Latest news with #Swatch
Business Insider
2 days ago
- General
- Business Insider
I'm a psychologist who started repairing vintage Rolex watches as a side hustle. Now watchmaking is my main gig.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Greg Petronzi of True Patina, a watchmaker specializing in vintage Rolex repairs. He is also a licensed psychologist and professor at New York University. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. I've always had a fascination with watches, starting at a young age. Around middle school, I had a Swatch with a see-through plastic case and an automatic movement. You could see all of the parts of the watch as it was working, and I always found that so interesting. In college, I pursued psychology. That was my practical career path. I got a master's and a Ph.D. Overall, it was a 12-year path to becoming a licensed psychologist. But I never lost my interest in watches. After I finished school, I got into watchmaking, which ended up becoming my main gig. Psychology became my part-time gig, which I never anticipated happening, but it's super exciting. I love both disciplines. I got into watchmaking with an informal apprenticeship Watchmaking was never really on my radar. As a grad student, I started getting involved in the world of watches and meeting other watch enthusiasts through forums and meetups. I made friends with a watchmaker out of Florida named Rik Dietel, who has 35-plus years of experience in watchmaking and specifically with vintage Rolex, which is the niche that I was very passionate about. I started asking him how to fix this or change that on my own watches. Little by little, Rik started teaching me, and it turned into an informal, remote apprenticeship. Over the next several years, while I was working as a psychologist and professor, my skillset started to really develop, and it started to become apparent to me that this might be more than just a hobby. I was working on my own stuff, then friends' watches, then friends of friends' watches. Then I started getting requests from people I didn't know. That's when I said, "I'd better take this a bit more seriously." During the pandemic, my psychology work went remote, and I was able to put more time and energy into watchmaking. I also had an income, which helped me afford the tools. I just recently spent about $15,000 on one tool to do a very nuanced repair. I built up my watchmaking workshop and started to develop a niche in cosmetic repair — dials and hands. Because I started as a watch collector, I understand the importance of preserving the originality of a watch. While a lot of more modern watchmakers have the disposition of "repair and replace," I have the disposition of "restore and retain." I started to showcase my work on Instagram and build trust in the community. I ended up working with some really important watch collectors and dealers, like Eric Wind of Wind Vintage, and auction houses like Phillips. There was a moment when I realized I'd made a name for myself in the watch world: Someone sent me an eBay listing that said, "Watch just serviced by True Patina." I had no idea who the seller was, but I thought, "Wow, my company name is actually carrying so much weight that people are using this as a flex toward selling their watch." That felt really good. Watchmaking can be challenging to get into, but it's really rewarding Watchmaking has more often than not outperformed what the Ph.D and psychology have allowed me to earn, which I'm astounded by and grateful for. If someone's interested in learning watchmaking, I'd say it's possible, but there are some challenges. The tools are expensive, and the formal education options are limited. Most people either find an apprenticeship or start by working for an established brand while slowly building up their own workshop. My pricing varies a lot based on how much restoration is needed. Repairs typically range between $1,000 and $2,000, but some go up to $6,000 or more, especially if a rare part needs to be sourced. I service watches that range in price from a few thousand dollars upward to six-figure watches. It's not uncommon for me to work on a watch that costs $200,000 and occasionally even up to $500,000. Most commonly, they are a few thousand up to $20,000. But what's most meaningful to me is working on sentimental pieces — watches that have been in families for generations. Becoming a watchmaker never crossed my mind as a kid or even as a college student. But all of a sudden, it organically became reality for me, and it's a very, very meaningful and enjoyable existence. Watchmaking is a very rewarding field. It can be very stressful, especially when the repair might not be cooperating the way you want it to, but when things do fall in line, it can be a very mindful activity. You get into this flow where time just sort of ceases. It's kind of ironic.
