SPEAKER_00 0:13

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Men's Wear Style Podcast with me, your host, Pete Brooker. This week, or this month, we're going to be focusing in on Movember and speaking exclusively to Rolf Studer, the CEO of Swiss watch manufacturers Oris. He'll be giving me the lowdown on the 2018 Movember Edition watch and how he hopes to raise 75 grand for the Movember cause. Also, what's happening with Basel World with the likes of SwatchCo pulling out, etc. So stay tuned for that fascinating interview. Beck Lodes, editor at large for Menswear Style, is also on hand to give us some extra Movember news and what other brands are doing to champion the cause. So all that to come, but first make sure you're checking out all the interviews and trending topics over at menswearstyle.co.uk. We host regular competitions and keep you up to date with everything that's going on in the world of men's fashion and lifestyle. You can also follow us on the social at menswear style on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. And if you'd like to get in touch with the show, lastly, if you'd like to get in touch with the show or become a guest on the podcast, then simply write to us at info at menswearstyle.co.uk, okay. Here is our interview with the CEO of Oris Watches, Rolf Studer. I'd like to welcome to the podcast, Rolf Studer, CEO of Oris Watches. How are you doing today, Rolf? I'm good, Peter. How are you? Nice to talk to you. Nice to talk to you. Um, so Rolf, just we're we're gonna be centering on uh a Movember campaign here. And how has Oris got involved with Movember?

SPEAKER_02 1:49

Well, the story of Movember really is impressive, right? It's uh it's about men's health, and we both know our our partners know even better that we should eat better, that we should move more, that we should get more exercise, that we just should uh lead a healthier lifestyle, right? And um we know it, but we don't do it. And Movember has managed to um bring awareness to the to this theme in um yeah, a fun, uh positive, constructive way. And that's really great, and that's something we are happy to support. And uh yeah, we've been doing that uh uh for two years now, and we are very happy to be a partner of Movember.

SPEAKER_00 2:40

So last year you introduced uh a specific Oris Movember Edition watch and raised, I believe, something in the region of 45,000 francs through that campaign. Uh how are we doing things differently this year?

SPEAKER_02 2:56

Well, um what we want to do is not just pay money to the organization, but we want to get the leverage through our community, through the Oris um community. We want people to go out and spread the message and become Movember ambassadors themselves and raise awareness for the topic amongst their friends. That's basically the idea, which is somewhat different from a normal campaign, right? But um we think it's uh very congruent with what the Oris brand stands for, which is a lot of common sense, you know, of um people that take responsibility, that act themselves, right? From a philosophical point of view, we are a brand for the citoyen, right? For the product of the age of enlightenment, somebody who is not um under somebody's guise, but who takes his life in his own hands. And that's uh exactly what Movember is about. You know, that's that's a good cause of um looking after yourself. Uh you know, it's a fact that men die six years earlier than women, right? It's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 4:16

I know, I know. I tell this, let me tell you something, Ralph. I tell this to the waiters at every restaurant that I go to with my girlfriend. So when the waiters come to the table and they come come round with a big, huge black pepper and they offer it to my girlfriend and I, he always goes to my girlfriend and puts the black pepper on her dish first. And I always turn to him and go, Well, look, let me tell you something, pal. There's a good strong chance I'll be paying for this meal. And also, my girlfriend's gonna be around for another six years after I'm gone. She's gonna be driving my cars and you know, making her way through my best friends, etc. So, how about giving me some of the black pepper first, you know? And plus, you're a male. So uh it's true, it's it's it's to your point, it's not really spoken about or or highlighted enough, I think. Um, and so how can people get involved with this Oris campaign? What can what can the average layman do to get involved?

SPEAKER_02 5:11

Well, of course, you can buy the watch and we'll um support um Movember this way. It's it's a beautiful um limited edition um big crown, but that's only one part of the whole deal. What we want people to do is to become part of the Movember movement, to join us on Movember.com, to join the Oris Movember crew, that's our team name, um, on Movember, and uh to spread the word and do something. Do something themselves, um, get active and and motivate their friends, their colleagues to change their lives, to be active and uh to look after themselves.

