Mach 2000
Lip Chronograph
was more of a sense of nostalgia . But have no doubts as to how serious they are taking their stewardship of Lip .
The latest Lip release , for example , underscores their commitment with a reissue of the Rallye Chronograph . Recently only available as a quartz piece , this new limited edition is much closer to the original with an automatic movement .
The watch was announced recently as a pre-order item , and by all accounts it has been a pretty hot item .
THE ENERGY In the years before the Berards , Lip was really not what it once was , or even what it could be . Since the Berards ? I hate hyperbole , but walking around the streets of Besançon , Paris , and the offices and workshop at Lip , I really felt a new sense of energy and the passion . I really felt why Lip connects on the level that it does with fans and the public at large .
It would be easy to do a Blancpain and “ start from year zero ,” but the team at Lip live in the real world , one where you don ’ t manufacture history . To that end , they have a rather unusual ( in today ’ s watch world ) department that handles vintage Lip questions , assessments , and if I understood correctly , possible
restoration .
And while it would be easy for the Berards to simply have bought the name and turn to a white label company for everything , it was very clear to me that Lip clearly represents something special to them , and I got that same feeling touring around the new facilities that they have installed for the watchmakers working on more complicated and vintage pieces .
It is not enormous , but it is not insignificant either . And I think what is encouraging about it to me is that it represents the first step forward .
While it would be easy for Lip recreate itself as a reborn pricey brand , which is something it is not and never was , Lip has held the line on pricing . In a world where brands both big and small jack-up their prices only to jettison their unwanted stock to the grey market where it is discounted down to the bare bones , Lip offers something novel – a great watch at a fair price .
Now I realize that everyone wants to go to Switzerland to visit the historic Maisons , and that ’ s fair enough . But if you are really a fan of watches , history and culture I urge you to get yourself to Besançon and soak up all of the history and charm that this wonderful city has to offer .
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