Time To Watches: Airain and Lebois & Co.

Summary

The Real Time Show: Episode Summary – "Time To Watches: Airain and Lebois & Co."

Release Date: May 18, 2025
Hosts: Rob Nudds & Alon Ben Joseph
Guests: Tom van Willek from Airain and Lebois & Co.

---

1. Introduction to CDM Lek and Its Brands

The episode kicks off with host Rob Nudds welcoming Tom van Willek, representing Airain and Lebois & Co., under the umbrella of CDM Lek. The hosts establish the context of the discussion, mentioning the stunning venue at Villa Sarasin where the event is being held.

Notable Quote:
Tom van Willek (00:13): “Your friendly neighborhood watchmaker recording for the time to watch his event at Villa Sarasan.”

---

2. Origin and Establishment of the Brands

Tom delves into the accidental acquisition of two distinct watch brands—Airain and Lebois & Co.—and emphasizes their complementary nature. He highlights that the brands do not overlap, allowing each to maintain a unique identity within the market.

Notable Quote:
Tom van Willek (01:56): “I had to explain quite a couple of times it wasn't intentional... the opportunity came and it was just too good to let go.”

---

3. Le Bois & Co.: Heritage and Design Philosophy

Le Bois & Co. is portrayed as the more dressy of the two brands, focusing on chronographs inspired by heritage pieces such as Excelsior Park and the vintage Volcan chronograph. Tom emphasizes the brand's commitment to reviving old names and creating watches that honor their historical roots.

Notable Quote:
Tom van Willek (03:04): “Le Bois & Co. was really not up there where it should be, and maybe still not. But the opportunity came and it was just too good to let go.”

---

4. Airain: Sporty and Toolish Timepieces

Airain is characterized by its sporty designs, including dive watches and pilot watches. Tom describes Airain's approach as “toolish,” highlighting models like the Type 20 Flieger and the Sumarine dive watch. A standout feature discussed is the unique crown cap, inspired by an invention from Jean Rene Parmentier, which enhances water resistance without relying on a traditional screw-down crown.

Notable Quote:
Tom van Willek (02:54): “Heranne is more sporty. There's like dive watches and pilot watches.”

---

5. Highlighting Signature Models

Le Bois & Co. Bestsellers:
Tom mentions the black dial chronograph with rose gold numerals as the best-selling model, noting its flawless execution and high demand.

Airain’s Type 20 and Sumarine:
The Type 20 is praised as possibly the best chronograph in the market, valued for its heritage-inspired design and modern craftsmanship. The Sumarine dive watch is lauded for its distinct silhouette and innovative crown cap.

Notable Quote:
Tom van Willek (09:31): “Listeners, if you've not had one of these in your hands, this is like the epitome of execution.”

---

6. Future Plans and Collaborations

Tom discusses upcoming iterations of existing models and potential collaborations. While specific details are kept under wraps, he hints at introducing new sub-collections like Sector, Script, Artisan, and Lux, each with unique dial layouts and design inspirations. Additionally, there are plans to release a small seconds version of the Heritage series, certified by Chronobiter.

Notable Quote:
Tom van Willek (16:26): “We're introduce a small seconds version of the Heritage series first which will be Chronobiter certified as the old pieces of lebar were as well.”

---

7. Community Engagement and Events

The brands actively participate in watch fairs and community events, fostering relationships with retailers globally. Tom mentions recent signings in Italy and Japan, with plans to expand into the US and other European markets. Upcoming events include a small gathering in Italy and participation in watch fairs, although specific details remain undecided.

Notable Quote:
Tom van Willek (22:07): “We have signed a few retailers here, which is super cool. Starting in Italy, now more we have 12 in Japan, which is amazing.”

---

8. Pricing and Availability

Tom provides an overview of the pricing structure for their models:

• Submarine Model: Approximately €2,000
• Type 20 and Special Editions: Up to €3,500
• Le Bois Models: Around €3,000
• Upcoming Small Seconds Chronometer: Below €2,000

Notable Quote:
Tom van Willek (24:38): “The Type 20 is €3,075. It's just about the best value dress chronograph, if that's a thing that you can get on the market.”

---

9. Host and Guest Reflections

Post-interview, hosts Rob and Sebastian share their impressions of Tom's brands. Sebastian praises the respectful revival of heritage models and the impeccable execution of designs, particularly highlighting the Sumarine and Le Bois & Co.'s Heritage Chronograph. Rob echoes these sentiments, appreciating the brands' commitment to maintaining brand integrity without oversaturation.

