Gary G
3734
What's next?
Thanks for your note, David. I do have two independent pieces due this year -- one from Kari Voutilainen and one from Volker Vyskocil (although we'll see about the latter, as delivery timing has already slipped a lot on this one). I also recently took delivery of a Speake-Marin Thalassa, which at the moment is on a quick trip to Switzerland for adjustment and will be back soon.
Beyond that, I have my eye on a Vianney Halter Antiqua, which in many ways led the way for the avant-garde independent movement. Compared with some newer pieces, it looks almost tame today! Could be a while before a complete Antiqua set (including winding box) comes on the market at a reasonable price, so given recent purchases and near-term commitments I'll likely be biding my time for a while. The advantage of that is that by the time you buy the watch, you are as sure as you can be that it's the one you want!
In the fantasy watch department, a Voutilainen decimal repeater or a VC skeleton repeater would be great...
Best,
Gary G
Collection selection: my big 6
Greetings to all! Over the past few months I've been particularly active here on various brand fora with photo postings, and a few folks have asked for group shots of my watches. I'm home from the road this week and in the interests of having each watch a...
It is hard to criticize such a collection, Gary.
What I see here is a certain harmony. Each watch complements the others, you don't have " doubles ", here. Each watch is well chosen, and I won't repeat what you perfectly said about the " essence of the manufcatures ". Maturity in horological tastes requ...
Thanks, Nicolas
I appreciate your very kind comments. It has taken me a while to get to this point -- although I just realized that I have owned 5 of the 6 watches in the photo for over 2 years now (the Dato is the new addition). Coming to the realization that there are ...
Its not often I say this
But literally everything you have here I would want in my collection. Maybe not the exact case/dial combo I would go for but lets not be fussy!!! Superb! Happy to be Watching justindependent
Some of these could complement your "quiet" set!
Thanks very much for your note -- I appreciate the thoughts, and of course completely appreciate that tastes vary a lot when it comes to "ideal" metal and dial colors! Best, Gary G
Never long enough !
Thank you for the quick and precise review, I find your selection of a high quality, they are so different but with that very special level of nobleness in common.
This issue of variety
...is an interesting one, for sure. Does a collection need a unitfying theme other than the informed taste of the collector? I don't often even refer to my set of pieces as a "collection," but at some point if it continues to reflect some consistent under...
Even better than your collection
What I admire most is your honesty and clarity when describing what you like and don't like. thanks for sharing! -Sancerre
Frank comments
Thanks for the positive reinforcement, sancerre. I still hesitate a bit before I post "don't love" remarks, realizing that they are just one person's perspective. That said, it's perhaps too easy to fall into the trap of thinking that because we are passi...
Great collection and review!
What I find most interesting and appealing is that you don't "restrict" yourself (at least in my view). Many "collectors" seem to focus on a certain theme, whether it be based on complication, origin, maker/manufacturer, year of birth, etc., but your coll...
Thanks, sklim
For a long time I believed that a "collection" had to have an obvious theme -- for instance, as you say, watches of a certain brand, or a single complication, or year of manufacture. I still think of these as "pure" collections, as the collector pursues t...
So which of those gets most wear?
The quest for perfection and harmony seems never-ending. I would be happy to own any of your 6 and those "imperfections" wouldn't bother me at all. Thanks for sharing Gary. Regards, Richard.
Observatoire gets the most wear
The three really dressy watches (VC, PSM, and JLC repeater) get the least. I've been wearing the Dato every weekday since I bought it a month ago, but that will slow a bit, I'm sure. I wear the EOT a surprisingly large amount given that it is a very compl...
You've covered all bases Gary!
Great choice of big 6 there! I would be happy to have even just one of these WG, RG, PT covered Chronograph, perpetual calendar, repeater, eot Finishing varies from skeleton, "Kari" perfection, to unique dial There's a good variety to rotate around with a...
The big 7th!
Thanks for your note, sidney. Of the pieces that I own, the 7th would almost definitely be my JLC Geographique (the original version) in YG. This watch is the current masthead over on the JLC forum, so take a look! In keeping with your comments, the Geo a...
How can I forget about the Geographique!
You are right Gary, the Geographique is one of the most beautiful JLC have ever come up with in their Master line and there is no doubt it would make it into any "big" lists! I'm also a big fan of the VC OS you've mentioned, the only thing is that it is t...
For once, I am blown away more by what you write...
...than the photo. And the photo is impressive, to be sure. It is really interesting and instructive to read your positive AND negative impressions of each piece. Any one of these pieces could easily be described as "perfect," but as you have pointed out,...
Several great points and interesting questions, respo
Thanks for appreciating my frank inputs -- I can imagine that on some fora, I'd be getting flames for suggesting that some of these pieces are anything less than perfect! As far as PP goes, I guess that (so far) I am just not a Patek guy. I've owned 2 Pat...
A collection fit for a King
Your collection is amazing! I agree with you about concentrating your collection, one day I will do the same. Thanks for sharing! Cheers SamEE
Thanks, Sam
I'm sure you will find the right time to consolidate -- for me it has been a matter of enjoying a lot of watches over time, and owning some pieces that "everyone should own at some point" (e.g., a JLC Memovox) -- but now I find that I want to be more sele...