SPEAKER_00 5:59

And can we just talk about the watch a little bit? So uh how is the watch different this year? Is it a different addition to the one that was released in 2017?

SPEAKER_02 6:08

Yeah, um this year it is a big crown, based on a big crown. Um last year it was based on a diverse 65, but um there are the same um design codes that we already used last year, which is a black dial, um these golden, somewhat vintagey elements, the moustache that that we have on the strap. So there's a f a strong connection to um the divers 65 Movember edition. Um but now in a big crown, of course, has a different look, and I think it's it's it's a gorgeous watch.

SPEAKER_00 6:48

It is, and it looks fantastic. And how long does it take to get something like this together? So you've obviously got November coming up, and then do you start planning in March, April? How long does it take to put something like this together?

SPEAKER_02 7:00

Yeah, it takes about a year, you know, to get everything right and uh to get the watch right, it does take some time. Um if we use a model that's already existing and and make um a special edition on the base of that, then normally it's about a year.

SPEAKER_00 7:20

About a year, wow. So a lot of serious work that goes into this. And just switching gears slightly, I was gonna ask you how long it takes to get involved with Basel World. So when Basel World comes around the corner, I think it's March 2019, are you already in preparation phase now for that?

SPEAKER_02 7:38

Yeah, as you know, there has been some turmoil with Basel World with the Exit of Watch Group and some other brands. So uh yeah, we are discussing with them at the moment how that show will look in 2019. Um, it's very interesting times. Uh also there, you know, just after Basel, we start with um changes that we want to implement next year, but um it's really now October, November time that we start with the preparations for that fair in March.

SPEAKER_00 8:15

Interesting. And so, how important is it for Oris to be with Basel World? And now maybe you can answer this off the record, Rolf, or maybe not answer it at all. But is it is it something that you get involved with with the idea of just maybe breaking even and just say, look, we're gonna be involved, have our name there, it's gonna be great advertising, or is the idea to get involved and profit from something like this?

SPEAKER_02 8:43

Um, of course. When you go to such an event and when you pay a lot of money, you want to profit, right? The question is, what is the profit? Um, the watch industry is heading towards its best year in history. Nevertheless, uh Balsa World is in trouble, right? So it doesn't quite match up. Um never have there been more consumers interested in uh mechanical watches. You know, just think a decade ago, there was um, or maybe 15 years ago, there was a few special interest magazines, right? With I don't know, two three hundred thousand readers uh around the world. Now we have social media, now we have um all these blogs, all these websites. There's millions of people being interested in uh mechanical watches. So uh the brands do well, the consumers um are more interested than ever, but the change the the way from the brand to the consumer has changed, right? And fairs these days need to reflect that, and if they do, I believe um there's a great future for such events. As great as social media are at some points, you want to interact with the brand and its products directly physically, and there is uh there's no better way um to do so than at the fair, and Basel World now must um adopt these changes, and then the return on investment will be there again. But uh yeah, there has some homework to be done now in the near future.

SPEAKER_00 10:30

Well, we'll look forward to seeing what transpires out of that. Is do you think the the switch and the kind of the interest that has now there's been a huge sea change over the last 10 years, like you say, going back to mechanical watches, is perhaps the high watermark of smartwatches has almost reached that peak and now kind of tapered off? You know, it you know I wouldn't I don't want to say it was a fad because obviously it's still massively popular, but everyone thought that the mechanical watches and the chronographs were in huge trouble when this technology came out, and brands like yourself just stood fast and just said, Hold on, everyone just hang on, don't don't panic. So do you think like this uh renaissance, as it were, of mechanical watches is due to that plateau of interest in smartwatches?

