Thursday, 31 May 2018
Wednesday, 30 May 2018
BOOK RECOMMENDATION: Deluxe by Dana Thomas
As an avid reader of non-fiction books, I'm always on the lookout for interesting things to occupy me, and this book certainly satisfies that brief. Rarely have I been so eager to keep turning the pages, and if you are interested in luxury goods beyond watches then this is a must read.
Dana Thomas digs deep and spews forth a mine of fascinating information about the brands (in particular LVMH), how they built their empires, how they expanded into the Eastern markets and the differences between customers on different continents. For example, a customer brought a dress back to a boutique in Japan complaining of a hanging thread. The manager took the dress back, gave a full refund and sent the woman a bunch of flowers as an apology (the Japanese have zero tolerance for flaws, which is something I have heard before when it comes to buying watches from Japan). By contrast the feeling is that in Paris the customer would notice the dress but accept the flaw and cut the thread, whereas in the United States the thread would go completely unnoticed. Even Louis Vuitton's goods were returned by the Japanese boutiques, because the stitching wasn't perfect enough for the local consumers (with the message 'Please sell these in Paris').
At the time of writing it was estimated that 50% of all luxury goods were sold to Japanese customers, 20% in Japan and the rest while travelling abroad (duty free). The book also details the importance of the thirteen million so called 'Parasite Singles': twenty-something singles still living at home and with large disposable incomes to pour into the coffers of the luxury brands' bank accounts.
Such was the importance of the Japanese market that Chanel opened a boutique in Hawaii to service the huge number of Japanese tourists, offering Japanese speaking staff and all manner of incentives and tricks to get the customers into the stores. According to Thomas that one store in Hawaii turned over $60m in one year and before long the other brands moved in and took over Waikiki, pretty much to the exclusion of the local population.
I'm actually only part way through this book but it's so good that I already feel it worthy of recommendation. It really is quite fascinating, and even though the book was published in 2007 and some things have probably changed (I'm sure the Chinese market is now way more important than the Japanese market for instance) it's still an engrossing insight into the way the big houses operate.
The book also looks into the impact of counterfeit goods, luxury's relationship with Hollywood and advertising, raids on sweatshops and the huge cost of revamping the brand's boutiques (often taking two to three years to recoup through sales). I found my copy on Amazon for just a few pence, making this by far the best bang for buck item I've bought this year.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deluxe-How-Luxury-Lost-Lustre/dp/0141019670/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527502019&sr=8-1&keywords=dana+thomas
Tuesday, 29 May 2018
Monday, 28 May 2018
SPOTLIGHT ON: Grand Carrera Chronograph (Blue Dial) CAV511F
CAV511F.BA0902
As much as I love my new Calibre 8 Grand Carrera GMT, there's still a part of me that wants a GC Chronograph somewhere down the line, and more specifically I'd really like to get my hands on one particular model, the blue dialed CAV511F.
Unfortunately, it's a limited edition model made for the Japanese market, with only 300 pieces produced, which is a bit disheartening. But on a more positive note Mark Worthington jewellers in Manchester have had one pass through their books and the listing is still visible on their website, which suggests there's at least one in the UK (hopefully).
Until I bought my 6000 Series I didn't really get this whole 'blue dial' thing, indeed... I didn't even know it was a blue dial until I got it as the listing described it as black! But now, on certain watches, I get it, and this Grand Carrera is one such watch. I don't mind the black dial, but I do think this dial gives it something a bit extra special and makes the red highlights pop even more.
This really is one beautiful looking watch, and it's kind of annoying that something as simple as a blue dial version is such a limited edition... but from what I've read, until recently blue dials weren't all that fashionable, so they weren't produced as a kind of default option the way they are now. Oh well, I guess that will only make it all the more special when I finally get hold of one - if I can get hold of one.
Because undoubtedly this is right at the very top of my 'WANTED' list... although to be honest I'm not quite sure what else would be on that list just now. I've already bought a lot of watches this year and feel I've come to a point where I need to consider my next purchase carefully. I'm very happy with my collection as it stands, but after losing a considerable wad of cash on my Calibre 16 F1, I want to make sure I make the right choices in the future. As far as that goes I think the CAV511F is a pretty safe bet, and if one becomes available I will definitely be very interested...
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Turns out there is one of these for sale on eBay, but from a Japanese seller (no surprise there I suppose), unfortunately, while it looks in very good condition the price is £3250 (which is probably quite fair - but I don't currently have that sort of money to blow on a watch), and presumably there would be some pretty hefty taxes to pay on top of that as well.
Sunday, 27 May 2018
Saturday, 26 May 2018
SPOTLIGHT ON: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 Chronograph Limited Edition
CV201G.FT6007
You may remember the other day I posted about a limited edition 44mm Formula One that was identical to the standard model except for having it's back plate stamped with the 'Rabat' logo. Rabat is a Spanish jewellers with just six stores (one of which seems to be a Rolex boutique) so it seems slightly surprising that they would be able to commit to the sort of numbers of pieces that that they have.
