Newly-serviced loveliness

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A while ago, I listed my Glashutte Original Senator Perpetual Calendar for sale. It’s the previous to current model with the 40mm case and the 100 series movement, and I’ve had it for quite a few years now; the problem is that I was wearing it infrequently, so told myself it was probably time to move it on.

When I posted the sales listing on TZ-UK it was running a bit fast – somewhere between 15 and 20 seconds, from memory. I was surprised that it wasn’t snapped up but assumed that the need for a service was a contributory factor. With that in mind I dropped it off at Wempe and waited the couple of months for it to undergo a full service and be returned to the UK. Wempe were superb, as having mistakenly quoted £600 – the cost should have been £900 for this movement – they kindly stood by their original figure, so I managed to save £300 on what it should have cost me. More importantly, its now running at +2s on the wrist, so the service obviously did its job and it also looks brand new (although there was barely a mark on it to begin with).

I think I may keep hold of it now, as I have something of an attachment to it; it’s one of the cleanest executions of a PC out there (Moser probably hold that title, actually) and to my mind it’s far, far nicer than the current 42mm model with the Roman numerals. For now, here’s a couple of photos to relieve some of the CV-19 related boredom. It’s a lovely thing.

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Perpetually… mine!

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I have to say that this watch vies with the Moser for the honour of “most amazing” in my relatively small collection. The cleanness of the dial belies the complexity of the movement, and I can’t think of another PC that I prefer in terms of design.

Like the Moser, I save this one for best, so it always feels special when I put it on.

The usual year end SOTC

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Well, I don’t really want to break with tradition, so here it is… the collection as it stands at the end of 2014. I won’t bore everyone with a long commentary, as my infamous incoming posts will suffice for that. Just a few words, though, to go with the pictures…

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15400: I spent months thinking about this one, and in the end it took precedence over the Aquanaut I’d been planning to buy. I still don’t know whether that was the right decision, but I do know it’s a lovely watch; RO’s need to be handled to appreciate just how well they’re put together, and there’s a good reason why they’re considered by many to be the archetypal sports watch.

Moser Mayu: Quite simply, the nicest watch I’ve ever owned; I’ll go further and say that there isn’t a manufacture that produces watches with a more perfect finish. This one is white gold, and every time I put it on I’m completely gobsmacked.

Christian Van Der Klaauw Ceres 1974: CVDK has won the European Watch of The Year award 3 times in the last 5 years. There’s a good reason for this, and some of the astronomical (by which I mean cosmos-related, as opposed to expensive, although some are very expensive) complications the company produces are awe-inspiring. This is a bit left field for me, which is why I like it.

Dornblueth Kal 04.0: A more wearable size (for me, at least) than the better known models, the 04.0 was limited to just 75 pieces (50 in stainless steel, and 25 in rose gold) and all were produced in 2006. Dirk Dornblueth kindly wrote to me a while ago, clarifying that “the Kal. 04.0 movement includes 50% parts of an old GUB movement and 50% of the ebauche movement AS 1560 from the 1950’s”. Nice!

Glashutte Original Senator Perpetual Calendar: just a wonderfully simple, and wonderfully finished PC that for me ticks all the boxes when it comes to an affordable higher complication. The cleanness of the dial typifies Germanic watch design, and the movement is a wonder to behold.

Jaeger LeCoultre Master Calendar: I’ve had a few JLC’s, but seem to have settled on what – for me – is the archetypal reference. This is the current model, which (like the earlier Master Moon) has dispensed with the power reserve and has the logo back where it belongs. Once again, a very wearable size at 39mm.

Rolex Daytona: I was bloody nuts to sell the white gold Daytona I’d owned previously, but couldn’t find another at the right price and in the right condition. I do enjoy wearing this newer model, though, and find that it’s an ideal watch for pretty much all occasions. In fact, I usually reach for this when I’m not sure what I want to wear.

Panerai PAM337: It would be impossible to overstate how much I like this watch. It’s one of the 42mm models, and being a Radiomir is so wearable on a smaller wrist that it’s easy to forget that it’s actually the size that it is. I can dress it up with an alligator strap, or dress is down as it is in the photo below (on an Assolutemante)… it always looks fantastic and it always flies under the radar.

CWC Royal Navy Diver: This is a great weekend watch, and whilst I didn’t lust after them in a general sense I certainly did lust ofter this specific watch with it’s heat-treated insert. I nagged a chap from TZUK for about 18 months before I got it… but I got it!