Notable Quotes:
Sebastian (26:37): “He takes things nice and slow and that's what I love about Tom. He has utter respect for the heritage of both brands and he's pushing forward the legacy.”
Rob (31:53): “It's a watch lovers watch. It's not something that anyone will notice on the street, which is a good thing these days.”

---

10. Closing Remarks and Future Episodes

The episode concludes with the hosts announcing a shift to a more rapid release of content from the recent watch fair, aiming to provide timely insights and analyses. They express excitement for future collaborations and watch releases, encouraging listeners to stay tuned for more updates.

Notable Quote:
Rob (34:54): “This is the first episode that we're gonna be putting out in a rapid pace... you will be hearing from us, Reg, and it'll follow the same format.”

---

Key Takeaways

• Heritage Focus: Both Airain and Le Bois & Co. prioritize reviving and honoring historic watch designs, ensuring each model respects its roots while incorporating modern craftsmanship.

• Complementary Brands: The two brands under CDM Lek offer distinct offerings—Le Bois & Co. for dress chronographs and Airain for sporty, toolish timepieces—without overlapping, maintaining clear brand identities.

• Innovative Features: Unique elements like Airain’s crown cap enhance functionality and differentiate their watches in a crowded market.

• Future Growth: Plans for new models, sub-collections, and global retail expansions indicate robust growth and sustained commitment to quality and heritage.

• Community Engagement: Active participation in watch fairs and events underscores the brands’ dedication to building a strong presence within the watchmaking community.

---

Where to Explore More

• Le Bois & Co.: www.labois.com
• Airain: www.airain.com

For enthusiasts interested in these meticulously crafted timepieces, visiting their official websites and following their upcoming releases is highly recommended.

---

Stay tuned to "The Real Time Show" for more in-depth discussions and insights into the world of watchmaking.

Transcript

[Rob]

Foreign.

[Tom van Willek]

Welcome to another edition of the Real Time Show.

[Tom]

Oh, you're already recording.

[Rob]

Oh, shut up.

[Tom]

Sorry.

[Tom van Willek]

With me and this other guy, this reprobate who's grinning from ear to ear at me from the seat to my left. Rob nods. Your friendly neighborhood watchmaker recording for the time to watch his event at villa Sarasan. It's 2025. Tom van Willek is sitting next to me. He's from Air Rain, Labois and Company. And we've just been having a discussion of how to pronounce the names of your brands which fall underneath the umbrella of cdm. Lek.

[Tom]

Yeah. Oh, perfect. Yeah. Yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

You see, I really got into the whole CDM like thing. So CD is like a company that overarchs both brands, Right?

[Tom]

True.

[Tom van Willek]

Okay, Tom, welcome to the glass igloo, which is. If this were an igloo, it would.

[Rob]

Be a puddle today because it is absolutely stunning.

[Tom van Willek]

Steaming hot. How do you feel?

[Tom]

I think we. We have to rename the igloo.

[Tom van Willek]

Yeah, the puddle.

[Tom]

Like. Yeah, but I'm feeling well.

[Tom van Willek]

Yeah.

[Rob]

Still, you look well.

[Tom]

Yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

You look fresh.

[Tom]

I. There's someone that gave me a tip. Don't drink too much.

[Tom van Willek]

Yeah. Good advice.

[Tom]

Took that advice. Yeah. And helps certainly on a day, you know, don't drink too much alcohol. I did drink a lot of water, so.

[Tom van Willek]

Yeah. Would you like some water, by the way?

[Tom]

I have a water inside this cup, actually. Lebuanco cup.

[Tom van Willek]

Le Bois and Company. Okay.

[Rob]

So.

[Tom]

And it also keeps the water cold.

[Tom van Willek]

It keeps the water cold.

[Tom]

It looks like coffee hot.

[Tom van Willek]

I mean, if. If that's not got coffee in it, then normally people drink whiskey out of cups like that to hide it from peers.

[Tom]

We'll do that later.

[Tom van Willek]

Okay, fine. Let's talk about your watch brands. Two brands. Why two brands?

[Tom]

It's accidental.

[Tom van Willek]

No, I mean, how do you find a watch?

[Rob]

By accident.

[Tom]

I actually. I had to explain quite a couple of times it wasn't intentional. And by the time I was able to purchase in 2020, Le Bois & Co. Was really not up there where it should be, and maybe still not. But the opportunity came and it was just too good to. To let go. So, yeah, that's why. That's why we have two watch brands. But it. It's. It's nice. They're complementary to. Complementary to each other. They don't overlap. And that's. I think it's. It's important.