As far as I can tell there is no other model in the range which has the same red/orange sub-dial surrounds and second hand, so I'd say this may actually be quite a desirable model for that aspect alone. Unfortunately I can't find a photograph of the back of the watch anywhere so what exactly has been done is unknown, but this watch is a limited edition of 350 pieces and as far as I know and if we assume the watch has a clear caseback there won't be an awful lot of room to do much more than stamp Rabat and the XXX/350.
For a very long time I was looking for a Carrera with a strap like this, but when I eventually found one it didn't really do it for me, perhaps because the watch itself was rather plain (possibly a CV2010). I much prefer these with the coloured elements as they give it a bit of modern twist and really complement the strap choice well.
Actually, Googling CV201G brings up almost nothing, and you could be forgiven for thinking I was making this up, but my source for this was a post by David@Calibre11 on the Calibre 11 Forum and I'm sure he knows his onions better than almost anyone. As usual with TAG Heuer the availability of information regarding limited editions is notable only by it's absence so we have to take it where we can find it - and for source you can't get better than Calibre 11.
As an aside, in the course of my research I came across a Japanese Limited Edition with an unusual 'mother of pearl' dial called a CV201K.BA0794 which I've never seen before (there's one for sale on eBay for about £3000). Funny what you find when you search Google and keep changing the last letter of the catalogue number!
CV201K.BA0794
As for getting hold of CV201G, well good luck with that! A quick look at Rabat's website suggests they are long gone, and with a watch this good looking I guess that's not really all that surprising, even though it did seem a big amount to shift through six stores (still in these days of online sales perhaps it's not so difficult to find them homes?).
As for pre-owned, well Ebay seems a dead loss, and even Chrono24 doesn't seem able to help so you'll have to look further afield I'm afraid, but as I said, Google doesn't seem to be bringing anything up so I can only assume the original buyers are reluctant to sell....
Friday, 25 May 2018
FEATURE: Richemont's Headline Grabbing Buy Back Scheme.
You may have read the headline recently that 'Richemont Group Bought Back and Destroyed $539m of Watches', essentially to stop the old stock being passed on to grey market dealers and sold at heavy discounts. This includes pieces made by Cartier, IWC, Piaget and Vacheron Constantin and while the 'physical destruction' tagline is surely being played well over the top (most articles go on to say that the movements and other parts will be recycled - never let the truth get in the way of a good headline, eh!) some people are still offended by what they perceive as Richemont's heavy handed tactics and the denial of grey market bargains for the consumer. I even read where some idiot commented that the company should be taken to court by the monopolies commission... yeah, because there aren't any other wristwatches available!
Leaving aside the obvious potential marketing exaggeration (the bigger the better when it comes to making headlines) when you look at this it really isn't as bad as it looks from Richemont's perspective. Indeed, it's entirely possible that Richemont might even have made a profit on the deal.
Lets round the figures for easy maths and say it's $500M. Without a doubt the figures are retail prices, so let's assume the AD's got 40% discount, so they actually paid $300M for the watches. No way did Richemont give the AD's cash back and I would highly doubt that they gave the full amount either, most likely they offered to take back old stock and provide brand new stock of lovely new desirable models to a lower value.
Stock cleansing is nothing new and many business people know how this works, yes you take a hit on the returned stock but sometimes you need to clear house and doing so gives your shop a 'Wow! factor' which can encourage visitors to come in and spend money on the new pieces (which are likely to sell at retail).
So let's assume Richemont offered the AD's an 80% buy-back, meaning at this point Richemont have made $60M on the deal. Of course these figures are plucked from thin air, but I'd be astonished if Richemont offered anywhere near full refunds. Besides, when the Richemont rep came around he'd be sure to phrase it in exactly the right way, you know - "we're looking to do this with everyone", "we'd appreciate your support", etc etc... with the tacit understanding that anyone who wants to hold out will be at the back of the queue when it comes to getting support and preferential pieces in the future.
Sure you have to take the original manufacturing cost of the watches into account, and the cost of the new pieces, so let's assume a manufacturing cost of $80M for the lot. So far Richemont have actually cost themselves $20M, a far cry from the headline figure of $539. And that's assuming that they offered the AD's 80%, from my experience with stock cleansing it's possible the percentage offered was more like 70% if not less... if so then Richemont could well have made a profit on the deal.
Then, as we know, the movements and other parts will be recycled, which will put more money back into the Richemont coffers. So even if it did end up costing $15M, for a company with a $10billion turnover... that's completely irrelevant.
And let's not forget the obvious upside, not only have Richemont got the names of their brands in the press, they've also reinforced the idea that if you want a Cartier or a Vacheron Constantin then you need to buy from an AD at or near full retail, and at the same time put the message out there that the same watch won't be available cheaper elsewhere. Not to mention they will have lots of lovely new stock on the high street for those reassured customers to browse and purchase.
Sure, Richemont's cash flow will take a dip in the short term, but come the next financial year this will all be water under the bridge and (I'm sure) largely paid for by the AD's.
