patrick_y
[PuristSPro Moderator]
33533
To be honest...
This is a great ideal Andrew!
In all honesty, when I first started to dabble in online horological forums, the PuristS wasn't the first one I dabbled in.
I don't remember, but I think I signed up for a PuristSPro account, but I didn't utilize it for the first few weeks/months.
I was quite active in another forum, but I found more detailed, historical, and technical information here on PuristSPro and eventually I regarded PuristSPro as my home forum.
At the time I was more active with the "other" forum, I met one of the moderators of the PuristSPro organization. The knowledge possessed by this moderator and his appreciation for fine watchmaking was completely parallel to my own (naturally he was appreciating fine horology at a much higher level, but we had a few ideas in common). He even utilized a fountain pen (one of my first passions) unknown by most except for the most highly appreciative fountain pen collectors. This gentleman didn't tell me about his position with PuristSPro and I didn't find out until the second time I met him. I won't identify this moderator in fear of embarrassing him.
Coincidentally, I soon met a few more of the moderators and I found them to be extremely appreciative of wristwatches and very interesting individuals with many experiences.
For the past year or so, my involvement with horological online forums has been almost exclusively done with PuristSPro.
I get a lot from this website, I hope to give something back to it. Thank you The PuristSPro Team for creating a wonderful website! This message has been edited by patrick_y on 2010-02-14 10:36:12
How did you first 'discover' PuristS ?
I am interested to know how you first 'found' PuristS. Was it from a search engine, personal referral, etc. What were your first impressions? Was it love at first site and did it feel immediately like HoMe? Did it appear to be populated by a bunch of 'cra...
good question...
I had actually searched for watch photographs online and came across several horology forums. None really grabbed my attention but when I opened the PuristSPro page I immediately noticed something different. The content was so much more in-depth, professi...
Accident
Quite by accident if i remember correctly. I just stumbled onto it, probably thanks to a search engine, but with no real goal in mind. I just found they way that the site was presented to be very pleasent and the commentaries just great. It's been love ev...
It does surprise me ...
... or perhaps frighten me, how similar we are. But I guess the site is a bit 'self selecting' so it shouldn't be that much of a surprise. Perhaps one day there will be a simple genetic test to identify potential PuristS? Andrew
I'm in the accident camp too...
I remember I was searching for something about watches.. if I remember correctly, I was searching for any comparison between Lange and Patek (that's when I first heard about Lange). There's old threads discussing the 2 brands here that came up in the sear...
Before PuristSPro's inception, I stumbled onto ThePuristS through google
At that time, I was a participant on TimeZone & Paneristi. When I was searching for information on a watch, I stumbled on ThePuristS. After that, it all went down hill for me Cheers, Anthony
My discovery is similar to Anthony's...
Back in 1st quater 2003 I was looking for a special watch to acknowledge my 50th birthday and had initially found TimeZone. For some reason I wanted to learn more about Patek Philippe and probably AltaVista searched and found links to ThePuristS. Once her...
I was hoping no one would notice..
so I wouldn't have to draft up a 10k post :P Maybe I should delete some of my old posts to make my counter go back - AT
hey, Frederick, you are close to "178"!!! And AV...
congrats, my friend, a very special number (for all PuristS) and a special occasion to reach that "initiation!" Cheers, my friends!
Like AT I stumbled on ThePurists through a google search
I must say it has been the best find I have ever made on google. What a great community we are all part of. JerryW
Found PuristSPro while Googling
For info on various watches thet purked my interest. I was captivated with this site immediately, and it has been my go-to site for always. I've been hooked for the last eight years, checking in multiple times EVERY day.
Actually found
PuristS way back when it was more like TM's personal blog. Was looking for some car info and got diverted to the site w/ all those lambo pictures. Never looked back! This message has been edited by Jester on 2010-02-13 11:09:25
I think about 10 years ago ...
I was looking for some AP info for a friend. Wow, was it really that long ago?! ;-)
10 years...wow, Chris!
Glad you are still around, always a pleasure to see the handles of old timers on posts! What were the words to the Cheers opening? To another 10 years, and many more... TM
Thanks, Andrew, very heartwarming to read these stories...
from a very cold... (brrrrrrr) And all my best to PuristS everywhere - you are what make this community, and give me hope for this otherwise pretty grim and grey world of ours. TM
Referral
What were your first impressions? --> Different feel vs other site/forum Was it love at first site and did it feel immediately like HoMe? --> a great HoMe for my WISdom Did it appear to be populated by a bunch of 'crazies' or did you seem to fit right in?...