Rolex 5513: This is a Mark IV Maxi from 1981, and quite simply it’s the nicest that I’ve seen with an immaculate dial and lovely thick case too. It went to a watchmaker friend for a new crystal to be fitted followed by the usual seal and pressure test, and he reckoned it was the nicest he’d seen too. On the wrist it’s just sublime.

Seiko 7549-7010: I’d had a lovely example of these vintage Tunas previously, and stupidly let it go. When the chance arose to acquire another beauty – this one again from 1978 – I didn’t waste the opportunity. This is another watch that received the highest praise from my watchmaker when he popped a NOS Hardlex crystal on it, and on the shark mesh it’s nothing short of perfect.

Seiko 6309-7040: I’ve had loads of 6309s and never manage to hang onto them for long; then, when I sell them, I always seem to buy another! This one dates from 1984; it has it’s original non-Suwa dial and hands, but is fitted with a Yobokies double domed crystal with internal AR (hence the reflections!). It also has an aftermarket large dot insert on at the moment, but I do have an original insert on a spare bezel too.

Right then – that’s it… far too many watches, really, but I rather like them all and am not planning on flipping anything. I’ve got a nice mix of dressy, sporty, old and new and reckon I’m pretty lucky!

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A bit of Sunday (SOTC) fun

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I’ve had a few messages suggesting that I haven’t done one of these for a while, and having just moved on my JLC it seemed like a good time to take stock. Eight is a couple more than I’m comfortable with in all honesty, but I can’t see any of these going any time soon so I suppose I’ll have to get used to the it.

The strange thing is that I seem to enjoy wearing the Seiko and CWC more than any of the others, probably because I don’t have to think about it once they’re on my wrist… that should probably tell me something. The Daytona has been the biggest surprise, because it’s just so versatile that it always seems “right” when I put it on; and the AP is as wonderful as I hoped it would be, but unfortunately I have to wait a few weeks for them to reopen in Switzerland in order to get a 1.5 link for the bracelet (it’s very marginally tight at the moment, or alternatively a bit too loose). It’s also quite nice that I’ve got the various bases pretty much covered; old, new, chrono, moonphase, GMT, three-handers, manual, auto, etc.

Anyway, here’s a single montage of all of them.

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Not part of the plan…

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Seriously, I’m meant to be saving up for an AP (no, a PP. Errr, an AP…) and I was more than happy with my lot for now. You know what this hobby is like, though, and I’m pretty sure that it’s been about three months since I bought anything. Well, apart from the Tuna, obviously 😉

Anyway, I LOVE Glashutte Original watches – they’re my favourite manufacturer by some margin, in fact, and although I already owned their glorious PC my head was turned recently when trying on the PanoInverse over a WIS lunch in the City. I managed to fight off that urge, but when the PanomaticLunar that a friend bought new only last year was listed for sale on TZ-UK it was just too much! It’s my 5th GO, and possibly vies with my PC in terms of overall loveliness.

I’m not sure if this will now mean that something has to make way for the AP/PP, but hopefully I won’t have to make any painful decisions (I just need a mooted contract extension, so keep your fingers crossed for me). For now, I won’t worry about it, anyway, and I’ll just think myself lucky instead.

A birthday SOTC

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Yes, it’s my birthday today, so it seemed like a good reason to post about my current collection, as it won’t be changing now for some time, if at all.

The moonphase collection

Yes, it’s a rather pointless complication – I realise that. However, for some reason I love them, and these two are so different in terms of style and approach that I think they offer variety whilst being conceptually similar. The Glashutte Original is of course a Perpetual Calendar so in terms of horological craftsmanship alone it’s worthy of admiration; aside from that, it’s Teutonic magnificence is there for all to see… wonderfully finished movement, meticulous design of dial and overall build quality that’s up there with the very best of them. The JLC MUT Moon (this is the 39mm model) is altogether different in both look and feel, and somehow seems to marry the traditional and the modern in one gorgeous package. Oh, and the movement is a mere 4.9mm thick – amazing really, considering it provides a moonphase complication within a watch that’s so light you barely know you’re wearing it.

I do love both of these watches, and wear them a fair bit (albeit less than any of the others, I have to say).

