Time Tapestry

SIHH 2012 pieces are out there and interestingly enough... PAM is in the lead!

2012-01-16T18:48:00.006+08:00

Of course the different brand lines focus on different customer segments and try to attract different consumers to purchase their pieces but for this watch enthusiast, looking at the releases from IWC, Panerai, JLC(some nice issues), Cartier, Harry Winston, Greubel Forsey, Zenith, AP etc(wide range of price points there) that are shown on the sites to date... Panerai is in the lead and releasing more good pieces this year.

the reissuing of old popular releases with in-house movements and faux aged tritium lume will continue and that has happened this year. 2 pieces in ceramic and none in the composite. for me i don't really fancy ceramic or composite as a case material so it's cool. there wasn't any bronze too so it will keep the bronzo owners/fans happy.

as noted in my earlier post, the 422(regular) is great but for me the 372 owns it so i won't talk more about that. the 449 is a vintage-y piece but i was never crazy about that dial so the best releases this year from Panerai for me are...

the PAM 399(SE of a 100) rules but only 50 available and another 50 in a set with the PAM 398 in rose gold. will be tough to get this one but there may be another version of it down the line perhaps? let's see this has the minerva movement so the future version will have an in-house p3000 movement? or a 9 on the dial instead of the seconds[base like the 372] or one with both these changes... hmm one can hope :) it has a big crown similar to the old rolex 6152 model but doesn't have the rolex crown on it of course, its got a pam logo

minerva movement under the hood...

comparing to a 6152 big crown rolex...

a great old ticker :)

and the 448(SE of 500) which is a new 249 with an in-house movement instead of the eta in the 249. only other difference is the vintage on the case instead of opus facere... which means it's hardly much difference... it's kinda like issuing 500 new 249s without calling it that of course :)

hmm will we see a 232 with faux aged tritium lume next year? maybe a matter of time... set it aside for now, let's see what the next couple of days bring. cheers, raph

these guys are damn cutting edge lah... [boyz & grrlz @ MB&F & Revolution]

2012-01-12T22:06:00.009+08:00

translation for folks who don't understand that little bit of Singlish... just drop the lah at the end and maybe replace damn with really and voila "these guys are really cutting edge" :) so who do i mean... first up you have the folks at...(drumroll please...)

MB&F! Applause please! they have opened a madhouse...DOH! a M.A.D. gallery in Geneva! for all the info clicky HERE & for some raphmeister-ised pics look below... not just a retail space yuh... a gallery ;) "a creative platform that hosts not just our own Machines but also all sorts of other Machines from around the world, by creators who will amaze and amuse you in many different ways" I LIKES!

Next Up... DIGITAL REVOLUTION! Take a bow Revo team. I LIKES IT A LOT! no heavy revo to lug around and kill your house pets(or lil uns) with and all the goodness in an iPad friendly format (keeping with the times!)

[note: the images that follow are taken straight from my iPad's Zinio and just resized down a little, except the 2 from my desktop yuh :)]

i can skip advertising fluff and other product pitches for stuff i am keen on... i am a serious haute horology lover of course so the high brow stuff if you please...

ooh er what do we have here... i really like what i see...
not because of scantily clad and bound ladies of course, did you not notice Msr Journe's Resonance? "What watch you say?" tsk tsk

i love me some fine exposed... movement images too...
Overall a winner in digital format!

you can also read it off your pc (if you really have to) WIN!

and zinio has some other cool publications to check out too... for example, i got my juxtapoz fix on it.
as a new user to zinio they also gave me $25 worth of free digital magazine goodness. SOLD!

for other cool stuff... check this out... SISTINE CHAPEL (thanks George!)
view every part of the Michaelangelo's masterpiece, click and drag your arrow in the direction you wish to see. signing out

Panerai... The Good The Bad & The Ugly

2011-12-31T01:05:00.012+08:00

First the Good and there's a lot of good things going for it :) Community and cool GTGs! good food, drink and merriment, bonding with cool dudes (they must be yuh they wear PAMs) and of course some very nice watches!

dinner is served! Makan time!

fellowship of the pam... one 47mm to rule them ALL!

the usual watch giveaways ;) ok it be the table shots

interesting watches and interesting folks who pop by wearing 3 different kinds of watches(i heard this guy gets off on inanimate objects based on his nick). 2 real pams and another italian make mazzu-somethin or other(ok ok its a mazzuoli)... hey if it ain't a PAM ;)

some interesting things on the menu for sure... look what i had for my main :) yummy 5218-202/A [this costs a pretty penny same as the 201s i've fondled before)

and my 372 finally arrived! (in my dreams...) still waiting... waiting... but deliveries are happening. I think people can get it for about US$11+k or about S$16k on the secondary market if they can't wait but you can pay the round the US$10+k / S$13+k list if u have patience since there are like 3500 pieces that will be making its way to the market...

on to the bad... the 372 was givin the people what they want but panerai then issued the 390 and 422 and it's more milkin pam dna for all its worth. and i don't think there's any signs of stopping which IS the scary thing. the 422 though is a very nice watch so maybe the bad thing of issuing many many many many many many many releases (wif recycled nice bits) to please the ristis and the masses, ain't so bad? :)

nice and nicer

seconds instead of the 9... for folks who need the second hand on the dial. there are actually quite a number out there who do

movement has a PR indicator for the 3 day PR

and finally THE UGLY and i mean that literally... Panerai for some reason put in unfinished fugly eta movements in the pam 318 or brooklyn bridge special edition. it was special alright!
i haven't heard the official word if they did it knowingly or it was a genu-wine mistake but my view is that they didn't think to care about putting the usual lightly decorated etas for this batch coz they figured the folks buying it would never pop them open themselves(or wouldn't know what they were lookin at if they did) and would always send it in to a pam service centre. and people who buy closed caseback pams don't care about the movement ANYWAY right? its just the dial and the looks and thats it.

The big joke is this. some of the AAA replicas out there actually use better quality/finished eta movements in them and look close to 100% the same as the pam issues and cost a lot less than the real deal so why bother with the real deal if they're gonna shaft you if they can? again if you are only goin for the dial and the overall case/looks than the replica has got you covered no? [Sigh... it should never come to this... i advise folks not to buy replicas as it is just not the way to go]

Ok it's not that bad (cognitive dissonance [LINK] kicking into gear as i am STILL gonna recommend u buy Panerais :) u could look at it another way... never buy a closed back pam and buy an in-house movement pam if u can't bear the thought of what u're about to see ticking in your pam... i heard that other closed back pams don't have this crappy movement innit but it is sad to see it happening at all in a watch priced as it is from a company that should have a little more pride or respect for its clientele in what it's issuing out

NOTE the following pictures are not for the faint hearted...

AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

and that's it. apologies for the girl like blood curdling screams...

for me, i do still want to buy A pam. thank goodness it's a clear back piece. so i'll focus on the good and gloss over the bad and the ugly (and suggest u do too if u want to buy PAMs) or be a haute horology ignoramus like some in the legion of fans the brand has garnered the world over, which is not a wrong thing at all and may not even be a bad thing ;)

cheers, raph

Got time on my hands :) A Quick Look At Lange's Upsized Up Down Datograph

2011-12-28T10:27:00.004+08:00

So thoughts? It's better that they increased the diameter to 41mm as it was a bit thick for 39mm. at the same time though, they didn't make it any thinner so its gone from 12.8 to 13.1 which isn't much but i'd have to feel it in the metal to see if it feels proportionate or a tuna can. weight distribution while it sits on a wrist may be a consideration too. the original felt like a plat ingot on the wrist at times.

AB/AUF = Down/up = power reserve(PR) is upped from 38 hours to 60 hours and there is a new power reserve indicator at the 6 o'clock position which wasn't there on the original. i like more PR, the new PR indicator is a question mark still, especially the red on the dial... the roman numerals II, VI, X on the original are gone which visually makes me feel the new dial is a bit more sparse where my mind believes these romans to be, being used to seeing the original, but if i only saw this watch by itself and not do a side by side i would say this dial is cleaner, less 'packed' in a sense. oh and the date display has been increased by 4% :) its still a flyback and maintains most of the aesthetic cues of the original which means its a very handsome piece.

what u can be assured of too is the extremely fine finishing from Lange, probably the best movement finishing in a production watch, gorgeous multi-layered movement in German silver, the chaton settings, similar as the original with added PR stuff of course.

for this watch lover, the original will always have an important place, being birthed in 1999 and under the watchful gaze of Gunter Blumlein but this new datograph is a great evolution of the piece and both are wonderful and worthwhile acquisitions in any fine watch collection. if u can't get both it might come down to size(relative to your wrist size), price(a factor since u can't get both. the old can be had for below S$50k for the plat. not sure about the new ones pricing as yet), and feel of both on your wrist and how u feel with them on. i hope to do an in the metal review in time, the only issue i think is that i may not want to give the watch back if i have it in my hands ;) cheers

i have some live original dato pics here

2011 exit stage left... 2012 enters...

2011-12-24T21:49:00.003+08:00

Another year is coming to an end... Christmas is here for all the Christians out there to celebrate and most of the world has the day off (except Japan and a couple of other countries. I still can't believe India doesn't take 1 January off ;) the thing is, what's most important comes into focus at this time of year. it comes down to family, friends and good folks in your life. people who mean you and yours well.

its not about the watch you can't score or the toy u r yearning for. these things are material luxuries and don't really mean much of anything. u can live, survive and thrive without them. its all in your head/heart... what u can't do without though is health. love. hope. so my wish for u, is u and your loved ones have good health, have lots of love, and have hope for better days ahead... coz the times, they are a changin'

Merry Christmas, Blessed New Year and happy holidays to all!

damn... this watch is nice... scratch what i said above. anyone looking for healthy body parts, drop me an email ;) hehe.. may you acquire your dream watches in the year ahead

Long Time Since I Caught A Movie...

2011-12-18T23:54:00.003+08:00

Having 2 kids means its not often me and the wife have the chance to catch a show but we finally did tonite after a very long time... I can't even remember the last show we caught together but I do remember the first... it was a movie with ewan mcgregor and scarlett 'pouty lips' johansson... the island in 2005... anyways i digress. mission impossible 4, was a good switch the brain off and enjoy the stunts in digital glory show. most would notice the cars of course and bmw is an official partner but i of course notice the watches. Simon's got a g-shock on, the renner guys got a rollie sub and Mr Hunt is wearing a very nice tudor heritage chrono... the black dial version. i thought I saw a couple of the russians sporting omegas but i may be wrong.

Ethan must have went watch shopping in Dubai

image source http://www.missionimpossible.com/

what can i say they have good taste in watches ;)

you can read more about the tudor heritage chrono ~ monte carlo here

the evolution of revolution

2011-12-09T23:41:00.005+08:00

i took this picture awhile back... what's really cool is that these are all great magazines... each containing top articles, watch images and fine pictures of nice women ;) what more could a male watch enthusiast ask for? :)

the magazine has definitely evolved though. from fine lookin women on the covers to male models gracing the cover... hmm. and i guess there's a cleanup in the image to one where it's not full of images of scantily clad women with nice watches on (and very good articles and watch images of course ;) and more about a luxury lifestyle, celebs who like watches, what men should be wearing if they were this rich dude or that swanky guy... not that i don't like what it has become, but i definitely prefer what it once was. but all things change and so the magazine evolves and matures in its own way... one thing that hasn't changed though, the fine folks at revo can still throw a cool party wif a lot of lovely ladies :)

my fave revo party was the one after tempus. then the models had watches on worth having a look at (i think :) but maybe folks including myself didn't really notice them. for this party... the models were definitely not wearing watches :) so in dedication to the older revo...

walk this way...

hey how'd she get my glasses from me??

Some Great Pieces on Auction at Antiquorum on 7 Dec 2011

2011-11-29T23:23:00.002+08:00

fine watches... so many fine watches... for folks with the $$$ to buy, do check out some of the great pieces at the antiquorum auction on 7 dec 2011. their website has the full catalogue with estimates, to check that out, click here. some of the pieces caught my eye... and here are some quick pics of them. hope u like em.

my first time taking this beauty... three bridges tourbillon. a beautiful watch

an in the hand shot... love it

some nice pateks were around too...

and a grail among rolexs... paul newman, take a bow

RM002

urwerk

some other fine pieces were there... lot 90 audemars piguet repetition minutes

three bridges in a different case

and an interesting movement in the parmigiani...

Rest In Peace Sir George Daniels

2011-10-23T19:32:00.007+08:00

truly a great watchmaker and someone who made most of the parts of his watches that could be made with his own hands. i wrote about him before here and i do suggest u visit that post and hear the interviews where he spoke about his passions and his views on horology. a man who made exceptional timepieces... a huge loss to the watch community

but his work lives on in the pieces he's made and the work he has inspired(many great independent watchmakers), his book which made every horology enthusiast believe for a brief moment that they too could become great watchmakers, his co-axial movement in the Omegas and in his fellow Isle of Man watchmaking talent, Mr Roger Smith. and those are good things indeed...