The funny thing is, I can't remember when I started logging . . .
. . . into The Purists G O forum. Possibly as late as 2003, but probably earlier. I can't even remember how I found my way here, when I started posting, or the contents of any of those seminal contributions. Yes, I loved this community at first sight and ...
In chronological order of asking
my answers I then Alta Visted in my search for internet info on different watches that then interested me and in 80% of cases direction was Purists sorry network54.com :=) My impression was wow where were I was before how didn't I know about this galo...
..... and yes I have
bad case of addiction to PPro.... really bad think I'll need some professional help soon and I didn't mean from watchmaker or dealer LOL! Best Damian
by probable accident
I was looking for a forum to lurk in for a while and this was DA BEST! Eventually joined due to the pesky prompt to join. Kudos!
i stumbled across Purists as well
it was 2 1/2 years ago or thereabouts when i had found my UN Freak for sale i googled it to find all the information i could and came across several posts about the Freak on purists, the most significant being Bernard's. i registered, made a post, got a v...
One of my ADs....
recommended it to me.... his best recommendation by the way.... Cheers
Better....
to teach someone to fish than to give him a fish...... as for that particular AD, that is a different story my friend..... Cheers
I can't remember how I discovered the Purists, and PPRO Site
Seriously, I tried hard to remember, but I can't... I was probably surfing on the net like an old loneseome cowboy, far from Home, before finding his HoMe... I attended different foras, before being a member of this Community, foras such a Paneristi, Horo...
Information
I have always been an enthusiast of mechanical watches, but never really knew more than what I saw with the brands that I grew accustomed to while reading magazines until I bought one of my first "real watch", a Bell & Ross BR01-97. Searching the web ...
I'm pretty sure I first head about it from Anthony.
I think I met him at a Paneristi gathering at the boutique in Beverly HIlls one day years ago and he or someone there mentioned PuristS. I kept my distance for some time, however, knowing there was not much purity in me! Then Scott Dufrane called me about...
I remember The Purists 178 which was Thomas M's personal
blog, then I got to know Thomas and ended up being th 1st poster on TP which at the time was just an AP forum
WOW!
The first poster? You've been around much longer than I have! I first stumbled upon this site 10 years ago when it was more than just an AP forum but still very much a small community. I was looking to buy my very first mechanical watch and TP was the mos...
Evolution
Funny, how the Purists is now more about the friendships to me than it is the watches. Thanks Eloise. Greg
not sure but at the time I had just bought a Millenary Starwheel and
maybe the post was on that.
It is still there; just go back to page one
Of the original ThePuristS.com AP forum. And Alex, there's another reason, isn't there, why the date of your first posting (and of the very first post ever as a community forum on ThePuristS.com) will never be forgotten!?! Cheers, and great to see you in ...
Looking for info on how watches work
I was looking for info on how watches work (personal hang up) and found WatchRap (or was it pre-Watchrap - can't remember). There was lots of good discussion around the techie side of things then, and I also hung out a bit in Belles Lettres. Watches thems...
Think of it like the closed stacks at the National Library...
and I am the National Librarian. For those with genuine interest and a good reason, and if I know you to be an established Purist with a DEMONSTRATED history of being supportive of the site and community (no empty lip service, please) I am happy to grant ...
That's a great service, TM ...
Hi Thomas, That's a very nice offer. PPlater and I were discussing this recently during the flurry of posts on TO about hand guns. Do you remember the balanced and very interesting WR2.0 post on gun control? That was a powerful thread providing insight in...
Same as you, nickd...
Found WatchRap looking for information on watches - Cannot recall which one. Started reading the wealth of technical information. Lurked around for years. Then decided to post...
To be honest...
This is a great ideal Andrew! In all honesty, when I first started to dabble in online horological forums, the PuristS wasn't the first one I dabbled in. I don't remember, but I think I signed up for a PuristSPro account, but I didn't utilize it for the f...
thanks to google.........
I had just bought my first mechanical watch. Went to buy one but walked out with another that I fell in love with. Came back home and thought if anybody else had the same bug. Thanks to google, it hooked me up with PuristS. Since then I have been religiou...
