Horological Meandering

A quote from Thomas’s talk to the watch industry: “true luxury seeks perfection as its own end. It is this never ending search for perfection that justifies the sometimes absurd premiums that can be commanded by the luxury industry.” Very noble thoughts i... 

It sounds as though you are one of those people that wants to quantify everything, put it on a spreadsheet, draw a line in the middle of the paper and list the pro's and con's, etc, etc. If you are-great. There are loads of watches out there to make you, ... 

projections are always dangerous, when projecting one's own expectations onto others, and what they write. Alas, like stereotypes, how else are we to economically and efficiently communicate, short of mind melds and data dumps? "Perfection" - you seem to ... 

Thomas, I wasn't projecting anything onto your words, believe it or not; I have no idea, ultimately, what your definition of perfection encompasses. Your words, rather, were a springboard for my thoughts. Nor was I attacking your perspective about luxury ... 

have any "answers" and the process of which may range all over the place, including positions that question, or are even inconsistent with, itself. Hi, Rip, That's my "simple" definition of belly gazing; I was engaging in it as much as you were (maybe mor... 

Hi Thomas, No doubt you won't be surprised to learn that I read Consumer Reports, too. I do think it's mundane--after all, it deals with the day-to-day functionality of such fascinating objects as disposalls and latex paint--and kinda boring too, but it s... 

Hi Rip, I realise that you are only trying to provoke discussion and its always rewarding to think a little more deeply about what these timepieces mean to us. The luxury of the mechanical watch for me is in the ‘humanness’, the history, and what time tel... 

Another angle of this discussion is the difference in terms of intent in the creation of an object, including watches. The intent of purity / perfection is what sets true quality pieces from mediocre ones – doesn’t mean they actually are perfect (rather i... 

When was the last time you went to a concert and heard a violinist flub a few passages in a concerto? Probably it has never happened to you. A violinist who flubs a few passages is not competent to perform a concerto. Some concert violinists are known for... 

And one could extend the analogy a bit further - you could program the notes of a violin concerto into a sequencer and have them played back by a violin synthesizer. The notes would be more accurately played than by any human, but totally lacking in artis... 

is a worth goal, but unobtainable, in an economic sense. Are there "grades' of perfection, or merely some level approaching it that we will accept. As to quartz watches, the RC ones are not really perfect, because they rely on external signals to maintain... 

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Nice can of twisted worms to open A pseudo-philosopher's field day! I think that equating "luxury" and "perfection" creates confusion. It feels as though they should be intimately linked in a self-evident way, but I'm not sure that's the case. I think sev... 

whether the manufacturers "give a stuff" or not! You're right, I think, that the term "luxury" is a very tricky one to define. After all, I know there have been times when a nice warm bath on a cold night has seemed to me to be the height of luxury, but c... 

Hi, Nick, Rip, 1. do you think it would have been possible to "present" Nick's expanded details into a 15 minute speech? 2. how many eyes would have remained open after 5 minutes, among an audience which probably consisted of 0 (as in zero) navel gazers? ... 

i have a 2004 honda accord 2.4 ivtec automatic tourer in executive spec. it has full leather, sat nav, cruise in fact nearly everything the S class has except double glazing. it is supremely comfortable at all speeds up to its top of 133. it handles super... 

I happen to own a Honda Element in addition to the Mercedes, and the Element is my daily driver. By choice. I could drive the Mercedes anytime I want, but I prefer the Element. Why? Because it works and I know it will never, but never, let me down. And it... 

Rip, i'm sure you know my reply was a bit 'tongue in cheek'. you actually put in a very good analagy between function and passion. G