Sincere condolences to his family and loved ones...

for more info click here

What A Machine... What A Masterpiece! The Legacy Masterpiece 1 by MB&F

2011-10-08T20:45:00.006+08:00

The official name is Legacy Machine 1... unofficially i will call it the Legacy Masterpiece 1 ;) the horological machines birthed from the mind of Max Busser and realised by a great team of artists and artisans have always been a marvel to behold. the best person to introduce the Legacy 1 though is Max himself so do follow the link that follows to a great video where the man shares about horological machines and legacy machines and some of the genius behind this piece... LINK

the guilty parties names can also be found on the barrel-less movement!

there are also fantastic photos of this watch on the site but for me it has always been about that first hand experience of holding that fine watch and knowing what its like on your wrist and in the metal... so some of my photos to share with you here of a wonderful amazing timepiece... Thanks to Max and the people who work with him in realising horological masterpieces and fantasies! & thanks to Michael and The Hour Glass for bringing it in to the watch lovers in Singapore :)

one barrel comin up... (thats a jaws moment right there but i digress) two dials and two different times that can be set independent of each other... many gmt/dual time watches only show another time in hourly or half hourly differences from the main time. with this you can set it to entirely different times... one for earth other for the far side of the moon perhaps? ;)

the power reserve rises from the dial... it's stirring to see it rise as i powered it up ;)

floating in space...

any movement with kari's name on it has got to be... magnificent...

wristshot!!! they had to pry it off me to give it back to them...

mb&f logo on one crown

& world logo to signify its dual time function on the second crown...

it says machine... i says MASTERPIECE!

hello old friend...

2011-10-08T19:39:00.003+08:00

in 1999 a pretty average movie with a future governor of California doin what he did best on film (ie kickin a$$) came out about the end of days... the title of the movie was uhm... the 'end of days'... while the movie is jus another forgettable actioner with the biblical end of the world thrown in, it did produce something good... the watch on the governators wrist for the movie was a beautiful black pvd timepiece with yellow numerals... ahead of its time for sure as there weren't many pvd'ed or black steel watches back then and the royal oak offshore was seen as a sizable watch at that time too... a decade later, large watches are everywhere and there are many black or 'blackened' watches...

a seminal piece then and for this sports watch lover, a memorable watch from an unmemorable film...

final pics from a great exhibition... Vacheron Constantin Last Nite in SG

2011-09-24T21:47:00.003+08:00

been a bit busy with having a new job... so just pics for now... the pics do show some of the amazing work done by VC, engine turning or guillochage, enamelling, cloisonne, jewel setting... just fantastic stuff...

an impressive mercator... with a beautiful enamel dial...

a wonderful pocketwatch... the scene is so very nice... a capture of an intimate moment in a lovely country setting...

bejewelled... to the max

the last nite of the exhibition was capped with a fine evening with food drinks and merriment. a great exhibition and a fine nite...

thanks to the team at VC for their hospitality and for having this great exhibition and events in Singapore. Cheers, Raph

What can i say... I like em older ;) Some fine watches on auction Sep 14

2011-09-04T22:39:00.006+08:00

Other than the only watch auction that will be happening on 23 Sep 2011 (full catalogue here), Antiquorum Auctioneers are looking to have a couple others in the last months of the year... Sep 14 in NY sees some exceptional pieces on sale and of course a significant vintage and modern selection to choose from (full catalogue here)... here are some of my live pics of the watches. do visit the site to view the full catalogue though and signup to bid on the ones u like... i'm not tellin u what i'm targeting of course but lets just say some watches are like a fine wine...

interestingly the first watch i photographed was one with its case back off... and well look at it... i had to take pics of it no? :)

oh and in case u didn't make out the name on the movement... its a Rolex ;)
the lovely Cal 722 in the Rolex Daytona YG Ref 6241 a classic vertical column chronograph movement...

next up we have the heavy hitters... Patek 2499 estimate at US$300-400k...
perp cal, chrono, moon phase...

gorgeous and for the very wealthy...

the Patek 1436 the only known one available... split second chrono with transitional dial retailed by tiffany...
split second chronos are challenging movements to make and this beauty has a gorgeous one... it can be seen in the auction catalogue pic here (link)

the wonderful blued hands contrasts nicely with its beautiful dial...
estimate at US$200-300k... there is a cool story behind the watch but u
will have to meet me to learn about it ;)

rolex and tudor vintage... rugged robust and been through a number of years... still going strong of course :)

Rolex... Bond's choice and that's all Fleming wrote... no amount of marketing $$$ will change that for me

the monte carlo... the new ones are fantastic and great bang for buck... and the old ones are just sweeeeeet...

Captain Marvels choice of course... SHAZAM! the Rolex Milgauss...

and to end off, the watch with probably the most harrowing tales to tell... IWC B-Uhr Luftwaffe... a flieger watch from World War II... 55mm and with a lot of tail... in the war, the bombadiers and pilots used to wear them strapped over their thick pilot suits or on their thighs for bomb runs...(watch 'memphis belle' if u dun know what i'm on about... oh danny boy...)
the war interestingly contributed to the popularity of the wristwatch which till then had been seen as slightly effeminate... that was of course put to rest when war heroes (on both sides) were seen wearing wristwatches... an interesting piece of the wristwatch's history...

and that's all for me for now. my thanks to the wonderful team from Antiquorum for giving me a glimpse of these beauties. cheers, raph

Only Watch 2011 Exhibition at The Hour Glass Malmaison

2011-08-30T20:25:00.004+08:00

for more information about the only watch auction do check out the info at this site and do like the facebook page :) which can be found here and if you're a watch lover which u must be (who isn't ;) than drop by antiquorum auctioneers who are having a number of exciting auctions coming to the end of the year... start saving to spend BIG!!! people :)
first off thanks to the fine folks at The Hour Glass Malmaison and Antiquorum for the invites and bringing these fine timepieces to the watch loving folks in Singapore... enough of words TO THE WATCHES!!

the question people will ask is which are your favorites and the answer for me is simple... the MB&F HM4(blog post on it here) and the Freak Diavolo :) no surprises yah? the freak is simply wonderful... a great watch made by an amazing company... tip of the hat to Rolf Schnyder(rip) for his vision...

i love this flying panda... it makes the watch so much more... an awesome awesome piece... if i tried to i would run out of superlatives praising it ;)

other watches that are beautiful that are up for the auction are the vacheron constantin, richard mille, patek (of course), laurent ferrier and there were other notable mentions too.... so onto more pics! (excuse some of the shoddy ones as the light and cases made it tough to take decent pics)

lighter than a G-Shock! what is it i'm paying for? lightness of being indeed :)

this VC is beautiful... enamel and bejewelled... and i love the design... i'll take two... oops its a piece unique ;)

wonderful tourbillon repeating watch in (drumroll please) STEEL!!! a rebel patek complicated watch not in prissy platinum... I love patek emails... i mean enamel... one and the same :)

wonderful engraving work on the urwerk...

the new dufour? laurent ferrier makes exceptional timepieces and this is but one fantastic example...

marc newsons hour glasses are cool... in red its sinfully nice...

to be honest the face of the dewitt didn't strike me at first but i was soon informed that it has 2 faces and different complications on each side... i do like the back side uhm i mean the other side of it :)

which unfortunately could not be shown as it was all cased up but i was fortunate to have Dewitts MD on hand to show me what it looked like... have a gander... nice innit?