The vintage collection

I’ve been on something of a journey with regard to vintage Rolex, and am lucky enough to have owned some wonderful watches that have included a McQueen Explorer, a red Submariner and a couple of Great Whites. I’ve also enjoyed sixties vintage 5513s and 1675s but all of these were moved on before I settled on the two I’ll now keep; a 1981 5513 and a 1983 16750. Both of these watches are supreme examples, with wonderfully fat cases and beautifully-aged dials and hands; they’re also (deliberately) both of an age where they’re still pretty robust and don’t have to be babied too much. In retrospect, this seems to have been important in my decision-making process and the consequence is that I just enjoy wearing them (a lot) and don’t have to worry about their delicacy. I also much prefer the 16750, with its quick-set date, to the earlier 1675… it shares all the vintage charms of its older brother without the disadvantage of the date change mechanism (or lack of).

The other vintage piece is an old Tuna 7549-7010 from 1978. I absolutely love Tunas but there’s a real difference between old and new, and I realised having sold one of these before that I really do enjoy owning and wearing them. The replacement I picked up recently is a wonderful example, too.

The “smart/casual” collection

Now, these two took a great deal of thought, as they could easily have morphed into a PP Aquanaut; in fact, the decision was all but made and the Aquanaut I ordered came into stock at Boodles about a week ago. In the event, though, two things happened. Firstly, I realised that the PAM 337 – a 42mm model with all the characteristics of the classic Panerai – really is a fantastic watch; it can be dressed up or down, is very slim in addition to it’s other sensible dimensions, and is an absolute pleasure to wear. Secondly, I was offered a NIB Daytona at the precise moment that a long-drawn out deal for another one finally failed to materialise. I couldn’t quite justify (effectively) trading these two for the Aquanaut, but I’ll be honest and say that it’s still a possibility for the future.

I’ll take some time (by which I mean months) before determining once and for all whether or not I go down that route, though, as a wrong decision could be quite costly and I find both of these watches fit the same bill as the PP… consummately smart, beautifully casual and wonderfully adaptable.

And the beater!

Well, it’s not really a beater, to be honest. What it is, though, is a brute of a watch that – for the money – is near unbeatable in its class. The U1 is a bit marmite in that the hands tend to polarise opinion, but the build quality is unarguable as is the distinctive style that sets it apart from other divers. I find it a tad heavy on it’s bracelet, but on a Zulu (and I have five different colours for it) it comes into it’s own. Is there a more perfect weekend/holiday watch?

So, there you have it then… eight watches rather than the six I really wanted to settle on, but for now and the immediate future I’m perfectly content.

A simple solution

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It occurred to me today that I don’t wear either of my moonphase watches as often as I’d like, and then I realised it’s because both of them are on black straps (yes, I do actually match my watches to my clothes). Anyway, I had a shiny, large-scaled alligator strap in brown that came with the Glashutte PC, so…

It looks really nice, I think.

Well, it seems that I CAN do it…

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Not long ago I asked, rhetorically, whether or not I could reduce to five or six watches. (Well, I said five, but as every good WIS knows there’s always room for an additional beater 🙂 ). The answer, it appears, is “yes” – the mini-cull is now complete and aside from making a decision on whether the PAM337 gets replaced by an Aquanaut I’m finished with buying and selling. In fact, before today it was definitely going to be the Aquanaut, but the truth is that these 42mm Radiomirs are so sublime on the wrist that I may just put that acquisition on a very long hold.

Anyway, this is what I have left, and it’s what I’m staying with. The only changes from the original plan are that I’ve kept the JLC MUT Moon instead of the Speedy (some will say I’m mad, but others will agree with the choice made).

In fairness, I’ve also kept a more recently acquired Sinn U1. It’s such a fantastic watch for the money, and it’s also the best everyday watch that I’ve owned and perfect for use on holidays, both on the Bach and in the pool. It’s just not worth selling it, frankly.

Can I do it?

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I was chatting to a watch-collecting friend over a pint or two on Sunday evening, and was trying to articulate how recent life-changing events have made me look differently at this hobby, and the excesses it encourages. Right now, I feel (for want of a better word) guilty for the time and money I spend on what are, essentially, trinkets and I was suggesting that I may just keep four or five and then push the whole WIS thing to the background. Focus on more meaningful things.

Anyway, I initially suggested that I’d just keep a few new pieces and do away with anything vintage as it would theoretically be a lot less hassle (well, no hassle at all). However, Howard made the logical argument that the vintage pieces – especially those I’m lucky enough to own – are the ones that would be the hardest to replace with similar quality examples. I’ve thought about that, and have decided that he’s right; in fact, I now know the five watches that are my keepers and, consequently, I understand the task ahead. Here they are, and wish me luck… I’ve given myself until the end of the year to get down to these and then kiss the whole “flipping” merry-go-round goodbye.

