By the time you read this the world is reeling from the COVID-19 virus that has infected 80,239 people and killed 2,700 people. Italy is suddenly a country in panic with an outbreak reported in the middle of Milan’s fashion week while Switzerland has just reported its first case. And yes, at the time I write this, there is widespread, bowel-quaking, peer-deep-into-your-soul and come-to-grips-with-your-mortality, hardcore-gut-check levels of hysteria sweeping the world in general.

And as a result some people are becoming more xenophobic and paranoid than ever. But before you decide to barricade your doors, douse yourself, your family and your Labrador with bleach and live underground like a mole subsisting on your nuclear holocaust stores of canned tuna, hang on. Because from my purely layman’s perspective, COVID-19 has a pretty high transmission rate that results in severe respiratory issues.

But will it kill you if you get it? If you’re healthy, resilient, fueled by unbridled rage, Negronis and cigars and an exceedingly high will to live like me, it’s highly unlikely. Note that most of the people who got it early on have already been discharged from hospital. The vast majority of the deaths have happened in Hubei province and yes, if you are an elderly person living in a rural part of China, have an underlying medical condition and if you don’t get the right help, you could be at risk of death in the same way you would if you caught any illness.

We at Revolution recognize that every luxury brand with dozens of boutiques in China and that has to maintain this staggering fixed costs when no one is shopping, it’s a disaster. We’ve seen brands cutting back on advertising and special projects, and my message to them is that this is perfectly fine.

Dudes, I get why you had to do it, and I will support you anyway because I have immense gratitude to you and an industry that has given me and everyone on my team our livelihood. We love horology and all Swiss (and international) watch brands with total sincerity and we will absolutely support you in good times and in bad.

Because we are in it for the long term just the way you are. We will get through this by sticking together. Because now is not a time for conflict or a time to give in to our baser natures. But to support each other and stay strong and plan for dynamic resilience when this crisis is at an end as it surely will be. And then we will party hard. But until then count on us to be unwavering in our support of you no matter what.