Thursday, 24 May 2018
Wednesday, 23 May 2018
OWNED: Citizen Automatic GN-4-S / Vertex Revue Pocket Watch
Aside from my TAG collection, I have two other timepieces. The first is a pocket watch that was given to my Grandfather for 25 years service at Ketton Cement in 1959. I can't remember when I was given this, it must be fifteen years ago I'm guessing, I know my Mother still has the chain that came with it. I thought it had stopped working, but I pulled it out of the drawer yesterday and gave it a wind and it's ticking away. Seems to be keeping decent time as well, though it's not hackable so can't set it exactly... can't imagine that it's ever been serviced.
It looks incredibly clean inside for such an old piece, especially considering the lack of care it's been shown. It says Swiss Made on the dial, although the case seems to have been made in England. There's a stamping on the inside which says 'Case guaranteed to wear for 10 years', I don't know whether that's referring to the gold plating or the case itself?
The acrylic glass sometimes comes out which is a bit annoying, and I can't really see how it's supposed to be held in. Ah well, it's not likely to ever see regular use, so I guess it's not a massive problem.
The second piece is more meaningful, since it belonged first to my other Grandfather, and then when he died my Father stared wearing it, and then when he died it came to me. It's a bit on the small side for me but the movement is incredible, I've never worn it but if you pick it up it starts going... I can't quite work out how it gets its energy to be honest.
Sadly when I was given it the glass was cracked and the day wheel is broken so it doesn't line up. I don't know whether my Father broke the date wheel, but I remember him breaking the glass and talking about getting it replaced. I thought I would get it fixed up and thinking that it was quite an inexpensive watch I just took it to Timsons. They sent it back to Citizen and I got a quote for £150 or something ridiculous... apparently it needed a complete new movement.
So I told them to just fix the glass then, but Citizen wouldn't do that. So Timpsons offered to replace the glass but couldn't give me any guarantee of water resistance. I never heard anything for months and then when I went in to find out what was going on they gave it me back exactly as it was saying they couldn't do it either...
So it's back exactly as it was when I got it. Which, since I'll probably never wear it, isn't exactly an issue. I bought the box of eBay just so I had somewhere appropriate to keep it. I don't know what happened to the original box, it probably got thrown away when my Grandfather died.
When I got this is the bracelet was pretty grubby so I took it off the watch and gave it a good clean and it came up pretty nice. I've sized the watch to my wrist (using the huge range of micro adjustment on the clasp) but even if the date and glass had been fixed I'd probably never wear it, not with nine TAGs on permanent standby!
Tuesday, 22 May 2018
BUYING EXPERIENCE: TAG Heuer 500M Aquaracer
WAJ1111.BA0870
It's funny how things change, up until a couple of weeks ago I never really liked the single sub dial Grand Carreras, and then I bought one. Similarly, I've always thought these rubberised dial Aquaracers were a bit naff looking, and now I've bought one. But it's been a slightly rocky road to get there, so this might be a long post...
You may remember a couple of weeks ago I tried on the Calibre 5 version of this watch and I can't remember if I wrote it or just thought it, but I decided if this was available in quartz and on a bracelet then I would be very interested in it. So returning to Bicester last week I saw the Calibre 5 again and it reminded me to look into finding a quartz version.
Usually, when TAG make a quartz version of a watch it's never quite the same as the auto version and as the first ones I came across had a black face I presumed that would be the compromise I'd have to weigh up, but after a little more digging it turned out they did make a quartz with the lovely grey vertically fluted dial.
Okay, let's back up a minute, what actually happened was I tried on a watch at Bicester (the CAK2111 I reviewed on Monday) which I really liked, but which I feel is too similar to my Aquagraph, and I was searching for photos of it to include in an 'On the Wrist' review. In doing that I found that same watch on Parkers Jewellers website (which is where my Chronotimer came from) and in turn it occurred to me that I hadn't browsed their stock in a while.
WAJ1110.BA0870
That led me to the black dial calibre 5 version of this watch for £1350, which I do like the look of but the grey dial version was already available NOS at Bicester so I wasn't really going to buy that, and anyway I still wanted it with the grey dial and with the quartz movement. I then found the black dial quartz version on the same site for £1150 and started thinking that might be an option. I wanted the grey dial but I wanted quartz more... so maybe that was a good fall back.
I spent quite a while searching and eventually found the grey dial quartz version at 'The Watch Village' for £965 on eBay. As ever, the smart thing to do is to find their website because then they're not paying eBay fees and sure enough the same watch was £920. Result!
Or so I thought...
So the first thing obviously is to check the photos for condition, it was described as mint and it looked very, very good save for two dings to the side of the case. Still the price seemed great and the bracelet was big enough for me (another box ticked). I'd already checked with Tom at Bicester to see if there were any quartz NOS available, because I would much rather buy from them if possible, even if it was a bit more expensive, but sadly no stock was available. Tom did offer to order me a bracelet for the Calibre 5 version but I really wanted quartz as I'll probably wear this one quite a lot to work and it has the potential to get bashed into things occasionally.
