I talked about watches with Serica Watches + test

You have to know your strengths and weaknesses. And I can't say that my knowledge of the art of watchmaking is a strength.

It's actually pretty basic. I'm not one to look under the hood to see how the mechanics work.

Yet, I am the type to rave about the aesthetics of a beautiful watch as much as I do about a beautiful car. And to express what makes one model more beautiful than another. Oh yes!

And precisely, seeing this Serica pass on Instagram, I felt a small vibration at the level of my right brain. Listening to this vibration, I contacted Jérôme Burgert , co-founder and creative director of Serica Watches.

We met in February 2020 and talked about Martinis-in-a-shaker-not-with - a- spoon , British pilots in World War I and II , proportions , consistency and Mel Gibson . 

Not necessarily in that order. But what is certain is that our discussion begins with a question. 

“So... did you see any nice things in Geneva?”

This is the question he is asked most often when he returns from the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva. And his answer is: “ Yes , I have seen beautiful things, but the beautiful things I have seen are worth €20,000 or €30,000. ” 

There, I understand that the world of watches can be frustrating. And that speaks to me: it's like when I drool over a €1950 Coherence trench coat , a Cifonelli tailor-made suit , Edward Green shoes ... When you're passionate, you feed a frustration that fades over time but never really dies. 

“The real thinking started from there. The watches that we like to wear every day are old military watches, old Omega Speedmasters , an old Sub , an old military chrono from the 60s, things that have emotion, it's beautiful, there's a design, a balance, things that make us dream in fact. Today these watches don't really exist anymore.” 

FRUSTRATION I write your name.

It is true that, as Jérôme says, today a Rolex Submariner or an Omega Speedmaster costs 5000 and 7000 euros respectively . Treating yourself to a beautiful watch is not given to everyone. 

And, between 500 and 1000 euros, which is according to him an accessible price segment for a pleasure watch , he no longer sees watches for which “the magic works” as it does for the two classics mentioned above.

Moreover, he does not take these two examples at random : “these watches were made for a certain function. The Speedmaster was created to be worn on the wrists of racing drivers. The Submariner was created to be worn on the wrists of divers. These were watches that were made to live and that had a specific function. I tell you this because it is the complete difference with watches that are created to be sold. Watches created to please a segment, to please a market.” 

It's hard not to draw a parallel with clothing. I think about the birth of the sweatshirt , the button-down collar oxford shirt , with first sneakers . I think of the military wardrobe too: cargo, fatigue pants, military jackets like M-51, M-65 . I think of the trench coat ! I Also think about work clothes : the French worker jacket, jeans , etc. 

This is a thought that has crossed the minds of all enthusiasts, regardless of the field. The things that remain are those that arise from a need. Those that arise to fulfill a function. Aesthetic choices are at first only utilitarian choices that become aesthetic by force of circumstances.

The “V” on the sweatshirt collar, modesty, appears with the aim of reinforcing the collar that American students mistreat by putting on and taking off their sweatshirts and washing them frequently. 

But there is another thing that makes an aesthetic timeless: proportions. 

“Change the length of a hand by one tenth and it changes the whole watch!” 

My turn: change the height of your pants by one centimeter and it changes the whole silhouette! Received 5 out of 5, Jérôme . Proportions are the crux of the matter. 

“These watches [editor’s note: Speedmasters , Submariners and old military watches] were crafted in proportions that made them versatile and elegant objects, outside of their primary environment. That’s why you can take an old Sub and put it with a suit .

An example that everyone knows : James Bond with his 6538 in Goldfinger … it goes down really well . You see him in Jamaica on the beach with Ursula Andress on a tropical bracelet: “ Waah ”. You see the watch worn with his white tuxedo jacket: “ Waah ”.

Today, you want to do that with a modern dive watch, it doesn't work. Because it has a 44mm case opening. " 

Two things that come to mind: 

1. First of all, wearing a watch because it's ostentatious is not classy. A watch tells you the time, it's not an indication of the size of your penis. No one is fooled.

1. Then, the size of the watch depends on the size of your wrist and your body shape.

I'll let Jérôme continue on the aesthetics and proportions: 

“When you are a brand that obeys the logic of large groups, there are certain aesthetic choices that must respond to a market logic, more than us because we come from nowhere, no one expects us, we have fun making the product we want , it is much more niche. A different approach.”