Nathalie Veysset MD for Dewitt sharing pics on her ipad
for this only watch and others in their catalogue...

other notable mentions... nothing much new here but nice and simple so why not share a pic :)

looks familiar but it is smart looking...

and the ones i would get in a heartbeat...
showing the display for it...

panda panda panda... i heart hm4 only watch!!!

but if you told me i could get only one watch from all of them... then the answer would be this one...

and i would get the non-only watch freak diavolo, probably the original one with red accents and maybe the normal nadal too (after i win the lottery ;) thanks again to Michael Tay and his team and Julian, Cissy from Antiquorum for being generous with their time, i hoped u liked the pics and post and that's all from me for now... signing off. cheers, raph

Vacheron Constantin... A Fine Dinner & Exhibition (Huge Post Follows :)

2011-07-31T22:38:00.009+08:00

i blogged about the exhibition earlier here and we're coming to about the last 2 weeks of it. I do recommend watch nuts...uhm i mean aficionados go by and there's also other interesting exhibits on at the national museum to check out if one was inclined. the kickoff of the exhibition was a fine dinner event, where Tommy Koh was the guest of honour... i remember the fine lobster and steak served and the fine wines it was paired with... alot of beautiful ladies which will of course gravitate towards u if you're wearing a fine watch (note: spoken tongue firmly in cheek) and a superb atmosphere befitting a 255th anniversary gala dinner for Vacheron Constantin. tip of the hat to David and his team and all the VC folks on hand to make this a successful event.

next to the exhibition... i am not documenting all of whats there of course but just highlighting a number of pieces that caught my eye... the cool thing about it is that many of the exhibits did catch my eye :) and i did enjoy viewing these luvlies. the unfortunate thing is that i could not hold them, activate their mechanisms and savor them in that way... but there will be other beauties to examine of course and popping by a modern day VC boutique or retailer will certainly give one such an opportunity ;)

so what is a watch?

example of a cabinotiers

machines used in the past to make parts for fine timing instruments

a simple and beautiful pocket watch...
beautiful enamel dial work seems to be a thing of the past

simple and nice early movement with a guillaume ballance, swan neck regulator and breguet overcoil...

these chronometre tests were interesting... these days not many folks
participate in the ones that are done... but there was a time...

a lovely jumping hour and date pocketwatch... wonderful guilloched dial...

jumping hour, wandering minutes, day date pocketwatch

arms up pocket watch... the shuttlecock players arms indicate the hours and minutes...

perp cal and moon phase double face pocket watch...

perp cal and moonphase, mono pusher chrono and minute repeater with hunter case back... wish i could see the movement side...

a Maharajah's pocket watch... details below this pic...

a lovely grand comp...

King Fouad's pocketwatch... such a lovely piece... gorgeous enamel dial...

Modern day VC... 250th Anniversary piece with tourbillon and perp cal... wonderful guilloched dial...

tour de i'lle haute complication... tourbillon, dual time, equation of time, minute repeater, torque display, moon phase... i'm out of breath...

a beautiful 1935 chronograph... a simple and gorgeous chrono dial...

and one of the highlights of the exhibits for me... 'chronograph' means time writer and this is one such time writing machine used to measure time between two events eg. start and end of a race... invented by Albert Pellaton, this was made in 1934 by Vacheron Constantin... its nice to see these 'origin' pieces...

and that's all from me. a glimpse into a wonderful exhibition and I hope for those who can't view it personally that they enjoyed the post, and those of you in or passing by SIN whose interest is piqued, do go by the National Museum... i'm currently saving my pennies for a 1921 Americaine... sigh... signing off for now, raph

An Indulgence of Luxury at Malmaison... Part II... Watches at Malmaison

2011-06-29T21:32:00.007+08:00

if u missed part 1 just scroll down a little :) this post is on the watches at the shop. as mentioned earlier, most are for sale and there is a very healthy (bank account draining) selection available but also there are some nice Rolex rarities that are not for sale. nice :) to the watches then!

we start with the harry winston ;)

gorgeous blingy ladies watches... gotta find the matching porosus birkin no?

they do have a selection for the male of the species too...

other displays comin up... to note, most were very well stocked... de bethune

jaeger

ulysse nardin

nice cloisonne piece caught me eye

ze langes and ze audemars piguets

some cartier for u?

this was a nice tourbillon piece in the store...

kicka$$ RMs were around too... tubular tourbillon...

watches in the 'if u have to ask u prolly can't afford em' category

as well as some space oddities that i love :) urwerk

and the HM2 SV... if given a choice of one piece to buy that day...

now to the vintage Rolexs. the only authorised dealer to have Rolex's blessings for this display. they even contributed some vintage display stands for it... beautiful
explorer orange hand steve mcqueen...

if only my dad had bought a comex sub instead of the yellow gold one... sigh

white milgauss... ride the lightning

chrono time... pre daytona and paul newmans... (sorry the colors came out funny on this one for some reason)

paul newman rip had good taste in watches...

lovely

red sub

bakelite gmt

they will be mine... oh yes... they will be mine... :) jokes aside, a wonderful trip down to malmaison with so many fine offerings on display. it warmed the cockles of my watch loving heart... hope u enjoyed the pics and posts. cheers, raph

An Indulgence of Luxury at Malmaison... Part I

2011-06-24T09:26:00.015+08:00

doing up a proper post on Malmaison has proven to be such a huge undertaking that i would like to first say a BIG hats off to the team that did the actual work on realising this haven of luxury, working towards Michael's vision for the place which very much looks to be a labour of love, but i have decided to do up this post now with a bit less words than i had originally intended and hopefully let the pictures do most of the the talking :)

Knightsbridge is a new upmarket address along Singapore's famed Orchard Road shopping belt and with a new mall, new attractions have sprung up. One such attraction that caught my eye recently was a collection of luxury offerings at The Hour Glass' new outlet, Malmaison... but for me i do find it to be much more. one thing to note is that there are items for sale here as wif all retail outlets but more importantly there are items that are not for sale and are on display for their beauty, history, interest and to evoke, emote...