Hypebeast
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Swatch's "SCUBAQUA" Collection Explores the Deep Blue Sea
Summary Swatchis preparing for the summer by hitting the beach, sharing its new 'SCUBAQUA' collection inspired by the ocean's hidden vibrancy. Swatch explores the deep blue sea with five watches crafted from Bioceramic and additional bio-sourced materials stimulated by oceanic protection. Swatch's 'SCUBAQUA' collection is packed with exciting hues and textures, presenting timeless icons ideal for sun-filled adventures. The five watches arrive in black, white, blue, red, and yellow, featuring glow-in-the-dark accents, tinted clear dials, and 44mm casings. Paying tribute to diverse jellyfish species, each watch boasts a unique name to match. In case you hadn't guessed, the 'SCUBAQUA' collection is made for deep-sea exploration, allowing divers to head underwater for 10 bars of water resistance. The new Swatch collection is available in-store andonlinenow.
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Business
- South Wales Argus
JD Sports to open new store at St David's Cardiff in 2026
Other stores set to open at the centre include Swatch, which will have its only standalone store in Wales at the shopping centre. Cardiff St David's centre director Helen Morgan said: "We're pleased to announce more new names and upsized stores at St David's. "It's an exciting time for the centre as we continue to attract in-demand brands and enhance guest experience to maintain our position as a top UK retail destination." Southeast Asian restaurant Banana Tree is also set to open next month.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
From sixth tier to Swiss Cup final: Biel-Bienne ready for time of their lives
The Swiss Cup was established in 1925 and with the competition celebrating its centenary a remarkable story has emerged – a third division team has reached the final for the first time. Meet FC Biel-Bienne, who survived bankruptcy less than a decade ago, have problems competing with an ice hockey club, and whose sporting director injured himself while jumping for joy. They come from a special town too. Biel/Bienne is the biggest bilingual city in Switzerland – Biel is the German name and Bienne is the French one. Until 2005 they were used separately until it was decided to unite them, true to the spirit of the community. Advertisement Related: Lionesses to be handed record £1.7m bonus package if they win Euro 2025 The town is famous for being the watch capital of Switzerland. The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry is based there, as is the Swatch headquarters and the Rolex factory. The stadium is named the Tissot Arena, sponsored by the luxury watch brand owned by the Swatch group. It is multi-purpose and unique, combining a football stadium and an ice hockey arena. Ice hockey is more popular in the city than football, as EHC Biel-Bienne play in the top division and FC Biel-Bienne do not. Gone are the days when they were a major force, winning the title in 1947 and finishing second in 1948 and 1960. 'We were established in 1896 and are one of the oldest football clubs in the country,' says the FC Biel-Bienne president, Dietmar Faes. 'The traditions are great, and we used to have patrons from the watch industry. But things changed during the last 50 years and it became difficult to raise money and compete with a very successful ice hockey team that leads the sponsorship market in our area.' Advertisement The club went bankrupt in 2016 and very nearly disappeared from the football map. 'We started over in the sixth division, and had nothing,' the FC Biel-Bienne financial director, Mauro Ierep, says. 'No balls, no shirts, no sponsors, nothing at all. A local entrepreneur gave us €20,000 to start the season and cover initial expenses. The goal was to reach the fourth division in two years and it was achieved. Three more years were needed to get promoted to the third division 'The budget gradually increased to €1m thanks to the arrival of Core Sports Capital, whose Swiss owner, Ahmet Schaefer, is also the president of Clermont Foot in France. Nevertheless, most of the management team are volunteers, and we only have eight professional footballers. The rest are students or have other jobs and all training sessions take place in the evening so that everyone can take part.' The coach is inexperienced as well. The 35-year-old Frenchman Samir Chaibeddra worked as an assistant at a magnificently named Goal FC in his homeland, before joining Biel-Bienne in March 2023 and saving them from relegation to fourth division. He has proven himself a sound tactician and motivator and the team finished third last term. This season, returning to the second division was the main goal. At first the cup run was just an unexpected bonus. Biel-Bienne surprisingly won against second-tier Neuchâtel Xamax in round one, and then overcame a couple of minnows to reach the quarter-finals. 