Finding Life
Panerai has collaborated with the Italian Navy since the early 1900s, offering equipment such as naval sights before moving on to timepieces. Throughout the century, Panerai has stood alongside many of the world’s pioneers in their respective fields. One such person is Mike Horn, an extreme adventurer and ambassador of the brand.
Where one’s idea of challenging themself could be participating in a half-marathon, Horn’s version would be skiing to the North Pole unsupported. He has embarked on similar adventures across all terrains and climates, like when he cruised down the Amazon River or circumnavigated the globe without motorised assistance. During his adventures, life-or-death consequences loom over his every decision. And, get this, he even saved his own life with a watch once.
Horn returns from each trip enriched with a new set of answers that he sought. What answers is he looking for? We chat with him to find out.
Let us start with the most pressing question. You used a watch to save your life?
I was climbing in the mountains, and I didn’t pack enough pitons (steel pegs that anchor climbers to the rock face). So I took off my watch, crammed it into a crack, and put the rope around it. Through this, I was able to abseil down the rock face. I did return to the same place sometime later to retrieve the watch, but I couldn’t find it. That was the Luminor North Pole GMT watch that Panerai made specifically for me.
Speaking of custom watches, what exactly are your requirements for an expedition watch?
Those differ from time to time. I will take the North Pole expedition as an example. In such cold weather, metal contracts, and they do so at varying rates. So firstly, the watch components have to be unified. Next, the lubrication within the movement needs to be able to withstand these temperatures. Otherwise, the components will stop moving. It’s not like I can wear those fancy GPS watches either, because the liquid in the crystal displays will freeze in that cold. I also need a bigger dial and Luminor to increase legibility during the winter months when there is no light.
Your adventures are rather extreme. What answers are you seeking on these trips, exactly?
It’s to see if I will fully engage. In these conditions, one mistake could cost me my life. That brings me to a different level of engagement, of being fully present. Every time I head out for an expedition, I never truly know all the answers, like whether I’ll make it back. But it’s on these trips that they will occur to me.
Can normal people find the answers to their lives without going on dangerous expeditions?
Yes, as long as you’re doing what you choose to. If you do things that stray from your purpose, you’ll not find your answers. And despite your pursuit, even the ones you enjoy, you’ll eventually come across tasks you hate doing. If you operate from purpose, and you have the discipline to follow through, you’ll find your answers, no matter what you choose to do.
Do you have advice for those wishing to be the inspirer instead of of the inspired?
We imprison ourselves wanting to be like others, instead of being ourselves and being free. You are who you are, and what you can do might be different from what I can do, but we all have value to add.
Rising Again
Zenith’s role in horological history is nothing short of fascinating, with the brand going through extreme ups and downs throughout its lifetime. Some of its better-known lore revolves around the Quartz Crisis, when it almost eradicated part of its illustrious capabilities due to the management’s decision to pursue quartz production. If not for Charles Vermot, an employee who defiantly hid watch blueprints and equipment in the company’s attic, that would very well have been the case. What we have seen instead is a resurgence, with Zenith being able to make a comeback, thanks to those hidden blueprints and equipment.
The brand has much more to be reveal, given its 160 years of history. That is what Laurence Bodenmann, Zenith’s Head of Heritage, is doing today. She has many skill sets to tap from — anthropologist, historian, lecturer — and she shares how the best sources of history may not be in the books, but right before our noses.
What do you do as the head of heritage for Zenith?
The scope is broad, but the anthropologist and historian in me always wants to understand how people interact, what they’re doing and why they do it. The best way to do that is to go into the field, and in this case, it’s the company. The archives alone are vast — the building that houses them spans more than one kilometre across — but there are so many other places to investigate to truly uncover the company’s long history.
Do you do this specifically for branding?
Not really, because heritage is not part of marketing. I wanted it to be research-led from the beginning, to provide information to empower anyone interested. It’s not just for the enthusiasts who want to know why the brand is so special, but also for the different company departments who want to see the bigger picture. This can range from the legal department wanting to know about our trademarks to the production team wanting to know why some movements are built a certain way.
