Interview – Tom van Wijlick from Lebois & Co about a New Watch and a Surprising Collectors/Shareholders Project
A few years back, Dutch entrepreneur and watch enthusiast Tom van Wijlick decided to relaunch an old watchmaking name: Lebois & Co. What started as a one-off project founded on Kickstarter quickly moved to the next level with multiple re-launch (here and here) editions and now, Lebois & Co is what we could call a “microbrand”. Today we talk with Tom van Wijlick about two important topics. First is the launch of a new watch, the Venturist, which will soon be reviewed on MONOCHROME but that you’ll already see in this interview. Second is the introduction of a new (and truly interesting) business model, where clients and watch enthusiasts will have the opportunity to become a shareholder of the company… Let’s hear all the details.
Quartz isn’t something that comes across my desk too often, so you know when it does that it’s something special — and this Grand Seiko is definitely something special. There’s a handful of truly exceptional, iconic quartz movements out there, and the 9F is amongst the finest. And now, with the addition of a GMT, the 9F just got that much cooler. So before we get to the watch, let’s talk about what makes the movement so special. This year, the 9F turns 25, and it is — in the best way possible — completely over the top. It’s super accurate (regular versions are within 10 seconds a year, though this specially regulated version is good to within five seconds a year), thanks to the in-house, specially aged quartz crystals to optimise the frequency, and thereby accuracy. There are numerous other smart micro-engineering features, like the backlash to ensure a crisp seconds hand function and a super quick date change. All this adds up to ensure the movement is a serious piece of horology. And it’s finished like one, too, with the sort of jewelling and striped perlage you’d expect on a fine mechanical. This new movement, the 9F86, takes the 9F…
