Alfred: The way I see it, the Apple Watch looks great now, but in 5 years’ time, it will be obsolete. Do you agree with that?
Aldo Magada: Well, it will be obsolete. Basically, OK, the volume they are doing is always impressive, so we have to consider what is comparable. For Apple, when they release a phone, normally the first weekend they do 5 million pieces. It didn’t reach the same dynamic with the Watch. They lower the price by US$100, and that means they are thinking about a new generation, which I understand is coming. Or, there is something wrong in the concept, because the concept itself… I’m not sure about it.
Alfred: But looking at the bright side, the way I see it is that it can attract Apple fans who were not watch fans to have something on the wrist.
Aldo Magada: That’s a good thing for us because it’s exactly what I called “colonization of your wrist.” Because a lot of young people don’t have watches, and to have an Apple watch, suddenly they have an accessory on their wrists, and that could lead to interest in the watch world.
Alfred: Yes, that’s what I see in it. Everyone has to start somewhere, so they start with an Apple Watch. But later on, when the user got used to something on their wrist, they will look for an upgrade. Like me, if I don’t wear something on my wrist, I will feel naked!
Aldo Magada: Yes, definitely. And now because I’m working in the watch business, for me, the watch has to be here, it’s part of me.
Alfred: Totally agree. And now, I would like to ask something outside watches. What do you like to do other than working in the watch industry? What do you enjoy doing in your life?
Aldo Magada: Being with my family and being with my friends. For example, I have friends who smoke cigars. Every week, we have a kind of time for us on Saturday. I like to drive if I can drive classic cars. I like to enjoy life, having good fun with people. After all, of course, it’s classic things: reading books, watching movies. I’m not going outside a lot because when I’m working I meet a lot of people. So when it’s out of my job, I try to really focus on my family and my friends.
Alfred: I understand you have children. (Aldo Magada: Yes, two.) As I understand, you’ve been in the industry for quite a long time. And this industry is actually quite good about passing onto the next generation. Will you be recommending your children to join the watch industry?
Aldo Magada: As you know, it’s always the same for fathers. You secretly think or hope that they could be interested in something, but I don’t have my own company. It’s a different story when you are a manager than when you are the owner of the company. But let’s say you are the manager, I secretly hope that, for example, my son could be interested in watches. But that means to love watches. I love cars, but I will never work in the car industry. I’m too old anyway. So, yes, but you never decide for your children, so let’s see.
Alfred: Out of all those countries that you have traveled, which is your favorite place in the world?
Aldo Magada: I have to say, with my wife, we have two cities where we love to go. One is New York, the other one is Hong Kong. Why? Because New York is a meeting point, a lot of things happen. And Hong Kong, it’s the same, a crossing point of a lot of people. I mean the food business, the restaurants. Less in the culture, because it’s not culture-oriented, it’s business-oriented. I have to say, I also love Italy, because I like wine and good food. But what is important, you know, is that we are in Cuba now, and the last couple of days we spent have been pretty OK for me[…]
Alfred: Out of all the cuisines that you have had when traveling around the world, you mentioned Italy, is it Italian cuisine that is your favorite food?
Aldo Magada: Italian cuisine is one of my favorites for one basic reason: Italian cuisine works around the product. There’s no sauce to hide, there’s nothing, you just cook properly. And I love pasta, you can have so many sauces, so many different tastes. But I like all the cuisines, I’m crazy about Japanese cuisine. I love the Chinese cuisine, but the one from the south, Guangdong. So it really depends. Similar to wine, if you said you just like Bordeaux, I think you are missing a lot. And in China, I know food is something very important. And I like it, because people are very serious about food and cooking.
Alfred: Yes, I use cooking as my way to relax.
Aldo Magada: Yes, it’s a way to relax, because you focus on what you are doing and forget everything else.
Alfred: Yes, we are very serious about our food. That’s why you probably find the best cuisine around the world based in Hong Kong. Thank you very much, Aldo.
Aldo Magada: Thank you very much, Alfred.
It was a trip fitted with perfect mix of Cuban escapism. Sun, sea, and sand mixed with time away from the all-powerful pull of technology. Time to focus on the real and the present; to enjoy the little luxuries in life and remember that no matter how hard the journey, if there are cigars and fine watches at the end it is always worth it. zenith-watches.com