Appreciating Timepieces, an interview with watch expert Bai Yingze

      From 1 18 to 1 22, the 26th Geneva International Exhibition of Fine Horology opened at the Palexpo exhibition centre. Well-known Chinese horology expert Mr Bai Yingze also attended the exhibition and gave an interview, sharing his personal insights on the watch fair, brands and timepieces.

 

Mr Bai Yingze

 

In your opinion, how does this watch fair differ from previous years?

Bai Yingze: The biggest change is in the brands. Having run for 25 years as a very stable watch fair, 9 new brands were suddenly added. Moreover, the addition of these 9 brands differs from past changes at SIHH. Previously, additions to SIHH occurred within its established brand framework; even if a couple left occasionally, they remained within its own brand framework and concept—all being high-end brands belonging to Richemont, or major independent brands sharing similar brand quality with Richemont. However, the brands participating for the first time this year might not be in the same trench as Richemont or those major independent brands, so 2016SIHH gave us a rather different visual impression and overall feel.

Which brands did you pay more attention to at this watch fair?

Bai Yingze: Generally speaking, I still pay most attention to brands like Cartier, A. Lange & Söhne, Vacheron Constantin, Montblanc and IWC, though I watch other brands as well. Why relatively focus on these brands? Because Cartier is Richemont's largest brand; it anchors the entire Richemont group and accounts for a very large share of Richemont's financials. In terms of products, it is the same—at every Geneva watch fair, it introduces over 100 new timepieces, which no other brand can match. It not only launches widely recognised jewellery-related watches, but also high complications that the general public may not typically understand. In this regard, Cartier's standard of fine watchmaking can rival any professional watch brand inside the SIHH exhibition halls, and its watchmaking history even surpasses that of certain brands. Meanwhile, Vacheron Constantin and A. Lange & Söhne represent the absolute pinnacle of high-end complication watchmaking. Montblanc, on the other hand, is an accessories brand that has found its own direction and strength in fine watchmaking through resource integration; at the same time, Montblanc's prominence in this area has influenced the fine watchmaking industry within a short span of two or three years. Meanwhile, Jaeger-LeCoultre and IWC are brands that people care about and wear more in daily life.

Having browsed and admired so many timepieces, which models would you particularly recommend?

Bai Yingze: Personally, the first thing that comes to mind is that I immediately want to change my watch. Last year at SIHH, Montblanc released a world timer at a very good price, and this year they have introduced a coloured dial version. It is a very attractive watch to switch to, and the price is relatively low compared to last year's model. Additionally, there is the Montblanc stop-seconds tourbillon, which is priced between one hundred thousand and two hundred thousand RMB. There is also an ultra-thin perpetual calendar from Jaeger-LeCoultre priced at around twenty thousand euros; the movement is very beautiful and the finishing is exquisite. The two brands and several models I have just mentioned are all within our reach. If I were to talk about a complex watch from Vacheron Constantin or A. Lange & Söhne costing over one million, it would not be very meaningful for the average person. Furthermore, there is the IWC Pilot's watch; as its size has decreased, it is increasingly aimed at the unisex or women's market. Although they do not explicitly label it as a women's watch, I am becoming more and more interested in the new IWC Big Pilot's watch, and I may purchase one in the near future. I am also very interested in two brands that use mechanical power to generate something related to electricity. Of course, they take two different approaches, but both emphasise that they do not use batteries. One is the Piaget model, which could be called a quartz-mechanical or mechanical-quartz watch; it uses mechanical power to generate the frequency for the quartz, resulting in a watch that functions like a quartz timepiece, with accuracy exceeding that of a standard mechanical watch. Another interesting one is Van Cleef & Arpels, which has actually incorporated a light into a watch. It uses the piezoelectric effect to accumulate electrical energy through physical pressure; it is also related to electronics but is driven by mechanical power. Therefore, in terms of watch creation, whether it is the visual aspect of the dial or technical innovation, everyone is trying every possible way to innovate.

As an expert in new media for the watch industry, could you briefly discuss the impact of self-media on the watch circle?

Bai Yingze: I have thought a lot about this question, and since I run my own self-media and official WeChat account, thinking about this led me to not post anything for a couple of days. On one hand, it was because I was feeling unwell and lacked energy those two days, but the other reason was that I felt dissatisfied with what I had written. I believe that although our digital media is developing very rapidly—and I am right in the middle of it and doing quite well myself, which should make me happy—horology is still a tangible object that requires slowing down. The same goes for time itself: just as we ran around frantically during the exhibition and our bodies couldn't cope, things need to slow down. High-end watchmaking differs from ordinary fashion watches; fashion watches constantly seek exposure, shifting and changing at every moment with different price points. Fine watchmaking, however, requires one to calm down and appreciate it. The research and development of a single watch takes a tremendous amount of time—five, seven, or even over ten years of R&D and crafting. Our digital media allows international information to reach China, and once it emerges, we publish it immediately or even obtain it ahead of time. Originally, high-end exhibitions like the Geneva watch fair were events where everyone looked forward to something exhilarating appearing, and then everyone would slowly digest it. Personally, I feel this process is like tasting fine cuisine; you need to taste it slowly and digest it, which is the process of experiencing or enjoying it. If everything moves too quickly, I feel it is uncomfortable. Therefore, as someone immersed in it, I still feel we need to slow our pace a little rather than rush.

Will your work in 2016 still focus on watch knowledge popularisation and related areas? Do you have any new plans?

Bai Yingze: My work concerning watch education will increase this year; I will be giving more lectures, conducting more seminars nationwide, and at least initiating or executing the unfinished books even if they cannot be entirely completed. In addition, amidst a somewhat sluggish broader watch market, I hope to use my influence, my resources, or the network of watch enthusiasts I possess to support watch brands and even boost their sales. Only with the support of watch enthusiasts can the brands achieve better performance, and only with the success of the brands can our media thrive. I think all of us in self-media should realise this point, and working together to make our industry healthier is our shared aspiration.

What is your perspective on the independent watchmaking brands exhibiting this year?

Bai Yingze: When it comes to independent watchmaking, it looks quite prosperous on the ground, and any brand CEO I ask will say “Very good”. However, I think we also need to see whether it can generate real benefits under this booming situation. Therefore, I believe the effect of the Geneva watch fair in January for independent watchmakers participating for the first time will only be reflected in the Basel watch fair in March or even later. If they generate a market, I think this is a great success; otherwise, for many small independent watchmaking brands, participating in this exhibition has already cost a lot of money, and if there is no good output in reality, it is still a loss for them.

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