[Tom van Willek]

Fundamentally, they're both approached in the same way. You are reviving old names and you're making watches inspired. Very closely inspired by the Heritage pieces of these two brands. Right, so. So Labois Anco is more dressy. Dressy chronographs, definitely.

[Tom]

Yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

Visual corollaries for people in the industry that haven't heard of Le Bois. You could say maybe similar to Excelsior park or maybe something like an old Volcan chronograph. And I mean that in the best possible way because a fine, fine heritage from both those brands as well. Heranne is more sporty. There's like dive watches and pilot watches.

[Tom]

Yeah, I would say toolish.

[Tom van Willek]

Toolish, yeah. That's a much better way to describe it. Yeah, you're right. So you've got similar fliegers, like a type 20 style flieger. And then you've got the Sumarine, which is the dive model, which looks very similar to something like a Glassiter cq, an old.

[Tom]

Yeah, what do you call it?

[Rob]

Skin Diver.

[Tom]

Skin Diver, yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

And you've got that incredible crown cap which we'll talk about in more detail because I love that because it's a rare thing and it's really fun and we should.

[Tom]

A little. It's a little funky.

[Tom van Willek]

Yeah, it's a little funky, yeah. Okay, let's start with lebar and co, because Leboire was the first one of your brands that I encountered years ago and I think we must have met at a Time to Watchers event. Once upon a time, perhaps.

[Tom]

I think that was the first time when we met. Yeah. Yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

Now you're a Dutchman living in Venlo. Almost. Almost close.

[Tom]

That's where our headquarters is as well.

[Tom van Willek]

So that's in the very eastern part of the Netherlands. Pretty close to Dusseldorf in Germany, right?

[Tom]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

So with my involvement with Fratello, of course in the past, we had a lot to do with each other in terms of coverage because obviously you're a hometown hero. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Tom]

Oh, hero.

[Tom van Willek]

Oh. Well, what do you think you are? We love you. Tell us about the lebuanco story. Why did you. You didn't buy it by accident, obviously. So why did you pick it up?

[Tom]

Well, so having solved my small IT company in 2011, I went to work as an IT professional. But the entrepreneurship. Yeah. Went. Went ways that it shouldn't have gone, maybe. So I was still interested to do something and then my then girlfriend, now wife, came up with the idea, like, why don't you trade some watches? So I started doing.

[Tom van Willek]

So is that why you married her? Because she's obviously got her head screwed on?

[Tom]

Yeah, I think so. I never thought about that. Good Choice that way. It's a good choice. She's a very sweet woman. Sweet girl.

[Tom van Willek]

She'd have to be to put up with you.

[Tom]

Absolutely. Yeah. She's now home with two kids. Yeah. So respect for her. So. Yeah. So, I mean, I came up with the idea after having been dealing with some watches, Omega Stark Heuer, some Rolexes, to go more into the watch industry. I mean, actually, the thing that makes me happy is to make people happy with a watch, maybe a product, but now in this case, it was a watch. And what is more exciting than making people happy with a watch that you have designed and came up with yourself? But I didn't want to put my name on the dial as well.

[Tom van Willek]

No one can fucking say it. I'm kidding. It's lovely. I, you know, honestly, I've known you.

[Rob]

For years and I really do love you.

[Tom van Willek]

I think you're one of my favorite people in the industry. We always have a great time together. Brilliant sense of humor. Obviously we're taking a piss out of each other on air, which is absolutely exactly what the time to watches or event asked us for, rather than just like absolute professionalism. But I still misspell your name. I always get the L and the J the wrong way around.

[Tom]

Please don't say Wiljik or something.

[Tom van Willek]

Willick.

[Tom]

Willick.

[Rob]

Is it Willick or Willick?

[Tom]

Willick.

[Tom van Willek]

Willick.

[Tom]

But you can say Whalek as well. Might also be. Okay, yeah. Tom Van Willek.

[Tom van Willek]

I actually.

[Tom]

Tom Van Willek.

[Tom van Willek]

Van Willek.

[Tom]

It's a Tom Van Willick.

[Tom van Willek]

Everything to do with you. Tom is hard to pronounce.

[Tom]

Yeah, true.

[Tom van Willek]

Why she do that to us?

[Tom]

It's fun. It's fun.

[Tom van Willek]

Anyway, look, I understand the ego list pursuit. You don't want to put your name on a dad.