One comment...
I do think that your "negative" on the Observatoire was really for the sake of saying something "negative." That watch can have no flaw...
Fair enough...
The Observatoire is still the "one watch" I would keep if I had to sell all the rest! That said, at some point I'm going to ask Kari to do a few touch-ups on specific bits (the triangular tips of the hour and minute hands, the bottom of the slot in the sc...
That's Passion..
a collector with a vision and understanding for the collection! Important pieces from great makers. Congrats on your journey forward! some closeups? And to mirror above, which one gets most wrist time?
A few closeups of the "big 6"
First, thanks for your comments! Second, as noted to another respondent, the Observatoire gets the most wrist time, with the Dato coming up on the outside. In response to your request, here are a few more photos. What moves me: Ready for a night on the to...
Gorgeous beauties...
wow...that S-M dial is exquisite... all beautiful finish/dial work...WOW! Thank you for posting the closeups...
A few more shots of this watch that I posted a while ago
...here on PuristS. Here's the link: ahci.watchprosite.com Best, Gary G
Nice Gary!
All wonderful! Wear them in the best of health! BTW - What ever happened to the Voutilainen "tracker" you were putting togheter? Hope all is well! Best, asg
Thanks and Observatoire registry
Thanks, asg -- always great to hear from you! Two issues with the KV registry: 1. Laziness on my part 2. Few responses from owners What I'll resolve to do is to summarize what I do have and post the statistics to try to build interest. Thanks for the nudg...
Great collection!
Gary, Thanks for sharing. Each watch is beautiful and special in its own way. Your candid opinion about each one is much appreciated. Is there any particular watch that you aspire to own but do not currently have in your collection? Dave
What's next?
Thanks for your note, David. I do have two independent pieces due this year -- one from Kari Voutilainen and one from Volker Vyskocil (although we'll see about the latter, as delivery timing has already slipped a lot on this one). I also recently took del...
Amazing 6!
All representative of their respective makers, as you said. A collection like this does not need a theme, buying what one like is the best 'theme'. Lovely to see that all are time synchronized. Thanks for sharing them. Best, Goh
Synchronization
Thanks for the note, Goh, and also thanks for noticing that the watches are set to the same time! Perhaps a little obsessive on my part, but I think it makes for better photos. One downside from a photography perspective was that since a couple of the wat...
Appreciate it, SJX
Great to hear from you as always. As for the collection, I do find that it is easier to buy things that I think make sense than to sell! Best, Gary
Eclectic choices...
Wonderful group. I've had 4 of your 6 (and actually 3 of them at the same time), though none of them remain in my collection now.
4 out of 6!
That's really interesting to me, especially as we are really talking about 4 out of 5 (would be hard for you to own the unique piece...). Would love to learn more about your other watches and tastes when you get a chance. Best, Gary G
Indeed...
Gary, The four formerly in my stable were the RG/black Dato, WG/grey EOT, Reverso Repetition Minutes, and VC skeleton perpetual in YG (first generation). Of these four, I must say I miss the Dato and the VC the most... Again, great choices for an eclectic...
Many would be happy to stop at where you are but.....
with 6 being the Devil's number, would the lucky 8 in Chinese tradition be a better option? I'm sure you would have no difficulty to obtain 2 other fantastic pieces Gary. cheers PAt
Getting to 8
Thanks, Pat -- I may already be at 8 with my JLC Geo and MUT and the PSM Shimoda, but there's always the possibility of moving up! Best, Gary G
wonderful collection
the Reverso minute repeater especially caught my eye. It is interesting to hear that it has such a nice sound because clearly it has such a small case to reverberate in! Thanks for the post, Andreas
Appreciate it, Andreas
The Reverso RM is a revelation -- I saw one 15 years ago and immediately wanted one, and finally bought this one about 5 years ago. The Coudray movement is brilliant -- if you look at the current JLC repeaters (including the round Master versions) you wil...
Thanks, Davo
I really appreciate the compliment. It's great to see what fellow collectors like yourself favor, as it strongly informs my own tastes! Best, Gary G
WOW - a collectors collection!!
hi mate, well done. wonderful gathering and cross selection of complications, metals, brands and independents. fastastico!! Horo
Thanks, Horo
While I am doing a bit of consolidation at the moment, I will be keeping these and others, and expanding the set of "big" watches as well! Best, Gary G
Big 6!...
Any of these individually would probably be considered as a grail for most fanatics, so the 6!...What to say, refinement for sure, a lot of taste and careful thinking to put this together! The pieces really seam to complement each other. Thanks for sharin...
My tastes these days
...are attuned more to the independents. A Kari and (hopefully) a Vyskocil coming in over the next months, and an interest in acquiring a VH Antiqua and perhaps an FPJ Vagabondage (either first or second generation -- both are great, in my view). The Vaga...
Tremendous Collection Gary.
There in you reveal much, and i think it is fascinating... Cheers, Tim
Well, Tim, you know...
...where I got 3 of these! Thanks for your comment -- you can see that your thoughts on what constitutes a "Gary" watch seem to have held true over time. Best, Gary