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Agni, Hindu god of fire (root of ignite)
Poseidon, Greek god of the sea
Coatlicue, Aztec earth goddess, and of life and death
Yahweh, Hebrew sky god
It’s beautiful…
Finally, the Fifth Element
She was always the divine within, not an object…
My empty wrist, a “quintessence of dust” - Hamlet
It's time for Wrist Scan, folks! . . .
. . . let's share our four essential and solitary quintessential watches. These would be the four watches you'd never let go, along with the watch you most closely identify with.
The Earth watch in my collection would be the Seiko Sea Lion.
Dad bought this watch in January '66 and wore it almost daily until '04 when he handed it to me. It had been serviced once in all that time. I had my watchmaker service it and wore it off and on for about ten years when it started running erratically again. A visit to the watchmaker I was employing then turned out to be worse than useless, so it went unworn until my current watchmaker resuscitated it earlier this year. Every time I see, much less wear, it I think of Dad.
My Air watch would be the Flightmaster.
The original version of the Flightmaster captured my imagination early on. When I finally found this one after a decade of on-and-off searching, I drove over four hundred miles to purchase it from the original owner. To be the custodian of a grail in direct succession is personally meaningful.
The Water watch would be the Dornblüth 99.1M.
Just as water is life-giving, this is the watch I gave life to by specifying dial color, markers, and hands. It resonates every time I wear it.
The Fire watch has got to be the Ω ref 2657.
My Venus de Milo . . . it overwhelms by her dark beauty.
The quintessential watch of my collection would be the Seamaster De Luxe.
For those who don't know the story, please visit our Piaget forum and type 'Original Pantry' into the search engine. You'll be directed to my post telling the tale.
Looking forward to your 4 + 1 entries over the next 48 hours!
Cordially,
Art
Dear Art,
here's my essential four, from the current crop of both 'low-end', and 'high-end' pieces that I have....
This intensely unique Swatch chrono, in an all-metal case, that my mother gifted me several years ago on our last visit to Belgrade, where my family is from, and where my last living grandparent passed away that year.
The numerals on the dial are only there for numbers 12, 8 and 4, which are hugely meaningful to me given that my birthday was in December ’84. This $100 Swatch looks as good as many $1000+ timepieces in my mind....
This incredibly unusual Timex Expedition Analog Compass was gifted to me by my brother, over a decade ago, the battery is dead so it’s been collecting dust unfortunately, but I will bring it back to service very soon. Wearing it is a tremendous joy, both for its design and its comfort!
I have seen an analog compass feature incredibly rarely on a wristwatch, regardless of price point....
Thanks Doc, one of the most alluring 1921 wristshots online!
That's all folks, 'till next time, Filip
Two of the inexpensive watches were, unsurprisingly, gifts from my mother and brother, and thus have monumental emotional value, on top of being genuinely highly attractive watches for my tastes....
This intensely unique Swatch chrono, in an all-metal case, that my mother gifted me several years ago on our last visit to Belgrade, where my family is from, and where my last living grandparent passed away that year.
The numerals on the dial are only there for numbers 12, 8 and 4, which are hugely meaningful to me given that my birthday was in December ’84
. This $100 Swatch looks as good as many $1000+ timepieces in my mind....
This incredibly unusual Timex Expedition Analog Compass was gifted to me by my brother, over a decade ago, the battery is dead so it’s been collecting dust unfortunately, but I will bring it back to service very soon. Wearing it is a tremendous joy, both for its design and its comfort!
I have seen an analog compass feature incredibly rarely on a wristwatch, regardless of price point....
Then come my PuristSPro St. Gallen ABR, which I consider to be the best automatic tool watch I have ever had - both in its 'unicorn' complication, and overall design execution (especially with the V.2 rubber straps!); and the new-to-me JLC AMVOXII Le Mans which is truly my all-time sports watch grail, as mentioned in multiple posts beforehand on the JLC forum........
Last, but not least - your 'overall grail' watch category.... This is a complicated one (pun intended) because I could make a decision primarily based on excellence in complications, regardless of affordability, in which case JLC's new Atomium or Quadriptyque would easily 'take the cake'; but I want to make the choice a more reasonable, foreseeably affordable one so it is Vacheron's painstakingly gorgeous American 1921 (picture borrowed from Dr. Tony aka 'aperna' )........
)........Thanks Doc, one of the most alluring 1921 wristshots online!
That's all folks
, 'till next time, FilipThe 1921 is a bit surprising . . .
. . . as I was expecting a more utilitarian choice as your quintessential. Kudos for swimming against the tide!
Art
Good point!
