WL111F
Browsing through Watchfinder's pages this afternoon, this little beauty caught my eye. My love affair with the Kirium is well documented and this one combines two things I'm keen to add to my collection, another blue dial and a blue leather strap*. It's a 38mm diameter Kirium, which is the same as the two I already own (I wouldn't be keen to wear a 36mm Kirium, I think that would be too small for me, which is a shame as there are some nice ones in that size) but neither of those have the smart modern-style '12' and '6' Arabic numerals found on this particular piece.
*Actually I'm already getting a blue leather strap, but no matter!
The price is pretty decent as well, £525 on Watchfinder is very fair considering you get a 12 month warranty - I can't imagine picking this up much cheaper than that on eBay to be honest. And yet... my worry is that damned clasp. It looks a lot like the one I had so much trouble with on my Formula 1, with that sharp clasp point that is angled into the wrist. So annoying, I wish it just had a normal pin and buckle. It's not even as if I could change it out as it is a bespoke strap to fit the case (normally this one has an integrated bracelet). Hmm, I guess I could order it and send it back if it's no good. It's so tempting, the condition looks great as well...
WL1153.BA0701
The second watch I found today, well the second Kirium I found today to be more precise, was this WL1153 quartz with a 18k gold bezel. I know one of the Calibre 11 forum members has this watch and I've also seen it before on the website of 'Watches of Lancashire'. The one they had there was immaculate, but the price was over £800 which is probably fair, but for me a little more than I wanted to pay. This one is on a Buy It Now at just under £500, although the seller is inviting offers.
It's a gorgeous watch, but in this instance I think I'd rather pay £800 for an immaculate one. When you look closely at this picture it's clear this poor Kirium has been bashed about a bit and that gold bezel is obviously quite soft. The case too has some pretty rough blemishes to it, especially on the lower crown guard. I do really like it, but some watches can carry being 'beaten up' better than others and this definitely isn't one of them.
540.206R
The other watch I came across was one which I have been looking at for a while now, or variations of it at any rate. I really like this dial and the bezel is pretty cool and unusual and certainly nothing like anything I've already got in my collection. That said, unfortunately this one is also a little bit battered and if you look closely you can see there is an issue with the lower end link. Apparently the bracelet has recently been 'repaired', but the outcome is that I think they have used an end link from a different watch - which looks a bit ropey. I did think about putting it on a leather strap, but in the end I decided to give it a miss.
I enquired about the reliability of the chronograph and was told that it all worked as it should and the watch came with both box and papers, although that box looks somewhat past its best I think! It's a shame really, because this is a watch that could carry looking a little battered and it went for a reasonable price (£298.89)... but I think I will keep looking for one in better condition.
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