Messages: 18911 Location: South East England
Registered: September 2004
SalonQP 2012 - An Interview with Simon Michlmayr of Meridian Watch Company...
Mon, 26 November 2012 15:30
Simon Michlmayr, co-founder Meridian Watch Company
When I think of Norfolk I think of Lotus that world renowned motor racing, engineering and sports car manufacturer founded by the genius that was Sir Colin Chapman; the Norfolk Broads - a large swathe of land incorporating lakes and rivers close to the North Sea coast that is a popular holiday destination for the British; Turkey farming; and Sandringham, the current British monarch's summer retreat.
But the hot bed of English wristwatch manufacturing? Well, hardly. However, that may be about to change what with the introduction of an exciting new brand.
Launched at this years Salon QP, the Meridian Watch Company is a Norfolk based brand with a wealth of technical expertise, ambition, engineering talent in spades and a good deal of experience in the watch industry. Simon Michlmayr, co-founder of Meridian, is a second generation watch maker, fellow of the British Horological Institute and has been in the watch business for around 25 years, primarily servicing and prototyping watches for other brands.
Wrist shot of MP-04
The company's aim, however, has always been to produce their own timepiece. "About three years ago I thought 'well, we've got to get on and do it' and this is where we've ended up", says Simon, in an entirely pragmatic, straight forward manner, something which is carried over to the product he proudly displays on his wrist.
Meridian currently offer ten models, each with a heavily modified Swiss hand wound movement featuring a small sweep seconds indicator, either at six or nine o'clock, and all models are available in one size only at present. Three finishes are avaliable: polished, bead-blasted (satinised) or a PVD black coating.
The watch itself is large. At 46mm in diameter by approx. 15mm height, dimensions are dictated in part by the size of the base Unitas calibre Meridian use as the foundation for all their current watches. All Meridian cases are created in house. They are - as mentioned above - hand polished or hand satinised, and fully water resistant rated down to 300m/1000ft. The case has also been designed with an eye on brand expansion. It's large internal architecture allow easily accommodating of any future module - both dial and balance side - that the brains trust at Meridian invent when a problem requires an innovative and compact solution. But more on this later.
MP-04 on left with Simon's own MP-03 "special" on right
Simon is aware that the size of his creation could alienate some potential customers, so plans are in place to create a smaller version of the initial range. He is also extremely interested in creating a dive model with a special rotating bezel and helium escape valve. He tells me that, "we have made a couple of diving watches for a couple of friends of mine, one who dives professionally, and what people think divers want and what divers actually want are completely different...". Almost as a casual aside, he says, "I want to produce a watch that goes to ridiculous depths just to see how far down it goes before it explodes!".
For a company that is looking to expand and thrive, it cannot do so without introducing a ladies model in the foreseeable future, so we will eventually see a feminine example to complement the current men only range. As yet there are no details as to what this watch will look like or the price range it will compete within, but I'm assured this will happen sooner rather than later.
Back to the current range, and first we'll look at the most important part of any watch; its movement. Much has been said down the years about the ubiquitous and, dare I say it, boring Unitas 6498 calibre. Available off the shelf from Swiss giant ETA, this vintage pocket watch movement finds it way into a multitude of different watches, and, some might say, hardly the perfect calibre to launch a fledgling premium watch brand with. Simon, however, disagrees. The inherent beauty, he believes, of the Unitas 6498 is that it's a reliable workhorse with an almost unlimited scope for visual enhancement and engineering development.
The ubiquitous Unitas 6498 - heavily modified by Meridian
"We buy the Unitas base movement and do various modifications to it. We completely refinish it, frost it [referring to the plates], bevel the edges once frosting has been completed, add a screwed balance to increase the accuracy and engrave it [with a relief that references the company branding - images shown are not indicative of actual cased movements]. Because we're a small company we need a movement that is accessible, one where parts are readily available, and with this it's future proof. It's a good solid base movement, they're lovely", he says.
Although the base 6498 is not Chronometer rated from the factory, Meridian fully poise the balance outside of, and once installed in, the ebauche. Cost implications currently prohibit Meridian from sending out finished calibre's for Swiss accreditation, and at present no such industry player exists within the UK that could do this, Kew having shut down its timing observatory a number of years ago. However, the assembled movement is timed in five positions similar to C.O.S.C standards by company watchmakers before casing which suggests impressive results are the norm rather than the exception.
