In a thought-provoking exercise, WatchProSite contributor afaleh challenges himself to distill his extensive collection into a core of six essential timepieces. This article delves into afaleh's meticulous selection process, offering a masterclass in curating a diverse yet cohesive high-horology collection. His insights provide a valuable framework for collectors contemplating their own 'grail six' and understanding the nuanced considerations behind such choices.
So a very good friend of mine got into watches recently and we have been having fun discussing our hobby. He asked me a rather difficult question yesterday, out of all my watches which would I choose if I could only keep 6?!
We had asked that hypothetical question before, but at 18 and 12, limiting ourselves to 6 required some serious thinking!
So after literally 30 minutes going through my watches I decided on these six:
The exercise was a tremendous amount of fun, my criteria included similar thought as to what I put into my overall collection, I wanted to develop a collection that included a suitable watch for every occasion I find myself in, and that includes my favorite maisons and complication. Diversity and quality where key!
Here where my choices as displayed in the box :
First and foremost the Rolex Daydate 40 in platinum with ice blue dial and baguette markers. Easily one of my favorite watches, stunning, versatile, dependable, accurate, suitable for a formal work environment yet with just the right amount of luxury and fun thrown in for good measure. The perfect daily beater!
Next no brainer was the Lange Dato Tourbillon, a magnanimous beast of a complicated watch that manages to represent the very finest of high horology in terms of finishing and complication design while maintaining a somber and elevated character. The ultimate power watch for a formal day at work or with a suit for when you need a bit more punch going into an important meeting.
Moving on to a casual setting I chose the Lange 31 as my bulky casual watch, I always loved an oversized good watch as a panerai 47mm rad or luminor or an offshore and still do, but this Lange 31 takes that concept of oversized horology and adds a significant amount of technical sophistication and absolutely beutifull case and movement finishing. Just love wearing this ridiculous beast of overengineered horology. No ones does it like Lange I must say!!!
For a still casual but less brutal casual watch I chose the ever gorgeous AP Code Auvertine Tourbillon. This is the watch I would wear in a casual setting where I would want something truly beutifull yet technically sophisticated and with supreme case finishing. An instant favorite!
For the super formal event such as a wedding or dinner it was rather easy going straight for the Patek 5170, the gorgeous sunburst blue and black dial, perfect diamond dial markers, platinum polished case, and perfect proportions make for an ultra elegant formal watch, while the insanely beutifull manual wind chrono movement keeps the watch geek in me satisfied. I find a super formal watch such as a calatrava too boring for my tastes, this reference strikes a balance that I have never seen the likes of. Home run by Patek, I hope they come out with a follow up! I also own the 5172 which I just picked up, but that’s a sporty casual watch. This 5170p is the dress watch to have in my book and still a great value! I do hope one day to replace its place with a Patek minute repeater with enamel dial!
Finally the Patek pilot, the most underrated Patek in my opinion and my choice for a travel watch. I previously owned then 5990 but it was too drab, the grey dial too boring and just didn’t feel right to me. This on the other hand provides a wonderful travel companion, light and can be dressed up or down, doesn’t attract attention, has beutifull finishing and a wonderfuly made deep dial, and the 60m water resistance meens you don’t have to baby it. Easily my favorite travel watch, though I do love the white gold Pepsi with blue dial!
And there you have it, my nearly perfect six. I hope I didn’t bore you, I had allot of fun thinking about this question and would love to hear your selections.
