Ben Clymer Presents: Ep. 10 – The Bremont Episode With Davide Cerrato¶
Published on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:00:00 +0000
Bremont's new CEO talks about his plans to 'relaunch' the British brand, the opportunities it has, and his 20-plus years in the watch industry.
Synopsis¶
In this episode of Ben Clymer Presents, Ben sits down with Davide Cerrato, the newly appointed CEO of British watch brand Bremont. Cerrato brings an impressive pedigree to the role, having previously overseen significant brand revivals at Tudor (where he launched the iconic Black Bay collection) and Montblanc, after cutting his teeth at Panerai. He joins Bremont at a pivotal moment following a significant capital injection from investors including Bill Ackman in October 2022, positioning the brand for global expansion after twenty years as an independent British challenger.
Cerrato outlines his vision for what he calls a "proper relaunch" of Bremont, to be revealed at Watches and Wonders 2024, the brand's first appearance at the prestigious fair. Central to this transformation is a philosophy of "simplify to amplify" – streamlining the product offering around a unified narrative of adventure and exploration, reducing the number of references, and creating clearer design language across collections organized around Sea, Land, and Air categories. Most significantly, Cerrato is repositioning Bremont's entry price point from around $4,000 down to approximately \(2,600-\)2,700, aiming to compete in what he calls the "joyful watchmaking" segment alongside brands like Tudor and Longines.
Cerrato directly addresses Bremont's past controversy regarding movement sourcing and "in-house" claims, acknowledging it as a mistake and emphasizing transparency going forward. The new strategy focuses on mechanical-only watches using quality movements (primarily Sellita), with differentiation coming through British design heritage, unique complications suited to adventure and exploration, exceptional value proposition, and the brand's extensive relationships with over 500 military units worldwide. He teases exciting developments in field watches inspired by British WWII pocket watches, enhanced luminous materials, and new brand ambassadors, all designed to appeal to both longtime collectors and a younger, global audience while maintaining the brand's core DNA established by founders Nick and Giles English.
Links¶
Transcript¶
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| Ben Clymer | All right, guys, we are here for another episode of Ben Climber Presents. Today we are presenting Braymat uh with my good uh and long time friend Davide Charato. Davide is something of a legend in the in the watch space, um, cut his teeth at Panorai as a young man, then quite famously, I would say, at Tudor, where he oversaw the revival of the brand, really, brought the Black Bay, uh, the Heritage Chrono. Remember the Heritage Chrono back in the day? How cool was that? Fantastic. Monte Carlo. That was a good one. Uh and then Mont Blanc after that. And now as the CEO of Remont. Thank you very much, Ben, for having me. Oh, it's it's it's my pleasure. So so tell me how you ended up |
| Davide Cerrato | working with uh remote um yes it's a very nice uh story i i i believe very much into things not happening by chance and uh we met just the right moment myself uh uh spending more than 20 years in watches and uh i would say more than 16 years in uh the what I call the premium segment in particular. Yeah and Bramont having achieved incredible things uh in the 20 years and uh having received new uh investment and uh you know really w willing to um prepare the brand for a proper |
| Ben Clymer | global scale up. Yeah. And you know, I don't want to say there's a dive-day playbook, but I think there there is a a theme to to what you do with these brands, which is kind of like revive the storytelling, revive the narrative, or create a narrative, and come up with incredibly pure product. And you're you're a product guy at the core of it. Is that fair? I am definitely, yes. And so what attracted |
| Davide Cerrato | you about about the this role? Um listen, the the brand is very interesting, is uh uh a very unique British challenger uh as a very interesting inception and and story uh as an independent brand with these two brothers fighting to you know rise a British brand which was a big challenge sure against the odds 20 years later, uh starting at the same time when most of the independence brands were starting, early 2000. Yeah, and then you know, going through the challenges of all this year and getting to today where the brand is a very powerful footprint uh in UK has done a number of uh exploration uh in other countries including us uh and uh you know needs to be refocused to uh you know express its uh uh value and in its uh uniqueness yeah and really be able to cater to a totally global um uh target and in particular to I would say a younger uh group of of of |
| Ben Clymer | customers. Yeah. And so so Bremount is a brand that that's I think very well known to the Hodinki audience. We've written about them for years. We actually weren't authorized dealer at Bremont, you know, we kind of part of the family, so to speak. But your your appointment as CEO came alongside kind of some changes in it. Do you do you want to talk about that a little bit just so there's full understanding? |