How are you archiving everything?
We now record digitally, but ideally, we will also print them for redundancy. The thing is, archives alone are not enough, and a proper record goes beyond the black-and-white. Another key part consists of the actual items themselves. Currently, we have over 5,000 timepieces on hand, which significantly aids my work because reading a description is one thing, studying the actual timepiece is another. Then you have the people who fill in any other gaps left in the records, and who are able to retain and impart knowledge. To recap, we have the archives, objects, people and buildings.
Buildings?
Yes, buildings actually allow you to travel back in time in a sense.
The way they’re built can show you the workflow of that era, like how closely each department was located to another. You can see how the light penetrated the building and deduce where certain specialists were seated. Even the ventilation and heating tell a story. Our 160-year-old buildings have answered many of my questions, and they will continue doing so for future historians.
That is interesting, just like your career. Any advice for anyone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Regardless of their field, I encourage them to take time to understand the subject from all angles. For instance, my background in horology has helped immensely during my time here, even in a historian’s capacity. So, for example, if a young hopeful is interested in clothes, they would do well to create a piece of their own, to understand different fabrics, and to learn the physical boundaries of sewing techniques. It’s much easier to do what I do with mechanical knowledge, because knowing the mechanical side will help you better appreciate the human side of what was done.
A New Direction
H.Moser & Cie. stands on a confluence between heritage and innovation. It is an interesting place to be, seeing how watch brands tend to be either heritage-based or extremely daring. H. Moser & Cie has a foot in both, and as a result, the world gets to enjoy some of the most interesting watches to ever bear the term ‘Swiss Made’.
Under the new stewardship of the Meylan family, however, the brand has pushed the envelope further. One example is removing ‘Swiss Made’ from its watches, deciding to showcase its savoir-faire through its craftsmanship instead. Bertrand Meylan, co-owner of the company, tells us why sometimes it is not enough to be liked.
Where does this younger audience stand in relation to your brand?
The younger crowd is our crowd. When we started, our audience was similar to us — younger. Those clients have grown with us, but we still have the same spirit as before, which may draw in today’s younger generation. It’s not done on purpose. Because in the end, we just want to make watches that we like, regardless of our target demographic.
What does ‘renewal’ mean to you, especially after taking over a 200-year-old company?
We need to constantly renew ourselves. We cannot sit on past successes, because that’s the surest way to fail. People may say, “That is not how H. Moser & Cie. would have done it in the 19th century,” but that’s the wrong way to think. We cannot do exactly what we were doing 200 years ago, or else we would still be making pocket watches and not revolutionise anything.
Your watches seem to be polarising. Why not choose the middle ground and be liked by more people?
We like to polarise. Many serious watch collectors appreciate what we do, even though some of our products may not resonate with them. I don’t necessarily like it when a vast majority of customers say they like our watches, because merely liking them does not necessarily mean they will be motivated enough to own one. I prefer creating a product that moves people, one that generates strong emotions. But with that also comes the possibility of being disliked.
How do you strike the balance between being polarising and remaining marketable?
You never know. That is what happens when you take risks. When we launched our connected watch, we didn’t know if it would be criticised or accepted. Where exactly do we draw the line? Maybe we have already crossed it. But as long as an action is relevant to the brand, we’ll move ahead and reiterate along the way. We are not afraid of making mistakes.
As much as you innovate, you also strongly upload the traditions of the term ‘Swiss Made”.
Yes, because if no one upholds stringent standards, the term will start to lose its significance. It almost feels like we were fated to champion this cause — we were born in the heart of Swiss watchmaking, all our friends and families belong in the industry, and we love everything about it. So it’s the role of H. Moser & Cie. to ensure that we preserve this rich heritage and savoir-faire.
It must not have been an easy journey. How did you nurture your self-belief?
I’ve always been a positive person. As an entrepreneur, you need a certain belief that others do not have to reach for a goal no one else can see. I used to stress out over all my problems, but over time, I learnt that we would always overcome any obstacle thrown our way. And if we found the solution once, there’s no reason why we cannot find a solution again. Stressing about problems does not solve anything. Working on them does.
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