What was the last watch you bought?
The latest additions to my collection are some completely different watches, actually. The 5231J World Time by Patek, is in my opinion a really interesting and recognisable classic watch design. It belongs in any serious collection of Pateks. A Rolex Sky-Dweller in rose gold with the blue dial. This is one of the most interesting Watches and Wonders releases for me and it seems Rolex are really listening to the community and reading the forums, because it was one of the most requested designs in the last year for sure.
Interestingly, I also added a Bamford ‘Skater Snoopy’. So did Nico Leonard – we both got one together, so we could wear the same watch! It’s just hilarious. I am a big Snoopy fan, and to me watch collecting isn’t about wearing expensive watches – it’s about unique pieces that are different from one another. And this one just intrigued me.
Rolex Sky Dweller Ref. 336935
Do you collect anything outside of watches?
I think collecting comes from having a passion for something, and clearly my passion is my job – cars. They are always front and centre here at Brabus and something I deeply care about. One of my other passions is fashion. I love to look at what all of the brands are doing and I’ve been collecting garments for more than ten years. It’s an interesting one. Everybody collects differently.
I collect watches in a specific way, as I’m looking for interesting designs across a diverse range of brands and what really matters to me is that they’re different. I don’t want every Daytona reference; I just want ones that are different from one another, so I can wear a different watch with a different outfit. They need to be visually or mechanically different from one another. Every brand has its iconic designs, which stand for what it’s worked for. If I look at Patek, a World Time is different from a Calatrava. Different to a perpetual calendar and Celestial. Each and every one is clearly identifiable and outstanding, so I’d be collecting one of each of those before I was collecting four references of perpetual calendars. Same for AP, Vacheron, Moser, all of the brands.
What’s at the top of your wishlist?
There are a few watches at the top of my wishlist, which is constantly there and updated from time to time. For now though, the skeleton version of the Vacheron Overseas in rose gold. It’s a magnificent watch, a highlight of Watches and Wonders 22. The 39mm skeletonised AP Royal Oak in rose gold too. A Patek Philippe Celestial – a watch like no other. And for independent route, there are some watches from Ressence that I have an eye on.
What is a recent find or discovery?
I bought the Studio Underd0g Watermel0n – a recent and quirky find. Not an expensive watch at all, and not one that attracted my attention because it was mechanically proficient – it has a Chinese movement – but I like what the designer is doing. He’s getting the designs and colour palette from food and I love that, because I too am looking for new inspiration in many places. It was so out of the box and new for the industry, that I actually went to eBay to secure one, as it sold out! Like I said, it’s about the passion for collecting for me, not the price. I read up on the brand, loved the designer’s story, and won it in the eBay auction.
Studio Underd0g Watermel0n
What inspires you?
My job as the owner and CEO of Brabus is to permanently infuse our brand with energy and new ideas. For this I have to get out of my comfort zone; travel, meet interesting people and immerse myself in inspiration. I’m a big fan of design and fashion, and of architecture – I keep looking at these areas of life constantly to get inspired and to analyse how brands and designers in these spaces do business.
‘My role is to be out there in the world connecting people and ideas to Brabus and look for things I can take back to HQ. This could be cultural things like trends, or technical things like how a brand builds a product portfolio, or does meetings, or delivers shows and events. I’m fascinated with retail spaces and I’m always taking pictures because there is so much to develop and discover. A large part of my brand’s development is our team out in the world looking, thinking, dreaming, like I do too. This is how we improve.
What is a book, podcast or album that changed the way you think?
I am a big fan of music and of audio books. One book I love is Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink, because it talks about the characteristics of ownership from the perspective of two Navy Seals who work in extreme environments, and much of this translates to my role here at Brabus. Essentialism by Greg McKeown, which teaches you how to focus on the right things and leave behind the clutter. I also loved Factfullness by Hans Rowling, which describes why the world is a much better place than people think it is, through the intelligent interpretation of statistics. I am a big fan of the approach and there are some interesting TED Talks by the author too.
Who is a celebrity of person of note that you admire?
You asked about music in the last question and on that note, someone I find inspiring is John Mayer. I like to listen to him, but interestingly there’s a connection to the watch world because he is of course a big collector, although I was a fan of his long before this. Apart from that, there are a lot of people who inspire me, but I’m not one to look at celebrities for inspiration. It can come from a lot of other places and people. I don’t have many idols but generally, inspiration for me comes from my own circle of friends, family and colleagues.
What is your ideal long weekend?
My ideal long weekend looks pretty much the same every week. I work very long hours during the week so Saturday is my recovery day. You’ll find me sleeping in, recharging with no alarm clock, and doing very little…not many appointments, just on the couch reading or watching videos. Getting in touch with people and maybe going out for dinner. Then normally on Sundays it’s a family and friends day, again with some good food. But my job is super challenging and I put a lot of energy into this, so weekends are for recovery.
What would we always find in your fridge?
Boring answer, sorry. You’ll always find a lot of fruit and vegetables. Salads and healthy things, because I don’t give myself the chance to mess up when I am at home. My job means I take a lot of dinners out, so I refuse entry to anything ‘bad’ that I know I’m going to eat in my home. My favourite snack is a big plate of nuts that I have in the kitchen at all times – maybe that’s why sometimes I’m a little nuts!
What is a rule or mantra that you live by?
A mantra that has come up in several interviews, without me thinking about it is ‘one face to life’. I was at a talk in Munich during a trade show and the moderator on stage asked me how I was privately. I thought about it and I just said “I don’t know what you’re asking…I’m here, this is me”. This sparked the conversation about if you’re different as a business person as you are privately. Yes, I have to wear many hats and behave according to different roles…CEO, owner, brother, boyfriend, we all have many roles.
But as the owner of a family business, I think you can only represent both the family and the business if you have a strong foundation as a personality and are authentic as a person – I know authentic is a difficult word, but it’s why this phrase ‘one face to life’ exists and has come up so many times. I don’t believe in behaving differently in different settings because I think my family, friends and colleagues want to talk to the same person, and that’s a responsibility I have.
What does the year ahead look like for you?
I became the CEO in 2018 after the sudden passing of my father, and when I look back at these five years, it’s amazing and unbelievable how much traction and speed we have picked up during that time – new products like our ‘Rocket’ series, new sectors like marine with our Brabus boats, and on two-wheels; our bike collaborations with KTM. It’s bought speed into our business. You can feel this innovation and speed as you walk through our HQ. There is a certain urge to develop and lots going on at once – it’s thrilling.
2023 has been a year in which a lot of new things happened, like the Brabus Rocket R based on the 911 Turbo S, and a huge investment in something we tried on a small scale back in 22 – our Signature night event – this year becoming a real milestone for our business, presenting products in a way that nobody has in our industry before either, thanks to our amazing community of collectors, customers and media. We had some real positive feedback and the event is doing wild things for our business which we honestly didn’t expect. Something that was born out of the need to reorganise after COVID has become the North Star of our calendar now and we are already planning for 2024’s event, and 2024’s new products. We are developing so fast as a brand and I can’t wait to see what we’re going to do next.
More details at Brabus.