| Davide Cerrato | Uh yes, totally the uh um the company uh uh had a very uh interesting injection of uh of uh capitals in uh october twenty two with uh a new investor American uh from New York, Bill Ackman, coming on board, and with the existing uh investor Elcat, which is with us since uh long time, uh, you know, reinjecting uh some some uh capitals and um you know giving us now the means to uh uh set up a very uh ambitious business plan for the five years to come um and you know having the means to to put it in full speed. How did how did you hear of this opportunity? How did it kind of come to to your your desk? Yes, they were um making a uh proper search with a qualified uh you know HR uh head hunting uh global cabinet and uh in reality I I met uh Nick and Giles uh over time in several occasions and, uh I think the the last time that we met was on a racetrack, uh driving vintage uh vintage cars and making a uh a piece with uh one and only Nick Fulkes. Of course. And uh you know, I was also looking around and I dropped a message uh to Nick. And uh yeah, that's how we we get got in contact. And uh you know I I I I learned that they were uh actively searching for a uh CO to make also a little bit of a you know um interesting evolution of uh of of the company going from founders to you know, an external CEO. Yeah. And um and uh the contact was magic. B. L Achman described it like uh you know when when you have the right key to open a door and it's you know smooth and natural. Yeah and definitely it's a perfect image to describe uh you know how much uh um alignment and and you know um common uh way of looking at watches uh by the way bilakma himself is uh collector and and uh uh and a great uh connaisseur of watches and you know we we easily and quickly found uh common ground and you know a a a mutual acknowledgement of uh you know fit and purpose and and a big opportunity, a one of a kind opportunity to really bring the brand to uh to a to the next |
| Ben Clymer | sta Yeah. And I think, you know, I I think it it's it's challenging at times when when founders bring in external CEOs. Speaking from personal experience, I'm I've done that. And so I think, you know, there there's oftentimes trepidation from an audience about such a thing. So tell us why there shouldn't be trepidation. What are you excited about? How is this a new step forward for Bremo |
| Davide Cerrato | ? I will start from my personal approach and personal take. I have a very big respect for the brand I work with and for their DNA, their heritage, their story. And I see very much my work like uh the one of a talented translator that can, you know, dig really deep into the heritage, the story, the inception, and for me was of invaluable help having the possibility to work and discuss with Nick and Giles and really, you know, get to know very precisely, you know, how the idea was formulated, how the inception happened, how the company developed, which had been the challenges, which have been the successes to really understand the proper DNA of the brand. And uh you know when uh I'm working with a very talented new team that we brought on board with many people coming from watchmaking, with so with a very uh specific knowledge. Um when we are working on the next step is really a way of keeping everything that is uh strong and unique and differentiating and and uh uh and really embedded in the story of the brand. And uh reformulating it with a language that uh then appeals not only to UK customer but to a wider global audience. And so what did you want to change about about the brand respectfully of where else uh I think that the brand has very solid fundamentals that has found uh one of a kind recipe to be firmly rooted in UK where the brand is really strong. And now we need to simplify to amplify. We need to refocus on some element and simplify the offer and simplify the the narrative and the storytelling to really uh be capable then of scaling up uh uh globally and in particular you know the first market that we are looking at uh is US sure so you know, we really focused on uh a single narrative which is adventure and exploration, very much embedded into the brand, with already some very relevant uh adventure and explorers that uh have been for the brand uh some time. Yeah with some others that we are bringing on board, a very important one uh that will be uh revealed in a few weeks. Sure. Simplifying the message, the you know the the message by the way is fit in perfectly the US culture, the outdoor, the great outdoor. Um and to me, that is is really important. It informs uh a simpler segmentation of our product offer with C Land and there uh and uh with us you know streamlined product collection we reduce the number of references uh and we are working to in terms of uh uh complication br,ing a little bit more variety. In terms of design, uh creating a kind of transversal design byproduct lines to have a very strong identity, we are looking for our iconical product that the brand we're still uh searching, we're still looking for. And we have been working a lot on operation, on sourcing, and also on on product development to be capable of repositioning um all the entry part of our offer and to really cater to the let's say two thousand five hundred and three thousand five hundred segment that is uh where we were completely abs |
| Ben Clymer | ent and that is a very important segment. So the you're you're saying the the average starting price point would be twenty five hundred two thousand in the two thousand USD range? Uh two thousand six, two thousand seven. And and you know it you know look thinking of of Remont for me, you know, it's really in like the five to seven range now. Is that that accurate? |