SPEAKER_02 11:14

Uh actually, no, though I really don't think so. Um I think a smartwatch is a great thing. The actual danger to our industry would be if people wouldn't wear something at on their wrists at all, right? If somebody um starts off with a smartwatch or an electronic watch, at some point he will want to have a proper mechanical watch, right? Um as much as you grow up in sneakers, but at some point you want to have a benchmade um leather shoe. But to force somebody into um a leather shoe from um having spent um years walking around naked or barefoot, uh, more than naked, um that's going to be difficult, right? And the mechanical watch, what it really is, it's an emotional object in these times that are um digitized to such an extreme level, you know, we need to have objects we can connect with, right? And at the end, a mechanical watch, all it needs to do is to make you smile, right? You don't you don't really need it to show um the time anymore, right? But you want to look at your watch and uh yeah, it should it should give you pleasure, should put a smile on your face, and and that's that's what it needs to do. And I'm glad that yeah, more and more um people, more and more men appreciate uh the fine watchmaking of Switzerland and see the quality behind that product that you will not throw away like your cell phone or like your um smartwatch, but that will stay with you and at some point uh maybe even be worn by your kids. I wear um watches that my father wore when I was um a little kid, and I remember him wearing when I was six, seven years old, you know.

SPEAKER_00 13:14

That's wonderful. Yeah, there's a certain romance attached to Oris. I know um when I went to Basel World uh as an invitation from you guys, I think it was 2016, uh I told my mum where I was going and who I was going with, and she went to the closet and brought herself out a very old antiquated Oris watch. Um the name resonated with her, so she's obviously heard of you guys, but it is, it's it it's things, it's a timepiece that people hold on to. Uh Rolf, slightly embarrassingly, I do own a 65 divers watch, but because I'm in the froze of moving, I've got them all in boxes behind me. So I couldn't actually bring it out to uh to the interview, but um believe me it's treasured and and and to here somewhere, I I hope. Um Rolf, just lastly, I I wanted to ask you and tangentially, the bear. The Swiss bear is the the logo for for Oris, I presume, and we saw it outside Bond Street, the pop-up street there. And but there's no bears, right? Not many going around in Switzerland, unless they're they're in Bern in the bear pit, is that right?

SPEAKER_02 14:19

Uh yes, that's somewhat right. The Oris Bear has become somewhat of a mascot to Oris. And I think everybody loves it, really, you know, and uh I think it shows very well what Oris is about, right? We are not a brand for people who are interested to wear the same thing as some celebrity does. We are a brand for people who buy things because they like them, right? And what the bear is, the bear is a perfect perfect canvas for any kind of emotion, right? Why should you use an actor to dress up like I don't know whom when you as well can use a bear, right? And um you simply cannot not like a teddy bear if you do as you you know you need you need uh treatment, right? Right, yeah. And um to me it's really also the bear puts a smile on my face whenever I look at him, and and yeah, why use Formula One driver when you can have um a teddy bear in a race suit?

SPEAKER_00 15:36

Yeah, absolutely. And and speaking of Formula One, so you're still obviously attached to the Williams team, I believe. And uh and how is that gonna pan out for the next season?

SPEAKER_02 15:46

Well, we will see what will happen there. I didn't have um such a great season this year, which is a bit unfortunate. We have been partnering with Williams for 14 years now, so we have seen the great times and the not so good times. I know they are in the planning of the next season now, so let's hope it'll be a little bit better.

SPEAKER_00 16:08

Okay, alright. News to come. Brilliant. Thanks, Rolf. Um, thanks for your time. And again, the the Movember watch is available to buy. I believe it's eighteen hundred Swiss francs, and you can hashtag go your own way if you want to be part of the campaign. But we'll be leaving all the notes and the pictures over on the website, which is menswearstyle.co.uk. Excellent. Thanks, Rolf. Thanks, Peter. Take care of yourself. Thanks. Bye-bye. Rolf Studida there. Thanks, Rolf. I don't know if I gave out the website in the interview, but it's www.oris.ch. That's where you go if you want to be shopping for some beautiful, luxurious mechanical watches. Okay, now we're gonna have a chat with Editor at large for menswear style, Beckloads. Okay, now it's time to talk to Beckloads. Editor at large for menswear and style, how are you doing today, Bex?

