What's amazing to see, quite on the contrary to what many believed, is how many doors Apple's exposure and mainstream appeal have brought us in the mechanical watch world. The Apple Watch had people thinking about the wrist as real estate again – and that has, in turn, helped bring mechanical watches to their strongest years in history. On a personal note, seeing how my own world – my friends and family – began to use Apple Watch as a health and communication tool has been wonderful, all the while thinking back to the earliest memories I've had with those behind the Apple Watch. I've gotten to know some key players there – and sitting down with then Chief Design Officer Sir Jony Ive for Volume 2 of our magazine to ask him all the questions I'd always wanted to know about the process was certainly a highlight.

Something I’ve never shared about that process was that when we told some in the industry we planned to put Jony Ive from Apple on the cover of our magazine, a few partners said they would pull their advertising. That we were legitimizing Apple in the watch world. As if Apple needed legitimizing in any way. We ran the story anyway, and they did indeed pull their advertising. Some have returned, some have not. But we know that it is our job to report on the things happening in the watch world, and for the last five years, the Apple Watch has been chief among them. I think now most of our Swiss counterparts have come around, but man, what a five years it's been.