Sometimes, it is the unexpected turns in life that put us on the right path.
For Detroit-born Elizabeth Doerr, this included winning a postgraduate scholarship in Germany, where she would meet her future husband, raise a family and be introduced to the world of state-of-the-art mechanical watches.
Now, as the co-founder and editor-in-chief of QuillandPad.com for seven years, she focuses on independent and sophisticated manufacturers, working in a suite on the top floor of her home in Karlsruhe, Germany, with a view of the rooftops and rock music playing in the background.
Ms. Doerr, 54, recently spoke about sector coverage and what the near future can bring. His comments, made by e-mail and telephone, have been edited and condensed. – SUSANNE FOWLER
What attracted you to watches?
It was not a conscious decision. My interest developed through my work with a German publisher that launched a watch magazine in 1991, called ArmbandUhren. The more I learned, the more I became addicted. There was a real sense of community that I also loved.
You have manipulated some of the most complicated and expensive watches in the world. Do you remember your first?
It was a gift from my mother, but it disappeared in college and I don’t remember if it was a brand. It was certainly quartz and cheap. My first noteworthy watch was the Movado Museum Watch, which I won as a first prize in a tennis tournament in 1990. Later, I bought an Oris “automatic for beginners”, widely recognized as a stepping stone to the world of mechanical watches.
You and your business partner, journalist Ian Skellern, put Quill & Pad live in 2014. You said it’s “about 800 years online”. What was the industry like at the time?
The world of watches has undergone some changes that I consider to be radical. When I started in 91, it was very intimate. You could walk into the Patek Philippe Basel booth as a stranger and really talk to people. As a rookie, I was even allowed to deal with rarities. Today, even I can’t touch the really rare items. Interest in mechanical watches was minimal, with no overall score.
The progression from then to now has been greatly altered by the brand conglomerate – most of the historic brands are now part of larger luxury groups with goals that exceed only the manufacture of a large watch. This, however, really allowed the independent scene to emerge.
Have you also seen an increase in the number of women working in this male-dominated field?
When I started, there were almost no women on the watches, except in the public relations sector. But I see more coming, which is fantastic. There are now some high-profile CEOs and more women in key design, marketing and sales positions.
But while the majority of the watchmaking force in a given factory is usually made up of women – 50% or more in general – they have basic jobs. There are some watchmakers and techniques slowly climbing the ladder, but they are few and far between.
Others created businesses from scratch. This includes Kathleen McGivney, chief executive of the RedBar Group, the largest organized collector group in the world. And Livia Russo, the less extroverted partner of the famous auctioneer Aurel Bacs, who together run the Phillips watch auction section.
Now for the crystal ball. Predictions?
I think the core groups will continue to deepen their commitment to e-tailing, which they were slow to adopt and therefore suffered during the pandemic. Independent brands fared much better in large part because their online boutiques were already installed.
Last year, auction houses did great business as people “bought” online. I suspect that the continued interest in vintage and used products, combined with the need to shop online safely, will continue.
I won’t be surprised if some brands keep parts that are too complicated or too expensive in 2021 until buyers can touch and feel them again. And I think casual sport will continue to be a big topic in high-quality watchmaking.
Like most online entities, we notice an increase in traffic. But I see that we really need the sweet side of meetings to understand clocks. At least I want to. I hope the fairs have not died. A watchmaker’s enthusiasm for a project or a technical element can really ignite a fire in me. Inspiration is contagious.