Independent Jewellers

2 I N DE PE N DE N T J E W E LL E R S WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 Congratulations to Independent Jewellers on the new store and for providing 80 years of service to our community! © Deloitte LLP and affiliated entities. www.deloitte.ca BY TODD LEWYS Back in the summer of 1916, The New York Times reported on a rather puzzling fashion trend. According to the article, Europeans were – gasp – wearing bracelets with clocks on them. With that notice, the wristwatch was born – or so it seemed. However, you wouldn't have known it at the time. Up to that point, the bracelet watches had been considered a joke by Americans – so much so that they were written off as a fad. Technological advances associated with the First World War (i.e. the telephone and signal service) subsequently cemented the place of the wristwatch in both Europe and North America. Turned out, old-fashioned pocket watches didn't work well in the field, whereas wristwatches enabled soldiers to get an accurate time reading by glancing quickly at their wrist. Further advances to the early wristwatch – shatter-proof glass faces and radium displays that enabled soldiers to tell time at night – further cemented its superiority over the pocket watch. With that, the wristwatch was in, and the pocket watch was out. Over a century later, the wristwatch – in a wide variety of forms and styles – is still going strong. "I think the public's awareness of watches is higher now that it's ever been," says Jeremy Epp of Independent Jewellers, who along with his brother Jonathan Klippenstein-Epp runs the Winnipeg institution. "A good example of that awareness is a watch show we attend every year in Switzerland in mid-March. Typically, 25 or more watches will be pre-sold before we even see them. There are so many different types and styles to choose from these days." And how. No longer is the wristwatch landscape dominated by names such as Timex, Cardinal and Seiko. There's now a raft of niche watchmakers who co- exist in perfect harmony with high-tech names such as Apple, Samsung and Fitbit. "The industry has changed substantially," Epp says. "Today, a variety of different companies are making all kinds of cool watches. Because people are accustomed to wearing wristwatches, smart watches have also become a factor in watch sales. Watches never went out of style – they just evolved. Now there's literally a watch for everyone. You can get a cool watch from $50 to $100, up into the thousands of dollars." Which means that techies have their digital watches and their more technologically- advanced brethren, smart watches. Meanwhile, those who want to make a fashion statement can choose from a raft of beautifully- crafted luxury wristwatches. "To some people, watches are art," Epp says. "Take guys. For many, the only piece of jewelry they wear outside of their wedding ring is a watch. As a result, they want to wear something distinctive." These days, less is more in the rapidly-growing luxury watch category. "Growth in that market category has been tremendous in the last five years," Epp adds. "There are now a good number of smaller watchmakers that are producing simple, well- made – and beautiful – watches." One of those smaller watch makers is Germany- based Nomos. "Much like other Swiss and German-produced wristwatches, their watches are elegant and just beautiful," Epp says. "They actually make their own movements; they're just a wonderful product. The simplicity of their designs is what makes their watches so captivating." At the same time, other watchmakers – such as world- renowned Bulova – have also come out with some amazing products. "They have a line of old- style vintage watches that sell for about $250 each. They've recognized that vintage, retro style is in – watches that are slim and that feature minimalist styling and faded patinas. Those watches offer great style at a very reasonable price." There's also another trend asserting itself when it comes to wristwatches these days: used watches. "They're big," Epp says. "We now actually value used wristwatches. Rolex is particularly big for their vintage watches. We have people coming in here and trading their old watch on a brand-new watch. Then, others will come in and buy the trade-ins because of their vintage appeal." Why have analog watches remained relevant in such a high-tech digital-driven world? "I think we still have an attachment to the past and old-fashioned quality, which is something that we associate with wristwatches," he says. "People admire the craftsmanship that goes into them, and the legacy that they leave. It's a one- of-a-kind purchase that you can carry with you through your lifetime – a beautifully-crafted, striking timepiece that faithfully tells the time and gives people a glimpse of who you are." ❚ Watchmakers keeping up with the times

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