SPEAKER_01 16:58

I'm good, thanks, Pete. How are you?

SPEAKER_00 17:00

Well, some real good. So just got off the phone to Rolf, CEO of Oris. You went for a dinner though, right?

SPEAKER_01 17:06

I did, yeah, really nice. Um, so it was a couple of weeks ago now, um, and um for a really obviously the really good cause for Nov November, and um they've created a special edition, it's the second year that they're doing it, it's a special edition watch for November. Um, and it was a really, really nice dinner um at carousel in London.

SPEAKER_00 17:27

Oh, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:28

Um it was it was really nice to chat. They sat down and there was um a panel discussion um with the CEO and a forester, a barber, and a doctor. And um it was sort of curated by Jasmine Hemsley, did the menu as well, and um yeah, it was a really nice evening, really good.

SPEAKER_00 17:49

Awesome. And so did you ask them any questions?

SPEAKER_01 17:54

I didn't put my hand up actually. There were a couple of questions thrown around, um, but it was really it was a really nice panel to have sort of you know four different people tour or five actually talking about um the whole situation about men talking about mental health as well as physical health, um, and you know what to do and how to deal with it and things like that. So it was a really, really good cause, really good nick good evening.

SPEAKER_00 18:23

Awesome. I had uh I this is my one of my biggest fears in life, Bex, is when we turn up to these events and sometimes they the presentation is so good, and the people that are talking and the people that introduce the panel are so thorough that they get to answer pretty much all of the questions that I have on my list going in. And I've actually been and I've got a YouTube clip of it somewhere, I think I might even try and splice it into this podcast here, of when Pierre Lagrange was doing like a f a garage sale of all of his stuff down at Sutherbees, and the talk and the presentation, the introduction went on for so long that by the end of it, by when they opened up the questions to the floor, they go, Right, anyone got any questions? Anyone?

SPEAKER_01 19:08

Oh no, no one's anything.

SPEAKER_00 19:10

Anyone and it just and he just kept on going. I was like, I'm just saying Christman, stop talking. So yeah, not having any questions lined up or having all of the questions already answered is just a big pet thief.

SPEAKER_01 19:22

Yeah. Actually, probably all of mine were answered in my head, but there were a couple of people who asked a few things, so it wasn't too awkward at the end.

SPEAKER_00 19:29

Okay, good news, good news. So let's talk a little bit about Movember and the background. I've got an article here in front of me that we want to mention a couple of other brands as well that have got involved with Movember that have chimed in. And there's an article that we should defer to is AListDaily.com. And every year they put a nice little list call together of all the brands, and you can find that at alistdaily.com. Um I'll just read off the opening paragraph of abatum because I think it crystallizes what Movember is all about. It's Movember Events uh enters its eleventh year in 2018, partnering with brands and inviting the public to grow a moustache in the name of men's health. Brands participate through donations, fundraisers, events, and some even change their logos so brand icons can support a sweet stash. The annual tradition of growing moustache raise awareness and funds for men's health issues like cancer and mental health. Each year, a select group of brand partners in Movember by launching a cause marketing campaign. Corporate brand partners fit naturally with Movember when they already cater to men or promote a healthy lifestyle. Here's how brands are participating in Movember 2018. So there's a couple of brands on here. Now, Bex, which one's your favourite?

SPEAKER_01 20:43

Well, I have to say, I know it's not really anything to do with fashion, but um, it's the green giant, the jolly green giant is sporting a mustache from November, which I think is great.

SPEAKER_00 20:54

Okay, and it's a four foot long moustache.

SPEAKER_01 20:57

Yeah, it's pretty impressive.

SPEAKER_00 20:58

And that would take an average man eight years to grow, apparently. Apparently so. Yeah. I mean, is this the same Jolly Green Giant that you see on the front cover of Garden Peas, or is that something completely?

SPEAKER_01 21:10

Yeah, I think so. Yeah, I'd like sweet corn.