"With Serica , we have I tried to make a beautiful object that you want to wear every day. A truly beautiful mechanical watch. Because if it's not well made, if it's not quality, if it doesn't last , the ambition to make something timeless dies in the egg . 

So I have a question.

1. How is a timeless watch made? 

For Jérôme, the recipe for timelessness can be summed up in one sentence: “ The idea was not to reinvent the watch. The idea was to make something beautiful, that people want to wear .” 

The recipe for timelessness is simple. At the end of the article, Jérôme will also give us the recipe for immortality. 

I really like this idea of ​​surrounding ourselves with objects that are beautiful, that give us pleasure when we use them. It can range from mocha to serve you coffee in the morning, the chair you sit on whose wood on the skin is soft and slightly cold. Of course, it can be shoes that click nicely on the floor. And it can be a watch obviously. 

Having few objects around you but having them be of quality and beautiful is a good way to live in my opinion. 

Here we come closer to the Bauhaus artistic movement whose philosophy is “the union of beauty and reason” as Walter Gropius, the architect and founder of the eponymous school, says.

Jérôme tells us in more detail what makes a watch beautiful according to him. 

“Everything on this watch was designed and made to measure. We could have taken components off the shelf, as they say. There, there is nothing. That is to say, even the font of the numbers, I redrew it by hand. You see, it's stupid to say, but if you take an existing font that is too perfect, you won't have that warmth."

"Why were watches from that era beautiful? Why did they have a soul, in fact. Because guys drew freehand. And maybe it was this imperfection in the line, these choices, that brought a dial to life, and there, look at the 6, look at the 4. You see, I put rays everywhere, there are no really right angles. There are no broken things, there are differences in weight between the lines sometimes.

We got a bit bored, yes. We spent some time. ”

There, I think he puts his finger on what I liked right away in this watch. A certain old-fashioned charm. And I understand a little more where it comes from. 

Getting inspired is fine, but how far can we go?

2. How to get inspired without copying?

On inspiration, Jerome tells us: 

“We are all necessarily inspired by what we like, it’s logical. Tomorrow, if you have to design clothes… Well, I can see your style a little bit. If you have to come out with an outfit, you will surely be inspired by workwear , military . You will take out your sketchbooks, the Swedish army, the English army. We are all influenced by what we like.”

I don't remember exactly what I was wearing that day, but I'd bet on my chinos. French army camel and maybe a chambray shirt as a base. But I don't remember. I already do n't remember what I ate yesterday so... 

But that's not wrong, if I had to design clothes there would be some of that. Well seen. 

A pad thai! It comes back to me. That's what I ate yesterday. Hmm... let's continue.

“ If you open my watch box, what will you find ? Old divers . Old chronographs , military watches. All these watches , they are not watches that try to be beautiful . You see? They are tools.”

“Aesthetics follows function , period.”

"So indeed, the specifications that we imposed on ourselves from the start : that of having a watch that is waterproof, that is robust , that is readable , that is reliable. All that, yes, it resembles a military specification, obviously.

And the answers that these guys found to this problem of readability and watertightness are still relevant today. 

So yeah, you want readability ? What do you need? A dial with a strong white on black contrast or black on white . You need strong needles . Because they tell you information. You need clear scales.

You see, all this is not by chance. We start from the weak points of the watch to go towards the least fragile points. That is to say that this crown is screwed for waterproofness.

It is also screwed because you take a hit and the crown is dead in 2 seconds if it is not . The case band, there. It is wider than the bezel, because if you take a hit, you will first put in the case band. Which is less fragile than the bezel. The bezel is wide, it is present. It allows you to adjust the dial opening. And if you take a hit, you take the bezel and you will not kill the dial. There is a logic to all this.

It gives an aesthetic and so much the better, we all want to make a beautiful watch. But aesthetics without reason, without function, it falls flat. 

Then another problem arises. If you want a watch that has a real personality , it becomes complicated. Because in fact, you want to integrate concepts. There are certain codes, certain things that work, that I love deeply and that I want to find in my watch. I want to feel a little bit the same thing when I put this watch on my wrist. But I don't want it to be a clone of this, this or that, and that's where it becomes really complicated.

