: 18K/210Pd white gold with black ruthenium treatment, “assegai-shaped” for the hours and minutes baton-shaped for the seconds

Straps: Hand-sewn brown alligator, full skin square scale with scarlet alcanthara lining, and a tan calf strap with scarlet alcantara lining
 
Buckle: Ardillon pin buckle

The Military Chrono

From Anonimo -

Courtesy of Anonimo

As the new Swiss Anonimo continues forward, they also seem to be getting their style grammar down.  Let's hope it continues.  Thousands of Anonimistis past, present and future are ready for an Anonimo prepared to go the distance.

Here are the pertinents -

Case
Stainless Steel

Glass
Anti-reflective sapphire crystal

Indicators
Small seconds at 3 o’clock 30 minutes counter at 9 o'clock

Strap
Mohawk maracca leather, handmade in Italy

Push Buttons
Stainless steel push button with DLC

Movement
Sellita SW300 equipped with a Dubois Dépraz 2035M chronograph module, developed exclusively for ANONIMO Automatic winding Power reserve 42 hours Glass case back ‘Côtes de Genève’ decorated oscillating weight Swiss Made

Dial
Black dial

Diameter
43.4mm

Buckle
Pin buckle

Reference
AM-1122.01.002.A21