donizetti
2655
Two forms of authenticity
A beautiful post. I think you describe very well what you see as authentic in watches and other things. The other statement I found most interesting was in your reply below: "My ambition in life is to display a certain level of integrity in my dealings with others, and I suppose that this desired (perhaps idealized) self-concept transfers over into the items that I enjoy buying and owning." To my eye this may be what makes you the Alpha collector - there is a self-percieved symmetry here that makes your collection a relatively direct way of self expression. Authenticity of oneself and the object coincide. A happy place to be in at any price point.
For myself, while I quite often (Datograph, Doublesplit, Antiqua, Reverso Minute Repeater) agree with your concept of authenticity in watches (exceptions: VC Squelette), the relationship of my self image with watches is more ambivalent. In fact, in retrospect, I bought my first significant watch a couple years ago as a disguise (although I did not see it so at the time) - I changed jobs into a position for which I was seen as too young and inexperienced, and one of my repsonses was to turn very traditional in dress, car, and also in a new watch that fit into what I wanted to project, but which was very different from what I felt like. Now, that is past, I have eased into my job and generally relaxed and of course fallen very hard for watches for their own sake. While I now appreciate their inner beauty and authenticity, I still think that they express less what I am, but more what I would like to be, if that makes sense. Also, part of me still struggles with the luxury aspect of watches - my prevous hobbies all involved things that could be pricey but they were related to activities (musical instruments, or telescopes) and no themselves the focus as watches are.
So thanks for your posts. Reading them is both fun and illuminating and of course these great pictures of these great watches - wonderful combination.
Best
Andreas
The search for authenticity
Greetings to all! Thanks to everyone for the many inputs to my recent thread on paring, then expanding, my collection. The thing that perhaps surprised me the most was that several folks commented on the level of introspective musing in my post -- when in...
You are probably the only other living person alive i'v met that loves Sean Thackery!
Hi there Gary, I had my fun with Sean's wines when i was in Tokyo, then when i left that place i almost cannot find it anymore, so miss my days drinking " heaven liquified". Great taste all up there! Thanks for sharing an insight! Stephen
The Bard of Bolinas
We had the good fortune to be directed to one of his wines at a restaurant, and following an exchange of emails I now have the chance to buy a few bottles each year. His emails to the "list members" are even more rambling than mine, but substantially more...
Gary Hamel!!!! I have his first two books as text for my Msc program!
The Core Competence of the Corporation AND Strategy as Revolution....I still have them in the store room, boxed up, and memories of my time in UK. He was visiting professor at LBS. Dude, you got to get me his autograph for my books!!! I will Ttempt to con...
Happy to...
...do the autograph thing. GH and I are working together with our Korean client, and I just spent a couple of hours on the phone with him the other day working through some client materials. He's a bit of a watch guy himself, but lower key than fanatics l...
Fantastic....Hamel was like the biggest thing post Michael Potter
To be frank, my business school, if any, leanings stopped in late 90s, so I am short on the latest management thinking and philosophy. I have been thinking of going back to business school, even have some research for thesis thought out, but work and fami...
My entire consulting career...
...has been spent working with a who's who of business faculty -- from marketing gurus like Phil Kotter, Lou Stern, Eric von Hippel, and Bob Blattberg, to Hamel, to Clay Christensen, and so on. It has been a marvelous learning journey for me, to be sure! ...
A metaphorical mirror may reflect what you want to see...
I've enjoyed your introspective posts (and beautiful pictures), but let me ask a further question: would you still be "seeking authenticity" if you had 1/10 the resources to devote to your watches, your car, your shirts, etc? And if so, what would your ch...
I think that you raise fascinating points
...and I appreciate the considerate way in which you raise them! I do believe strongly that "authenticity" exists at all levels of pursuit, as long as the creator is true to him- or herself. I have had the really great fortune to do well enough in my work...
Wow...
Its always a pleasure to read your posts, I think you've topped my list of favourite posters with thus one. I strongly agree with your idea of "trueness" and authenticity. I hope that one day I can acquire just one of your amazing pieces.
Thank you, takman
I have to confess that I feel a bit ill at ease with starting a thread like this one: am I doing any benefit by discussing my thoughts and feelings, or is it all a bunch of self-indulgent hot air? I appreciate the positive reinforcement from you! Best, Ga...
I agree that authenticity does not equate with price.
Great topic and presentation. I think there is plenty of authenticity to be found at different price levels, especially if you look at vintage watches. Your criteria for authenticity actually seem to be a combination of what might be called "sincerity," t...
