CollectorsSphere wants to increase the experience of watch diseases

Not too long ago Alexander Friedman -a veteran of the Watch industry, who heads his own boutique advice, af. Luxury counseling – was on a flight from Geneva to New York when he happened to be in addition to Wilhelm Schmid, the managing director of the Prestige German watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne.

“He said Robb report. “He said, 'How do you know that?' And I said: “Because two of our members are with them tonight.”

Friedman referred to his latest company, Collectorsphere, a platform that is only invited to invite you to share the content generated by the community about collecting Watch and counts some of the most powerful collectors in the world as members.

Just don't call it a club.

“We are a collective,” emphasizes Friedman. “Our goal is to combine all communities. Among our founding members there are founders of important clubs around the world. And we connect you to promote the exchange of knowledge and experiences among members for the benefit of the community. ”

The other element, which differentiates collectors from a conventional club, is the focus on the assembly of intelligence. In Exchange for Access to the Group's online and in-person Gatherings-From Casual “Out of Office” Get-Togethers at UPSCALE BARS AND RASTERS AROUND THE WORLD TO CURATED Trips, Search as an upcoming Wine Tour Through Burgundy and an October Retreat to Turkey's Cappadocia Region – Collectorsphere's 150 Founding Members Agree to Offer Candid Feedback On The Watches They Love (and Hate) and what they would like to see from Watchmakers.

“We want you to take part in surveys, our workshops, our editorials, etc.,” says Friedman. “We want to create a strong voice for the industry in the industry.”

Friedman and his co -founders Elisa Morales Dufour and James Schaaf have worked for years of experience in publication and agency work to do the collectorship, which Friedman describes as a “very integrative” community, which also has a robust presence on WhatsApp.

“The youngest member is about 20 years old and the smartest member is, as I would say, at the end of the 1960s,” says Friedman. “Some people are very active on our WhatsApp. But we have strict rules: you have to be polite, no commercial things. Do you want to sell? Would you like to buy? No. There are other groups for that. For us it is about sharing passion, knowledge, anecdotes, new watches, etc., but we do not want to have this commercial approach between the members. ”

For the upcoming watches and miracles in Geneva, Collectorsphere organizes a group of 40 collectors all week, from a breakfast with the independent watchmaker Simon Brette to lunch with François-Paul-Reisen to nightly dinner and bar excursions.

“If you come with us, it won't just see one manufacturer – it's a whole thing,” says Friedman. “You meet really cool, like -minded people. You are in a cool environment. Nobody takes too seriously. We go to cool restaurants, there are late nights. “

Similar programs are in the work for Geneva Watch Days in early September and mid -November in Dubai Watch Week.

Between the personal meetings, members can consult the website that is equipped by the content created by Friedman, which according to Friedman offers an alternative to traditional watch media.

“Ultimately, we will have two reports that will be public that are proposed to the entire industry,” he says. “We do one for watches and miracles, so we started to connect with the members. “What do you expect again from watches and wonder?” And a week later we will ask you: “What was reality? Well, not good? What impressed you the most? '

“Then you have at least a pulse of what is happening from the market on the market,” added Friedman.

Membership in Collectorsphere, which can be intended for founding members free of charge and for everyone else, consists of several levels. “Founding members have access to everything, and they have privileged access to events etc.,” says Friedman, adding that each founding member can invite two people who are classified as “referred members”. Later this year, the community “club members” or those who are given access to various wax clubs around the world will add. Last but not least are “standard members” who have access to the group's out-out meetings and some online content.

Collectors sphere earns money through events, brand partnerships and intelligence reports, but Friedman emphasizes that the group is not designed to promote or sell products. “There is no way that a brand will come to us and says: 'We want this report. I have to know that and that, and there is nothing else. The brands have to take part in the overall partnership financially, but also have to take part in access disorders – for example if we want a privileged moment with the CEO. You have to bring something to the table. “