Saving the Florentine Tradition of Military Watch Making
Attending a business luncheon, the conversation among the Florentine business people turned to one of Florence's most important industries:fashion. News of an important acquisition was just beginning to shift from the realm of private negotiations to the public domain via leaders in the business community.
The Bad News: The Loss of a Tradition
The news was not the kind that Italians - especially Florentine Italians - liked to hear. Italians, proud of their talents in design and craftsmanship, are loathe to learn when a prized national product is in danger of not just being aquired, but removed completely from domestic production. This is especially true when that removal appears to be...forever. Such an event, Florence's leaders of commerce agreed, would signal the end of an era of Tuscan watchmaking pride and honor.
An Original Lost
Many who read these words know just which event, product and people the above refers to. As connoisseurs of fine watches, you understand that the loss of these special watchmaking processes, techniques and personnel would be anathema to anyone who truly appreciates the Tuscan tradition of fine Florentine craftsmanship. To remove this from its birthplace would be to change the original forever.
Respect for the New; Reverence for the Old
Anonimo respects and admires the evolution of the original Italian military watch. Because of this evolution and the necessity to keep alive a Florentine tradition, Anonimo was born and thrives today. Anonimo's future is inextricably linked to its past.
The Good News: The Rebirth of a Tradition
In 1997, Federico Massacesi, a longtime executive with fashion design legend Salvatore Ferragamo, officially established Anonimo in the creative center of Florence. Massacesi clearly heard the call to save an Italian heritage, preserving both the livelihood of the craftsmen who had dedicated their skills to Tuscan watchmaking and a veritable regional treasure as well. By providing the necessary resources, he ensured the continuation of case and strap manufacturing techniques that only this original team of veteran watch craftsmen could continue to produce. "Leave Italy?!" they cried. "Never!"
And so Anonimo was born, a monument to excellence complete with the original artisans and materials essential to keeping tradition intact and alive. Though Anonimo may be less than a decade old, its people, its processes, its craftsmanship date back over 50 years.
Anonimo: a perfect blend of tradition and innovation.
