They let me in. Not until serious Jason Bourne-looking security types had me all but stripped down to my nitty gritty, but I didn't care. After putting myself together, dressing hurriedly from the myriad plastic trays containing my clothing and important bits, the ladies finally took my picture for the neck ID. They said I looked tired. I did. I was. But I was headed for something special.





Also, I'm pretty sure if I lost the ID I would be whisked away behind some partition to be jettisoned alpine style. Loaded head-first into a greased conical dark pipe, soon thereafter erupting into the air high above the middle of lake Geneva, blindfolded. That's a heck of a fountain they got there, don't end up being shat through it. Back to the neck ID: Keep it safe, keep it visible, is what I'm saying.






Where to go first? I decided to left-hand it. This is a technique I picked up in graduate school when faced with any new downtown area. We would go up the left side, hitting all the bars we could, cross the street somewhere, and come back down still dipping left through doors in an increasingly...joyous...state.

This worked for a time, until I was drunk with haute couture offerings, and almost high on the overheated fumes of competing perfumes. Listen my dudes, this place is full of people, beautiful people, an industry awash with opinions and confidence. It was a people watchers paradise.



Mont Blanc: Waterfall? Check. Herb wall? Check. Big assed mountain with lake in front of it? Check. Classy desirable watches? Check.




IWC for the win what with an actual gleaming Spitfire in for engine service. Inside a full-on replica WWII hangar with tool-lined walls and used flight leathers. Full wet bar didn't hurt. Also, I liked the bronze watches. They got a nice warm look on them, and should patina really nicely. Man, I'll take one.

Hey look, the biggest watch ever! Banana for scale:



JLC featured actual craftsmen/women carving and etching metal mid-floor. You could even make a few shavings under supervision for yourself! Made me appreciate some of what goes into these things. These are cool people.

In closing I'd like to say this industry is full of knowledgeable and passionate people. It might be frustrating for some of us to see watches we hate emerge, but just know that it'll all be ok. Things work themselves out. Vote with your hard earned money. It's worth caring.

Or it's going to hell. I mean after all, they let me in.

 

Cool perspective Can you share impressions of other booths? Tell your thoughts on Hermes

 

I had to google Greubel Forsey.

 

Thanks for taking the time to write up this report!

 

@trama You've got a lot of talent as a writer. Maybe you are? Anyway, reading your report I felt in the middle of it all!

 

Thanks! Just got my film processed, added some shots

 

Indeed. I felt if I had lingered even a moment too long in that space I would receive the Alpine Exit!

 

Is that IWC really as large as a banana?

 

Oh my yes. At this price point, IWC is best in class, keeping you at the cutting edge of bananas. In fact, it comes with the exact amount of bananas from this exact farm as seen here! Incredible modern technology molded by strong heritage:
https://imgur.com/j61e9UD