AboutTime Issue # 17 Summer 2019 | Page 81

vintage inspiration and modern innovation—always in motion, so to speak. The library conducts other projects like digitalizing handwritten references and documents. The archive department also monitors auctions to identifying what vintage Movado watches are being sold and at what prices. While the department does not officially authenticate Movado watches (like Patek Philippe does with its “extracts from the archive” service) the Movado team is always ready to help when people reach out to the company for information. Thanks to the archive and reference library, Movado launched the 1881 Automatic in 1990 to mark the 100th-year anniversary, which included designs similar to the original Movado Curviplan, Calendomatic, and other vintage models. Furthermore, Movado is able to offer the Heritage Series collection, which pays tribute to the designs of vintage watches like the Calestograf, Calendoplan or the Datron, but produces them to suit modern expectations. The archive department is key to modern-day Movado. New members of the design and product development teams are expected to spend time doing their homework by studying the archive and library extensively to discover and appreciate the spirit of the company and the fundamentals of the watches. Stephanie Riccoboni and the library/archive department are really the gatekeepers to both Movado past and present. It is where Movado treasures are kept. There is a real sense of pride among the people who work at Movado. Riccoboni says it best when she commented that the archive is, “A reminder of the people who came before us and committed themselves to a product that we are responsible to carry forward.” I left the Movado headquarters with an even greater appreciation for the company. I am happy to report that the current custodians of the brand are genuinely carrying on the spirit of the Ditesheim family. Laurent Martinez is the proprietor of Laurent Fine Watches Greenwich, Connecticut. Read more by him at blog.laurentfinewatches.com or visit his store’s site at www.laurentfinewatches.com AboutTime Magazine | 81