[Tom]

No, you can't. No. And, but, but also I'm a sucker, so to say, for, you know, the stories of the past that have, that have disappeared and so lebuanco was one of them. Maybe not as rich as Erenne, but it's still there. And it was a gorgeous name. When I came across that browsing, like really looking for. For old watch brands that have existed and of course knowing back then about the whole Blancpain story, the success there. So after having found several watch brands that could have been interesting, you know, I came. Came across lebanco and I and I stumbled across or stumbled upon that, that vintage watch that was sold by Christie's in 2012. Then I cut. Contacted the original founders. So the original owners of. Of Lebanco Doan and Doan owned Laban Company that, that was the original founder in 1934. Yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

Wow. I used to as.

[Tom]

As with Iran as well, so.

[Tom van Willek]

Interesting. One of the very first watches I ever reviewed was a Doan.

[Tom]

Yeah. Really?

[Tom van Willek]

Yeah.

[Tom]

Type 20.

[Tom van Willek]

Yeah, it was, Yeah. I haven't, I haven't heard anything from them for years though.

[Tom]

Yeah, there's something going on. Apparently they are in, in trouble. So the, the brand is up for sale, as I have read, on Europa Star last year.

[Tom van Willek]

Tempted?

[Tom]

Yes and no. I mean, we already have this pilot watch brand called Aren, which was, I mean, next to Dodin, making the. Almost the same watches but supplying them to a different, you know, army unit. Yeah, the. The army and not the air Force, so. Yeah, yeah, Tempted. I know, yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

Interesting. I mean, it's in your wheelhouse, I guess, but you're absolutely right. You've got a brand that plays that role for you. That chronograph that you made with Ehan. I'm not getting any close to saying it right, am I keep saying the same A rain, as we'd say in England, is gorgeous. It's absolutely stunning. And to be honest, I think it's probably the best, in my opinion, the best model line that you've ever made from top to bottom. But perhaps my favorite watch that you've ever made is from Le Barton Co, and it's the black dial chronograph with the rose gold numeral that's the best seller.

[Rob]

Is it the best seller?

[Tom]

Yeah, it's sold out for many months.

[Tom van Willek]

I mean, listeners, if you've not had one of these in your hands, this is like the epitome of execution. It is so well done. It's kind of a dream come true because a lot of us like the style of vintage watches, but we don't actually want to own a vintage watch with their foibles and, you know, chromed cases and whatnot. This is what all brands who are looking to mine the heritage of their label should do. They should find the design and bring it to life in the best possible way using the best techniques. Excellent finishing. I can't say enough about it. I do think at its price, it is probably the best chronograph on the market.

[Tom]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Tom van Willek]

Well done. Now, let's talk about the Eran chronograph. Let's talk about that because that's. There's a huge story there. Go on, tell me everything.

[Tom]

So, yeah, 520 and 21. Little later. Those were specs by the French military French Army, Ministry of Defense. Sorry. To supply chronograph watches to the French Army. And there were seven brands that eventually delivered those, including Boy Guess, Doden, Fixer, Konofix, and Aran. And, yeah, like, taking a little step back. So the type 20, for us, we thought it should be a reissue, so it should be super close to the original. I think we. Yeah, we succeeded in that. I mean, it also takes a burden on us. Like, okay, what shall we do to improve it in the future? How should we go and make a modern version of that? But let's not think about that right now. Yeah. So for us, the type 20 is as pure and as. Yeah, help me out. As pure as it can be. That's what, for us, at least, a pilot watch should be. And we have done a few iterations now we're going to open up the case back to show the movement off a little bit and. Yeah. And for the rest, not touch it too much. I mean, we have done some collaborations with Second, which is a very fun yet respectful way to do a type 20 as well as with Alon in his. In the ACE entity to make a white dial with orange accents, as we are both Dutch, of course. Yeah. And I mean, it's a. It's an important watch for us.

[Tom van Willek]

The Type 20, it's a fantastic canvas to play around with. And like you say, respectfully is the word, you've done it very well. And the addition you did with Romaric Andre Second was. Was just great. It was cute and it was fun, but it was still serious as a kit.

[Tom]

Yeah. Still respectful. Yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

And I have to say that Alon Special Edition for Ace Jewelers in Amsterdam is one of my favorite executions of the product. It changes its character entirely with the white dial because we're used to seeing it more with dark dials.

[Tom]

Yeah, true. Yeah. It was the first that we allowed to do. To do a bright dial. Yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

Do you have more collaborations in mind for the future with the chronograph?

[Tom]

With the type 20?

[Tom van Willek]

Yeah, with the type 20.

[Tom]

Not collaborations, but we will first do some. Some. Some of our own iterations of it.

[Tom van Willek]

Okay. Okay, Very good. And the other major model in the Eran collection is the Sumarine.