And you change, you make drawings, you make 1000 drawings, you make a prototype , two prototypes, three prototypes, you come across a box that you like a little bit. And then you realize that ultimately your shoulder strip is too thin . You thicken it . You come across a proportion at the box level that has character, that is very good.

You make a first dial , a second dial . A shape of hands, you start to like it. You put it on your wrist. Finally, it doesn't work . You don't have that elegance desired , you see yourself with a little hamburger on your wrist . So what do you do? You change the curvature of the glass. And the curvature of the glass, what does that change? It changes the perception of the dial. So you modify the elements on the dial. And then you have to redraw the hands. The length, the thing, the proportions, you know?

And all of this is really played out to the 10th of a millimeter. That's the minimum. Sometimes it's played out to less. So, it's a very fine exercise. And there's no miracle recipe, of course, otherwise, everyone would make great watches . 

I have been wearing this watch for 6 months . And it is probably one of my greatest prides. With the dreams I have in my head and in my watch box, I put this one next to it and I am not ashamed, I do not spit on it…” 

It is wiser indeed, especially in this period of COVID-19.

We're sitting at this café whose name I've forgotten for half an hour now. And then I look at the dial of the Serica I'm wearing on my wrist and, in a sort of semi-Christ-like, semi-caffeine-starts-to-take-effect revelation, I say:

3. “I notice that the dial does not mention the brand name, why?” 

Sometimes I have flashes, I can't explain it. He looks at me out of the corner of his eye and explains.

“You noticed. Which is something that is not done at all anymore. It is counterintuitive. Today, when someone notices your watch and says, " wow , your watch is beautiful." What do they do? They look for a name on the dial. What do you say? Rolex, Omega, I don't know , Panerai... ” 

There I say to myself: “Hey, that’s weird, no one has ever asked me the brand of my Louis Pion.” Anyway, we continue.

“ He hears the name of a brand that has added value for him, that positions him socially . He will be happy, that is enough for him. He will not look at the object. And that is an approach that pisses me off in fact. I tell you sincerely."

"That is to say, like in clothing, once again. The guy is no longer asking himself the right questions.

Guys do n't wonder if these pants, this jacket v a corresponds to his morphology. The guy doesn't ask himself if the watch is the right size for his wrist . How do I feel it ? Is it readable? Is it well made ? "

"We completely removed the name. If you want to know what it is, look . 

There is a second thing that is also obvious, which is that , today, when you want to create a brand from nothing , well you 're nobody . And for me, as long as a brand name doesn't does not transmit values in people's heads, well, you're shooting yourself in the foot more than anything else. You can make a great design, a great suit, a great shirt, a great watch. If you put your brand on the dial that nobody knows , well... I won't want to wear it. " 

I share this opinion. In hindsight, I am used to seeing the brand on the dial of watches. As I am used to the opposite on clothes. And I do not wear clothes with a logo. Unless I really feel close to the brand. Or the logo is very discreet. 

Well, after all, a little “ Serica ” in a nice typography wouldn’t have bothered me. But I understand the approach which seems wise and well thought out, especially when you want to build something sustainable:

“ The idea is to build a brand image slowly. I'm not saying that there will never be a brand on the dial, but I like this absence of a brand."

"With us, there is no logo, there is no text, but the frame does not look empty. So yes, the fairly central positioning of the 24-hour scale obviously helps."

"Today, there is a major flaw in many modern watches: the case is getting bigger, but at the dial level, we keep the size and we balance everything outwards."

We talked about the proportions of the watch, aesthetics in the broad sense, if we went into the case now? What can you tell us about the movement? 

“A real tractor”

Ah, I know tractors, my grandfather was a farmer. Did that do you any good? Ok, I'll let Jérôme talk then. 

“ The idea was to combine a certain emotion in the design to make you want to wear this watch and real robustness. Because you're on something waterproof, a screw-down crown, a Swiss ETA movement..." 

I interrupt him: “ETA ? The Basque terrorists there? ” He calms my ardor, no no that ’s not it. 

He told me , justifying the image of the tractor : “it is a movement that is unbreakable, easily repairable, that can be overhauled cheaply and that everyone knows how to repair. ”

That speaks to me. At that time, if I had had more knowledge on the subject, I would have asked the following question: did you not tempt to manufacture your own movement like some big brands like Rolex, Patek Philippe and others? 

