Well, here we go again - Luxury brands investing in watch companies. In case you missed it yesterday, MB&F announced that Chanel has made a 25%investment in the company, with the investment in MB&F following investments in independent watchmakers Romain Gauthier and F.P. Journe.

I have often said that watches are the ultimate form of self-expression. At six years old, when I saw a contemporary of my father's wearing a yellow-dial dive watch on a yellow strap, it stood out because it was so different from regular old boring finance-guy attire (read: a gold Rolex). When I saw that watch, I learned that watches are a way to tell others something about you. And for me, that has made watches, and the people behind them, fascinating.

Something Benoît Mintiens said in our recent interview on my podcast Forward Momentum, really stood out to me. I asked him whether he felt a pull to protect the craft of watchmaking. His response floored me.

Harry Winston, renowned for its exquisite jewelry and precious gems, embarked on a transformative journey in 1998 to breathe new life into its watch department. The Opus Project came to define an era of independent watchmaking. It pushed the boundaries of what most people thought possible for a traditional brand like Harry Winston and was completely unexpected. It was an innovative decision that spurred creativity, collaborations, and increased the visibility of independent watchmakers and shed light on the watchmakers, and the power of collaboration in an industry that remained resistant to change.

Thirteen years on from the brand's first in-house caliber, the team at Armin Strom decided to completely rework that 7-day power reserve caliber, hence the name. The watch required a fair bit of imagination as the team wanted to bring forward more architectural aspects and add more depth to the main plate. Carrying forward the lessons learned from Mr. Armin Strom himself, Claude and Serge continue the legacy of not hiding the movement from the wearer.

This year Geneva Watch Days was punctuated by a very hot week preceding the event, and cool weather during Geneva Watch Days, itself. It really felt as though fall had arrived. Aside from the obvious seasonal changes, there were numerous changes I noticed from Geneva Watch Days 2022 to 2023 that really intrigued me.