Great news for our British readers! REVOLUTION UK will make its debut on newsstands on the 4th of April 2014. Do look out for it!
In the meantime, I speak to Sophie Furley, Editor of REVOLUTION UK to find out more about what to expect:
Adi Soon:
Sophie, congratulations on the launch of Revo UK, can you tell me why Revolution has decided to start a new edition of the magazine in the UK and the journey to the first issue?
Sophie Furley:
I think the first spark for me came in 2012 when I was looking over the subscriptions for Revolution Switzerland. I was surprised to see how many people were subscribing from the UK, in spite of the high international postal costs. I realized that we were not only sending boxes and boxes of magazines to the UK for distribution, but that there was a real interest in watchmaking in the UK.
A few months after this, I had the opportunity to visit London’s SalonQP where I met some of my Swiss watchmaker friends who were raving to me about how knowledgeable they found the British people to be about watchmaking. I remember one watchmaker telling me “This is nothing like the show in Paris where everyone just comes and admires the dials, the British people really understand and appreciate mechanical watchmaking”. It was a proud moment for me being British and the second spark that lit the fire. I spoke to Revolution’s founders, Wei Koh and Dr. Bruce Lee, who unknown to me at the time, had also been planning a UK edition.
Adi Soon:
What has the response been like from the watch industry and watch buyers in the UK?
Sophie Furley:
The response from the brands has been incredible; everyone is thrilled about Revolution coming to the UK. I can’t wait to hear from the readers when the magazine comes out next week—their response is always our guiding light.
Adi Soon:
British watchmaking has seen a strong resurgence of interest; will this be a topic that you will cover?
Sophie Furley:
We have dedicated a whole column to British watchmaking called BRIT WATCH. This section will not only look at British watches, but will also “watch Britain” so to speak. We will be featuring the big British names as well as smaller independent watchmakers, and the British people who are bringing their own form of magic to the world of Haute Horlogerie, both in the UK and abroad.
Adi Soon:
Some people may not know this, but you are actually British despite being the Editor of Revo Swiss, before Revo UK came out. How do you feel about Revo finally coming to the country of your birth?
Sophie Furley:
I have been an avid magazine reader ever since I was a child and I have fond memories of going to my local newsagents with my father every Saturday morning and choosing a magazine. I know that seeing Revolution on those very same shelves is going to be a very special moment for me. I’ll be sure to post a photo on Facebook of me holding the magazine up looking all-proud with a silly grin!
Adi Soon:
You have a very strong team with deep experience in the watch industry. Can you introduce them?
Sophie Furley:
We have a fantastic new team in the UK, starting with Ken Kessler who is one of the most knowledgeable and brilliant watch writers in the world—and that is not just magazine marketing talk—he really is! Ken is Editor-at-Large for Revolution UK, but also for all our editions worldwide. Ken is joined by Tracey Llewellyn, who is Revolution UK’s Managing Editor and an incredibly talented writer whose stories teach me something new each time I read them.
On the commercial side I have the pleasure of working with Nick Edgley who is one of the most enthusiastic and dynamic people I have ever had the pleasure of working with, not to mention a true professional at helping us make Revolution a success story in the UK.
And without wanting to do the whole “Oscars” speech, I have to say that Revolution UK would not have been possible without the rest of the team working behind the scenes in Singapore, Switzerland and the United States who work so hard to make Revolution the ultimate watch magazine in the world.
Adi Soon:
Do give us a hint of what to look out for in this issue, what are the highlights?
Sophie Furley:
There is really something for everyone in our first issue, whether you are just getting interested in watches or are an experienced collector. On the cover we have Piaget’s new Altiplano 900P that has broken the world record for the thinnest manual timepiece in the world; Ken takes us on an educational journey about collecting timepieces, starting with Cartier; Tracey shares with us a death-defying adventure with Bremont, and you will find a glorious James Bond-style photo shoot showcasing the incredible talents of our fashion and photography team…and that’s just 10 percent of the magazine!
The magazine will be available at the BaselWorld media centre for those of you at the fair, and in newsagents across the UK from April 4th. For all of you across Europe who also want to get your hands on a copy, feel free to email us at [email protected]
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