| Davide Cerrato | Yeah. We we were starting at uh uh correctly in in US around four thousand. Yeah. Uh |
| Ben Clymer | uh absolutely and up and but the the the the divers, the M B twos, those were kind of look a little bit more expensive, right? Correct, exactly and so the what what what what caused you guys to kind of look at a at a slightly lower price point |
| Davide Cerrato | i really believe that uh uh in the uh premium segment uh uh a key element of uh competitive differentiator is uh value and price positioning and you know the value proposition is really what drives uh desirability uh into the brand having uh fair price, you know, giving accessibility to the segment, I think it's uh it's paramount, especially in a moment where market wise uh we have seen many brands going up. I think there is a very, very uh unique opportunities for Brahman to uh to reposition a little bit uh and to uh to appeal to a much wider audience. Yeah. |
| Ben Clymer | And it in fr from my vantage point, I mean that that price point is just kind of more fun as well. I mean it's just like something that you don't need to not that you don't take it as seriously, but it it just allows brands to be a little bit more playful. It's not as much about the movements, which you know, if the Hodenkey audience certainly knows is is a hot topic with with Vermont on on our platform, which we'll talk about. Um but I mean it was really it's the idea. I mean, I think if I may say, like your your your history lends itself well to that. I mean, I would say arguably creating some of the most iconic products in that price range today, one of which I'm I'm wearing today |
| Davide Cerrato | totally and you know i i i i like to use uh the term of joyful watchmaking yeah there is really an element of joy and fun uh that you that is very powerful when you when you buy this this price of uh you know this price segment and you know it can be your first uh serious mechanical watch and it can be in this sense uh an entry door into the world of mechanical watchmaking. And at Bremen, we only do mechanical, which I think has not been communicated enough and is a very powerful take. But it can be also the impulse purchase of someone that buys also a higher price segment, but that find you know the watch so nice to wear and fun and and comfortable to wear and that buys it. Yeah. It's a it's very transversal. It's it's very competitive, very difficult in a way people are expecting in this segment everything you can get in in the higher one, but at a much more affordable price point, which is a a hell of a of a challenge. But that's exactly why I like this segment because then if you are capable of uh you know expressing a very strong quality, uh delivering a very fair price and and bringing a lot of uh fun and excitement and joy with the design. Uh you know, the the importance of bracelet and strap and having fun with that and changing it regularly is is typically one of the elements that are very |
| Ben Clymer | linked to this particular price set. Yeah, I mean it's it's I've I've actually never heard you say that or never anyone describe it as joyful watchmaking, but I think when I think of the brands that I most associate with that category, Tudor, Horus, Longine to some degree, Gnomos, uh TagWoyer. TagWire, of course. You know, these are brands that you know when when my friend buys, let's say, a gnomos or a Tudor Black Bay, they say, I just can't believe the quality that I got for this price point. And they're they're so they're so amazed by that in a way that frankly you don't even get sometimes when you buy a Rolex or an Omega, which is significantly, you know, it's a different thing, of course, but significantly more expensive. But you you anticipate the quality at that level. With this price point, you don't always anticipate it. And it is kind of a surprise and delight moment to see the quality of some of these things in this price point. Absolutely. And and it's very |
| Davide Cerrato | much, you know, the the level of uh you know competence that you need to be able to express in there and you know the sophistication and is uh you know the sexiness is the pleasure, is the joy, uh, and is really the quality, you know, the the the the the articulate the perfect articulation of a of a metal bracelet, the fact that you can change it easily, the c they can it you you can uh you know uh size uh in a fine way between uh you know winter and summer the you know just the comfort or the beauty of that and how much changing your strap updates and refresh your watch you really feel like you have a new watch on on your |
| Ben Clymer | wrist which is very unique you know yeah. I mean I I remember when with the first Black Bay, when you bought it on bracelet, you also got a strap. But it wasn't a NATO strap. It was a strap that looked like a NATO, but actually had had spring bars in it. And it's it's those level of details at that price point that I think can be really rewarding and you obviously do do expertly. Is is that the type of thing we should expect with with Vermont? Totally. Yes. We |
| Davide Cerrato | have we have really we have prepared an incredible programme from Watches and Wonders for Watches and Wonders. Uh we are in Watches and Wonders and for the first time. For the first time with a big booth uh in between the major maison. Wow. Uh very important statement for us will be the turning point for the brand. And for the first time people will discover you know the new positioning into adventure exploration, the new campaign, take it further. Um, two new lines: the sea and land uh exploration one, uh, a new kind of uh retail image so really a new skin. Yeah. Um |
