Interview With Giorgia Mondani

You’ve seen them on the bookshelves at (vintage) watch dealers and collectors: the Mondani books. We talk to Giorgia Mondani, who joined her family business at a young age and shared her love for (Rolex) watches with her +180.000 followers on her Instagram account.

The Mondani books are massive in weight and size and are a bit more serious than nice looking coffee table format books. These are books with a purpose. They help collectors to research their vintage (Rolex) watches and ensure they know what to look for. As you know, it is all about the details when collecting vintage watches.

I’ve been a follower of Mondani for many years and bought a large number of their books myself. It started with the book on all sorts of Rolex models, but when Mondani began to zoom in on specific watch models, such as the GMT-Master, Submariner, etc., I needed those as well. Although mine are probably not the latest editions, they still often help me when I am researching something for an article (or a purchase). I am impressed by the amount of work that went in these books, both in research but also in the very detailed photography. Giorgia’s father, Guido Mondani, has been a watch collector for many years and only started on his 41st birthday. That was in 1986 when his wife gifted him a yellow gold Rolex ref. 8171. He tried to find out more about this specific watch, but there was nothing out there. His research started, and eventually lead him into publishing a book on Rolex watches. The rest is history, as Mondani Books is so well-known for its Rolex publications. Giorgia doesn’t know any better than her father being occupied with watches, and he transmitted this love for watches to her as well. We talk to Giorgia Mondani, Rolex-fan, and part of the family business for many years now.

Can you tell us something about your background?

GM: Sure. In my teens, I was a professional tennis player: I achieved to be one of the best 400 players in the world when I was 18. I trained 8 hours per day and traveled all around the world. I gave up when I was 19 because I really wanted to finish my studies. In fact, I graduated in foreign languages at my hometown university, and after that, I went to Geneva for an internship at Antiquorum. It was there that my career in the watch business started.

The Mondani company is a family business, was it a logical thing for you to be a part of it?

GM: Yes, when I was completing the internship at the famous Swiss auction house Antiquorum, my dad told me they needed help to develop our family business abroad. So I came back and started to work with them. So far, I am still here. But it didn’t stop there, and three years ago, I created another company (still a family business, together with my husband and my parents) Mondani Web: the world’s most reliable network of trusted watch dealers and a specialized social media agency in the world of watches.

Although there are some books on other brands, your main focus is Rolex. Aside from the business model, what does this brand mean for you personally?

GM: I grew up surrounded by Rolex watches: my dad used to be a huge collector at the time, and we attended every auction in Geneva. So this brand has always been a big part of me. When I met Daniele (my husband), it turned out he had some Rolex watches as well, and he was a big fan of them. Destiny, as Rolex kept following me. I enjoy wearing Rolex watches, and I think the brand is the most powerful in the entire world. They are the absolute market’s dominators…

Are the updates on the Rolex watches and collections and thus the need to revise your books a blessing or curse (given the amounts of work for the relatively small updates)?

GM: When you are inside the watch business, you realize that it is unbelievable how fast the market goes. Something which is updated today is old tomorrow. I think the only limit that a paper book has are the updates. That is why we are always available for our clients all around the world to respond to questions, and we offer free updates of every edition we release. And we also have launched the app of almost every title in the Apple store.

What are the biggest challenges for you in the entire process, from writing to shipping the books?

GM: “Creating and writing” a book takes years of research. So we start to do a lot in advance, and we start collecting and researching information. The most challenging part of this first step is being 100% confident about the information. That is why we always collaborate with the world’s most renown experts, auction houses, etc. Besides, we always want to have the watches in our possession for taking the photos. The entire photography process consumes a lot of time. After that, when the layout of the publication is ready after thousands of checks, we have the print process. We insist on having the highest quality available, meaning high costs and a lot of controls to achieving the best result. When all that is done, we are ready, and it is time to sell. That’s one of the more manageable tasks, but still, we are in 2019, and we sell paper books, so it is still quite a challenge. But thanks to our strong marketing, the massive quantity of followers on social media, and serious customers who follow us year after year, that’s not the most challenging part. The quality control of the package and the post-sale customer care are also our strong points as we spend a lot of time, resources, and money on getting this done right. Luckily the final result is excellent because 99,9% of customers are happy and always spend a few kind words on us and give us good feedback.