This lux treasure trove looks to not only seduce you with its wonderful watch offerings, but arouse your other senses, such as the sense of smell with its perfume selection in sealed glass cylinders, and the sense of touch with the fine textures of the materials used in its pierre corthay offerings and charvet clothing items... but sight is definitely stoked, with great timepieces on offer and on display, wonderful aesthetics of the art pieces there, sculptures amidst the bespoke shoes and french sabres...

different color variants of marc newson hourglasses are available here...

a wonderful range of music boxes from reuge were on display from the classical styled to the avant garde...

i really loved this... the smell of this candle 'empire' managed to transport me to a napoleon era battlefield where fires had been lit and the smell of burning bushes in the distance intoxicated the senses... these candles are from Cire Trvdon, the royal candle makers from France... u should smell the others there to see what appeals to u :)

Malmaison has also brought in Aurelie Bidermann accessories, the first shop in Singapore to do so, which is surely a treat for her fans here...

a beautiful world of scents await you on the second level where there are federic malle scent creations available to tickle the nosebuds ;) the smelling chambers pictured below allow for natural diffusion of the scents so that what you smell in it will be how it will likely smell while the fragrance is on you (barring any nasty smells one may have on oneself that is ;)

scent artists with great noses

this picture makes me think of romeo and juliet when romeo visits the apothecary ;)

Malmaison is named after the country chateau that was purchased and maintained by Josephine and Napoleon... it was a chateau with much beauty and wonder... Similar to Singapore's very own

a healthy offering of taschen books were available too and i gather that they are priced better than other shops carrying them so if u're into some of the great titles on offer, do consider getting them here...

other fine offerings from clothing...

to pierre corthay shoes...

a devilish color and name to boot...

To end off, I definitely recommend folks pay Malmaison a visit(if you're about town) and if you are in the mood to pamper yourself or your loved ones... I am quite sure you will be able to find something that would satiate your luxury desires... you could also chance on something that u never knew u needed while soaking in its impressive atmosphere... It was definitely a fine experience for me :)

[part 2 will be coming up soon and will focus on the timepieces on offer and on display at Malmaison... my thanks to the team at The Hour Glass for letting me take these snaps one hot and humid afternoon...]

Spreading the Word: Kidz Horizon Appeal Charity Ball Aug 27 Singapore

2011-06-15T10:51:00.005+08:00

The One-of-a-kind Lange Zeitwerk created specially for this Charity

SINGAPORE'S community of watch lovers lost one of their more passionate members in August 2009, when Duncan Wang passed away at the far too early age of 44 years. An American Chinese businessman who spent a good deal of his time in Singapore, he was a true collector, choosing his watches based on his respect for the personalities who made them, rather than buying them for their potential resale value.

Shortly after his passing, Duncan's parents in the US requested his friends here in Singapore to find a fitting way to remember him each year, based on the two things that this gentleman was most passionate about - his watches and his favourite charities.

Thus, in late August last year, the first "Duncan watch" was auctioned off for a children's charity in Singapore, one that Duncan himself had supported before his untimely passing: The Kidz Horizon Appeal for children with chronic illnesses.

In 2007, Duncan's generous bid for a Vacheron Constantin timepiece helped to raise S$75,000 for this cause. Here's how he himself described this special piece, originally commissioned for the brand's 250th anniversary in 2005:
" On this piece, the Singapore flag was hand-painted onto the rotor creating a truly memorable piece. Personally, I have always had a tremendous affinity for the Republic of Singapore and have spent much of the past 10 years living there. The opportunity to own this special piece and help a worthy cause was irresistible. As a person with considerable involvement with charities, I always respect companies that demonstrate a true commitment to giving back to the community and Vacheron Constantin has been a tremendous supporter of charitable purposes, be them organizations assisting the less fortunate or those supporting the arts. Not only does the company produce the highest quality timepieces, but it also sets a standard for civic mindedness that I admire and hope other organizations will emulate."
(Duncan Wang, May 23 2008 --- [www.thehourlounge.com])

And last August, watched over by the President of Singapore as Guest of Honor, another sought -after Vacheron timepiece raised a further S$60,000 at the Kidz Horizon Appeal's s annual fund-raising ball. Fittingly, this first Duncan watch was the re-issue of a timepiece that Vacheron Constantin first made for the American market in 1921.

In total, $536,000 was raised that evening for sick children who need financial assistance. Of that total, $60,000 was raised by Duncan's watch, while Singapore's glitterati collectively paid a further $476,000 to fill the 100-table ballroom in the cavernous Ritz-Carlton Hotel here.

The Charity

Led by Dr Caroline Low-Heah, a group of prominent volunteers from Singapore's social circle form the backbone of the volunteer organisation - Kidz Horizon Appeal - formed in 2004 to raise funds for children suffering from chronic diseases such as cancer or HIV. Typically, the beneficiaries of this charity are children whose parents may not be in a position to afford the expensive medical treatment they need. Caroline herself is something of a watch-lover, and has visited the Geneva Watch Fair with Duncan and his watch friends.

And the exciting news for 2011

Both Caroline and Duncan have always been unabashed admirers of A. Lange & Söhne, and so we are tremendously excited to announce that this respected German brand has offered to the Wang family a unique white gold example of their Lange Zeitwerk watch as the Duncan watch to be auctioned for the benefit of needy kids on August 27 2011! This sought-after watch brand of A. Lange & Söhne, from the same stable as Vacheron Constantin, has participated in charitable causes before, but this will be the first Lange watch to be specially produced for a charity in Asia.

A Piece Unique For A Good Cause

The one-of-a-kind LANGE ZEITWERK in white gold with a grey dial and a special engraving will be auctioned at this year's costume Charity Ball for the Kidz Horizon Appeal to be held at the Ritz Carlton Ball-room, Singapore, on 27 August 2011. When Lange CEO Wilhelm Schmid was asked to contribute a one-of-a-kind Lange timepiece for the Kidz Horizon Charity Auction he and his team were immediately thrilled because they felt it was the right thing to do: “To care for the society we live in, and in particular for the young, is deeply rooted in the history and values of our brand.” The Lange manufactory was established in the first place to fight unemployment among young people in a destitute area.