| Ben Clymer | it's it's really a totally new brand at this point, uh from my perspective, from if I'm understanding. |
| Davide Cerrato | Yes, uh uh a a proper relaunch uh and um which is uh exactly what we need to you know give the br |
| Ben Clymer | and a new a new spin. Yeah and I I think you know I the y you never want to speak ill of those that came before you or or any such thing. But I think it's it's important to address directly. You know, many years ago there was kind of a hullabaloo on the internet, as as as the internet loves to do, when Remont came out with a a watch that was in in-house the movement was described as in-house and it wasn't really and I think like that that in many ways is kind of like the a legacy of the brand on at least our platform. That's not to say that's every platform. How would you address that? I mean how would you say to to the folks that were maybe upset about that in whatever year it was? It was a long time ago. I mean, we weren't even in this office and we've been here since 2015. So we're talking over nine years ago uh this took place. I how how would you address anybody that still is kind of uh I'm gonna say butthurt over that |
| Davide Cerrato | ? I will be very direct and I am very transparent. Um every one of us makes mistakes, the company made a mistake at that moment. Uh now we have uh um I would say cleverly and in a very uh pragmatical way we focus on customer attention to customers and customer value. Uh it's not going to happen anymore. And I spoke so much about fair price or good price is exactly this magic balance of uh you know value that you deliver and price that you ask and um and we are focusing on that big time so you know in terms of movement we are uh using uh uh uh a lot uh movement which is uh you know fantastic quality. But everybody uses which everybody uses, and especially in our segment. As I said, we only do mechanical, we don't do any quartz, while in our segment is quite common to use that. We have a you know very pure dedication and take on on these things. Um we are working on quality really to to improve it and in watches and wonders we will make also some uh strong uh uh announcement in this sense. Uh and uh yeah, so now the brand is different uh it's a very healthy uh base |
| Ben Clymer | looking for the future. So let's pretend that that I'm a a young watch lover, not an old watch lover, like I actually am. Um and I said, okay, so the the new Bremonts will have solidabas movements. The price will be in the high twos will say, why would I buy this and not a tutor or not a longie, not a insert whatever you want here, any other price, any other watch in that price category. What will make it more compelling than than those other products |
| Davide Cerrato | ? So the the first element is uh um uh we are quite a unique brand because we are British and our Britishness will be you know strongly expressed uh uh in uh you know uh a number of of elements of the new mix uh a very unique take on on design uh and uh you know a very sharp price positioning and in terms of uh um offer we are also looking for um differentiation so we we have diving watches we will present uh redesign version of our supermarine product line at watches and wonders. But also we will have like field watches inspired by British military and in particular like Second World War, pocket watches, dials, and uh with a very, very powerful uh uh uh value proposition and uh in in that segment in that category actually there are not many uh watches on the market and that one can definitely become a little bit our iconical line historically we've been very active into pilot watches and you know the link with the aviation is part of the foundation of the brand and we will reinterpret and redesigned that the product collection for the following year at Watches and Wonders. And once again our price segment that there are not so many uh offering that particular uh configuration that particular category of product. So I think that uh we have something to say in the in the segment definitely and we will become uh uh you know focusing very much into tool watches. I really believe that we can become the champions of uh of tool watch adventure and exploration by the way were born British sure you know Cook Livingston Shackleton you name it so uh we are particularly relevant and and we are particularly uh fitting to to uh to speak about that team. And uh we will develop all this narrative with a lot of consistency and it's always uh a lot about uh being consistent and working on on differentiation and uniqueness yeah and working on the joyful element of uh of the brand with materials with colors, with straps with, you know uh really bringing mm a new energy into |
| Ben Clymer | the segment. Yeah stuff that makes people happy. Exactly, totally in in in this price point I think that that's kind of paramount. Well I mean what what can you say about uh I don't w sayanna like uh cleaning up the brand, so to speak. But we we had Wilhelm Schmid, who was the CEO of A Long and Sown here uh a few months ago. And he was very transparent about the challenges that he had uh when he's got clients that that wanna buy th he's got more clients that want to buy things than he has watches to to to sell. I I don't know if if that's the issue with Bremont right now, but I mean how would you from a just a business perspective as the CEO kind of want to to see want to change things in the way that the watches are distributed, sold, serviced, etc |