Would have been about Summer of '04
It was the short time in my life when I was actually selling, or at least trying to sell, watches. One of my co-workers saw me browsing TZ and suggested thePurists.... A
Wine, actually d'Yquem to be specific
I was searching the web for some data on Chateau d'Yquem many years ago, possibly 10 years ago now, and came across Thomas' website, where he had an amazing forum discussing wine and food. I think it was network54.com back then. Thomas & I had a d...
I joined PPro because of CaliforniaJed
I think I've related the story before, so this is probably old hat to all (*snooze*), but Jed mentored me (and continues to do so) in the world of watches and suggested I check out PPro. I lurked for awhile before making my first post, which was over the ...
Mentor and protege relationship...
I have heard this story before, but I never got a chance to say "thank goodness Jed suggested you check out PuristSPro." It was a great pleasure to have finally met you in that "Firehouse" restaurant! Each time I meet a PuristS member for the first time; ...
Thanks, Patrick!
It has been nice getting to know you, as well! I, too, love meeting fellow PuristS in person. It's great to put faces to names. I always have a great time at GTGs! Cheers, Daos
Googled watch sites for advice on choosing a ladies watch
PPro was easy to use, and looked like the right demographic. I had a couple of other sites lined up to pose my question if PPro didn't help, but there was no need. Ginger
Greetings Andrew,
I first found The Purists many years ago, when recovering from a very severe Heart Attack. I was reading Watch magazines and found an article about "Nivair" and his collection. I went on The Purists.com , it was love at first site. The Purists and Wat...
Accidental too
was visiting for about a year then just joined in on the fun i think browsing is how i found out
It wasn't like I really had a choice...
My other half was one of your so called "crazies" and natually it's all I heard about . So I think one day I decided to just log in to thePurists to see what the big deal was. I think perhaps what I had heard about competitive drama with a neighboring sit...
Ping, we're a better place for having you with us. We all have to give thanks
to your "other half" for many things, bringing you among us being one of them. I'm dying of curiosity to know who that Purist is/was... Cheers, TM
Google and search for information..
..on a Omega Seamaster AT Annual calendar which young Art and Graham helped me out on. Joined last Summer/Autum, but have been member of other (TZ + WatchUseek) for some time as well. I mainly use PP due to the more warm welcoming helping personal tone. O...
In the search for pictures ...
... i just googled some brands and came onto the Purist (Network54 ?) site .... . This site is such an easy platform for the users and offcourse the people are mostly equally-minded .... So, this was/is the place to stick ... Filip
Glad to have you onboard...
You see, all those photos were special bait to catch a special kind of Bim-fish. I'm very happy to have you on board with us.
Searching for info on certain models...
...it was SJX's fantastic reviews and photography that brought me to Purists and the wealth of knowledge that kept me coming back.
I found this place
when I was informed about it by Steve at Trident Jewelers in St. Thomas when I was getting another watch. Great guy, great store.
this goes back a long way.
it was either late 2001 or mid 2002. i read a small paragraph about the PusistS in a watch magazine but can't remember which one (it was many years ago!). then stumbled upon an Eschenbach loupe for sale, by none other than Thomas himself. we met at a 'dea...
It is only two years ago and I cannot remember .....
how I found PuristSPro, but it is quite safe to assume that I was Googling for some additional information on my recently accuired G.O. Stumbling across different fora it took me some time to realise that one of the reappearing places was different. It wa...
googling for Panerai information...
two years ago, I found Purists and started reading and absorbing and it became my bookmark number one and little by little discovered a community with polite and respectful members, passionate and fascinating. Even during the worst times where I had no en...
Embarassing, but true...
... that I cannot tell for sure how it came I first found the PuristSPro site, Andrew. I reckon it must have been in researching a special watch, that I stumbled in, reading a review or having a look at some photograph. But I definitely know what let me s...
In my case...
I started enjoying the Purists because I met Nicolas in another Spanish forum, where he posted some amazing posts. I knew that he was a Moderator in this forum and, after some time, I decided be a member. I must admit that it was, probably, one of the bes...
Through a friend
who constantly sent me links of posts with super nice watches and incredible pictures. After reading some of these threads, I was completely drawned to participate and have been doing so, modestly since April 2008. The knowledge and the information are am...