MEMORIES BETWEEN RESENTMENT AND DENIAL

You do your best to change the subject, but the dreaded C word keeps intruding on the weather, sports or other people’s health. You can’t get away from The Crisis – especially not in the watch industry.

There’s no point in going into denial. Since everyone is affected in some way, dodging the issue makes you look suspect, while any optimistic statements about yourself are unlikely to be taken seriously. Those who can’t bring themselves to pronounce the word “crisis” tend to describe the situation as “difficult.”

In the watchmaking Jura, soothing talk is no longer in vogue. The brands that claimed to be spared because of their superior positioning or distinctive niche didn’t fool people for long. Within this tight-knit network of clients and suppliers, everything quickly becomes common knowledge – right down to the exact volume of the component orders that have been written off.

When the routine “how are you doing?” elicits a resounding “pretty bad!”, you are immediately plunged into crisis mode. On the phone, in offices and workshops, straight talk has replaced the usual platitudes. And that’s all to the good, for it shows that real areas of concern are at last being dealt with.

One senses the resentment. The one-time “partners” of the brands who supplied the ideas, components or ready-made calibres can’t help feeling duped. “Loyalty isn’t what it used to be” covers a multitude of grievances.

Nevertheless, rare and thus all the more appreciated gestures of solidarity are still exchanged between brands and suppliers. This mutual help is worth noting. Between the resentment and the denial, let’s be sure to leave room for the memories.

There’ll be time for memories later. Now the issue is getting on with the job of moving beyond the crisis. The hope is that it will at least clear out the deadwood, sweep away the smoke and mirrors and end the scandalous practice of launching excessively priced models that will never work.

Such exceptions have of course never been the rule, but market-boom euphoria did lead to aberrations that must be corrected. Certain brands had shown their contempt for customers by flinging them watches that boomeranged immediately to overburdened after-sales service departments. “It won’t happen again…” they all promise, but the customers they have to win back might now want more than promises.