| Davide Cerrato | . We have already a number of direct uh shops of boutiques here in US in Madison. Uh we we are not growing that uh channel uh we're really focusing more on partners like yourself or uh you know uh wholesalers uh around the country uh and uh to uh you know develop the awareness of the brand and to have a little bit more capillarity. We have also our e-com uh channel that is uh working very well and we will continue to develop. And and the name of the game is being uh you know present be,ing easily uh um accessible, uh being capillar in a way so that people can easily find your watches uh when they are looking for. Ye |
| Ben Clymer | ah. And in in many ways it almost feels like I mean the the since COVID anyway, the the the demand for watches has has gone up in terms of uh what's really in demand is more expensive watches, right? I mean APs. People know what an AP is now. You know, 10 years ago, they would like, what does that even mean? You know, Rolex, Omega. I mean like in many ways, like the demand cycle almost begins at ten thousand dollars now. And you guys are going the opposite direction, it se |
| Davide Cerrato | ems like. Is that purposeful? It is. I I really believe that uh there is a unique opportunity on the market now uh with some of the uh brands that are in the segment that rose the prices, with some groups that are pulling out of some big wholesaler, uh freeing some space for other brands. Competition is fearless and is very strong. But I really believe that uh you, know with, the value proposition that we are coming with uh we can uh really strike some str |
| Ben Clymer | ong chords there. And w I mean I I g again I guess I I would love to just know more about the thinking behind like what what this product will be. Yeah, obviously it's not out yet, so we can't talk about it. I haven't even seen it for the record. Um what can you tell us about it? I mean, what you know what what should should get our audience excit |
| Davide Cerrato | ed? Um I think uh on uh uh we are coming with a very strong uh like field watch uh field watch uh line yeah uh with a new design, completely new design, but I think that really embodies the the DNA of the brand, very different from anything else that exists on the market, with a very strong design, with super powerful straps and and you know a new metal bracelet uh with uh you know very nice colors, uh uh different configuration, different complication. I really want to populate much more our offer in terms of uh complications. But like can you share? Like what what kind of complication would make sense for for you guys? But uh for the moment the brand uh has in his offer a lot of uh you know solo tempo of uh GMT uh it it's very consistent with uh you know exploration and and travel and few chronographs but uh we are looking at different complications all the ones that are in a way connected with the um adventure and exploration with travel uh with different time zones, with you know different cities, with you know different uh affichage uh and and really bringing a little bit of uh higher variety into that and and you know creating a ladder inside every product collection to you know have very affordable and and very sharply priced watches at the entry of the range and then having also at the other end of the range some uh new uh joyful uh uh complications to also serve the fantastic customer that have been with us for twenty years and the you know, have already a number of Bremon and they are looking for something new and something different. And there is what is very interesting to me is that there is a very strong appetite for uh newness into the brand, which will perfectly serve with uh what you are preparing and we will reveal at wat |
| Ben Clymer | ches and wonders. Yeah, I mean I I think that's an interesting thing that that was mentioned to me just before we began is that there's this whole other like when I think of Berman, I've owned Martin Baker, I've owned a few. You know, I think of uh you know Rolex Omega tutor competitive stuff, but there's a whole other end of your client base that that wants gold watches, wants complicated watches, which again is not something that I see a lot here to be honest with you but I I guess in the UK that's more popular is that is that accur |
| Davide Cerrato | ate it is and to me is very in a way the you know the the the experiences and the brands I work with uh uh teach me a lot about that and about the fact that uh variety and and and fun and and a little bit more a wider scope of offer uh brings really something into into your offers. So I really believe that uh you know you need to in the premium segment you really need to cater the two uh ends yeah in a way. You know it's super important the entry one, but then it's super important also to and and the brand by the way historically has done a number of limited editions that were using more sophisticated movements and complication to cater to that audience and and you know it has proven to be successful so we we continue to leverage on that is really part of our DNA |
| Ben Clymer | also. Yeah and I I think something that that I I think a lot of people might not know about the brand is that you guys have quite a wide range of relationships with like ar |