While the usual production version of this white gold Lange Zeitwerk retails for $84,900, we hope that this unique and generous donation will be able to raise more than that for the benefit of Singapore's chronically ill children, who will not be able to afford medical treatment otherwise.

For more information on Kidz Horizon Appeal, please contact:
Marilyn Ho
Assistant Manager
Corporate Communications
KK Women's and Children's Hospital
DID: + 65 6394 2322
Email: Marilyn.Ho.CH@kkh.com.sg

Potential bidders for this piece can contact Tay Kok Choon via his email (taykokchoon@gmail.com) and he can help to link you up with the person-in-charge or provide more information about the Charity or the Watch itself.

Watch Shopping... Jun 2011

2011-06-10T14:35:00.004+08:00

the raphmeister goes watch shopping... as i am without a job at the current time, i am thinking of paying the next purchase with body parts (let me know the part you're looking for and we'll talk numbers yuh ;)

Was thinking of getting me a watch of late... from the antiquorum pieces i shot i had really liked the gold rolexs so had thought to check a gold daytona out... the yellow gold with the exotic dial that was introduced with the 116528 came back to haunt me...

but i found that the size was too small on my wrist... i then checked out another watch i had considered purchase before... the iwc portuguese perpetual calendar in rose gold... a possible proposition in the perp cal range since i wasn't gonna be getting me no patek perp calendar anytime soon...

a patek annual calendar teasing me... a childhood taunt of 'u'll never catch me, na-nee na-nee boo boo' plays in my head...

back to the iwc... i found it a little big for what should essentially be a classic styled watch... but it is a portuguese... but its a little big... and the dial is a little busy with too much information...

so my eyes wander to another old fave... one out of my price bracket(unless you're aiming for a more choice part to buy :) but a beauty... this is also a little on the small side... just a couple of mm bigger and it would be even better than the real thing ;) why can't it be a little bigger!?

we'll just set it aside as i don't have the budget for it... for now anyways ;)

stay tuned to find out what i do get eventually... i mean i just have to buy one proper watch this year right? :) [i can hear the missus saying 'hell no!' in the distance or is it my mind playing tricks...]

Upcoming sales contain items that match your interests... June 2011‏

2011-06-05T10:32:00.014+08:00

damn does it match my interests but i ain't got the do$h to buy me what i want...

several watch auctions headed our way in June, one of which is from Antiquorum Auctioneers who focus purely on timepieces... Antiquorum will also be having a couple more interesting auctions later in the year, with the Only Watch Auction being one of the highlights for sure... for the upcoming 8 Jun NY auction though, the raphmeister managed to take photos of the watches for sale and here are some choice pics from that... this is not meant to be a wordy post so for more details on the watches do go by this link to their catalog LINK

I really like this Patek...the PP3448 (Lot 340 Est US$100-120k)

one of the highlights for the auction... Lot 351, audemars piguet grand complication royal oak offshore... minute repeater & perp cal & split seconds chrono... (Est US$250-350k)

gongs to view thru the caseback & typical fine finishing from AP...

Another highlight is this beautiful Vacheron Constantin Perp Cal Minute Repeater... Lovely crisp tones from the repeater... Piece Unique (Lot 341 Est US$200-250k)

another beautiful finely executed movement

there are also a spate of interesting Rolexs on the auction block... there's a 6062 triple date with moon phase Rolex (Lot 169 Est US$150-200k)

a 6241 Gold Daytona (so called Paul Newman)... i love the exotic dials... (Lot 312 Est US$100-120k)

a jean claude killy 6236 will be up as well... (Lot 168 Est US$80-120k)

not one of the stratospheric priced pieces but i like it anyhow... the 16550 ivory dial explorer II retailed by tiffany & co (Lot 51 Est US$12-15k)

& a gorgeous 1665 DRSD double red sea dweller with Mark 1 dial, patent pending (Lot 161 Est US$40-60k) slight shame that the hands are not original to the watch but otherwise a great looking example...

a nice white milgauss is up too (Lot 166 Est US$20-25k)

and a beautiful in the metal yellow gold submariner... hmm there may be a yellow gold rolex in my future :) (Lot 56 Est US$10-12k)

this watch is cool to me because it features an innovative pulsomax escapement with a silinvar spiromax balance spring... limited to 300 pieces made (Lot 243 Est US$70-90k)

the sapphire caseback also has a magnifier over the innovation that it sports... clever :)

gorgeous AP Millenary Maserati Tourby... (Lot 101 Est US$120-140k)

gotta love the AP Renaud et Papi movement... the back is beautiful on this large millenary

this is a teenie tiny Le Coultre reverso but the chocolate dial color is just soo rich and nice... this is in the affordable range... (Lot 327 Est US$2-3k)

for slim wristed ladies perhaps... Measuring 23 x 38 mm with a 8mm thickness... they made them a LOT smaller back then :)

a most interesting auction indeed with over 350 lots that will be taking place 8 Jun in New York... for more details, hop over to the Antiquorum website here
Stay tuned as I review the result post these auctions in June. Cheers, Raph

Vacheron Constantin Exhibition Headed Our Way... Jun Aug 2011

2011-06-03T17:54:00.006+08:00

Watch lovers in Singapore should head by the National Museum of Singapore from 24 Jun to 14 Aug 2011 to check this exhibition out for an educational trip. VC is definitely one of the great watch houses and although it has some patchy bits in its history, i choose to focus on the best parts :) where it can pride itself on making some of the finest timepieces ever made... I look forward to bringing you live pics of the exceptional timepieces from this fine house...

press release info:

From June 24th to August 14th 2011, in collaboration with Vacheron Constantin, the National Museum of Singapore extends an invitation to discover the history of the Manufacture and that of Genevan Haute Horlogerie. The first major public exhibition of the heritage of the world’s oldest watch manufacturer in uninterrupted activity since its founding, the “Treasures of Vacheron Constantin – A legacy of watchmaking since 1755” shed light on more than 250 years of creativity and know-how.

Conceived as an educational journey revolving around the spirit of the artisans cabinotiers of the 18th Century, the exhibition is an exploration of the evolution of the measurement of time, of its crafts and of artistic influences, a trilogy that defines the history of Vacheron Constantin since its foundation.

The visitor travels back in time via 180 exceptional pieces from the heritage of the Manufacture in Geneva, in an exposition covering 600m2. From archived documents belonging to Jean-Marc Vacheron and Francois Constantin to particular watchmaking tools, and from the Genevan workbenches of the artisans cabinotiers to the machines invented by the Manufacture, the set design gives life to a technical and aesthetic universe of incredible richness.