For a watch that takes its design cues from military timepieces, with RAF specification pieces from IWC and Jaeger LeCoultre clearly used as design benchmarks (Simon is a huge fan of IWC's Big Pilot, "I love that watch, I think it's great!"), it's not hard to see that function and reliability are paramount to his requirements. "The military inspiration comes down from ultimately, I believe, the fact that you've got to be able to tell the time. You've got to be able to look at your watch and go 'that's the time'. I want our watches to be used, I don't want our watches only to be worn on a Sunday."
The eerie green glow of Black Lume on Simon's MP-03 "special"
This no nonsense approach to watchmaking is indicative of the man himself and transfers to both the design of the watch and the little details that contribute to a highly effective and extremely solid first product. Take, for example, the special roller integrated into the buckle that allows the beautiful, high quality 24mm wide English made strap to sit just right on the wrist. The roller is there to prevent pinching of the leather, a trait so common with flat bladed buckles that ultimately decreases the longevity of the strap material.
Or take a look at the small yet strong hex screws that retain the strap and buckle bars - a nice touch that differentiates Meridian from other brands and makes DIY easier for the user. By allowing one to change the strap simply with a blunt instrument instead of a sharp screwdriver, the traditional ham fisted attempt most ambitious consumers embark on that usually results in the lugs being scratched to bits because of the aforementioned tool and a clumsy hand, is avoided.
The English made webbing strap with ingenious roller buckle system
In terms of a "Made in...." moniker, Simon tells me the following: "If you take the movement as fifty percent of the watch, then the rest of it is made in the UK. The case is made in our workshop, the buckles, the clasps, the dials, the straps, we're trying to do them all ourselves." The sapphire crystal is internally and externally coated with an anti-reflective compound by a supplier that provides similar parts to the British Army. This process is completed to military specifications. Also, as part of the packaging, buyers receive a Smythson passport holder that doubles as a warranty card holder, itself a beautiful, English made product.
Simon is keen to point out the individuality inherent with each watch the company produces. The hand crafted sandwich dials are unique to each watch and the company will provide one in whatever colour you desire with hands to match; "If you came to me and said you want a green dial, we'd do you a green dial". He did baulk at the idea of a pink example, however...
Essentially, no two watches are the same - one watchmaker cases the movement, fits the dial, the hands etc. - customisation is thus only limited by the clients imagination.
Our conversation turns toward the future. Simon and co-founder Richard plan to expand the Meridian brand, and ideas at present revolve around the Unitas movement which will remain integral to the company for the next few years. "It's a very good movement to work around, there's room in there for us to put our complications on; [he hands me his own watch] this one has a hack function that we added", which works flawlessly each and every time I pull and insert the crown to see it in action.
Due in January 2013, Meridian will unveil a twin barrel, 100 hour version of their heavily upgraded Unitas base. This movement features a modular, double stacked barrel assembly with the barrels joined at the arbor, into which is incorporated an internal differential - a difficult undertaking that comprises some very impressive micro-mechanical engineering - that enables efficient winding of both barrels by distributing the power fed into the movement via the winding stem.
Prototype 100 hour modified Unitas
There are plans to add a big date complication module into the model range in due course, as well as an automatic bridge module, compact enough to barely raise the overall height of the movement, with dual micro rotors that sit side by side, one winding clockwise the other counter-clockwise. This module unfortunately wasn't ready for viewing at the show, but "various other bits and pieces" will eventually follow, including arguably the holy grail of all mechanical complications: a centrally mounted dead beat seconds module.
It's clear that Simon and Meridian want to establish themselves as purveyors of high quality, ultra reliable utilitarian wristwatches, ultimately with their own an in-house English calibre as they move beyond 2012. I ask where he sees the brand in ten years time.
"Long term we want to make our own movement from scratch. I know we can make a product that is individualised, we know the quality is brilliant, our watches will last a lifetime. I've got lots of ideas and some cracking people that work with me. We [Britain] were world leaders in Horology, all the innovation came from here, it's just the Swiss turned it into a manufacturing process better than we did. The ultimate aim is to make our own movement. I want to do it all here."
After meeting the man and seeing his product, I have little doubt that he'll succeed.
"The knee bone's connected to the something, the something's connected to the red thing, the red thing's connected to my wristwatch..." - Dr. Nick Riveria
- Fatpants