The good thing about Jerome is that he answers my future questions. I took the opportunity to ask him how old I was at death to the nearest year, but he evaded the question. Here is his answer on the manufacture of the movement :

“ Everyone tried to differentiate themselves with this notion of manufacturing. Of doing everything, all by themselves, right down to the movement, manufactured in-house. Well, there’s everything and anything, it’s like all the certified origin labels, you see. It’s like a shirt made in France but only the buttons were sewn in France, it’s the same thing. 

But the problem isn't that, it's that the guys forgot that all the most beautiful watches, the vintage watches that sell for millions, almost none of them were manufactured watches.

Each component called upon a trade, a know-how with specialists behind it . You have a manufacturer of the case, the dial, the hand, the movement obviously, you have a guy who will make a balance wheel, the other who makes the spiro , you have a dial maker who will do the enamel . And all these guys will work together, hand in hand, to carry out a larger, more interesting project, which is called a watch.

You take the Omega Speedmaster , a watch that everyone knows today that went to the moon. A tool watch. Typical example. Well, not only is it a Lemania caliber that was a little reworked by Omega, the famous caliber 321. The case manufacturer was Centrale Boîte or something and he put his name inside the cases.

It wasn't the hegemony of a single brand, it was all together ."

"We all have skills, we all have professions, we do our job and we present something that is bigger than each of us taken individually."

To illustrate this, he takes the example of a film. A project for which a whole team is organized: the cameraman, the set designer, the lighting, the director, the actors, etc. A whole bunch of different professions serving a common cause. It's difficult to make a film alone. He adds:

Not everyone is Clint Eastwood, you know. Or Mel Gibson on Brave Heart . 

Personal addition: or Lenny Kravitz who released an album where he had done almost everything. Baptism , that's the title.

Ok, how much does this tractor cost? 

If you take the article at that time, do not be afraid we are talking about a watch not a tractor. That said for the purchase of a tractor I recommend Agriaffaires, leader in the purchase and sale of agricultural equipment and used tractors in France . But let's move on.

“ The watch remains accessible, possible. This watch is sold for €580 even if we go up a little more tomorrow, which will probably be necessary because there is an economic reality that makes it complicated. But it is possible. It is half the price of an iPhone. When people tell me : it's expensive. Wait, you bought your iPhone for €1200 and now for €580 you have a watch that you can keep all your life, which has a beautiful story, which is a beautiful object. ” 

I checked, an iPhone Pro Max 6.5 inches is € 1259 . Wow, that's expensive. At that price, I'll buy myself a suit at Ardentes Clipei . Arf , or else I'll put them aside for my children's studies. Wait Jordan, you don't have children. OK, Ardentes Clipei here I come again! 

To be serious, I agree with him. €580 for a watch with neat aesthetics, made with care and quality materials, a robust movement, seems fair to me . By saving a little, we can afford it. 

Serica WWW 2019 Review by a Newbie

I've been wearing this watch for seven months.

By the way, you saw it in the Panache dedicated to sneakers at 3:04. Or in the Journal d'un Confiné where I advised Denis Brogniart to buy himself a model. And from time to time in the other Panaches .

I've been wearing it for seven months now. The first thing I'd like to say about it is the aesthetic aspect.

1. The aesthetics of the Serica

I'm picky about watches. Well, I know where my likes and dislikes are. I know when a watch doesn't fit my wrist. I know when the materials look cheap. When there's something a little forced in the aesthetics.

This watch feels natural on my wrist. The case diameter is ideal for me. It shouldn't be any bigger though.

In addition, it exudes a kind of simple elegance, not pretentious. As Jérôme says in the interview, I really feel this notion of a tool watch rather than a jewelry watch. And that's a big strong point for me. It's a modest watch in short because it's not spectacular. But when you look at it, it makes an impact.

In short, I always wear it with pleasure.

The most obvious sign of this is that at no point did I say to myself: "I have to wear my Serica to do this test". Never.

And I have to say that it fits perfectly into my outfits. Whether they are casual or dressed. Although if I wear a suit I will prefer the jewel side of my automatic Lip from the 50s. Even if the Serica could fit into such a context, especially with the Bonklip bracelet of the new model (I'll talk about it later).

Scroll down for a closer look.

