WORLDTEMPUS - 7 February 2013
Elizabeth Doerr
I guess when I started working in the watch industry I never realized that it can be more like a big extended family than a work environment. Sure, there's plenty of work involved on all levels of my job, but isn't taking care of and interacting with a family also work in a way?
I started out here in 1991, and as it was a new industry for me it was, well, a bit daunting. But I guess I hadn't really realized how familiar – and familial – it has become over the course of these 22 years. Yes, I always enjoy the people I work with and love the products, but only recently has it come to my attention that I can call many of the people in my professional sphere friends. And I guess in some cases I might be as close to them as some people are to their family members.
A poorly timed emergency
In December and January I had an extended family emergency and was unable to attend SIHH and GTE, which was heartbreaking for me on both personal and professional levels. While I was relatively certain a few PR people would miss my presence for the obvious reasons, I was quite unprepared for the flood of messages that reached me over the last weeks. In fact, I was rather flummoxed as to how many journalistic colleagues, brand representatives, and even acquaintances took a minute out of a busy fair day to drop me a line.
During this time of drooping spirits and uncertain outcomes, this outpour of positive energy made quite a difference to me.
Your watch family misses you
And then I began thinking about it – perhaps prompted by a message that a friend sent, which was a picture of an SIHH booth with the caption, “Your watch family misses you.” It hit me: the watch world and the other crazy enthusiasts like me are in a way my extended family. Can that be?
People who enter this exciting microcosm of ticking treasure rarely leave it again, which means that most people end up knowing each other for a really long amount of time, even if one's actual job changes over the course of a career. It shocks me every time someone says, “Do you remember that time that xxx happened?” and I think back to when it might have occurred and realize that several years have probably passed since the anecdote in question took place. Maybe even a decade. Or two.
The upshot of my deliberations is that not only am I seriously infected by the watch bug, but that I would really miss my “watch family” and the quirky, colorful personalities in it were I no longer able to work in this industry. And, apparently, the feeling is mutual.
But even more importantly, now trying to catch up on a whole fair week in the confines of my office, I have discovered that positive energy is not only real, it can move mountains. Thank you, watch fans, for helping me to remember that. Sorry I wasn't on the front lines this time, but rest assured there are plenty of interesting stories out there for me to bring you. I'll get back to work now…