So, given my watch spend this year has been pretty horrendous... I thought about it for a while and then five minutes later I put the watch in my basket and sent the money. :)
One thing to note, on their own site the watch is described as 'like new/no use' but the pictures on eBay clearly show the side case damage - this photo isn't included on their website, which is a bit naughty if you ask me. I think I would be a bit pissed off if I'd bought the watch without having already seen the eBay photos. But, I had, so I knew what I was getting... and I went off out for the evening with friends looking forward to receiving my watch on Monday or Tuesday.
I came home Saturday to find an (apologetic, fair enough) email telling me that somebody had already put a deposit down on the watch and that they were expecting the balance on Sunday. They said they had been out and were without internet etc etc... well naturally I wasn't happy about it, but mistakes happen. What slightly annoyed me was that the watch was still on their website and eBay and Chrono24 over the weekend, despite the fact that two people were trying to buy it!
Saturday afternoon, still available!
They said they could potentially offer me a discount on the black dial version (which they also had) but that was already cheaper because the bezel is slightly damaged and I don't really do damaged watches.
As you may have noticed, the watch on Chrono24 was £10 cheaper than on their own website. Their story was that the guy that left the deposit wanted an additional service case and they'd added £10 to the price to cover it.
So I was a bit gutted to be honest, but I thought I'd wait and see what happened. So Sunday evening I sent them an email asking if the watch had been sold or not. They said they hadn't got the money, but they were giving the customer one more day to sort himself out. Then Monday morning I got an email telling me that the customer had pulled out of the sale and that if I still wanted it then it was available for £910.
As luck would have it, over the weekend I sold my WAH1110 Formula 1 quartz too, but let's not get into that or this post will be even longer. Suffice to say, I really wish people would ask questions before they buy, I've had to cancel two orders this last couple of days and the WAH1110 nearly went the same route!
The only slightly annoying thing was that because Paypal takes forever to refund money, my original £920 was pending and I needed to send another £910 to secure the watch. I think, given the circumstances that they could have been slightly more helpful and offered to hold the watch for me until the money had come back to me. After all, I clearly wanted the watch, I'd already sent them the money once... but they kind of half arsed their response a bit.
Still, I really wanted the watch and it didn't seem to be that easily available so I sucked it up and sent another £910 and sure enough first thing Tuesday morning I got my parcel in the post.
If a watch has to be marked, then the left side is as good a place as any. It really is hardly noticeable when wearing the watch and the bezel is perfect. There is a scratch on the glass at the bottom, but again it's right next to the bezel and it's hard to notice so I won't bother getting the glass replaced.
The box is a bit tatty inside where the watch has been in and out, I think the owner may have needed a manicure or something, but it's okay. The warranty card says it was bought in Las Vegas in 2015, so it's barely 3 years old.
On the Monday Jen at The Watch Village asked me what my wrist size was and said she would size the watch for me. Apparently the watch was sized for an 8" wrist so I suggested taking one link out. Of course, as soon as I tried it on I realised that I needed that link put back in so it was off to see Wes at Steffans again.
Looking a bit closer at the bracelet, someone had obviously made a right pig's ear of taking the link out. Several of the pins weren't in properly and the bracelet wasn't straight - one of the links was moving side to side about 1mm. Thankfully Wes put it all straight for me, and luckily we only needed one of the three links they sent me as two of the three pins were bent!
Overall, I absolutely love my new watch, but as far as The Watch Village goes I'm not massively impressed. Their prices are cheap (they have a Calibre 8 Grand Carrera on a strap for £1200!) but they seem a little bit shady here and there. No way should this watch be described as 'no use/like new', that's how I would describe some of my watches that I bought from new. The marks on the side of the case are enough to merit a downgrade there, never mind the scratched crystal and some other scratches on the bracelet. I also think them not putting the photo showing the damage on their website raises questions about their integrity, but still, I am happy with my watch and it was a good price.
So in all honesty, I think that's probably me for a bit. I've bought five watches this year (actually six if you count my wife's Aquaracer...), and sold two so I really can't see my buying anything else for the foreseeable. But then I think I said something similar after I bought my Grand Carrera...
Monday, 21 May 2018
FEATURE: In Defence of Quartz...
TAG Heuer Calibre S 'Hybrid' Movement
About a year ago I was all in on mechanical movements, I wasn't going to buy any more quartz watches and I was probably going to get rid of any I had (except the F1 Kirium), but here we are and I now own six battery operated watches. So what changed?
Well, I always wanted a Calibre S and now that I have one I really, really love it. It's an amazing movement and if it was possible to replicate what it can do with a purely mechanical movement then I'm sure we would be talking about a watch that cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.
I also got a bit tired of worrying about mechanical watches, and a bit tired of having to set the date every time I wanted to put one on. I think if you only own one or two watches, then mechanical is probably perfect, but it you own a lot of watches, then it's probably more practical to own a mixture of mechanical and quartz pieces. At least it is for me...
I find I am happier having 'special' pieces as mechanical and watches that I'm more likely to wear every day as quartz. I generally decide which watch I'm going to wear in the morning and I really don't have to time to be messing about with dates and winding, I just want to pick something and put it on.