| Davide Cerrato | med forces around the world. Absolutely. We are definitely the brand that has uh developed uh the farthest uh relationship with military corps. We actually cater to five hundred uh special squad and military military orps around the world since 15 years. And that to me is very important because uh all these uh guys were our watch every day on the field, and I couldn't imagine a better place to test your watches and to be sure that you are you know crafting fantastic tool watches that you can wear every day that's stand all conditioned, that uh you know um embodies a lot of purpose and express the level of quality that is needed at that uh price point, you know, watches the need to stand the you know shocks vibration everyday wearing, which is very different of the one that uh you put in the safe and you pull out from time to time when you have a a special occasion. Yeah. And so you I take it you'll lean into that a little bit and kind of embrace the the military connections. Absolutely. Absolutely. And uh in uh is of great inspiration. I had the opportunity to go through the history of everything we produced in terms of uh you know customization of dialogue uh of use of crest, of uh use of graphics. It's uh an infinite uh source of inspiration for me creatively. We have by the way a collaboration with the MOD, uh with the UK Royal Forces, and we will leverage that much more bringing also into our you know commercial open to the public pieces to bring the joy and and you know the variety and the excitement and the fun uh that we were speaking about |
| Ben Clymer | . So most of the stuff will come out in Watches and Wonders for so for those of you who don't know, that's early April this year. You guys off the booth there. That's kind of the the the big unveil. So this in many ways is almost like a teaser for for what's to come. What are you most excited about in the relaunch of the brand? Um everything I |
| Davide Cerrato | would say. Yeah. We are really found uh uh in these uh nine months of uh hard work uh uh a much uh sharper str,onger expression of the brand, and uh you know the the reveal of the overall architecture of the brand between its brand expression, between the new campaign, between a very strong new ambassador that we're coming with and the redesign watches will be a very unique moment to uh you know reconnect uh with our actual audience uh offering them uh you know the new chapter of what they already liked and we to connect with a totally new audience that has not yet uh uh known or get to know what Brahman is do |
| Ben Clymer | ing And so if you had one thing to to say to the audience out there, what what what would it be? I mean, would it be beyond get excited or something like that? I mean, would you what what type of feedback would you want from them? Like what what what are you looking for from from you know this audience of you know our our side are enthusiasts. These guys really care about watches in a way that is sometimes unhealthy. But uh is very dedicated. Um what would you say to the to the audience? |
| Davide Cerrato | I would say stay tuned. I I I really believe that uh we are going to to bring to you something super exciting. We are going to bring to uh the premium segment and to watch making uh a new space So I'm really looking forward to share with you and to see you know what what people think about it. It's a magic moment. I love it. When you know for the first time you present a watch and and you know yeah you you reveal it and you see you know the the first reaction of uh of uh the people with the watch in their hands in the metal where they feel also the weight, they feel the shape, they start to, you know, to to to get in in contact with it, to to uh and they strap it and they start to share and that's a totally magic moment is uh you know this moment of epiphany of revelation is probably one of the you know coolest thing |
| Ben Clymer | if you are a watch lover. So, you know, look, look, Davide, you are one of the best dressed guys in watches, if I may say. Thank you. You don't you don't you you you agree with that? I agree. Okay, great. Where's the suit from? Can I ask |
| Davide Cerrato | ? Uh this one is uh British uh fabric. Okay. But with an Italian ta |
| Ben Clymer | ilor. Can you share the name or is it uh is it a trade secret? Small secret. Secret. A secret. Yeah. And uh the shoes, where are the shoes from? Uh Tods the |
| Davide Cerrato | ne,w Gomino uh version of uh you know the boots that the avocato ne Agn |
| Ben Clymer | elli used to wear with the suit. Is that so? Yeah, that's pretty cool. Yeah, I think I think you know full transparency. I for I knew that I was seeing Davide today, but I had forgotten how well dressed he was. So I showed up in just like a crew neck sweater and khakis and I was like, oh boy, I gotta I gotta step it up here. So I put another sweater on. So I've got two sweaters |
| Davide Cerrato | on today. But I must say that uh you know you are in I'm incredibly jealous of you because uh you you become skinnier and skinnier in your perfect shape you're gonna waste away now absolutely incredible i'm I'm totally you know ads on I know how how hard it is I'm I |
| Ben Clymer | 'm still fighting a little bit on that. So he looks good. The man looks good for sure. So what what's exc I mean, as a as a as a man of impeccable taste, if I may say, you not me, uh, what's exciting you in the world of washes outside of Brian? What brands are doing it well? What would you wear if you weren't wearing your own your own watch today? |