[Tom]

Yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

Now, I mentioned that crown cap. So explain that to us. What is that?

[Tom]

So that was an invention by a guy called. An inventor called Jean Rene Parmentier. So he came up with this, this. This invention to. To not allow water coming in to the watch around the crown area. And it was an invention to. I mean, it was an invention that he had to make to not infringe on other inventions and patents that were done by other watch brands such as Rolex.

[Tom van Willek]

So it's not a screw down crown.

[Tom]

It has a screw, like, let's put it this way, there's a screw on crown cap, so it screws onto the existing crown. So you unscrew gets loose, you know, it goes off and then you have the real smaller crown right below there.

[Tom van Willek]

Which is like a little button winder.

[Rob]

Basically.

[Tom]

It's a little, it's a very little crown. Yeah, but it's still easy to operate, I must emphasize, because it's, it's small, but it's. Yeah, it's, it's, it's very efficient.

[Tom van Willek]

The cap gives the sumerine an incredible character, unlike a lot of other divers. You know, it's, it's just a nice little quirk because obviously it's quirk. I say obviously. Most watch collectors probably have one or two divers in their collection and a lot of them look very similar. But the silhouette of the submarine is.

[Tom]

Yeah, that's a little different because of that gap. Indeed. Yeah. Yeah. And it wasn't, you know, we could have done without it. We could have maybe just make a big crown out of it. It was just too good to not implement back. And we did a little improvement. So if you, you unscrew the cap, it doesn't fall off immediately. So that, that's different than the old pieces. Obviously important because you don't want to lose that cap. Although that. We, we have them in stock, obviously.

[Tom van Willek]

So in case it goes.

[Tom]

In case it really goes. And we sell them for €500, so no issue.

[Tom van Willek]

Nice.

[Rob]

Generous.

[Tom van Willek]

Yeah. So are there any more models planned for ain?

[Tom]

Well, actually I, I brought a book, but all like new, new stuff, but no way. I guess you have to be here and, and this is a podcast.

[Tom van Willek]

Oh, you can read, can't you?

[Tom]

You can read out loud.

[Rob]

Show and tell.

[Tom van Willek]

Come on, give me one of these books. Let's have a look.

[Tom]

Let's have. But, but it's, you know, we cannot.

[Tom van Willek]

It'S a big book.

[Tom]

We can, we cannot talk about all of them. But let's, let's say this. We, we did a little soul searching. The book you're holding now is for Leboire and we had all these interesting dial layouts and there were kind of a, let's put it this way, a burden coming out of the collab situation. The Colab community project where we came up with like four iterations, but they all have had different dial layouts. So then we figured, okay, how to move forward out of this and to make, to make like new models without you know, overflowing our, our, you know, our, our customers with too much dials in one in one collection. So we came up with actually sub collections like Sector and Script and Artisan as you now we have in front of you.

[Rob]

Okay.

[Tom van Willek]

I've not seen the.

[Tom]

No, I mean that's just on paper. So. And maybe the most, the most. The. The. The most interesting thing to say is that we're introduce a small seconds version of the Heritage series first which will be Chronobiter certified as the old pieces of lebar were as well. So also there, there's a clear line with, with the history of, of the models from the brand and we, we will build the, like the. Yeah. We build out the DNA as it was in, in our current collection. So it, it gives us a kind of sense and, and stability to, to build that collection. Yeah. So it was an interesting journey over the past months. Like. Yeah, like half year.

[Tom van Willek]

Yeah. It's interesting because of course when you have not many models or one model really one sort of canvas with which to express yourself, you can run into a lot of issues because you either feel like you're overdoing it and flooding the market.

[Tom]

Yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

Or you feel like you, you don't have enough like diversity within.

[Tom]

Yeah. So that was a kind of a search and. But I think we, we, we found it. Let's see. I mean this gives us a hold on. I mean it's Heritage. So that makes sense for Leboire for now. And we'll do something modern at some point in time. We're not in a rush.

[Tom van Willek]

I never thought about that, to be honest. I never really imagined it because it's such a beautiful thing. And you've got to tell me again the categories, the subcategories you've got of the chronograph in Loba.

[Tom]

So they're not advertised yet, but so there'll be baton numeral, script sector and Artisan.

[Tom van Willek]

Okay. So there's going to be five.

[Tom]

Oh, sorry. And I forgot Lux Lux L, U, X. Oh, Lux, which will be based. Lux Lux Lux translated out of Lume. So light. Or translated sorry from light. Because the vintage piece that we found that Chuck the Oyster so people can already check it out and it's no mystery that one, that was a beautiful chronograph with radium lume on the dial and the hands like syringe hands. Really gorgeous piece. And we, we haven't been able to. To buy it, but so we'll reissue it.