Calibre 5 Movement
For the most part, watch companies don't tend to produce identical watches in quartz and mechanical versions, there's usually something different. It may be as simple as a coloured tip on a second hand or a different dial completely, and that helps to differentiate and to sell the more expensive watch. But recently I purchased a watch that was available in both and it was 'identical' save for the text on the dial, in this instance I chose quartz because it's a diver and I think I'm likely to wear it quite a lot for work (yes, I am a Special Forces Operative!).
When the watch arrived I loved it so much that I started questioning my choice - maybe I should have got the Calibre 5 version, because then it would be more 'special'... maybe it would, but for £900 I would have had to spend probably another 30% to get a (pre-owned) watch that would be less accurate, less reliable, more hassle and more worrisome - and as someone who's buying more and more pre-owned the nice thing about quartz is that generally you know what you're getting, if it works it works (the kicker here was that the Calibre 5 version was available NOS in Bicester Village for £1600, but that was still nearly £700 more than I paid).
Part of the reason I got rid of my CAU2012 Formula 1 was because it was a Calibre 16, I just felt that watch was too casual to merit a mechanical movement. If it had been quartz I would have kept it, but as it was it was always a watch that cost too much for work wear or recreation, and too casual to wear out... and yes I know my Aquagraph isn't exactly dressy, but I am much more connected to that watch and if there was a quartz Aquagraph then it wouldn't bother me in the slightest (although it is cool that it's a Calibre 60 with 46 jewels in it).
Aqaugraph Calibre 60 Movement
My new Grand Carrera GMT on the other hand is fine, because when I'm putting that on I'm going out somewhere and I don't mind the ritual of setting the date and hands and winding the watch. A dress watch deserves a mechanical movement and it enhances the 'special' feeling of wearing it.
They say the quartz watch is destined for extinction, killed by the Smartwatch revolution, but I hope not. It would be a shame if the only choice is Smartwatch or mechanical, but I guess there's probably already enough quartz watches out there to see me out (I rarely use a mobile so I'm certainly not going to entertain a Connected).
Don't get me wrong, this isn't a rant against mechanical watches, I know that most watch enthusiasts favour them and some tend to have a very dismissive attitude to quartz powered pieces. I'm guessing in the future the same thing will happen with people who own Ferraris, they'll grudgingly acknowledge that the newfangled hybrid-electro ones are more efficient, faster and feats of engineering in their own right, but... they aren't 'real' Ferraris, because 'real' Ferraris have a 'proper' engine.
All I'm saying is that I don't share that attitude, I think there's room for both and that kind of 'snobbery' can alienate and make people feel 'pressurised' into buying something they don't really want and which they don't really understand. Owning a mechanical watch is a pleasurable experience, but it can also be stressful if you don't understand why it might not keep perfect time all the time and you don't understand how to look after it properly.
Calibre 8 GMT Movement
The other day I got quite irritated when my Grand Carrera appeared to be losing chunks of time, but it was because it was running upright in a cabinet, as soon as I put it on my wrist it behaved perfectly - and then the next time it was running in the cabinet it was keeping perfect time as well. This is the 'joy' of a mechanical movement, but for those who don't want the stress quartz is an excellent alternative, and some watches are just better that way.
For me, my collection is one third mechanical right now and I think that's about right for the way I live and the way I use my watches, for you it may be different. But regardless, I think we should remember that quartz is right for some people and some collections (or parts of collections) and it really doesn't make the owner any less of a watch enthusiast just because their watch is battery powered not wound.
Unless it's a Daniel Wellington. Obviously!
Sunday, 20 May 2018
ON THE WRIST: Aquaracer 300M Calibre 5 Ceramic Bezel
WAY201A.FT6069
David M Robinsons / Chester, 17th October 2016
Bit of a lost post this one, but I remember it well. David M Robinsons is quite a plush little jewellers and this was back before I was completely confident about going into these places and asking to try luxury watches on. It seems kind of silly now, but when you're first getting seriously into watches it can be a little intimidating, especially the more upmarket shops. I seem to remember TAG being one of the cheapest brands in the window and I'm not 100% sure but I think they also sold Patek, but maybe not (I just checked and they do, so you can see it wasn't your average 'Ernest Jones' kind of place...). But I needn't have worried, the lady who served me was very nice and was only too happy to fetch a couple of TAGs from the window for me to try on. I think she may have even given me a catalogue...
This one was a 43mm Calibre 5 on a cool rubber strap with a yellow backing, and at the time I was seriously considering buying this one. My main objection was the cyclops, which was the new thing on TAGs at the time, and I really didn't like it. I still don't really like it, but now that I've got two watches with the damned things on I'm slowly getting used to them.
Eighteen months down the line my interest has waned somewhat, partly because I've now got several Aquaracers... but I still think that strap is very cool. On the wrist it felt fine, I'm definitely a 43mm Aquaracer kind of guy, every time I try the 41mm versions on I just feel they are too small for me. At the time the ceramic bezel seemed a little too shiny, of course we're now all a lot more used to ceramic and I have to say that while they are good from a resilience point of view, they pick up fingermarks like crazy.
