Sherlock, Watson, and the Internet's Impact on Watches

Bernard Cheong reflects on the evolving nature of luxury watch collecting, using the modern Sherlock Holmes series as a metaphor for the interplay between tradition and contemporary technology. He delves into how the internet transformed the niche hobby of watch collecting into a global phenomenon, questioning the impact collectors have had on the industry.

The 21st century creation still plays the violin in contemplation, and uses a wall to organize his thoughts...while Watson uses a smartphone.

The wisdom of thousands of years, immortals, vampires written out as common wisdom would have evolved them...the most lever two ...one chooses a handphone and paints, the other a wristwatch and a smartphone/computer.

It may take weeks of debate..to decide these things, and to sacrifice real money in endorsing.

BUT...I applaud the screen writers or who ever did choose.

On my more humble life:

I chose to seclude myself into a lower rent clinic, over a much more profiled and glamorous speciality.

I am not anywhere as contemplative as Sherlock...but some of our choices are made with the same parameters.

Mine have to do with being AFRAID of failure. I chose a hobby that was almost totally devoid of any attention....before the internet.

My humble practice. I hide here, and have done so for almost 25 years. Probably more.

Like many who are probably extroverts, yet extremely shy or private on certain domains...we all seem contradictory, rude, even crude, but certainly opinionated.

Before the internet bloomed:

Those of us fortunate enough to have written ourselves into the web of the internet when it was not taken seriously AND to have had roots in the watch collecting industry have had our lives changed.

And changed it for the rest of the world too.

Was it a resurrection or mayhem created by us?

Did we by chance make 43mm diameter and above that into “acceptable” sizes?

Did we raise an industry that creates all things irrelevant? Or did we really make something parallel to art, out of the ashes. Not so hard a jump, considering a thought of “why paint/draw when you can photograph?”

That’s not an answer to reality and personality. I guess the camera gives reality and a painting…well, absolute control over rendition/interpretation. The fact that the character created by a team of writers debated for unimaginable time over whether Holmes, of the 21^st century Sherlock Holmes will use a cell phone, when Watson uses a watch.

Yes.

The way my 1997 Vianney Halter was made..created.

Below:

Then from 2004.

I guess that the websites fed my and many others too, our character's flaws and strengths.

Many chose the better (my hindsight) path of anonymousity and I may have made a mistake not to.

But I chose to assert my point that an opportunity presented itself, a once in a century, industry and civilsation changing one...that's why although I respect and like Rolex and Patek, I view them as belonging rightfully to my father.

I had no chance of meeting either brand creator.

BUT..I met and knew Blumlein, Vianney and Max well enough, and although I did not meet Greubel or Forsey till 2010....with Hamdi Chiatti, and Max, Opus 6 allowed me a 8 year savings plan to buy Invention 1(exit wound) and the high speed 24 incline (entry wound).

 And another year for the Vision30 (painting of the first visions of the creators).

It was NOT that I was buying on a compromise.

BUT...I simply could NOT AFFORD the very best then. I did not expect anyone to wait 8 years for me.

But...if I had not chased and believed in enjoying my dreams, and sharing them...I may well have languished and simply dried up, desiccated inside with round, 2 dimensional constructs, which I admire when they did posess valuable assets.

The journeys chronicled here, inside this forum...if you were to go back to posts made in /from 2002 to 2006, will reveal the Langes, Journes, and the Opus 1,2 and 3...in both the AHCI and HARRY WINSTON forums.

I know my sentimental weakness and strengths.

I know today, I seem smitten by Greubel Forsey...well, it takes YEARS to pay for one...at least for me.

YES..there was a year that I owned 3 of these!!!

No regrets. I learnt more valuable lessons, not about watches, but about "sewer rats" , people like myself, and "who says watches are not investments?" even if you are narrowly thinking of just money.

Watch collecting taught me about wealth, and why it is different from money.

I will make mistakes. BUT buying and backing MB&F , Vianney , the FREAK and now...Greubel Forsey and one new surprise maker....are NOT in among the mistakes.
After the Opus adventures....it was a defining journey.

The world of the FREAK was critical.

It changed both shape, function, engines, everything.

Simply..there is NOTHING like the FREAK or DIAVOLO.

Some times things are worked out by serendipity and provenance.

ALL of these watches came in order.

They were EXACTLY what I wanted.

What I would still want.

And the ones I could not afford...they did wait.

The Devon came when I was writing about watch making USA during the railroad days.

The superb work of Grand Seiko and Debthune came up and I was totally taken that superlatives can exist beyond brands, even when working backwards...from low to high.

I am a great admirer of Richard Mille.

Equally, but a tad more of a supporter for the man in the street...because I felt he MUST never be left out of the hobby. More than that....the industry.

Or it may just become like the almost impossible hobby of collecting and owning football clubs.

That year of the Seiko taking the GPGH home was not the first.

Omega and SWATCH have to have their day.

I had been buying Rolexes, Pateks and all...but finally, I found a Hublot I liked.

I love it.

And a couple of Silbersteins too.

Now..this week:

I will find myself placing the much anticipated Greubel Forsey MOP Vision 30...write a FULL detailed report with pictures, on why and how a wristwatch can be immortal as a machine often is not.

Because if made from ground up...and from visualizing it as lasting forever, I hope to show an original, the first batch of which 39 exist, not a piece more, platinum cased 30 double tourbillons.

And I hope this inspires those who, like me, could not buy the very best, to save as well as journey....there are Journes, MBF1 s and some RM02 around....their values will hold, as I hope to show you how a fantastic restored FREAK and a top line, 10 years old restored Greubel Forsey, with a delicate dial....will look like.

Enjoy.

No one lives forever. But our lives remain as footprints, the things we owned.