Jkingston reflects on a remarkable year of watch acquisitions, sharing a curated selection of pieces that joined his collection. His narrative provides a personal account of his horological journey, including the difficult decisions of letting go of some beloved watches to make room for new passions.
That Leavin on a Jet Plane song written by John Denver, fits my mood at the moment. "All my bags are packed, ready to go. Taxi driver he's blowin his horn", etc. etc. Leaving for SIHH tomorrow. So time to look back at the year.
It has been a very good year (well fudging a bit because am looking back not exactly 12 months, more like 13.5 months, but it feels like a year).
Started out with a bang, a watch I lusted for from the moment I first saw it. But missed the window as they all sold out in a flash. Happily this one popped up and I jumped. If there is such a thing as the perfect perpetual chronograph, this is it (and I say that owning a 3970 which I adore).
Then it was time to scratch something that had itched for a while. I have had a yg 3940 for more than a decade, but really had wished all along that it were in rg. So along came #2
A month or so later, another hidden lust found its prey. Again a watch that bowled me over the minute I saw it at Basel. A no nonsense built like a tank GO. The self centering seconds hand and minute hand that always lands on the minute mark when resetting is brilliant. And its purposefulness seems to express itself well in wg. Honestly what more do we want in a watch? Chronometer, large date, power reserve and brilliant setting mechanism.
Another love at first sight, the Breguet Tradition. Is there another watch that so captures the DNA of the brand. With an architecture that directly links to Abraham-Louis Breguet's famous 960 pocket watch. Love the modern play with wg and dark dial. But make no mistake, this watch is all business with its overcoil and free sprung balance. Lovely anglage work on the parachute.
Out of body experience on this one. Popped up at auction. Seems I knew almost everyone bidding for it. A truly amusing piece.
Year was almost over, time to sprint.
First a perpetual. This is a time waster. You want to look at it all day and do nothing else. You keep hoping people will ask you the time so you have an excuse for staring at it.
Then the finish line. What is going on? Lange's Double Split has slumbered for years. A brilliant watch that somehow was too often overlooked. Now all of a sudden there has been nearly a post a day from new owners fawning over this watch. Me too. The only words to describe this are "hunk of machinery". It is imposing.
Oh yes. Had to let pieces go over the year. Painful but worth it.
Jeff