When I tried on the Aquaracer WAY108A the other day I felt a little bad because they gave me this brand new, straight out of the safe watch and within seconds I had fingermarks all over the bezel. I don't have a ceramic bezel as yet and I'm kinda glad to be honest, and as for those full ceramic Heuer01s - they must be an absolute nightmare!
This was one of the first 'new' style Aquaracers released and it's shape is more familiar now than it was back in 2016. I remember when these came out the shape seemed incredibly angular, but now it seems to have settled in and barely raises an eyebrow. And while this remains quite a cool looking watch I can't help but feel that if I was going to go down this route I'm more likely to stump up the extra cash and pick up a WAY218A.FC6362 instead.
WAY218A.FC6362
That said of course, these watches have now made their way onto the second hand market and are trading for somewhere around £13-1400, I think the original price was about £1850 IIRC and about £400 more for the black version above. That kind of depreciation is probably about what I would have expected, and I do remember Goldsmiths having some of these on offer for £1400 or so at one point, maybe even less - which was a very good deal for those that picked them up.
One thing about Aquaracers that never gets old is the lume and this one certainly lives up to expectations, what a cracker!
For the newcomers, here is a link to my review of the Phantom Aquaracer from October 2016
SPOTLIGHT ON: An Instagram Worth Looking at if You Like 1000 Series Divers
980.913N
You may remember THIS POST where I wrote about an eBay sale for this gorgeous red dial 1000 Series. Well the new owner left me a message thanking me for the post and inviting me to view his Instagram page, which features some great pictures of 1000 Series Heuers and TAG Heuers.
I've just noticed that the 'damage' to the top left lug seen in the eBay pictures is gone, so maybe it was just a reflection then?
I get the feeling Jose is slightly obsessed, but still, it's a pretty impressive collection! :)
Saturday, 19 May 2018
ON THE WRIST: Girard Perregaux Seahawk 49960-19-631-FK16A
49960-19-631-11A
Time and Gems / Bicester Village, 10th May 2018
This was the watch I tried on right before I checked out the Jean Richard Hokusai Wave watch, and it's in a totally different league (and to be fair, price range). Damned if I can remember the original price, I think it was somewhere between £7-8000, but today this was on offer for 'just' £5300 (according to the card that the lovely Sophie gave me to take home).
First things first, this is an unusual looking watch, and I'm sure it's not going to be to everyone's taste, but I liked it. I'm not totally sure about that bulging right hand side of the case, or the crown at the four-fifteen position, but the dial iself is fantastic. Sure the date positioning is a little wacky... but when you pick this watch up you can instantly tell that this is a very well made, quality item.
It's heavy too, really heavy, possibly even heavier than my Aquagraph (which is saying something), and while a lot of that may come from the very substantial, in fact downright 'chunky' bracelet, I'm sure even on a rubber strap (which is also available) it wouldn't feel in any way, shape or form - light.
49960-19-631-FK16A
Girard Perregaux is a bit of an odd brand, they don't seem to have a name to match the respect they garner in the 'watch community', indeed, I'm not entirely sure I've ever seen a GP anywhere but Bicester, not even in Selfridges or Harrods... maybe they've got a boutique in London somewhere but it doesn't spring to mind. Clearly the product is good, so maybe it's the marketing and brand awareness they need to work on?
When it comes to the Seahawk range, those who are a little... dainty of wrist, shall we say, clearly need not apply. This is a BIG watch, and you're going to need a man size wrist to pull this baby off. I'm not at all sure that crown guard would be comfortable long term and the crown itself is massive, but if you're a larger guy and you want a watch with wrist presence, this thing has it in spades.
The Seahawk operates at the price point where buying a Rolex Submariner makes a lot more sense, but clearly this watch is not aimed at your everyday punters. This brand knows it offers a niche product to a clientele who are more informed and aware, and for who the Submariners and Seamasters of this world are for the hoi-polloi. They know that not everyone will 'recognize' their timepiece and they don't care. They know some people will wrongly assume the watch is a fashion brand, and while it might grate a little they take comfort from knowing that on those rare occasions when they do bump into another GP wearer they give each other a nod and a smile. I imagine owning a Seahawk is a bit like being a member of a club that few can get into, or like owning a Koenigsegg. Evidently it's not a Ferrari - but who wants a Ferrari, 'everyone' has one of them...
Would I buy one? Sure, if I had the money to burn, why not. But no way I'd buy at retail, I bet these things tank hard. But if I was going to buy one, then I think I'd be searching out the green version, because if you're going to big and crazy, then why not go green as well - right?
I'd take that over a Rolex Hulk any day personally, but then if I was looking to spend £8,000 on a watch I wouldn't be looking at either of these, for that money I'd probably take a Heuer 01 with gold lugs instead. But still it's nice to know these things exist, for those with the resources and chutzpah to be bold and different.