[Tom van Willek]

So you're going to bring radium back to what, is it allowed?

[Tom]

No, obviously we had to find a nice matching super Luminova. But I mean, it's really one of my favorites that that's coming out.

[Tom van Willek]

Yeah, Great, great stuff. And aside from the future versions of the models that exist already, what else can we expect to hear or see from the brand, if not in terms of releases, but in terms of activities, traveling, events, partnerships, ambassadors.

[Tom]

Okay, okay. Well, what we are also doing in that whole soul searching event, we came up with our hero piece which we're now, which is now taking shape. And I just cannot reveal too much now, but it will be quite the hero for us.

[Tom van Willek]

Why can't you reveal it? You're stopping.

[Tom]

You just said before we started, don't reveal too much.

[Tom van Willek]

I didn't say that. No, you imagine that. Oh, don't lie to me.

[Tom]

It will be a gorgeously finished watch.

[Tom van Willek]

I wouldn't expect anything. Movement, Give me more.

[Tom]

Including movement.

[Tom van Willek]

Tell me more.

[Tom]

That's it.

[Tom van Willek]

Give me a scoop.

[Tom]

Stay tuned.

[Tom van Willek]

Give me a scoop. How long is this going to take?

[Tom]

A few months. Not too long.

[Rob]

Okay.

[Tom]

Okay.

[Tom van Willek]

Very exciting stuff.

[Tom]

It's very exciting for us. Yeah. And I mean for, for me as a, you know, looking at the steps that we did and yeah, it all comes more into place and that, that's, that's the. That's also part of enjoying the journey more. So, yeah. Really happy with that.

[Tom van Willek]

Do you think this will be the most satisfying piece for you personally to have released?

[Tom]

I'm not sure because of looking at the others. There's some super nice, good feeling chronographs and small seconds watches anyway with that as well. So. But it, at least it will give a. Give a sense of, I don't know, achievement. I don't know, something that we really can show and we're not going to make too much of them. Just, you know.

[Tom van Willek]

It's a tourbillon, isn't it?

[Tom]

No, no, no, no. But it's happy.

[Tom van Willek]

It's not.

[Tom]

I'm happy it's not. Me too, because that's not for me. It's not the, it's not the hero to make a tourbillon, but there's something.

[Tom van Willek]

To do with the movement.

[Tom]

Yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

Okay. Not just finishing something else. Silence speaks.

[Tom]

Just looking at the butterflies.

[Tom van Willek]

I'm watching the butterflies zoning out. So I'm gonna stop bullying, you know. Well, that sounds really exciting. I can't wait to see it. In real life, in the metal. And like you say, will we have it ready for Geneva watch days, that sort of time, do you think?

[Tom]

Yeah, that might be possible. Yeah. Yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

Okay. Okay, so watch this space. Where can people see these watches? What are the web addresses for both brands?

[Tom]

So www.labois.com that's L E B O I S. Yeah.com or aaron.com a I R-A-I-N.com.

[Tom van Willek]

Nice. Okay. And stockists, you sold around the world or.

[Tom]

Yeah, so we, we actually signed a few retailers here, which is super cool. So starting in Italy, now more we have 12 in Japan, which is amazing.

[Tom van Willek]

That's incredible.

[Tom]

Retailer 3, 4, 5 coming in the US soon. And I mean all over Europe. Just sign one in Germany as well. France, dual on both. No, no, it's not necessary. It's. Of course it's. I think it, it helps because the both are, they're complementary. Complementary, that's a nice word. Yeah. To each other and they don't, again, they don't overlap. So it's a nice story together, but it's not mandatory. I know that that's not what we should, we should ask from our retailers.

[Tom van Willek]

You do a lot of events, you're very present in the community.

[Tom]

We try to. Yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

What's the next event on the horizon for you?

[Tom]

That I'm not sure actually. We haven't decided yet. So we are doing actually a small event in Italy with our agent there and if people are from the Milan area and interested to join in, maybe drop us an email. Yeah. But for the rest, nothing confirmed. We're still looking at wind up watch fair, but no, nothing confirmed yet.

[Tom van Willek]

Okay, last question.

[Tom]

I mean this was obviously the big event for now. I mean it's amazing here.

[Tom van Willek]

It's big enough. Right. You like it more here at Villasarasand than.

[Tom]

Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

Right. And have you noticed that you're getting like a different caliber of visitor, should we say being so close to Palexpo and so convenient for.

