The year was 2010, and I was less than a year into a new side gig writing about watches when I received a call asking if I’d like to visit a manufacturer in Switzerland, and document the experience.
“What brand is it?”
“Parmigiani Fleurier.”
“I’m in.”
Unbeknownst to me at the time, this trip would go on to shape my career. Not because of the brand or what I saw in their facilities in Fleurier, remarkable as they were (and continue to be), but because of the people I would encounter on the way.
Being in and around the watch industry has afforded me some pretty wild experiences, and taken me to some unforgettable locations. But the industry has seen considerable change over the years, particularly of late, and the path forward hasn’t always been well lit. The one consistent bright spot has always been the community of enthusiasts, not just in the watch space, but in the adjacent realms as well. Connecting with an incredibly diverse set of individuals the world over, gaining exposure to their perspectives, their interests, and their experiences with their passions has made the intervening years the most satisfying of my professional life.
The Deep Track is the next step on my own journey to understand more deeply what drives your passion and enthusiasm. Not just around watches, but all manner of products that elevate the way we approach life. From gear and cameras, to video games and sneakers, the culture we consume and the things we use can end up taking us to places we never imagined. This brings us to the name, The Deep Track, and the arrow that accompanies it.
I’ve long been fascinated by astronomy, and the images our species has captured through the lens of the Hubble telescope, and more recently the JWST. The Deep Field images we’ve been granted by these telescopes represent the breadth of our capabilities and our curiosity, as well as the vastness of that which we don’t yet know. I find great solace in this sentiment, it’s one that I hope to replicate here in approach.
Combining this to how we track a great many things in our lives, including the passage of time, we arrive at a space that embraces curiosity, acknowledges blind spots, and documents our shared experiences. The triangle in the lockup is modeled after the zero mark on most dive bezels (including a pip within) as well as the tip of a 24 hour GMT hand found on some watches. It’s a symbol that literally tracks time.
The goal here is to continue exploring the watch industry, its products, and its people with the same curiosity that brought me here. That means reviews, expeditions, editorials, and interviews, whatever form it may take. Further, and just as importantly, The Deep Track is my way of staying connected to the passionate enthusiasts and collectors out there that make this space as vibrant as it is.
That’s why The Deep Track will be reader supported through Patreon. This will allow the site to remain as independent as possible, and remain focused on subject matter that is relevant and compelling. Your support allows me to do this for a living, and that’s a responsibility I take seriously. As always, your comments, suggestions, and critiques are welcome in my inbox at [email protected].
You can support The Deep Track on Patreon right here.
-Blake