switzerland
JUST ARRIVED IN SWITZERLAND TODAY
We left Paris this morning for Geneva, Switzerland. We arrived at 1pm but as it was Sunday, nothing was open. So myself and two colleagues walked the streets of Geneva contemplating the plan of attack tomorrow as we descend on Franck Muller, the critically acclaimed Swiss watchmaker, to do our film about how his ‘world’s most complicated’ watches are made. Christian was feeling pretty daring and decided to take on the Swiss traffic of lions, tigers and bears. He came away unscathed.
The Franck Muller story is scheduled to go live in September so stay tuned and I’ll let you know when it shows up on our client’s site; BornToDesign.tv. In the meantime, check out the website to see Michael Czysz and his world’s fastest electric motorcycle that we shot back in February.
And now, it’s time to call my wife and 6-month old son to see how they’re doing. Being a dad now, as much fun as I have on the road, I’m never far away from my family in my mind. I miss them. - See more at: http://dadsdecoded.com/blog/index_files/archive-apr-2012.html#sthash.H6iEDYW5.dpuf
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INTERVIEWING THE DESIGNER OF THE WORLD'S MOST COMPLICATED WRISTWATCH
Today is exciting as we prepare to interview the designer of the world’s most complicated watch which sold recently for 2.7 million dollars. Located in the foothills of the Swiss Alps in Geneva, Switzerland, John Pierre Golay and his cousin Pierre Michel, of Franck Muller Company, are two charming older gentlemen who have opened their studio compound to us. They have agreed to show us the entire process of how they created their newest watch, the Giga with the largest tourbillon ever designed. I asked John Pierre if there were any secrets or proprietary information that we should stay away from. His reply was, “What secrets? We have no secrets. It is about experience; about understanding. If you can make this watch, please go ahead.”
They don’t make any children’s watches so Conor will have to keep asking mommy and daddy what time it is. Considering he’s only 6 months old, I don’t suppose he cares what time it is anyway. It’s either time to play, time to eat or time to sleep. And no watch is going to tell him that!
THESE GUYS DESIGNED AND BUILT A WATCH THAT SOLD FRO 2.7 MILLION DOLLARS
We have now completed our film of Franck Muller brand wristwatches, the master of complications. Here are the brains behind the operation, Jean Pierre Golay and his cousin Pierre Michel Golayl Both of these Swiss gentlemen went to watch making school years ago and have mastered their craft. If there were a sport called Xtreme watch making, these guys would be the poster boys. The last watch they created took four years to make and had over 1,500 parts delicately placed in a case that fits on your wrist. Without SolidWorks CAD software, this would have been nearly impossible to create. I asked Jean Pierre this afternoon at lunch why the Swiss are so well known for watch making. He surprised me by answering that the French were the real watch makers but that hundreds of years ago, the protestants and Catholics went to war and the protestants were exiled and they went to Switzerland. These were the watch makers and so they took their craft with them.
Tomorrow, we’re back to Paris to finish filming the Aldebaran humanoid robots. I’d like to get my son one of them but considering they are $15,000, I’ll look for something a little less steep in the local souvenir shop. Seven more days until I get to hold him in my arms and kiss my wife. - See more at: http://dadsdecoded.com/blog/index_files/archive-apr-2012.html#sthash.H6iEDYW5.dpuf