The only other option would have been the Speedmaster, but I felt that the 1921, despite being a dress watch, was even more in line with representing the pure essence of time-telling than the Speedie . With the Speedie, I feel my admiration is somewhat more technical than aesthetic, whereas with the 1921, my admiration is somewhat more aesthetic than technical.... Hope that makes any degree of sense LoL.... Cheers, Filip
. With the Speedie, I feel my admiration is somewhat more technical than aesthetic, whereas with the 1921, my admiration is somewhat more aesthetic than technical.... Hope that makes any degree of sense LoL.... Cheers, Filip
Great selection Filip! No matter brands or prices... but the big value, enjoyment and feelings these watches bring to you. I wish the 1921 will arrive to your collection some day soon.
Have a nice weekend! Happy Easter! Abel
Thanks,
I thought they fit Art's theme this weekend the most so I specifically brought them out of 'storage' for this purpose . Your choices are highly inspired as well!! Cheers, Filip
. Your choices are highly inspired as well!! Cheers, Filip
It’s not about the sticker…
But about what the pieces do for you! Cherish and enjoy them and I hope the 1921 joins soon 🤞🏻👌🏻
Thanks Kristjan!
I, fortunately, never suffered from 'brand image' self-perception. I come from a family of Eastern European scientists who were as rigorously intellectual with me as any family gets. I've always deeply loved traditional horology, but at the same time I don't necessitate any watch (like Stoikos pointed out in his post below) to 'boost my ego'. I only buy and wear, at any price point, those pieces I truly fall in love with. I would comfortably wear that $100 Swatch in a room full of multi-millionaire and billionaire executives. I happen to find myself in the company of such people more frequently than not these days due to my occupation.... Thanks for the well-wishes and support! Cheers, Filip
With these people one often has nothing to prove through a watch anyway 😉
But as you say, it’s about one’s own enjoyment, not anybody else 😊👍🏻
The 5 elements… great theme, Art… Took me places. Hagwe, all 🍻
Agni, Hindu god of fire (root of ignite)
Poseidon, Greek god of the sea
Coatlicue, Aztec earth goddess, and of life and death
Yahweh, Hebrew sky god
It’s beautiful…
Finally, the Fifth Element
She was always the divine within, not an object…
My empty wrist, a “quintessence of dust” - Hamlet
Now, that's . . .
. . . deep! No quintessential Stoikos watch . . . I'm reminded of The Preacher in Ecclesiastes.
Art
I threw in an Indiana Jones joke and a scantily clad lady to lighten it up some….
I’ll have to read about the Preacher. Happy Easter 🍻
Superb selection and pictures. Well played dear Stoikos! Thank you for sharing. Have a nice Easter Season. Best cordial regards, Abel
For the 5th you are so very right 👌🏻
And so very imaginative with the first four 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I really am lost for words!
Outstanding photo compilation that nails this theme to pin-point accuracy!
These are why I always enjoy these wrist shot threads! 👍
Bravo!
These are why I always enjoy these wrist shot threads! 👍
Bravo!
Thank you so much; I also greatly enjoy seeing the weekly range of interpretations! 🍻
Hello dear Art! Nice to have you hosting and with a great challenging and thoughts provoking Theme.
You start the thread with a wonderful selection from your collection which inspires us in our own choosing of pieces to cover the four elements and our quintessence timepiece.
The story behind your beautiful Omega Seamaster is truly amazing and its easy to understand the position it occupies in your collection as your quintessence piece.
Here my watches...
Earth: My 1655 Explorer which being designed for explorers climbing high mountains or searching inside caverns and other mysterious earth places makes me feel is representative of the connection with earth.
Fire:
My Speedmaster Moonshine. I felt something was in fire within my horological soul when it was announced. I felt I so badly needed to own it!! It still makes me feel in fire each time I wear this watch on my wrist.
Water: My early Submariner reference 5508. The Submariner (in any reference) is my signature watch I feel. A Submariner has been accompanying me for more more years than any other watch in my collection. And no doubt it was the inspiration to many divers watches of many brands. There is no watch more connected with water than this one I feel.
Finally a quintessence watch and a grail for me: it follows your definition of "quintessence" "the purest form of a substance". In this case the purest form of a World Time watch, one of my favorite complications.
Patek 5110G
Sorry I missed the Air connection watch:
My IWC Big Pilot 48 Heritage Edition.
This big boy is a close tribute to early pilots watches.
I thought your Air watch might've been . . .
. . . the Ω ref 2451 . . .
. . . but then I'm biased towards Omega.
Ha ha ha!! That´s a good candidate dear Art. You are right. I just intended to share a different watch brand for each element. This is a favorite Omega for me too of course.
I thought also about the Friendship Flightmaster but I had an Omega for Fire already.
Have a nice weekend my dear friend.
Have a nice weekend my dear friend.
Happy Easter Season!
Abel
Abel
Spoilt for choice with these beautiful watches …
All are superb in their own way.
The moonshine and the Submariner reference 5508 really are very special.
Happy Easter my dear friend.
The moonshine and the Submariner reference 5508 really are very special.
Happy Easter my dear friend.
Thank you so much dear Captain for your kind comments. Yes, these two are very special for me. Happy Easter dear friend! Abel