Mailing of the April edition of WatchPro magazine has been a little less reliable than usual, but copies are on their way.
If you cannot wait, the digital edition is available now, and it is packed with insight on how the Coronavirus pandemic is affecting the watch industry along with advice on how to stay safe and sane during the lock down and the best way to use social media and ecommerce to keep some sales coming in.
Our cover story this month is about Mondaine, the historic Swiss watchmaker famous for adopting the design of station clocks from country’s always-on-time railway.
Mondaine is like Rolex of Porsche; it sticks to a winning formula and evolves it gracefully over time. Few brands have such instant recognition on the wrist.
Mondaine’s Classic collection is using pastel colours for its interchangeable straps, and soft grey markers on the iconic white dial. They are the sort of splash of colour we need as we look forward to a summer outdoors again. They are also sustainable, with straps made from recycled plastic bottles.
You can always download the current edition of WatchPro by clicking on the cover on the right of the website page, or scroll down on a smartphone.
Also in the April edition of WatchPro, we have an interview with Chrono24 CEO Tim Stracke, who has global data at his fingertips tracking browsing habits and transactions. He describes how the emergence of Coronavirus in China, the subsequent lock down of the economy and tentative steps towards reopening have affected the way people behave online, with a sharp decline in the early days and weeks followed by a leveling-off and then recovery.
And we hear from Julien Tornare, chief executive of Zenith, about how the business is managing through the pandemic and what he is doing to support his staff and the wider network of retail partners. It is a glimpse into the boardroom of an LVMH watch brand that is putting public health ahead of profits this year.