'We wanted to get a big game at home to have a nice boost for our finances, and got one,' the sporting director, Oliver Zesiger, says. Advertisement 'Lugano led the top division at the time. We defended deep, didn't concede many chances and scored on a counter. We were later told it was offside, but there was no VAR and the referees allowed it to stand. In injury time, Lugano sent their goalkeeper up and we made it 2-0 into the empty net.' Young Boys, the reigning champions, awaited in the semi-finals. 'They are our geographical rivals, at least as we are concerned,' says Zesiger. 'People from Biel/Bienne don't like those from Berne. We really wanted to play them and the tickets went extremely fast. 'Young Boys were clear favourites, of course. We lost 6-0 against them in a friendly in the winter. We face their reserve team in the third division twice a season. And yet, we were quietly confident that we could surprise them.' Every effort was made to prepare the players for something they had never experienced. 'We played fan chants loudly during the training sessions, so that the guys would learn how to communicate in a noisy environment,' adds Zesiger. Advertisement There was also a major novelty as VAR was installed at the Tissot Arena for the first time. That was symbolic because Biel-Bienne had an old score to settle. 'In 2019, we played against Young Boys in the first round and the referee stole the win from us,' says Faes. 'We led in injury time and he mistakenly awarded the corner from which they scored the equalising goal. That was devastating.' This year's fixture was not without controversy either. A penalty for Biel-Bienne was ruled out by VAR because the contact took place outside the area and the game ended goalless at 90 minutes. In extra time, another penalty was awarded when the Biel-Bienne striker Loïc Socka, on loan from Clermont, collided with the goalkeeper. Well, maybe. The touch was questionable, but VAR could not rule it out and chose not to intervene. Malko Sartoretti, a young striker on loan from Lausanne, stepped forward. 'Strangely, I didn't feel nervous,' he says. 'I told myself that it only could be a good outcome if I score.' It went in and Biel-Bienne managed to keep a clean sheet until Young Boys equalised with the last kick of the game. Everyone was shocked, only to be relieved when VAR disallowed the goal for handball. The celebrations were so wild that Zesiger was injured while jumping and hugging the press officer. 'I ruptured a ligament in my knee, but will go to the final nevertheless,' he says, smiling. Advertisement The following day, the team watched the other semi-final between Basel and Lausanne. Sartoretti wanted to face the club he belongs to, but the newly crowned champions Basel sealed a dramatic win, and now the amateurs of Biel-Biennemeet Xherdan Shaqiri and co in the final in Berne on Sunday. The 33-year-old veteran has been in superb form, but the underdogs are ready for the greatest day of their lives. The excitement and attention was difficult for the team to deal with and Biel-Bienne lost crucial games in the third division, missing out on a promotion. 'Mentally and physically that was too much for us,' Zesiger says. They would find themselves in the Conference League if they produce another sensational result. 'The only secret is that we have a very united group,' says the captain, Anthony de Freitas, who played for Port Vale between 2016 and 2018. 'We are courageous, and make efforts for each other. There is a lot of serenity, calmness and confidence in the dressing room. We were compact at the back against two top division rivals and there is no reason not to try and beat Basel too. 'We have shown that everything is possible, so why not this time?' says Sartoretti. Biel-Bienne fans think the same – in German and French – and their watches are ticking in unison.
Stuff.tv
4 days ago
- Business
- Stuff.tv
Omega boss teases new Swatch collab, but who's getting the MoonSwatch treatment next?