Oh, and if anyone actually reads this nonsense feel free to share your view via the comments function!

Merry Christmas!

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I was actually just getting it ready to wear tomorrow, but I noticed that the leap year indicator has started to change, and of course the date is showing Christmas Eve. Under the circumstances, it would have been rude not to…

Have a wonderful Christmas, everybody, whether it’s a religious or secular holiday for you. I hope Santa brings you something nice!

End of year SOTC

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Well, it’s that time again… coming up to Christmas, the festive spirit is mostly in the fridge right now and a quick look back over the year is appropriate.

I posted a an SOTC this time last year, at which time I had 13 watches with an emphasis on vintage Rolex (and there were some beauties!). This year I tried to get the numbers down a bit, and I succeeded for a while… I seem to have gone back up to 12 again, though, which is yet further evidence of my non-existent will-power. Anyway, as I did last year I still have vintage Rolex and Autavia GMTs; a nice old 5513; a fugly Tuna; a dressy and complicated JLC and GO; and a variety of other things to give me plenty of options. Too many options really, but I may as well just enjoy them all while I can and stop worrying about it.

I’ll take the opportunity to wish everyone well over the holidays too. It’ll be a quiet one for me as my other half is away with her family, but at least I can watch all the horror movies I want to watch for a couple of weeks 🙂



SOTC – 28/10/13

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A couple of people asked me to post an up to date SOTC recently, so here it is – no changes of late and I won’t be selling any of these any time soon. I quite like the mix of modern and vintage, and there are quite a few different styles and complications in there. I must say that I’m particularly fond of the 806 (which needs a new strap) and the 5513, although I wear all of them regularly and get a lot of pleasure from each of them.

I had 17 watches not that long ago and am much more comfortable with a smaller and more manageable collection (that said, I do have a little package on the way). Anyway, I hope you like the pack-shot

The simplicity of a Perpetual

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Not long ago, and shortly after reluctantly selling my JLC Perpetual Calendar (it wasn’t being worn, and it transpires that I’m not really into gold watches) I completed a trade that saw my 4th Glashutte Original arrive in the post, with a Milgauss GV and a bundle of cash having gone off in the other direction. It was a fantastic opportunity, too, because this new arrival is in fact the beautiful Senator Perpetual Calendar, which means that the PC void has been very quickly filled. It also means that after letting some lovely GO’s go (ahem) in the past, this fantastic manufacturer is represented once again, and this time it’ll be for the long term.

The Senator Perpetual Calendar is the 40mm model (reference 100-02-13-02-04) that was discontinued in favour of it’s 42mm successor in or around late 2011. This was a mistake in my opinion, because the same movement (more on that in a second) was simply popped into a bigger case with a larger bezel. I think that this model is much nicer in terms of aesthetics and overall scale, and this particular watch has an added sense of provenance in that it was bought from Jeffrey Hess (who wrote that book with James Dowling) as unworn/NIB just last November. In reaching me it was still as new, and bearing in mind that the current Senator PC lists at around £15k I reckon I’ve been rather lucky to have got my hands on this one.

The dial is beautifully balanced, with day, month, date and moonphase positioned in each of the four corners. The dot below the 12 marker is a year “type” indicator, and this is how the perpetual element of the movement does its work. Yellow indicates one year after a leap year; black is two years after; white is one year before a leap year; and red signifies a leap year itself. In addition to advancing via the crown the movement is operated with a number of push-buttons strategically placed on the case sides at 2 hours (month adjustment,) 10 hours (day of the week adjustment,) 9 hours (moon-phase adjustment,) 8 hours (sum correction for date, day of the week, month and yearly rhythm,) and 7 hours (second hand reset function).

The movement is GO’s top of the line 100 series – in this case the 100-02, which contains 59 jewels, beats at 28,800 vph and provides a power reserve of 55 hours. Typically of all GO watches, the movement is exquisitely finished with the usual bevelled edges, polishing and engraving; a lovely swan neck regulator, and a skeletonised rotor with 21k gold oscillation weight. I have to admit that I’m no longer surprised when I see GO movements, as I now know what to expect; however, they really are things of beauty.

Obviously, I’m completely overjoyed!