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Today we are talking to Amanda Moura Pietrzak – Chief Operating Officer of Ledia Ladies and Ambassador for Balticus watches.

1.  Where are you from?

I am from Brazil. I was born in Belo Horizonte and lived there until I was 18. Then I moved to the United States (to Connecticut) – that is where I met my husband, and it was for him that I moved to Poland in 2018. We first lived in Leszno in Greater Poland, and we currently live in Warsaw.

We meet with Mateusz Ponitka during the ongoing basketball season in Turkey's top-tier league – the Super Lig. The captain of our national team found time for us, even though his team, Bahçeşehir Koleji S.K., is entering the decisive phase of the season. Mateusz is competing in the play-off semi-finals against Trabzonspor. At stake is a spot in the grand final and a chance to fight for the Turkish championship title.

An independent brand does not begin at a production line. It begins with an idea that germinates in the minds of those looking for something more in watchmaking than just the logo of a well-known corporation. In a world dominated by mass production, watch microbrands – such as the Polish Balticus – are becoming an enclave for those for whom a watch is a passion, not just a tool for measuring time.

The term "microbrand" refers to independent manufacturers who operate consciously and on a limited scale. For brands such as Balticus, watchmaking is not just a cold business, but above all a form of expression and dialogue.

There are gifts that serve their purpose for a moment, and those that stay with us for years. A watch undoubtedly belongs to the latter category. It is not a single-use item, it does not lose its meaning after a few weeks, and it does not disappear into a drawer right after being unwrapped. It accompanies us in our daily lives, matures along with its owner, and over time takes on meanings that cannot be planned at the moment of purchase.

Popularity in the world of watches is a relative term. It does not always go hand in hand with the number of units sold, and even less often with fleeting fashion. It often means something much more lasting – a model one returns to, talks about, and which becomes a benchmark for the entire industry. In the case of the Balticus brand, the most popular watches are not just bestsellers, but above all, designs that have built a recognizable stylistic language and clearly defined the brand's character over the years.

The world of precision mechanics, especially in the watchmaking field, is fascinating. The race that began some 300 years ago has yielded many spectacular achievements. Watchmaking workshops compete not only in terms of materials, quality, and design, but above all in terms of engineering solutions. As a result of advanced design work, watches today offer a wide range of capabilities beyond their basic timekeeping function. These additional functions in mechanical watches are called complications .

Many of you are probably familiar with the image of an iceberg, with only a small portion sticking out above the waterline. The invisible part, hidden beneath the surface, is always dozens of times larger than what the human eye can see. I hope this visual example will help you better understand the idea behind today's post.