| Davide Cerrato | Uh, one million dollar question. Yeah, always. Um, I think there is something happening very interesting around uh you know independent brand that are coming and expressing a very specific classical uh um uh watchmaking like Francois Paul Journ has become now a total icon, a total achievement of a great career. But very interesting because he has a very unique design language and technical language, Akrivia, very good friend and and uh Rexhep Rek Chepi and and fantastic story of personal achievement. I think that you know and many other independent watchmakers that are you know really bringing a little bit of uh you know uh a refresh to new language to watchmaking and and you know to collectors uh I think is very interesting. Uh there is a very strong dynamics about about micro brands that are uh I think uh shaking up a little bit the the the market and bringing a level of uh uh creativity for a very interesting price and you're really focusing on on value that is to me you know you know how much I I I I'm uh keen about that and and and I think it's a very fresh uh breathe of air for all the market and then yeah the challenge al isways always is what's coming next you know is uh is vintage uh at the end of the cycle and will uh someone else come no way it's it's too good yeah uh and and it's too sweet and poetical to it's just the way in which you know in which you express it and and you know which will be the the focus of that I think that uh you know at the time of Black Bay we nailed completely the the rise of vintage diving watches and then there you know there has been a run uh run on on chronographs and then you know uh there has been a run on more classical watches and it's always interesting to see what's ne nextxt. I think that what we are doing at Bremont we will definitely create some uh good vibration into military uh vintage watches and and it's a very interesting uh potential area that is not yet uh completely exposed, but and is very modern. I think that really uh captures the zeitgeist of uh you know what watch lovers uh like. Uh and then you know it's always but tool watches is very interesting you know is there a tool watch of the future how how purpose how uh function how the technical content or the performance content can uh you know be pushed further. There is a very interesting area of development also in terms of uh um luminous materials with the very recent development on Super Luminova I.'ve been working a lot with Tri-Tech and they have they are now coming with a mix of Super Luminova that uh has a much stronger intensity that lasts hours instead of the few seconds that we are used to that comes in every possible color. And I'm very much attracted by that. I was I've been in love with what car do with the light signature and with the LED opportunities that came with that technology. Yeah. And I'm very much in favor of having a light signature for a watch. And you know, interesting. And and and taking over the challenge, can a watch be in the dark as sexy and compelling as it is in the light. Uh that's tough. It's super tough, but it's super interesting. And and you know, a little bit of uh the magic of the emotional uh connection that you have with a watch can definitely come from very uh recent application of uh luminous materials. So I think that is going as a long run and uh we are working already on that. The new watch is coming, we'll have a much stronger visual signature. And then, you know, is always materials, is always uh you know, surface treatment, is uh you know uh there are so many things, anti-magnetism and uh you know uh accuracy and you know um watch the movement that do not need the uh oils uh and you know to functions and there are very interesting developments there too. So I think there is a very bright future for watches overall. Yeah, |
| Ben Clymer | and I I I agree. And that there and m those things you're referring to Bremont in particular, those things can be done in your price point is what you're saying. Definitely, yes. Yeah. I think I think that that's exciting. I mean that that's the kind of stuff that you don't really think of in the sub four thousand dollar price range at all. So I think that that that's pretty amazing. I'll wrap up with the most important question of the day. Do you still own your Morgan? I do. You do? I do. In Switzerland or |
| Davide Cerrato | in the UK? In Switzerland? Uh in the UK is a little bit complicated because uh the seat is on the wrong side. And and i must say that uh one of the big challenges of moving to uh to uk has been uh learning to drive the other side that's difficult uh but very good exercise for your brain you really feel physically the other side of the brand that is taking over. Yeah. But yeah, I still own it. And you know, you know me. Uh it's also very funny because you know, now I live in in London, I live in UK, I'm learning you know British culture and and I love it. But I've always been attracted and I've always been in a way uh my my process of uh of morphing into a Brit has uh has started long time ago with tailoring, with style, with wax jacket, with fly fishing, with uh now now I I do I do clay shooting so funny with the Bamfords? Also. So funny. Beautiful. Yeah. I I love I love uh all these fantastic uh British cultural activities and you know the gentleman clubs and the uh there is a very sophisticated cultural around this uh you know quite clever way of uh spending time in a nice way. Yeah. Perhaps that's uh th there is a connection there with Italy and the Italian dolce vita. I think |
| Ben Clymer | so. I think so. Davide, thank you so much for coming by. Uh and we will see you at Watches and Wonders in a month or two. Waiting you there. See you there. |