Has everything be covered on Rolex? What needs to be covered? Where do you still see room for an entirely new title?

GM: I think there is still a lot to reveal, in particular when it comes to vintage Rolex watches. It is complicated to get specific information confirmed. But also regarding the modern market, because as everyone knows, even if the production techniques are advanced and excellent, there are still curious differences in dials, bezels, hands, inscriptions, etc. These differences make the market and collectors curious and “hungry” for new information.

What can we expect from Mondani in the future? Will there be a focus on other brands as well?

GM: Talking about short term projects, next year will be dedicated to vintage Rolex Daytonas (the new book “Self-Winding Rolex Daytona” just came out ) and next year we will release the “little brother” Manual-Winding Rolex Daytona, and to the Patek Philippe Nautilus and Aquanaut, with a new, totally fresh publication coming out in the first semester of 2020.
Talking about long term projects, our current through is to remain focused on Rolex, Patek, and Omega, but you never know. We always look for high-quality publications to propose to our clients. Via our website and social media, people are kept up to date on new book releases.

As you mentioned earlier, you also started the Mondani Web platform for dealers where they can offer and trade watches. What is the status of that? Is it successful?

GM: Mondani Web is doing great! Everything was born from our intense activity on social media, and we realized that people needed visibility because Instagram and Facebook are the places where dealers can show their watches today. So we specialized in managing and promoting watch dealers, watch brands, and auction houses on the primary social media and through our big database. Among our partners, we have Chronoswiss, Antiquorum, Christie’s, Bukowskis, and many more. And today, more than 140 watch dealers are advertising with us. But Mondani Web is much more than a social media agency: it is the world’s most reliable network of Trusted Watch Dealers: we are proud to be able to guarantee the seriousness and reliability of every single dealer who partnered with us. We show our face and name for them, and we defend and boost them. I honestly think that there is nobody else in the world today who dares to put his face and name up for guaranteeing the professionalism of a watch seller. We carefully select every single dealer and partner; we do not want to have thousands and thousands of dealers but instead keep working with a small, selected, and exquisite quantity of watch dealers who can benefit from many exclusive advantages.

Are the trade shows still essential for you with the active use of Mondani’s social media accounts?

GM: For us attending the shows is still a priority because it’s our chance to meet our dealers, to build a strong relationship with them, and to listen to their needs. Building and maintaining relationships are the base of our work and have our main priority.

Can you share with us what your favorite Rolex watches are (plural, I will make it easy for you) and what’s your favorite non-Rolex watch?

GM: My favorite Rolex watch in our collection is the Rolex Day-Date ref. 118238 in yellow gold that Daniele gifted me at our wedding. Generally speaking, the Rolex watch I prefer is the Daytona Paul Newman model, a true legend! And the GMT-Master Pepsi on a Jubilee bracelet. Not because everyone wants one and can’t find or buy it, but because I really enjoy wearing it.

I love the colors. And my favorite everyday watch is the Rolex Submariner Hulk because I find it extremely comfortable and because I love green. All these watches were also considered tremendous and safe investments. I use the past tense because today’s prices are crazy, and we don’t know what is going to happen with quotations next year.

As for my favorite non-Rolex watch that we have in our collection, it is the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5711. And for a sentimental reason: it was my gift to Daniele for the birth of our daughter Mia. My favorite non-Rolex watch, in general, is the Omega Speedmaster, as I find its history incredibly fascinating.

Last but not least, as an author on watch collector’s books: what is your best advice to beginning collectors besides buying a Mondani book?

GM: You said it correctly by stating “besides buying a Mondani book“ because that would have been my first advice in the terms that information and knowledge is the key to start collecting in the best way. Another suggestion is to choose your watch, not for fashion or trends, but as a result of your research. Another piece of advice is not to trust everything you read on the internet and see on social media. Invest time in selecting good sources and in particular, the excellent watch sellers.

For more information, visit the Mondani Books website here. Learn about Mondani Web here.