When Swatch and Omega dropped the MoonSwatch in 2022, chaos ensued. Queues snaked around city blocks. Watches sold out instantly. People flipped them online for double, sometimes triple, the retail price. And all for a $270 / £240 plastic watch inspired by the legendary Omega Speedmaster (one of the best watches around). It was, by any metric, a phenomenon – the kind of marketing moment brands dream of. Not only did it inject a bolt of fun into the luxury watch scene, but it also pulled a younger crowd into horology who might've otherwise bought a smartwatch. Two years on, and while the MoonSwatch is still popular, the hype has died down. But a new collab is coming… At an event in Biel to celebrate Omega's 60-year partnership with NASA, CEO Raynald Aeschlimann dropped a tantalising hint. During a roundtable discussion with journalists, he was asked whether any new Swatch collaborations were on the cards. 'Even today, I saw something different. A collab. Not with Omega, by the way,' he replied, according to Esquire's About Time newsletter. Cue speculation. If it's not Omega, then who is next up for a plastic makeover? Could we be on the cusp of another MoonSwatch moment? Here are a few brands that could be lining up for a shot: Breguet If we're talking anniversaries, Breguet is top of the list. The grand old brand turns 250 in 2025 and that's not just a 'cake in the office' birthday. It's also just had a leadership shake-up. Gregory Kissling, the former head of product at Omega, is now running the show. That's a serious signal that something new is coming. The Classique Souscription was recently relaunched, and a stripped-back Swatch version would bring a slice of horological heritage to people with regular salaries. Imagine getting that gorgeous single-hand design on your wrist for under $300 / £300. Maybe even a Type XX chronograph in bright colours? Sign us up. The only hitch: Breguet is very premium. Possibly too premium. It's Swatch Group's crown jewel, and they might not want to risk diluting that prestige with a plastic twin. But hey, if they do… I'll be camping outside to buy one. Blancpain Technically possible, but unlikely. Swatch already did a collab here – the Scuba Fifty Fathoms series launched in 2023 to celebrate the dive watch's 70th anniversary. It was fun, bright, and unexpectedly educational, thanks to their ocean-themed packaging and bioceramic cases. Blancpain's 290th birthday is this year, but going in for a second collab so soon feels like a stretch. Then again, we didn't expect the first one either. Still, we'll put this in the 'probably not, but never say never' pile. Glashütte Original This could be an inspired pick. Technically, the brand was formally founded in 1990, post-reunification, but its roots in German watchmaking stretch back much further. Plus, it flies under the radar compared to its Swiss siblings, and could use a bit of spotlight. A Swatch version of the Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date? That would be glorious – retro curves, bold colours, and a large date window. Or what about a simplified PanoMaticLunar? That might be a bit too fiddly to recreate with Swatch tech, but we'd love to see them try. A SeaQ diver makes more sense practically – solid, simple, and not a million miles from the Swatch Scubaqua recently launched. But it may feel a little too close to the Blancpain collab. Still, if Swatch wants to champion a lesser-known in-house gem, Glashütte Original is an excellent shout. Hamilton Now we're talking fun. Hamilton already leans into nostalgia and pop culture more than most of its Swatch Group peers, featuring in Interstellar, Oppenheimer, and Death Stranding 2 (to name a few). Swatch could riff off that with a collection of vibrant, plastic Khaki Fields. Imagine military-style dials in ice-cream colours. It would be absolutely perfect for summer. One issue: Hamilton just released its own budget-friendly Khaki Field Quartz line last year. A Swatch tie-in might undercut that or confuse the offering. But if they can find a creative way to separate the two, this feels like an easy win. MB&F Here's where things get truly wild. MB&F, the mad scientists of modern watchmaking, turn 20 this year. And while they're not part of the Swatch Group, we do know that Maximilian Büsser isn't afraid to think outside the box. They've already proven with that they can take that fantastical DNA and make it (relatively) affordable. A Swatch x MB&F collab would be bonkers – not just another watch with cool colours, but something totally unexpected. Unlikely? Sure. But if Swatch wants to flex its creative muscles, this would be the one to watch. Vacheron Constantin And now we're truly in fantasy territory. But hey, if we're dreaming, let's do it properly. Vacheron is celebrating its 150th anniversary. It's already launched a lot of stunning celebration models, including the steel 222 (which has become a bit of a cult icon lately, especially after last year's solid gold reissue). A fun, affordable Swatch version would be a dream come true. The problem? Vacheron is under Richemont, not the Swatch Group. So unless someone's planning an industry-shaking handshake, this one's staying in my dreams. Whatever's coming next, we're all watching, waiting, and wondering. If Swatch can have another MoonSwatch moment – whether with Breguet, Hamilton, MB&F, or someone completely unexpected – it'll be great for the watch world. Let us know which brand you think is most likely! Liked this? TAG Heuer launches a trio of Monaco watches for the Monaco GP, and I'm having trouble choosing a favourite
