As the holiday season has started and it is time to spend time with family and friends, there is also an opportunity to reflect back on the ending year 2019. While I look at it back in terms of horology, I’m not going to discuss specific watches. My watch highlights of 2019, I have already posted.
In January, for the first time I visited SIHH and frankly also for the last time. I just don’t feel home or comfortable at such events. There is no time and place to go into any deeper discussion or trying to reflect on what you see, instead you rush from booth to booth with the ever same faces and marketing messages. In addition, I strongly feel the watch industry has run out of new ideas. For me, this is an even stronger argument to continue to focus on vintage and semi-vintage watches.
One of the highlights has been a small GTG in February, best friends, great conversations, great food and a few bottles of wine emptied. Shortly after, some decision had to be made. Quitting my job as moderator of a Girard-Perregaux forum was inevitable. I’m a kind of person that does not look back nor regrets any past decisions and once I’ve decided, I’ll never return. I firmly believe that with any end there lies an opportunity to start something new and better.
On 1st April, I started The GP Chronicles, an independent Blog revolving around my passion for Girard-Perregaux watches and related stuff. I have recently shared my view on why I believe independent blogs are my medium of choice. It has been a learning curve setting up my own blog and filling it with content, but over the months I had great feedback and for a niche subject like GP watches, a rewarding following.
In mid May, we then joined forces of currently 3 independent blogs under the roof of The Watch Observatory, T.W.O including the launch of the T.W.O Instagram account. I had to admit that I would also need to bring The GP Chronicles into Instagram and while T.W.O remains our joint home, I do post irregularly on Instagram as well.
We have seen our Blogs and the T.W.O Instagram grow tremendously over a short period of time and we have also received a lot of recognition. I’m confident that in 2020, we will take it to an entire new level, so really looking forward being part of it.
maybe the last ever wristshot in front of the Blue House?
A year would also not be complete without a trip to La Chaux-de-Fonds. In fact, I was in Spring and again very recently in December. There has been significant changes at my favourite Maison this year, most notably the closer collaboration with Ulysse Nardin at the manufacturing and joint management. The Villa Marguerite has changed owners and the Villa Jean Richard has been renamed to Villa Girard-Perregaux, being the representative home of the brand. And sadly, the blue house on the hill, Place Giradet 1 has been vacated at the end of the year. I think we will need to wait and see what 2020 will bring, but I truly hope GP will find its way back to its own heritage rather than merging closer with U.N. and following fashion trends.
The best meal of 2019? The best Ćevapčići with the best friends. Cannot beat that. To be repeated soon in 2020.
Finally, I want to thank all my readers of The GP Chronicles and those who reached out to me with questions and feedback and in particular those who I had the pleasure hosting a guest contribution on my Blog. I’m looking forward to many more and new posts in 2020 revolving around our favourite past time, collecting watches.
As the holiday season has started and it is time to spend time with family and friends, there is also an opportunity to reflect back on the ending year 2019. While I look at it back in terms of horology, I’m not going to discuss specific watches. My watch highlights of 2019, I have already posted.
In January, for the first time I visited SIHH and frankly also for the last time. I just don’t feel home or comfortable at such events. There is no time and place to go into any deeper discussion or trying to reflect on what you see, instead you rush from booth to booth with the ever same faces and marketing messages. In addition, I strongly feel the watch industry has run out of new ideas. For me, this is an even stronger argument to continue to focus on vintage and semi-vintage watches.
One of the highlights has been a small GTG in February, best friends, great conversations, great food and a few bottles of wine emptied. Shortly after, some decision had to be made. Quitting my job as moderator of a Girard-Perregaux forum was inevitable. I’m a kind of person that does not look back nor regrets any past decisions and once I’ve decided, I’ll never return. I firmly believe that with any end there lies an opportunity to start something new and better.
On 1st April, I started The GP Chronicles, an independent Blog revolving around my passion for Girard-Perregaux watches and related stuff. I have recently shared my view on why I believe independent blogs are my medium of choice. It has been a learning curve setting up my own blog and filling it with content, but over the months I had great feedback and for a niche subject like GP watches, a rewarding following.
In mid May, we then joined forces of currently 3 independent blogs under the roof of The Watch Observatory, T.W.O including the launch of the T.W.O Instagram account. I had to admit that I would also need to bring The GP Chronicles into Instagram and while T.W.O remains our joint home, I do post irregularly on Instagram as well.
We have seen our Blogs and the T.W.O Instagram grow tremendously over a short period of time and we have also received a lot of recognition. I’m confident that in 2020, we will take it to an entire new level, so really looking forward being part of it.
A year would also not be complete without a trip to La Chaux-de-Fonds. In fact, I was in Spring and again very recently in December. There has been significant changes at my favourite Maison this year, most notably the closer collaboration with Ulysse Nardin at the manufacturing and joint management. The Villa Marguerite has changed owners and the Villa Jean Richard has been renamed to Villa Girard-Perregaux, being the representative home of the brand. And sadly, the blue house on the hill, Place Giradet 1 has been vacated at the end of the year. I think we will need to wait and see what 2020 will bring, but I truly hope GP will find its way back to its own heritage rather than merging closer with U.N. and following fashion trends.
The best meal of 2019? The best Ćevapčići with the best friends. Cannot beat that. To be repeated soon in 2020.
Finally, I want to thank all my readers of The GP Chronicles and those who reached out to me with questions and feedback and in particular those who I had the pleasure hosting a guest contribution on my Blog. I’m looking forward to many more and new posts in 2020 revolving around our favourite past time, collecting watches.
© 2019 Crown Comfort
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