[Tom]

Yeah, yeah, I think I, I've seen enough batches from watches and Wonders.

[Tom van Willek]

Yeah.

[Tom]

That from. Of people that were able to, to scoop. Scoop over.

[Tom van Willek]

Yeah, yeah. A lot of journalists have said the same thing. They said previously when it was at Hedge and Ev. It was just untenable for them to like get out and you know, pick up.

[Tom]

Yeah. Now they can get out, get some fresh air and walk to the villa and back. Yeah.

[Tom van Willek]

Last question. Price points, what are we talking about.

[Tom]

In €2k for the submarine, up to 3.5 for the Type 20 and the Special. So the Limited.

[Tom van Willek]

Yep.

[Tom]

And LeBois around 3k in Euro. And the. The small upcoming small seconds Chronometer certified will be at least below 2 of the objective for now.

[Tom van Willek]

So it's a nice watch.

[Tom]

It's gonna be great.

[Tom van Willek]

Love the pictures. Tom, always a pleasure.

[Tom]

Thank you, Rob.

[Tom van Willek]

Thank you for joining me. I wish you a wonderful end to a wonderful fair and I'll see you soon.

[Tom]

See you. Thanks.

[Rob]

Right, back to the studio for some analysis. That was fun, wasn't it? Always good to sit down with Tom from Heranne and le Bois & Co. And well, CDM Lech as the overarching company. So what did you make of the watches that Tom was showing today?

[Sebastian]

I didn't join that recording, unfortunately. But I'm lucky enough to speak to Tom very often. And as some might know, I had the honor to create a Type 20 watch together with him that made the permanent collection that was obviously on display on the first floor within Villa Sarasin. I did have a little bit of time in between our recordings to roam the several floors of the beautiful villa, obviously. I stopped by at Tom's CDM Lek booth where he was indeed exhibiting with two brands. I love it. I think he's on the right track. He takes things nice and slow and that's what I love about Tom. He has utter respect for the heritage of both brands and he's pushing forward the legacy. I'm actually dying for him to meet up with Christian to see what their thoughts are of reinventing new types for pilot watches.

[Rob]

Yeah, it is. It is very interesting what he's doing and as you said, very respectful of the heritage and he keeps it very tight. Yeah, that's what I like about him as well. So he has this one overarching company, CM Leck and within CDM Lec. CDM Lec. In case anyone's wondering what we're saying there, because we say it quite quickly these days. Within that he has the distinct brand of Air Han or Air Reine, as we might say in English, and le Bois & Co. And neither collection is bulging at the seams, is it? I mean, it's very, very concise. It has the two models in Erhane with the Sumarine and the more famous type 20. And then in Laboir & Co. He really focuses on heritage chronographs and they are absolutely gorgeous. The brands are both easy to understand because they don't pollute each other in any way. There's no disparity in the brand messaging. And I Think he's actually someone to look to if you're thinking of starting a brand or reviving an old brand as how to do it really well, how to make sure that you are creating products that are always on message, easy to communicate and a lot of fun to wear. Now you are a fan of a type 20 obviously because you did do that gorgeous white dialed with orange accent special edition which yeah, it's a real coup that it's become part of the core collection. Beyond that one piece, which I'm sure is your favorite, what else do you like in the Erin collection?

[Sebastian]

Well, he has the Sumarines which maybe a lot of people miss. The fact that he really took the historical fact into account where the crown is hidden with a over sized crown that covers the original crown. Call it a suit jacket over your Gillette. And there is technically no point doing that with modern watches. You have the risk of losing it because it's not tied with a chain or a hook or whatever. He actually adds a spare one in the box when you buy the watch. But it's uber cool. I love it. You also have two versions. You have the Michelin D hand, so the seconds hands is stacked circles let's say, or a lollipop hand. So I love that he does get out of his comfort zone by doing modern colors and interpretations. I think that's wise. And sorry I just said Christian, but I meant Sebastian from Albus Horn, of course, Apologies. How cool would it be if Tom and Sebastian would team up and they would reimagine an era that never existed?

[Rob]

Well, well, well, that's a great idea. You know, Sebastian for me was really the revelation of the fair. We'd never met in person and obviously we'd only recently recorded the albussorn episode, but what a fascinating.

[Tom van Willek]

And there it is.