Friday, 18 May 2018
ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Link Calibre 16 Two Tone
CAT2050.FC6322
TAG Heuer Boutique / Bicester Village, 10th May 2018
I know that in the past I may have been slightly... outspoken about watches with brown leather straps, and this stems from the fact that at heart I'm not really a conservative kind of guy. I'm never going to choose something tasteful and restrained when there's something outrageous and brash available (although having said that I have just traded in an orange Formula 1 for a distinctly refined Grand Carrera GMT, so who knows, maybe I'm just getting old?)
So why then, when I stood in front of the cabinets in Bicester Village, was it this particular Link I chose to try on? In all honesty I don't really know. Maybe it was the shiny gold bezel, maybe it was the vertically fluted dial, maybe it was... the brown leather strap.
Probably not, but, it can't be denied that this watch wouldn't look right on a black leather strap. Which is why I'd have it on a bracelet.... but seriously, this design lends itself to a brown strap and as brown straps go, this one is quite nice. I don't mind brown so much when it's very dark brown, and this one is quite dark.
Look, I'm not going to bleat on about the strap, because I don't have anything bad to say about it. Indeed, it's actually a very nice strap, and I would happily wear it. Oddly enough, the strap isn't the thing I didn't like about the watch... and it's not like it's a big deal or anything, it's just something that I just wished was different.
I'm not used to two-tone watches to be fair, and if you are going to make a two-tone watch then there's only so much you can do. Clearly the pushers and crown should be rose gold, but I'd prefer it if they weren't. I don't mind the bezel, the sub-dial, the hour markers, the TAG logo or the hands... but the pushers and crown just niggle me a bit. So much so that I decided to mock up my own version.
I know it's only a little thing, but I think that looks better. I know I'm probably the only one, but to me the gold puts too much emphasis on the right side of the case and detracts from the design rather than adds to it. I'm not saying I couldn't live with it, or that I would order a steel crown and pushers to make my perfect watch reality, I'm just saying that's how I would have done it.
Obviously with the rose gold elements this isn't a cheap watch, but the outlet price offers a hefty saving over list. I can't remember the exact figure but the outlet price is £3885, which is at least £1000 off. Sure, there's no way I would pay this much money for a watch like this because I wouldn't get enough wear out of it to justify the outlay. But, for something that's so not really my style, I did rather like it.
I do want a Link eventually, it's just finding the right one. I'm very tempted by the Calibre S models but like all Links they are hard to find pre-owned in good condition and the NOS ones are still a good bit over £2000, which for probably very occasional wear is a bit steep for me. Ah well, you never know what might turn up when you least expect it...
Thursday, 17 May 2018
FEATURE: Brand Loyalty - Pros and Cons of a One Make Collection...
I guess a question anyone with a one-make collection gets asked now and again is 'would you buy another make if you found one you liked?'. It's a fair question, and looking at the 'What's on Your Wrist' thread on Calibre11 it's clear that even the most ardent TAG Heuer fans aren't generally completely exclusive to the brand, and after all, why should they be?
It's not that I haven't looked at other watches, I surely have, and occasionally I've almost been tempted. It's not that long ago I really thought I was going to buy a Bell and Ross Diver, but in the end I decided against it. It wasn't because it wasn't a 'TAG', I just wasn't entirely sure I'd still like the watch in a year... not that I've always got that right in the past either of course, but if you don't even think you're 'sure' before you buy then you're setting yourself up for an expensive mistake.
I guess thirty plus years of watching Formula 1 has ingrained in me a love of TAG, even before it became a watch brand I really liked the TAG logo on the 1981 Williams F1 car, and then later the McLarens of Coulthard and Hakkinen, Raikkonen and Montoya, and later still Button, Hamilton Verstappen and Ricciardo. That red and green logo has always been there somewhere, and so I guess you could make a case that long term advertising really does work...
Funny then that I still don't have a watch with that green and red logo on it!
Breitling Hurricane Avenger 45mm
I've tried on quite a few non-TAGs in my time, but it seems I am cursed with expensive tastes. Over the last couple of years I've tried on the Breitling Hurricane Avenger 45mm (£7000), Breitling 44 Chronomat Jet Team (£6000) and the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Vampire' (£22000), all of which I would be more than happy to add to my collection, but all of which are too simply too expensive for my wallet. Also, though I haven't tried them on, there are actually a few Omega's I quite like: the white-dial Apollo 11 'Snoopy' Speedmaster and the new Apollo 8 Speedmaster to name but two, but again, far too expensive for my meagre salary!
OMEGA Apollo XIII 'Snoopy' Speedmaster
True, in part it's not 'affordability' per se, I could sell all my watches and buy any one of these (except the Royal Oak Offshore) but aside from the fact that I don't want to sell most of my pieces, I'm not really a one watch kinda guy (just a one brand kind of guy...)
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Vampire' - £22,000!!!
