Manuel Emch’s Personal Relationship with Time and Watches
The conversation series “Twelve on Time” brings together influential figures from the watch industry to discuss their personal connections with time, creativity, and craftsmanship. In this installment, Manuel Emch, a board member at Louis Erard and co‑founder of Kollokium, shares insights about the watches that have shaped his perspective, the qualities he values most, and the broader challenges facing the industry. He highlights the A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 as a pivotal piece that taught him innovation comes from rethinking fundamentals, and he emphasizes character, simple time‑only designs, and the dial as the most telling detail of careful workmanship. Emch also reflects on the Quartz Crisis as a turning point that reinforced the cultural relevance of mechanical watches and warns that brands must stay authentic and meaningful to avoid becoming obsolete. Drawing inspiration from contemporary art, architecture, and industrial design, Emch describes his favorite complications as those that decentralize time, such as the Grande Seconde, and mentions his admiration for pieces like the Cartier Crash and the Louis Erard × Alain Silberstein Tourbillon. He credits Nicolas G. Hayek for shaping his view of watches as stories and emotions rather than mere products, and advises younger collectors to choose watches that continue to excite them months after discovery, focusing on curiosity over hype.
Buying Time Analysis: This interview reveals how personal passion, innovative thinking, and cultural relevance shape watchmaking, highlighting the industry's evolution and the enduring value of craftsmanship.