[Rob]

My, my go to word. What an incredible man. A superb intellect, incredible experience. The breadth of his experience and knowledge in different fields is, is quite breathtaking. And what he's able to do from a design standpoint as well as a technical is very impressive. And I think anyone in the industry would be wise to team up with Sebastian on pretty much anything he wanted to do. To be honest, I can't wait to see what else comes from him now. He's a little more visible than he has been in the past perhaps even though he's had a long career working for brands, working for Arnold and Son quite prolifically in his time with them and of course with Salita and, and other in industry and other institutions. But wow, I mean, what a guy, what an ability. And him teamed up with Tom, with Tom's character and his affability and his easygoing nature, I think that would be. That'd be something to watch. Yeah, very much so. Also, you know, when it comes to the Seamarine, I've got a big soft spot for it because, you know, I'm a huge fan of glass watches in general and glassiter oral. And my favorite watch that I own really is my glass of Durganal 1970s panorama date chronograph in vibing orange, which people have probably seen kicking around so much. Is it my favorite, in fact, that all of my branded material, robnods.com and even 360 watch now uses a similar shade of orange because I just, I'm so obsessed with it. But one of the sleeper hits in Go is the cq. Now, the cq, when it first emerged as in its modern iteration, was something I really dismissed because I was like, what the heck? You know, this is as much as a Submariner or something along those lines at the time. And it's just this basic little skin diver. How good can it be? And then you get it in hand. And the quality of the Geo is way, way, way beyond what you'd expect from a diver like that. Now obviously the quality of the Geo is slightly ahead of the submarine here, but in terms of style, they're very similar. And this is a very affordable alternative. Like the submarine from Ehram is €1,950, whereas the CQ is closer to 10 these days. And I think that it's an absolute bargain. If you like that style, if you want some heritage, if you want to buy into a company that is going in the right direction and run by somebody who we can all get behind, then go for it.

[Sebastian]

Well said. And I totally agree because I was blown away by the first time I saw the cq.

[Rob]

It's a watch lovers watch. It's not something that anyone will notice on the street, which is a good thing these days, I think, but it's also just supremely well made, gorgeously finished, and very faithful to the source material that's inspired it. Let's just touch on le Bois & Co. For a minute because again, extremely tight brand proposition, known mostly for its chronographs, which I adore. Which is your favorite? Do you have one that sticks out for you above all the others?

[Sebastian]

So the most commercial one is the black version with the gold Breguet ish number. So it's guilt style. My favorite is Hands down. Yeah, the Heritage one.

[Rob]

Heritage Chronograph Script 324406. That's the reference to that one. Yeah.

[Sebastian]

Thank you very much. I am very impressed if you knew that by heart, but I have a gut feeling you have a browser open, so that one has actually a waiting list. Now, my favorite is, hands down, the silver dial with the blue, blue indexes and the scripture on the dial. Although the salmon one is a very second close one. They didn't have any novelties at the fair now, but I heard through the grapevine they're cool stuff cooking in the kitchen. So stay tuned.

[Rob]

Yeah, this is another brand and okay, it's similar to Iran in this sense, but really even more so than Airan. You need to get these in your hand because when you see them online, they look nice, but you don't really see the depth, the warmth of all these designs, the way all the components are just perfectly sized. Very faithful RE edition of an old style chronograph with low profile pushers and nicely sized crown. I'd even wouldn't mind if it was a little bit bigger, but it's certainly big enough and bigger than many modern crowns, that's for sure. And yeah, unfortunately I'm a bit of a basic bitch on this one. I like the Heritage Chronograph Script 324.406. I think it's gorgeous and I. I'm not surprised it's sold out and on a waiting list, but I really do believe 3, 4, €3,075. It's just about the best value dress chronograph, if that's a thing that you can get on the market. So chapeau, Tom, you've done it. Final thoughts.

[Sebastian]

I am happy that some brands are listening to us. You don't need to bring new watches for the sake of bringing new watches if you don't have the creativity or b, don't actually bring anything new. It's fine if you take it nice and slow and you bring the same stuff. That's okay because I say that rather often on the show. You don't need always revolutions. Evolution is fine as well. Just look at the brand with the crown.

[Rob]

Nicely said. Nicely said. So this is the first episode that we're gonna be putting out in a rapid pace actually from time to Watchers we've got a lot of content that we recorded at the fair and now we feel it's the time to air it so that it's still as current as it can be and you can all get a little insight into what was going on on the ground during the day. So you will be hearing from us, Reg, and it'll follow the same format. These are all short interviews that were conducted outside the villa Sara San. And then we're going to do a little bit of analysis at the end of every show. Now we're back on terra firma, having finished flying around the globe in that mad rush that is April and middle of May. So alon, nice to speak to you again. It's been too long and I'm looking forward to hearing you again soon, Sam.