E EDITOR ’ S NOTE
E EDITOR ’ S NOTE
CRAIG HESTER craig @ isochronmedia . com
WELCOME TO ABOUT TIME
When Gary Girdvainis told me some five years ago about his idea for a magazine devoted to attainable watches , my immediate response was to tell him it was brilliant . Honestly , I doubt I could even list all the watch magazines , blogs or websites devoted to high-end watches that most people can only dream of owning . These publications are great for voyeurism of the masters of horology . But for us regular Joes it rarely becomes more than that . Watches under $ 1,000 , or even under $ 2,400 ( the cut off for About Time ), get scant mention in these publications – usually relegated to a small section in the back if there at all . When it comes to editorial coverage in print of attainable timepieces , About Time stands alone . To be sure , there is more coverage of these watch brands online , particularly if you include groups on Facebook . But for us old schoolers like me , holding a high-gloss , well-written magazine in your hands is still a genuine pleasure . So when Gary asked me if I would be interested in becoming the editor of About Time as he began his relaunch of IW magazine , I didn ’ t hesitate . Many readers may know me as the owner of the Détente Watch Group , a company that imports timepieces into North America largely from Eastern Europe and Russia . What you may not know is that my first career was in the media and the chance to be at the editorial helm of a magazine , especially one devoted to a topic I have such personal passion for , is something I couldn ’ t pass up . I want to thank Gary for his faith in me and tell all the readers how much I am already enjoying serving as editor and look forward to
the fun that will be leading About Time with Gary . Also , I would like to address the proverbial “ elephant in the room ” right here in my first editor ’ s note . Yes , our company will continue to import watches and some of you may know we are in the process of launching our own watch brand . Those watches will , of course , continue to be covered by About Time . However , when it comes to any watches our company engages with , the writing and editorial control for that will remain 100 % with Gary . I will have plenty to keep me busy covering the other great timepieces that fill the pages of About Time . As far as the future of the magazine , Gary and I are already working on lots of great ideas for new and innovative coverage . In this issue you ’ ll find an article about Time Visions , an online watch retailer that specializes in producing their own high-end watch photography . We want to have more coverage of the retailers who bring you the best in attainable timepieces . We want to create more in-depth coverage of micro brands , with the goal to highlight those that will be the most intriguing and well-built for your wrist . We also plan to expand and further develop our online reporting while maintaining the features and sections you enjoy in each issue . Thanks for being a reader and I look forward to serving as editor . My goal is to learn along with you every day about the array of watches that represent the bulk of the timekeeping universe .
Craig Hester , Editor
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