I’ve always had a thing for watches and when recently asked to pinpoint the exact moment that I developed an interest, I realised that not only was it much earlier than I had first thought, it also had nothing to do with watches.
It was in fact during those post-Christmas- and-birthday moments as a kid when toys had begun to lose their appeal and the only thing left to do was to take them apart and find out how they worked. While it was never watches that faced destruction – and reconstruction – at the hands of my curiosity, this early fascination with the inner workings of my playthings led on quite naturally to an interest in timepieces, the playthings of big boys.
With this inclination already in my subconscious, it was probably no coincidence that I found myself being asked to write about all manner of mechanical Swiss exotica for London’s well-heeled watch-buying public in my previous role at a consumer magazine publisher.
The more time I’ve spent sifting through extraordinary timepieces, the more interesting I’ve found the inner workings of the industry itself, and nowhere is that industry more interesting at the moment than here in the UK. There’s a vibrancy and sense of belief that anything is possible that has led to some innovative, exciting and distinctly British brand launches.
Former editor Kate Doherty, who left the magazine just before Christmas, and the team at WatchPro have done a great job of reporting on this very exciting time for watches and it is a tradition that I will be delighted to uphold as I take the reins as the new editor of WatchPro.
As we move forward into what I’m sure will be another exciting chapter for the watch business in 2014, I look forward to the prospect of getting better acquainted with the people who make the industry what it is.
Get in touch with James Buttery at james.buttery@itppromedia.com and follow him on Twitter at @jamesbutterywp
