People watching

I AM interviewing Ewan McGregor in his role as ambassador for IWC. Am I star-struck? To be honest, I'd have to say that I am.

Ewan McGregor and David Meagher

AM I star-struck in this picture, taken earlier this year? To be honest, I'd have to say that I am.

And did we publish it here just to prove that we actually interviewed Ewan McGregor face to face? Well, yes we did.

The occasion for our rendezvous with Mr McGregor was the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, or SIHH as it's better known.

This event is held annually in Geneva to showcase the latest timepieces from the luxury goods group Richemont, which includes Cartier, Baume & Mercier and IWC among others, as well as a handful of invited brands.

McGregor is an ambassador for IWC and our interview with him can be read here. Ambassadors are important to watch companies as they help to stamp a personality onto the brand and make it instantly appealing to consumers.

In this issue we've also interviewed another watch-brand ambassador: TAG Heuer's Leonardo DiCaprio. Ambassadors are also good for magazines like this one. They help us to bring a recognisable human face to what can be a complex subject.

While we might be fascinated with mechanical timepieces, we recognise not everyone will share our passion so we hope our brand ambassador interviews, which we plan to bring you more of in coming issues, will interest you in other ways.

We decided to break our Watch Special into two parts this year in order to give the subject more space. Part I  focuses on SIHH and the LVMH brands.

Part II, in next month's issue, will focus on the watch brands exhibited at Baselworld in March.

The strength of the watch industry is one of the great ironies of modern life. Despite an unsteady global economy and the proliferation of digital devices, watch exports from Switzerland reached a record 19.3 billion Swiss francs ($20.25 billion) last year, helped in no small part by demand in China.

More than one watch brand CEO told WISH at SIHH and Baselworld this year that no one actually needs a mechanical watch these days. We're surrounded by digital clocks in our daily lives that tell the time just as well as a fine watch.

"But to tell the time is not why I wear a watch," one CEO told us. With demand for their products at an all time high, it's little wonder the watch brands are putting out new models at an ever-increasing rate.

We hope you enjoy this issue and, as usual, we invite your comments on our Facebook page at facebook.com/wishmagazine