Bulgari ’ s new Divas ’ Dream Peacock .
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
I
t ’ s been a while since I ’ ve attended a “ live ” trade show for watches . I ’ m certainly not knocking the online substitutes I ’ ve taken part in , since I am very grateful that the technology and the opportunity exist . But I do occasionally pine for the face-to-face gatherings of pre-pandemic days , many of which would be held right around this time .
On the flip side , there are some distinct advantages to never having to leave the comfort of my own home for the sake of a watch — or a movie or a nice dinner , for that matter . These days we can have all the sourdough we want straight from our kitchens or bingewatch our favorite shows for an entire weekend with no one looking askance . Oh , it ’ s the pandemic , we remind ourselves as we trade one pair of sweat pants for another .
As for online watch shows , company representatives serve up their latest wonderful creations via a screen , narrating about the particulars of each new model and its impetus , much like they would in person . The audience — professional looking from the waist up — listens raptly , and then attempts to ask pertinent questions in an orderly icon-driven fashion as best they can . No airfares , no hotels , no late nights , no fuss .
So what ’ s wrong with these pictures ? Really nothing , except that as herd animals it ’ s a little nerve wracking when the herd is missing — or at least in hiding . We ’ ll chat online , we ’ ll have happy hour on FaceTime and we ’ ll attend virtual trade shows — all in an attempt to recapture what we think we ’ ve lost .
But what we ’ ve really lost , I believe , are the social cues that let us know we ’ re still part of the pack : the eye contact , the invitations to drinks and dinner after a meeting , the warm handshakes and hugs ( remember those ?), and the wonderful unpredictability of humans interacting .
There is no question in my mind that we will forever be changed for having had the experience of dealing with COVID-19 . My optimism says that some things will be better than before , and others will just be different . As for me , I can ’ t wait to get my hands on a real new watch model , with a real person beside me fighting for her turn . Then going out for dinner .
8 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | FALL 2021