Like an open book on the past and present, the pieces of the exhibit highlight the Métiers d’Art without which the Haute Horlogerie of Geneva would not shine as brightly. The centerpiece of the exhibition is a brilliant illustration of this truth: the pocket watch Les Bergers of Arcadia created in 1923 embodies in and of itself the alchemy of manufacturing know-how developed in the course of an endless quest for excellence. On location for several days following the exposition’s opening, talented artisans of the Manufacture enthrall visitors with some of their secrets. Engraver, gem-setter, guillocheur, enameller and watchmaker showcase a know-how inherited from past centuries that continues to nurture constant creativity.

"This first major exhibition of Treasures of Vacheron Constantin - A Legacy of Watchmaking since 1755 - laid the beginnings of a long journey into the cultural richness of our history, one that echoes that of Haute Horlogerie. A story that remains one of the finest demonstrations of a community working together, where every timepiece is the result of a symbiosis of talents and the extraordinary men and women who combine their expertise for a common goal. It is our duty to share this heritage to preserve its invaluable human footprint in history." Juan Carlos Torres, CEO of Vacheron Constantin.

love... we shine like a burning star falling from the sky... tonight... [MB&F Only Watch 2011]

2011-06-02T11:48:00.014+08:00

the u2 song the fly is playing in my head as i see a cosmic panda riding the hm4 thunderbolt... this piece unique is crafted by MB&F together with Huang Hankang for the only watch charity auction to fund research to fight Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy which is a terrible disease that steals the lives of innocent children, by gradually paralysing their bodies…
[my writeup for 2009s masterpiece is here and live pics of the thunderbolt here... the 2009 piece went for WAY too little impo and i hope this one does a whole lot better...]

love... falling not like a burning star... it's cosmic PANDA!! :) i love this watch. the MB&F only watches are works of art and i wish that they do exceedingly well at auctions as they are beautiful horological sculptures further enhanced...

'it's no secret that the stars are falling from the sky...

it's no secret that our world is in darkness tonight...'
cosmic panda flying to make a better world for children with muscular dystrophy

from their email out to folks...

"We return to Only Watch in 2011 – this time with a Chinese artist, Huang Hankang – and we want to deliver another strong message, describing the only way sick children can currently escape from the disease: through their dreams.

Most kids have a recurrent dream: the dream of FLYING. As a child, you probably experienced it yourself… but for some strange reason, we lose that dream as adults.

To bring the dream to life, MB&F can provide an airplane: the HM4 Thunderbolt… The idea therefore came naturally to Huang Hankang: why not use HM4 to transport children in their dreams? Symbolised by a handcrafted white gold panda, the child guides the Machine with reins made of twisted gold filaments, and flies towards a smiling dream world!...

The piece will be auctioned at Only Watch in Monaco on the 22nd of September, under the patronage of HSH Prince Albert II. Held every two years, the event brings together the cream of Switzerland’s watchmakers."

for more info on this do drop by mb&f.com here

i dunno much about the artist they've collaborated with but i like this piece that he's done the most out of the ones that can be found on the mb&f site... its called 'the mission of peace'

bye for now panda but i believe i will be seeing you in the metal sometime soon :)

Tudor-rific! Tudor 2011 Novelties Dinner with Sincere

2011-05-27T12:58:00.028+08:00

My Heritage Chrono with my dinner companions' Tudor watches from 2009 and 2011 collections... the Fast Rider Chrono and the Hydronaut II

As you know, I love the Heritage Chrono Monte Carlo that my wife gave to me late last year for my birthday [for that post & review of the watch click here] so when the invite came in for dinner to check out the 2011 range, i wasn't gonna pass it up now was I :) before diving into the post then, my thanks to Tudor, who had their CEO Philippe Peverelli present and who was kind enough to let me play around with his working Tudor Advisor, & the wonderful hosts Sincere and Rolex & Tudor.

Mr Peverelli presenting the 2011 Novelties...

Food for the event was from Graze and i really liked the salmon appetizer and the main i selected, the wagyu beef... the baby wagyu burgers served before the dinner were nice too :) the ambience was managed well, with dim lights for the speech/presentation by the CEOs and the meals and with them coming on stronger when the watches were shown round... all in all, a fine dinner event.

Folks listening to the intro by Sincere CEO Stephan Ritzmann

most things were decked in black and red (the brand colors) that evening...

As a whole i find that Tudor comes out with reasonably priced affordable watches and as it has strong ties with Rolex being owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation there is some sense that it can maintain a certain strength and continuity in the market, and as it also shares the excellent Rolex Service Centre for servicing, you know that fixing/servicing for your Tudor will not be a problem for some time to come. [For those who do wish to pay increasing authorised service centre costs though, i would say nearly all watch servicers can oil/service the ETA movements commonly found in Tudors]

onto the 2011 lineup then... first up we have the new fast rider chrono in white dial and black sub-dials

it comes too on a leather strap and a fabric nato style strap pictured below...

shame that the sub-dials aren't in white and that the Tudor Geneve is on a light silver
plaque(?) and not just in white or silver print or embossed on the dial...

next up are the gran tours... the fly back with a seconds counter at 9 o'clock and a 'background motif reminscent of automobile transmission belts' as per the marketing materials :)

& the gran tour chrono... which i find i appreciated more after seeing the picture of it below for this dial version... pretty good for an affordable sporty steel watch

the one most was interested in for the night though was the advisor... taking its cues from the 1957 model, the advisor has an alarm & a power reserve for the alarm (seen at 3 o'clock) as an added complication. other brands with watches with alarms out there are the JLC (Memovoxes and others) and the Vulcain Crickets and others in their lineup...
this at below S$10k list is a worthwhile consideration if you have a hankering for an alarm watch and some folks i spoke to at the dinner event are keen on this feature and on acquiring this when its released in Q3...

a simple, smart looking watch for sure with touches of red as with the brand colors

the 1957 version which was quite slim as with most watches then

the surprise for me though was how much i liked the ladies range in the metal... i would recommend all the folks with female partners or are female reading this and considering a nice watch purchase to have a look at these watches. they come in a variety of metals and dial and strap combinations... the rose motif in the centre turns for the running seconds and it has other nice design touches like the transparent cabochon on the crown with a rose within...

