The latest trends coming out of Italy seem to be related to the iconoclastic and sardonic aspects of the Italian character. These two national traits have given birth to new brands, which go between the ‘sacred and the profane’ of watchmaking.
The ‘sacred’ is represented by the Swiss haut de gamme sector, especially by its sporty and successful models, whose leaders are Rolex, Omega, Audemars Piguet, Cartier, or even Franck Muller, among others.
On the other hand, the ‘profane’ is in opposition to what is considered as sacred by tradition, as solemn, and inviolable. The ‘profane’ is characterized by a new, unconventional, and anti-conformist representation of watches. The trend of Made in Italy (at least as far as the design is concerned, since the parts are often manufactured in the Far East) is exemplified as pure and simple entertainment. In this regard, it is an idea – where the amused smile mixes with surprise when faced with the fantasy of the creative result – that could only have been born in Italy, a country where, more than anywhere else, everything seems possible.




Ike GMT Leggero, water-resistant watch with polycarbonate case and bracelet, rotating bezel, mineral glass, quartz movement.
BTO BT2, chronograph with polycarbonate case and bracelet, steel crown and pushbuttons, dial available in red, black, white or multi-colour, quartz movement.
VaBene Grimoldi-Milano, chronograph with white or black polycarbonate case and bracelet, plated pink gold bezel, quartz movement.


This new trend represents toys for people of diverse backgrounds and ages, for both men and women, who know and appreciate haut de gamme timekeepers and, precisely for this reason, play the game, no longer being content with a Swatch or a fashion watch.
Therefore, it is not by chance that, among the brand names that appear on the dials of these new trendy timepieces, we find MyToy, Bigtime or Toywatch. There are many other brands of this type that range from Ike (in Italian, it is a play on the English word “like”) to Numéro 10 (the preferred number of the tifosi in soccer). Then, there are also tongue-in-cheek phrases such as VaBene or the evocative appellations such as VipTime, ClipTime or Espace 24.
These watches – reminding us in many cases, some more than others, of the designs of their cousins in the haut de gamme sector – are not fakes or copies. With quite a bit of astuteness, they distance themselves from this troubled and insidious territory of watchmaking, and succeed, in dribbling down a tight zone, to play in another field. In their own way, these brands mockingly offer the most creative and amusing ideas of the last few years.
They shoot at goal, scoring incredible points with an audience that applauds them. BTO, for example, with brand labels such as BigTime and MyToy, was the first to produce these type of watches. Launched in 2003 following a study going back 15 years, they recorded a turnover of nearly 2 million euros for the second half of 2005 alone. The company expects to double this for 2006.
Whatever happens, this phenomenon cannot be explained simply by the penchant of Italians for derision, because the Bel Paese is not merely ‘pizza and mandolins’. Italy is also the home of Ferrari and Armani, and is a country well known for its haute cuisine as well as high styling in general.
To understand the success of these watches, it is not enough to simply look at their playful aspects. We must also consider an important industrial secret involved in the technical and design aspects of their production. This secret is polycarbonate, a special synthetic material – crystalline, non-toxic, hypoallergenic, ultra-resistant, and ultra-lightweight – that has served as a springboard for the launch of this commercial phenomenon, based on an original new product with a competitive price.


Source: Europa Star December-January 2007 Magazine Issue