Over coffee today, a good friend (who will be reading this) lamented that he had not seen many 'good' examples of patina. It may be hard to define, but we know it when we see it: that effect of ageing which enhances, rather than detracts. This was the only photograph in the cache which perhaps goes close, but not everyone would consider the spots on the dial to be a welcome sign of age - just as not everyone would consider wrinkles and grey hair to be a welcome sign of age: