Natalie Schmidt (Yarova) Chief Editor, Co-founder of Watches in Ukraine Luxe Life magazine, catalogue Watches in Ukraine

1. Describe briefly your childhood.

My childhood was a road - full of trains and planes. My parents lived in Russia and my grandmother in Ukraine so every spring and every autumn I went on a travel from Perm to Kyiv and back again.

2. As a child did you have any driving ambition?

Speed and freedom have always been my life companions. In my childhood in studied in a sports school and skiing gave me the feelings I sought for. I had a dream of becoming another Raisa Smetanina (Soviet and Russian skier, four-time Olympian champion) was finished after the discovery of a specific health condition and I had to leave sports. Since my parents have always been an example for me the decision to become an engineer was the most logical one

3. What is your first significant memory as a child?

I was twelve and my Dad taught me to drive and repair the car

4. Have you ever had another profession?

I got my basic education of a chemist at Kyiv Polytechnical Institute. Later I graduated from Higher School of Advertising because it was the demand of my current job at the time. It gave me the opportunity to grow as the advertiser

5. What made you decide to go in the direction you are currently in?

The advertising agency I was working for started issuing a watch magazine for one of the distributors in Ukraine. Being the only employee who had technical education I was appointed to manage it. In 2006 I was offered to become the CED of the Watch Association of Ukraine and did the job until 2010. I had a wonderful chance to get to know the watch industry having plunged myself into the many-faceted depths of the internal world of watches and chronographs

6. What’s the worst job you’ve had to do?

When one does the job they love there’s never a bad job. The job may uninteresting but if you realize it's value and importance all it's negative aspects fade. The honest and open approach are the main components of successful development. This is the work that gave no satisfaction and demolished inner personal rules, the work based on lies and deception is probably the one I can consider the worst.

7. What’s been the hardest moment in your life so far, and how did you overcome it?

The hardest moment was the COVID-19 quarantine. We had to issue the magazine on the web at http://issuu.com/watchesua And more attention is paid to the website of the magazine http://www.watchesinukraine.com

8. Who has had the strongest influence on you?

In the beginning of 2010, my friend Taras Lemeshko put forward the idea of setting up our own company to issue an independent watch magazine. In the winter 2010 our first watch catalogue was issued and some three years later we started issuing our magazine Watches in Ukraine Luxe Life. I get inspired a lot l, by the amazingly skilful intricacies of mechanisms. Sometimes one might think that everything has already been invented and thought about but as soon as you get another press release you realize that watchmakers are still able to astonish and captivate. Here are some examples of this year: Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Armillary tourbillon perpetual calendar – Planetaria, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 Quadriptyque, A. Lange & Söhne Cabaret Tourbillon Handwerkskunst

9. What are you most proud of?

My biggest pride are my two daughters - Katarina and Olivia. They give sense to my life and inspire all my ideas. The creation and further development of the magazine Watches in Ukraine Luxe Life is my professional pride. The fact that I hold the annual competition “Watches of the Year” in Ukraine makes me be proud that watch industry and watchmaking is developing even in these hard times.

10. What advice would you give to a 20 something someone thinking of taking a similar path as you?

Advice giving is a very ungrateful thing. Everyone has their own path to reach their aims and usually this path is difficult. But continuous self-development, acquiring of professional knowledge to build your career and gaining experience when you learn to do everything yourself are the basic components of professional growth. Of course, you have to be patient and strong and never let any hardships make you change your mind. You should always remember that when it is difficult giving up won’t help it.

11. Name three things on your bucket list.

First, I want my Dictionary of Watch Terms in Ukrainian on which I have been working for more than 12 years see the world. Second, I’d like to learn German to make it easier to communicate with colleagues. Third, I’d like to have the opportunity to visit different cities, countries, continents and learn about the development of watchmaking

12. Where do you think the watch industry is going to be in 10 years time?

Watch industry is very much like the Phoenix bird - it gets reborn from ashes. New materials and technology will be used in ten years time which will attract new precision mechanism lovers. I also believe that many companies will join up with the initiative to stop using real leather in production. I gather there will appear one more watch group encompass the middle watch segment while Rolex and Patek Philippe will stay independent.

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