Would I buy a non-TAG watch now? I don't know really, in one way it would add a different element to my collection, but on the other it would stick out like a sore thumb, and it's not as if there aren't plenty more TAGs out there that I wouldn't mind getting hold of. Plus, I do like the 'neatness' of a one make collection. I think truthfully, having my collection has made me more likely to stick with TAG, it's nice to be able to aspire to owning pieces rather than them being forever out of reach. I've never been a Rolex fan, but if I was what sort of Rolex collection could I actually afford? Even Omega's prices seem to be getting a bit out of hand, anything I like is £8000 and up...
Besides, now my collection is at the point where I love every single watch I've got, and that hasn't been the case for a while. So right now, I feel very 'connected' to TAG - perhaps in no small part due to the exemplary service I have received of late from the Bicester Village crew (and the Cheshire Oaks store too...). In fact I think it might finally be time to do my 'State of the Collection' post, I'm just waiting for a couple of things to arrive in the post.
Longines 'Insomnia Killer' Heritage Diver
The bottom line is, TAG Heuer aren't boring. I find so many watch brands desperately dull (cough, Longines - ugh!) and the ones that are making exciting product are just too expensive. For example, Bell and Ross make some nice watches, and as I said, I nearly bought their dive watch - but the one I really wanted cost about £13,000, and the other one I liked was still £8,000 or something. I'm sorry, but dropping that sort of money on a Bell and Ross is madness, and it's moot anyway because I couldn't afford to.
Long term, who knows, maybe one day I'll sell all my TAGs and buy a Ulysse Nardin or a Louis Vitton Regatta (for when I'm racing one of my many yachts). But one thing I can absolutely 100% guarantee is that my next watch will be a TAG because it's already winging it's way to me... in fact by the time you read this I'll be wearing it.
Wednesday, 16 May 2018
ON THE WRIST: Jean Richard Aquascope Hokusai Wave Special Edition
Jean Richard Aquascope Hokusai Special Edition
Time and Gems / Bicester Village, 10th May 2018
Bicester Village currently has at least four watch retailers, there's TAG Heuer of course, L'Atelier (which sells Rotary, Maurice LaCroix, Graham, Corum, Porsche Design and now Breitling), the woefully named Hour Passion (Mido, Tissot, Swatch, Longines and Hamilton) and most recently Time and Gems, which sells Gucci, Jean Richard, Ulysse Nardin and Girrard Perregaux.
I've only been in there a couple of times, in the past I found the staff a bit odd, but this time I was served by Sophie who was very sweet (despite her colleague being a bit of a dick to her I thought). I did try on a Girrard Perregaux, but this post is about Jean Richard.
The first thing to say about Jean Richard is that I actually thought they had gone bust, but seemingly not... in fact they are the official timekeepers for Arsenal FC! They actually had the Arsenal watch in there and boy, what a thing to behold that is.
I mean, look at it. Who wouldn't want a watch with a spinning cannon second hand. How classy. I take back every negative thing I said about Manchester United's logo on the Carrera, by comparison it's weapons grade Chanel.
Sophie was keen to impress on me the quality of materials used in Jean Richard watches, and that the ETA movements are customised to their exacting standards. Well, at the prices they're charging they better be. I somehow had the impression that JR watches were in the £700-£1500 price range, but a lot of the watches on sale today were £3000+ (albeit with a 65% discount) and that seems high to me.
Also, every single watch in the shop (and there must have been a hundred or so) uses the same case. Google tells me they do do other watches, but not in Time and Gems they don't. To be honest I didn't mind the case, it has a Panerai thing going on, but some of the watches do look a bit plasticy if I'm honest. There were a couple in very bright colours (particularly pale blue and purple) that looked as if they might cost £70 from Argos, but there were a few watches that caught my eye.
One was a grey dial chronograph with an orange second hand (can't imagine why that would catch my eye, cough WAJ1111!) and the other was the Hukosai wave dial model. This one looks like it's actually worth the money and at an outlet price of £1050 down from £3000 odd, you would hope it couldn't lose too much more when you got bored of it.
On the wrist the shape doesn't seem obtrusive, it's much less harsh than a Monaco for example and the black case, black rubber strap combo obviously helps give it a flow that it might not otherwise have. The watch is available in a stainless steel (uncoated) case as well, but they didn't have that in today. You can also get it in a PVD case with red markers and hands, but I think the blue is the better looking for sure.
Really, the movement speaks for itself and you know what you're getting, the thing that's going to sell this is the dial and it is pretty cool. Rather than just a print, the dial is textured like a carving, but I did feel like it was a bit... it wasn't exactly clear what I was looking at, if I hadn't guessed because of the Seiko watch-back Hokusais. I mean it's a nice texture and it looks quality, but I think you would tire of explaining to people what it's supposed to be...
I didn't have an opportunity to test the lume properly, I tried curling my fingers over the dial but not much was happening, so I'm not sure how good it's going to be. In my experience Aquaracers that have been on display in shops tend to glow at the slightest provocation, so I'm not sure the explanation that 'it's not charged' really holds much water.
Well it was interesting to have a look and try this on but I don't think I'll be buying a Jean Richard anytime soon, and those Arsenal watches should be banished from the face of the Earth if you ask me! I will post about my Girrard Perregaux experience shortly...