SPEAKER_00 21:13

Oh, sweet corn, isn't it? Yeah, yeah, that's right. Nice. Well, so there's Fossil as well, have created an exclusive watch called the Fossil Computer. Actually, fuck, you know what? I'm not gonna mention Fossil because it's a competing watch brand, isn't it? Hold on, sorry, I'll edit that bit out. Um so amongst the other brands, there is Joseph A Bank. In addition to a donation of a hundred thousand bucks at the Movember Foundation, Joseph A Bank will reward anyone who signs up at Movember.com with fifty percent off any regular price suit, sport coat or dress shirt purchase, including custom. By partnering with the Movember Foundation, we want to raise awareness and encouragement to live healthier, longer lives, said the company in a statement. So it's actually quite um It I've really only just got into the weeds with Movember this year. I know it's been going on a while, but it's actually a good way for brands to come in and collaborate with the charity, but also bring awareness to their own brand, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 22:14

Definitely. I think so many well, obviously, I mean it's always still a difficult topic, but you know, people are more aware about mental health and things like that. And it is, you know, more people are talking about it, and I think it is a great way for brands to collaborate on things like this because you know it's a fun thing for guys to do as well, and influencers are getting involved as well with either growing a moustache, but you can also have a shave down as they call it and get rid of one as well. Um, so they're getting involved, but yeah, it's nice to see you know unknown sort of well not unknown but not so popular brands you know, really trying to help and do something for a good cause. So yeah, it's a nice thing, it's really nice.

SPEAKER_00 22:56

I know um on loose women, the women are getting involved as well, uh which I think is great. So I think they tried to get Fanuary off the ground. Um which I I went on to a fundraising page to see how that's going, and I think someone's raised about 60 quid.

SPEAKER_01 23:13

Why not? Which quid's a good going to a good cause.

SPEAKER_00 23:17

Look, it's 60 quid more than what I'm doing, right? So hats off to the lady that is I don't know what she was doing, but you know, yeah, good for her.

SPEAKER_01 23:26

If people think about it, that's what it's all about. So that's good.

SPEAKER_00 23:30

And I've I know Stacy Sullivan from Loose Women, she said in the press yesterday she's growing everything out, right?

SPEAKER_01 23:37

Right.

SPEAKER_00 23:38

Yeah. So there's the image. Well, I actually quite like it. So like the she goes, Oh, my boyfriend's gonna be away for six weeks, so why not? I'm just gonna let everything grow out. I'm right, do you know what that just sounds a little bit lazy? Like, if the boyfriend was still around, do you think that he'd be putting up with that? So uh but good on her. Um so yeah, I mean it's a it's a great opportunity, and this is like the 11th year, so I can only see this uh uh becoming you know, in a sense, it is getting more commercial, but this is one of these good commercial enterprises, I think, that is benefiting both brands and the charities alike. So and so good luck to these guys and well done to Oris. The the watch looks fantastic, and yeah, it's a nice watch, really nice. And if they get to raise the amount of money that they anticipate, which was I believe a hundred and a hundred thousand Swiss francs, which worked out to be about 75 grand uh UK cash there or thereabouts. So I mean, even that is just a very handsome total.

SPEAKER_01 24:40

Definitely, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:41

Cool, right, Bex, anything else?

SPEAKER_01 24:44

I think that's it. I think it's uh yeah, as long as everyone's talking about November and talking about health, that's a great good thing if it comes out of this. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:52

Good news.

SPEAKER_01 24:52

Go donate.

SPEAKER_00 24:53

Yeah, go donate. And uh until next time, Bex.

SPEAKER_01 24:57

Brilliant. Okay, bye.

SPEAKER_00 24:59

Bye bye. Great stuff. Thank you, Bex. Thank you, Rolf Studer, CEO of Oris, for jumping on the podcast, and thank you for listening. Once again, the website is www.menswearstyle.co.uk. That's where we put up all the show notes. Make sure you're checking that out. And until next time, remember it's only fashion, people, and you're never fully dressed without a smile.