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Last year, we announced to our partners, friends, and readers that we would have launched a new project this year, aimed at growing the magazine into a bigger and diversified digital media capable of offering something that has to do with engaging with communities rather than just blogging. Horbiter|Cafè, this is the name of the website that went live in the second half of January, aims at further connecting brands and watch geeks.
Let’s take a look at the industry for a while: as we are seeing, the watchmaking industry is changing fast; the current formula, based on traditional fairs, is leaving room to new entities, and Baselworld is, for example, going through their hardest time in their long history.
The watch industry is changing and the idea of community too. We rather call it: Club.
Most luxury brands, primarily those belonging to the leading luxury groups (Richemont, Swatch, LVMH, but also Seiko, Casio), have abandoned the old formula. We might assert that just the Richemont Group keeps preserving a traditional multi brand fair-based event, where some independent brands have joined the party; the most significant change so far has to do with a new name and date: Watches and Wonders. LVMH has recently inaugurated the LVMH Watch Week, while the Swatch Group has got the ball rolling by being the first to abandon Baselworld.
How are the watch community and press media representatives acting in this ever-changing scenario? As far as we are concerned, we always thought passion and new projects to be our mantra in connecting to our readers further, and that’s the vision behind Horbiter|Cafè.
What is Horbiter | Cafè and why it is different.
Our mission is to enhance the experience by closer connecting fans from across the globe to their favorite brands; we wanted to offer something on top of a hands-on review or a stunning photo gallery. Within Horbiter|Cafè, we have created and will keep creating Clubs by brand that include communities of watch enthusiasts, where they do not just share their passion but get to know each other during recurring meet-ups and events. Moreover, we have a close relationship with most brands and we are therefore setting up specific projects with them.
This is what sets our Clubs apart from the competition, making our communities not as anonymous as anywhere else on the Internet (like in forums), for example. Our first-ever Club is SEIKOLOGY, and Seiko Italia has endorsed us. The launch event was a success beyond any expectation, and we also have set-up our one-year roadmap, where our members will get involved in various activities.
How to register on Horbiter | Cafè and join our Clubs.
How can anyone join Horbiter|Cafè? I invite you to discover what’s up by landing on Horbiter|Cafè, via desktop the first time, I suggest, and follow the first registration process by clicking on “ENTRA NEL CLUB“ (“Enter the Club.” The website is currently in Italian, but topics are either in Italian and English) located in the upright position, and provide basic information geared towards offering you a custom-made experience along the way. The process above is the first step since the next one is to join a Club. As I’m writing, there are three active Clubs (SEIKOLOGY, BREVETTATO, PROBUS SCAFUSIA), and you are offered two options while submitting your request:
- you can access a Club by being invited by a person who is an active Club member already
- you can spontaneously apply.
In either case (application by invitation or spontaneous application), it is mandatory to send a message to the administrators who will contact the requesters directly and quickly.
This formula was conceived to make our Clubs a safe place and ensure that all the Club members are genuinely interested in being active members, other than meeting other members periodically.
Horbiter|Cafè from smartphone.
To get the most out of Horbiter|Cafè, on your smartphone, we have created an App that works through an Open Source App called DISCOURSE. Here is how to proceed:
- Search and download DISCOURSE from Google Play or iOS.
- Once installed, connect DISCOURSE to the following site: community.horbitercafe.com
This mobile version, through DISCOURSE, works as an Instant Messenger, else said it mimics WhatsApp. Are you ready? Copy and paste the following link and register: community.horbitercafe.com. For any question, please send an email to horbiter@horbiter.com and I’ll be more than happy to provide support. I look forward to welcoming you to Horbiter|Cafè.
(Photo credit: Horbiter®)
Gaetano C @Horbiter®
