Master of complications, clash of sensibilities

Some of the Swiss I met in Geneva were very concerned with the future viability of Swiss industry. "What does Switzerland have ...", mused one army major, "just water, chocolate and watches." Left unsaid was that watches were going the way of the tophat.

So, this sign on the building of a watch maker was funny. Complications are, of course, a horological term that refers to the variety of gears. The more the complications, the more intricate the watch and the pricier it is. Except that with digital watches, one can have all sorts of functions without the need for mechanical movements. Still, Frank Muller is apparently the master of complications.

On the side of the shop was a display window. And what was in the display was the watch maker's attempt at remaining relevant:

The Swiss love of complexity has been applied to an iPhone cover. Talk about a clash of sensibilities ...