This year represents the 80th anniversary of Europa Star, and we still have ‘all of our teeth’ as they say. Yes, 80 years ago, the foundations of Europa Star were laid by our grandfather, Hugo Buchser. In 1927, he launched the ancestor of our current magazine in the form of the first ‘Buyers’ Guide to Watches, Jewellery, and Related Industries’. During that epoch, well before anyone could possibly have imagined that, even in a world of science fiction, there would ever be a tool for communication and knowledge such as the Internet, his totally innovative pocket buyers’ guide (the hard-copy ‘Google’ of its day) was a very useful and popular tool in the industry.
As time went by, this guide rapidly became a revue that was distributed around the world, and published in many languages: Spanish, English, French, German, Russian, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, etc. In the 1960s, under the direction of our father, Gilbert Maillard, these publications metamorphosed into the Europa Star that you know today.
Since the beginning, our mission was focused on the exportation of watches and the readership was composed of trade professionals from the vast community that made up the inter-national watch industry. During the first decades, we were nearly alone in this function. Today, there are hundreds of watch magazines, yet Europa Star remains unique. Its targeted readership is not so much the public at large, although non-professionals still appreciate it, but primarily trade and watch aficionados from around the world, eager to read documented and unbiassed reporting, combined with independent analyses, free from outside pressure.
But, if we have lasted for 80 years, it is above all because we have always kept our sights on the future. There-fore, in this year of celebration, we are not going to dwell on our past, even though we are quite proud of it. Rather, we will discuss what is happening in the here and now, in order to better decipher what will occur tomorrow. As always, the future is sure to bring many surprises. As the saying goes, ‘the dwarfs of today are perhaps the giants of tomorrow’. This is why, faithful to our history and heri-tage, we continue to offer a ‘demo-cratic’ vision of timekeeping.
Europa Star is one of the only revues to cover the entire gamut of the watch industry, embracing all its players, from the most modest to the most glorious. As an example, this issue examines emerging brands, those newcomers to the industry composed of young watchmakers or entrepreneurs, some of which will undoubtedly be major forces in the watch industry of the future.
Another example of the magazine’s ‘democratic’ spirit is the gallery of 80 portraits that will be presented during the year. This gallery will include men and women, acting behind the scenes or on centre stage, who may be simple artisans or CEOs of the large brands. These portraits offer a selection of players in the industry, who, in their own way, like thousands of others, are creating the watchmaking of today, while laying the foundations for tomorrow. 80 portraits, 80 years, and counting…
Source: Europa Star February-March 2007 Magazine Issue
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