And there, from afar but with the beige nato strap:

2. Bracelets

Jérôme gave me several bracelets:

• one in smooth brown-camel leather
• one in smooth olive leather
• one in gray grained leather
• a beige nato

The one I wear most often is the first one, camel . It's the one I put on in the morning without thinking. It works every time as long as the shoes aren't black.

Olive is also quite versatile. Its color is subtle: it's a dark olive that's almost brown. I usually wear it when I'm incorporating green into my outfit. It's a reminder that's not too obvious.

The gray grained leather, I have never used it yet. But I have a wedding in October and I will see if it can go with my suit .

The beige nato is very casual in spirit. It has something special. I like it a lot without having worn it too much. Sometimes, I was a little lazy to change the strap, although it is very simple.

My opinion on these Joseph Bonnie bracelets

The smooth camel-brown leather has patinated nicely. It is light and comfortable to wear. It is the same model as the olive green.

At first glance I thought it looked fragile. It may be, but I don't really see any signs of weakness at the moment. It's aging but doesn't seem to be getting fragile in places of friction and stress. Which is a good point.

I wore it in a heatwave and while cycling. Maybe I shouldn't have. Sweat marks appeared quickly and don't seem to want to go away. I should have worn the nato for those times.

3. Manual winding

It's a mechanical watch. No battery. No automatic movement that powers the mechanism as you move your wrist. It's a machine that has to be started every morning or day and a half.

It's a constraint, for sure. And a few times I've been told: "Oh, your watch is broken?" No, it's just that I forgot to wind it this morning or it stopped during the day.

It won't suit everyone. Especially those who wear smartwatches, who want technology. There, time stops. Literally sometimes. But above all, you have to take your time. That moment, in the morning, you get out of the shower, in a towel, you put together your outfit. Then comes the time to choose the watch. It's the Serica. You take it, then you sit on the edge of the bed.

1. With your right hand you unscrew the crown. Hop, it jumps.
2. There, you begin winding the watch. You turn the crown and, in the quiet of the early morning, you hear this clicking sound that you produce by turning the crown. Ah! We're at the end. Above all, do not force it.
3. Tap! With your fingernail you pull on the crown. The second hand stops.
4. You set the time.
5. You press the crown. The second hand starts again.
6. You screw the crown back in.

It's a real pleasure. We don't have that kind of relationship with objects anymore. We rely too much on electronics, because that's the way objects are made now.

And when you wind the watch, I assure you that you are aware of the mechanism inside and this effort that you make pushes you to take even more care of the watch. In addition, you feel a little more connected to it. It has something extra.

In a word, I believe that we respect an object like that more because it has a certain nobility. The nobility that we attach to crafts for example.

It really does something. And even if sometimes I'm a bit lazy and in the middle of the day I motivate myself to wind it up, I still consider the fact that the watch is mechanically wound as an asset.

We'll talk about it again the next time you're in the mountains and your quartz gives out. Ha!

Small downside to add: sometimes when I wind the watch, the skin of my index finger grates a little against the very slightly angular case. It is not very pleasant but it is a detail that has little impact on the pleasure I have in activating the mechanism of the watch.

4. Other random remarks

• The weight of the watch is very reasonable although it is considered heavy. The choice of the strap is essential to not weigh down the watch too much. I still like that you feel a certain weight because it anchors the watch in the reality of your daily life.
• Part of the dial is fluorescent: the hands and markers. This is very practical when you are at the cinema for example.
• I like the succession of brushed and shiny parts which gives a more precious side than if it were all brushed.
• What makes a lot of the aesthetics of the watch, in my opinion, is this imperfect typography. The 4 and the 9 are good examples. I often say that style comes through charm and that charm is caused by imbalance. There you have it.

Conclusion

After 7 months of intensive wear, I can testify that the Serica has become my all-purpose watch. In addition, it complements my old gold Lip with a black strap. With these two watches, I am prepared for any clothing eventuality.

And then, I must admit that I enjoy wearing it and looking at it, not always just to check the time.

Of course, the big dividing point is the manual winding. But as I wrote, it has the merit of connecting the wearer and the watch more. It anchors the experience in a physical reality and I like that. I also like being able to tell myself that since it's mechanical, it won't break down and that it's solid.

I know that this manual winding will not correspond to others. But nothing serious. It seems that it takes all sorts to make a world.