Mr.Gatsby
2971
I don’t understand this watch
Clearly independents are jumping on the bandwagon of luxury sports watches. But they are missing the point. Without giving it too much thought, firstly the design is nothing novel (the first was the remontoire). Secondly the price is unpalatable. If I truly wanted a luxury sports watch I would pay up (yes, even premium!) for a Rolex even if I can’t get it at list price, given where AP PP sports are pricing at the moment. If I want a true utilitarian sports watch at an accessible price I would buy Tudor (just think Black Bay 58s, Pelagos 39s). The alternative band of luxury sport watches should be made up of watches that have novelty in terms of design + function, better technical capabilities and some accessibility to price (i.e. affordability). Given what Grönefeld have done in the past, this really doesn’t mean anything to me. The time for irrational exuberance is over, and the bubble for luxury sports watches have burst. If watchmakers think that a few tweaks would do the trick and that consumers would gladly assume the cost of labor + whatever premium they charge, they will be in trouble. Stagflation has given way to inflation and an economic storm is brewing. Good luck.
Best
Gatsby
Grönefeld new release
I know you’ve all been curious about what they were cooking. The rubber inserts option is interesting. But I think a win overall…just that price, always that darn issue 🤣 ...
Very interesting indeed
Will be interesting to see how this goes for them. A three-hander on a rubber strap for $50,000 with a stainless-steel case (yet no metal bracelet) might be pushing the envelope. i do like the orange version tho ...
YOWZA, $50,000 for a stainless steel, rubber strap,
no date (which to some is ok) watch. I'm out!
Fully agreed.
Sure, it will get sold out, but for that price there is a lot more to be had even if not so exclusive
33,500 euro in steel ...
Bigger case, waterproof. Buckle is nice. An "upgrade" worth more than 15K? - I don't think so. It seems that pricing is mostly based on exclusivity, there is multi year wait for principia and they will make only 20 pices per year of the delta works.
Yes riding on the hype for sure
This is a ginormous 3 hander at 45mm. Didn't see that.
This watch is a fail in my book
45mm. Only 100m water resistance. They skeletonized the Principia rotor and stuck the movement in a huge case. Movement looks like it’s swimming in the case. Maybe that’s the point as it is a divers watch? This and their chronograph (with its overwhelming...
I am on the fence about the chronograph but can't help but agree on DeltaWorks ...
Independents have limited resources but I would have loved to see something like : 42mm, bigger movement, steel rotating bezel with finishing similar to the bridges of the movement, 200M water resistance, central seconds ...
In the numbers they’ll make, these will sell out in an instant.
I think most purchases will be driven by the secondary market value of the Principia. As a watch, I have no interest. The diameter is excessive and the value isn’t there. I can’t believe they went with rubber case inserts. I wouldn’t buy the Omega Ti Plan...
Can you change the side case color inserts?
i see options such as metal side insert and various colors of rubber. So my question is, and when ordering you can't change color, yet my question is are the side case rubber insert user-changeable like their matching rubber straps? i can't seem to find t...
I emailed them, they are replaceable but only the same color
That's a part of why I love them, they respond almost immediately. Other brands it takes days if not weeks to get an answer
Hopefully they make a 40mm version with user-replaceable side bits.
Offer four or more different colors of their rubber bits and include the metal blanks. This is what I love about great independents like Gronefeld, options like changeable side parts brings innovation and great features you don't see elsewhere. 👍
I like it! I've been waiting for a bigger Gronefeld and this is perfect. It's really 43mm with an extra mm for the bumpers so not that huge.
As for the price, I think it's fair. Maybe not a good deal but I think reasonable compared to say the LF Sport Auto where the price went up but some content was taken from the movement. When you take inflation and the long wait time into account the price...
I don’t understand this watch
Clearly independents are jumping on the bandwagon of luxury sports watches. But they are missing the point. Without giving it too much thought, firstly the design is nothing novel (the first was the remontoire). Secondly the price is unpalatable. If I tru...
I sense lots of irrational exuberance when it comes to certain independent watch brands
Gronefeld and DeBethune come to mind.
Love both brands
I was very close to getting a titanhawk or db28, but was warned off considering how close they were to folding....does seem like eons ago
We definitely are on the same page
Soon enough the market will (unfortunately and fortunately l) effectively distinguish the ones that will withstand the test of time, and those that won’t. As a collector of independents, I often wonder what will happen to these watches when the “stories” ...
I've owned both Gronefeld and DeBethune
Both brands have wonderful watches in their catalog that will probably be remembered as important pieces. But now it seems like they can do no wrong. Everything they do is unquestioningly wonderful. I sold my Gronefeld to make room for another larger piec...
You did well.
I would have done so, if I’m not so “hung up” over them. I kept my remontoire and DB25 WG in 40mm. The irony is that I rarely wear them. I live far more simply these days. I’m either at the office or in the gym. Best Gatsby
Wasn’t that acquisition part of what kept them from closing shop?
Granted, because of the Watchbox strategy, whatever is available to purchase preowned is at crazy prices, and they will solely be the distributors moving forward, as told to me by AD specializing in DB and other indies.
Yup! I prefer to see the positive side, maybe it just meant De Bethune wasn't charging enough for their watches 😋
Now with backing I feel good that DB will be around a long time to service my watch.
A great and amazing watch imho. I know some will say its to big but i can tell you after wearing it for a while its a great size imho.
The watch doesn’t wear that big and that strap and buckle are amazing. The micro adjustment is a joy to play with and perfect for different climates. Definitely something you need to try on the wrist and yes if you have a very small wrist it will probably...
Are you Bart Gronefeld but using the pseudonym WOTW!?!? 🤣🤣🤣
Bc Bart wears that same combo. This size, he argued, actually works great for the generally-tall Dutch people. And I agree Looks great on you. I hope that you continue to wear it in good health Hussam
The dial texture looks like the material on my desktop in my office
Which is smooth, but doesn't look like it. Is there real texture there on the dial? ...
Looks great on you, my friend!
Huge congratulations! Wear it in the best of health and happiness! Fwiw, this two tone dial is the one that would be my pick, as well. I had a little fun playing on their online configurator earlier today
It is power type of beauty go for it if you like it.
Gronefeld movement display has been consistently amazing,however the overall design language of this deltaworks is not bad but too boldly and nothing extraordinary. The size, the rubber insert and/or lug, the netherland, the case are all overcompensating ...
They charge that price because they can 😁
It’s probably not worth the premium over the Principia but the long waiting lists for this cool company speak for themselves. This watch is interesting while the dial side is not overwhelming to me, at least on the photos. The movement is a piece of art t...
I have a soft spot for the dial layout with the "12" up top to balance the sub seconds at the "6".
One of my grail watches. The Patek 3417 is what I keep remembering. The ALS Langematik. Basically Lange taking the design and putting their spin on it. Moser's Mayu version is also beautiful. I would get all 3 if I could. Cheers. Credit Hodinkee Credit De...
Saw these in the metal during my atelier tour. Not sure that they’d picked the model name by then.
Massive watches by all means, and I wasn’t a fan of the rotor decoration. The integrated strap and the on-the-fly micro-adjustability (without having to take the watch off) blew me away though. Lots of competition at that price point, albeit limited editi...
Not worth it!
Great looking watch but like so many others is over the moon high priced and trying to take advantage of a watch bubble. Go buy a Lange and Heyne stainless steel three hand watch for less than half the price of this Gronefeld with (probably) better qualit...