Really great points
I hadn't thought a lot about vintage pieces, but your raise an excellent point that the vintage world is a wonderful hunting ground for classic pieces that reflect the ethos of their creators. Just to look at any of the pieces that Tick-talk (Dean) or Dan...
Great thread and food for thought, Gary!
A very philosophical topic, and I'd trust fellow PuristS to put in our collective thoughtful response! Firstly with variety, I agree some collectors look for that. We want to try as many brands, complications, price levels so we have an understanding of a...
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us
...and for bringing a formal definition of "authenticity" to bear! Very instructive. For me, it is certainly about authenticity in the sense that the maker's values match my preferences to an extent, but even more it is whether the makers themselves are b...
I like your interpretation...
... of authenticity of the watchmaker themselves, rather than, my interpretation of authenticity against the collector's own personality. And like Andreas said, it is a great place to be, where the authenticity of the watchmaker, matches that of the owner...
Your description would fit my idea of a perfect watch.
On the term 'Grail Watch' I would associate it to a watch that I really love but never ever come own. Most of time a grail represent a dream of an individual when the dream is realise it losses its status. Everything ends there. I sincerely believe it wou...
You may have me there :-)
My comment about 12-cylinder Ferraris was (primarily) tongue-in-cheek and in reference to today's road cars (after all, the F1 cars are 8-cylinder these days, and Ferrari hasn't had a V-12 F1 car in ages). It's just a bit of fun to tweak the guys who own ...
= )
It's a Monza. To my mind, no emphasis AT ALL should be put on auction prices when it comes to authenticity of cars. Price is an extremely poor measure of 'authenticity'. Example: Hideously over-restored and unoriginal, tarted-up, Ralph Lauren Alfa 8C vers...
Agree!
Believe me, I'd take the Monza in a heartbeat And I agree with you point on auction values -- a big part of what I'm trying to say, however poorly, is about discerning the characteristic nature of things, not about whether "other people" like those object...
It is an intriguing topic.
I liked the deep thought you put into each decision. Thanks for sharing that man, I know where you are coming from. It makes perfect sence. Also Nice car man! You are one man that does not play! Best SamEE
Why play...
...when being serious is so much fun? Now if I could only get rid of those Poseur Shields on the fenders... Best, Gary G...
Awesome car Gary!
IMO, I think out of your collection, it matches up best with the DS.... for some reason I can't really put to words... Perhaps the DS has that "presence" and sporty look!
Funny you should say that...
...as the first photo I posted online of the DS was with the steering wheel of that car in the background: " target="_blank"> " border="0" alt="Photobucket"> Certainly in terms of design attributes (including horsepower and torque!) the DS and 599 GTB hav...
Two forms of authenticity
A beautiful post. I think you describe very well what you see as authentic in watches and other things. The other statement I found most interesting was in your reply below: "My ambition in life is to display a certain level of integrity in my dealings wi...
I certainly understand your ambivalence
Perhaps one of the benefits of having lived a bit longer and been through some pretty significant life experiences, good and bad, is that I am more comfortable with who I've become than I used to be -- and have made enough mistakes and had the opportunity...
Excellent post Gary - I agree with your approach
I seek to purchase watches which exhibit the makers mark so to speak and to me are the brand. For some brands this is easy - Rolex - pick any model, for others less so - Patek - Calatrava or minute repeater, perpetual calendar etc? Many brands commision e...
Please say more, gh!
Would love to hear a little more about your definitions of these two terms. Great to see your name pop up in this thread -- will hope to see you sometime soon. Best, Gary
This demands a cigar and a glass of red wine...
... And the next 5 glasses from the bottle. Not just any red wine of course. Not even just an authentic bottle. But it must be potent to your tastes, and you want to believe that the maker has used all of their ability and that he also believes in his app...
authentic sweaters
G Really enjoyed your erudite posts. I have some comments, particularly about the Lange. Lange and Panerai are two of the most popular brands that were resurrected from the dead circa 1994. No doubt that the datograph and split seconds are meritorious mec...
Well, I don't know about sweaters...
... to me the most authentic are those which have been knitted for me with love Otherwise I think the rest of your points are very well taken. Interesting points about some marketing approaches being at odds with the "authenticity" of the brand. Of course...
great thoughts
nice post Gary! I like the idea of authenticity and this is one quest of mine as well. I guess this is also what drives me to vintage watches and preferably to watches with some kind of history or at least some story telling. As for relationship with othe...