the Clair de Rose is a winner in my books and priced at S$2.7k list for the all steel pieces... of course one has to consider other factors with ladies watches and i think one of them is if its desirable to the party you wish to buy it for as they may weigh different factors more highly... they may prefer something from a more known brand for a bit more for example but i say this is a good option to have in the mix before making a choice

i didn't get a good picture of it but i loved the grey, blue and white dials and the fabric strap with a nice design sewn into the fabric

and than it was an end to a good evening... heading back i did not forget the
goodies at the door and i must say the goodie bag did contain some real goodies :)

the coolest thing is a belt which is similar in design to my heritage chrono strap... i took out my heritage chrono strap considering to put it on the watch but its really quite a short strap and doesn't have enough length for me to go through the second keeper and do a loop back as how natos should be worn... they should look to sell longer versions of it...

another thing that impressed was their baselworld presentation kit which looked like a tiny booklet but you open up to see just whats below... a tiny screen playing all the ads done for the new collection... and its rechargeable via usb... cool stuff... i am thinking of taking it apart soon of course ;)

and that's that for now at least :) i hope you enjoyed the post. cheers, raph

Cognitive Dissonance and the Luxury Watch Purchase

2011-05-11T09:07:00.007+08:00

"Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance. They do this by changing their attitudes, beliefs, and actions.

Dissonance is also reduced by justifying, blaming, and denying... Experience can clash with expectations, as, for example, with buyer's remorse following the purchase of an expensive item. In a state of dissonance, people may feel surprise, dread, guilt, anger, or embarrassment.

People are biased to think of their choices as correct, despite any contrary evidence."

~ Extracts from Wikipedia on cognitive dissonance

The thing is when it comes to luxury watches, people don't want to end up with a bad purchase or something that folks will say isn't all that good. So many trawl the net and may stumble on blogs or watch forums to see what is the view of watch nuts/supposed experts & connoisseurs/folks who may say they have unbiased views etc etc on the pieces they are looking to purchase... they don't want to fall into buyers remorse and a state of cognitive dissonance, rationalising and trying to love what they actually really regret spending that much dosh on...

[of course this could apply to any MAJOR decision that one makes and weighs up loads of pros and cons and arrives at a choice... if the choice is one that they later regret because of reality clashing against expectations than dissonance away :) noting that its generally not a comfortable state to be in]

A mate of mine made a comment recently which i still agree with ~ watch enthusiasts on the forums should be sharing about their (true) ownership experience of their watches. question is are they being truthful of their experience? they may have looked to resolve any dissonances they may have had since their purchase and now are in a state of justifying their purchase... and what better way to do that to than to justify to others. a person who owns a watch and writes a review about it would have come to terms to them making the right choice, coz how can we be wrong? :)

"Post-purchase rationalization is a common phenomenon which occurs after people who have invested significant time, money, or effort in something try to convince themselves that it must have been worth it. Many decisions are made emotionally, and so are often rationalized retrospectively in an attempt to justify the choice.

This rationalization is based on the principle of commitment and the psychological desire to stay consistent to that commitment. Some authorities would also consider this rationalization a manifestation of cognitive dissonance." ~ Wikipedia on Post-purchase rationalization...

but sharing on actual watch ownership experiences is much better on info to go with vs reviews/reports from folks 'seeing a watch for a short period of time and gushing about it' or worse 'seeing pictures and reading marketing bs about a watch (or some favorable review from a paid voice[either paid enough so that they're ok to say whatever the watch co wants them to say, or bribed with food and events/paid a little and dissonance occuring and them rationalising that the watch must really be quite good for them to accept that little bit of honey...]) and then speaking well of it'...

the real person's ownership experience matters. at the same time, this may vary from person to person as most watches are more or less unique to a degree. but if one is able to pool together a number of owner experiences than dissonances/biases may be lessened and it could possibly be accepted as a common reliable general experience one can expect to have. eg. majority of folks love their Rolex sports watches because they have proven to be reliable, accurate and robust. expectations are set...

some people buy an expensive watch and realise that after they get it, their expectations aren't met... beautiful girls don't suddenly have an uncontrollable urge to throw themselves at u because you purchased & are wearing a brand XYZ watch... u do not suddenly become a connoisseur because you bought a seminal watch from an independent watchmaker. everyone(even the sales people at the upmarket boutiques) don't stop and comment on how your new watch looks amazing and must have been very expensive... uhm actually u get no comments on it at all from anyone except the wife who looks at it disapprovingly and a 'thats it?' expression... damn! but what was it u were lookin for? ;)

1) sex sells - so u've seen watch events where beautiful ladies r pitching a watch to u or just wearing it... the whole lifestyle of fast cars, fine women, great food is presented to u together with your luxury watch purchase decision... yes, when you buy the watch, all you're gonna get is the watch yuh. the cars, the fancy meals, and the nice women don't come in the watch box or as invites stuck in the bag it comes with. a warranty card does though :) [well not for all but for most anyway]

2) there will always be someone to service it... its an heirloom piece, if theres no one to service it then is it meant to be a paper weight in future? well some watch companies do go bust, do get bought over and may not wish or maintain the know-how to service select movements in future, so what then? well u can go and find watch repairers who can do the job yourself but its a pain in'nit?

3) a lot of people say its great so it must be... of course seeing a watch for 30mins and owning it is completely different. so a watch or prototype that seems to work may not actually be so reliable especially if its something new and innovative and unproven... a couple of trips to the service centre later u may be kicking yourself for ever having paid what u did for it...

what should your expectations be then for a timepiece purchase? at the least i suppose u should expect that you are able to tell the time within a certain acceptable tolerance and that it should at least be reliable for 3-5 years before you have to send it in for servicing. n uhm that's it i suppose :)

enjoy your watches n life! l'chaim!

[note i have not experienced dissonance with any of the watches featured in the post as i've never owned them]

Off Topic: New Kicks... Boba Fetts

2011-05-04T10:43:00.004+08:00

adidas announced a collaboration with star wars in 2010 and since then they have come out with a number of designs for shoes and apparel. there were a lot of misses in my view and a lot that were just alrite.... but they did manage to get one of the releases right in my books... the zx800 boba fetts are the ultimate star wars fan boy/geek's adidas' :) well for this fan boy at least...

hmm boba said 'as you wish' twice to lord vader... u dun think he was pulling a princess bride on him yuh? ;) ok kidding aside, this mandalorian bounty hunter looks kickass

Mandolarian symbol found on his chest plate...

symbol givin big ups to a legendary Mandalorian combat master

boba approves... and guards his new bounty

the packaging for this rocks too... blister pack style...

did i mention they are limited editions ;) that should get the watch collectors interested :)
another site with some good pix of these here hope u enjoyed the post :)

[ click to read the rest of the post... expand or collapse ]

some of the rest of the series that was a bit... meh...