Comments:
New Greubel Forsey with a sapphire case... but what about the strap?
Greubel Forsey recently unveiled a new limited edition (only 8 pieces) whose all the case is made of sapphire. Nothing "new" if we consider the ones from Hublot or H. Moser & Cie.
Well, in fact, a detail drew my attention. It concerns the rubber strap. When you look at the skin side, you can read sentences (please have a look to the picture below).
I would like to know if it is something new (it is for me) to write a sentence on a strap? Do you know if strap makers or some watch brands offer the possibility to write a word, sentence or anything else on a strap.
If it is really new, I think it is a nice idea as it gives you a more personalised item.
What do you think about that ?
Best wishes
Alkiro
Well, in fact, a detail drew my attention. It concerns the rubber strap. When you look at the skin side, you can read sentences (please have a look to the picture below).
I would like to know if it is something new (it is for me) to write a sentence on a strap? Do you know if strap makers or some watch brands offer the possibility to write a word, sentence or anything else on a strap.
If it is really new, I think it is a nice idea as it gives you a more personalised item.
What do you think about that ?
Best wishes
Alkiro
It would seem that sapphire cases are the thing now. Bell and Ross. Mille.
One may be special but every brand now has to jump on the band wagon.
Sapphire Crystal cases mmm.....
What is it about brands that they all or most of them, seem to follow each other round in circles doing essentially the same thing...? Whether it is Saphhire crystal cases, DLC black cases, bronze cases, "Ltd. Edit. Blue dial" for the platinum model, "Boutique only" Ltd. Edit. or collaboration with some Sports or current celebrity.
The marketing departments all seem to have gone to the same school in the same city...I want for originality, honest watchmaking by transparent companies, not transparent cases! Maybe I'm in the minority, but I think the industry had better take a hard look at this aspect.
Oh and a certain French fellow, M. Alain Silberstein was way ahead of this latest curve in the late nineties, with his Krono Sapphir...admittedly it was a relatively simple case compared to some of today's efforts, but still I suspect he was the original watch guy to think of this.
I snapped this pic in 2001 when a friend of mine came by with it.
Cheers,
Tim
The marketing departments all seem to have gone to the same school in the same city...I want for originality, honest watchmaking by transparent companies, not transparent cases! Maybe I'm in the minority, but I think the industry had better take a hard look at this aspect.
Oh and a certain French fellow, M. Alain Silberstein was way ahead of this latest curve in the late nineties, with his Krono Sapphir...admittedly it was a relatively simple case compared to some of today's efforts, but still I suspect he was the original watch guy to think of this.
I snapped this pic in 2001 when a friend of mine came by with it.
Cheers,
Tim
I am agree with you about brands which copy themselves. It is a little bit boring for sure
Best wishes
Alkiro
Alkiro
Nothing new under the sun, don't you think?
Some examples: Vintage Chronographs from AP / VC / Patek. They all opted for dials which are very close, and same movement. Cases, I will have to see, but I suspect they are very close to each other.
Another example? Vintage diving watches. Same here.
There is one brand, among a few others, which plays its card in an independant way: Ulysse Nardin. Where are the contenders of the Freak, the Sonata, the Celestials, the 160, and so on....
Best,
Nicolas
Another example? Vintage diving watches. Same here.
There is one brand, among a few others, which plays its card in an independant way: Ulysse Nardin. Where are the contenders of the Freak, the Sonata, the Celestials, the 160, and so on....
Best,
Nicolas
Agreed but I would consider JLC in the discussion. They do have standard lines but they do seem to push the envelope quite nicely and try to develop new movements on a regular basis, as in the Duometre line and the Gyro line. [nt]
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This was not an exhaustive list, indeed. And JLC has its place in it, for sure.For the Extreme Lab, the Duometre, and some more affordable pieces, too. [nt]
No message body
Its a band wagon...
One has it... they all want it. The true inventors are forgotten and everyone gets bored of more editions until the next thing comes along.
Alkiro, to your point. I haven't seen writing like this in a strap before but it mirror a lot of the pieces that GF produce where it is on the case back or side of the case. I don't think it can be personalised. It looks nice when new... not sure after a few hot days whether it would look so nice...
Cheers
Andrew
Alkiro, to your point. I haven't seen writing like this in a strap before but it mirror a lot of the pieces that GF produce where it is on the case back or side of the case. I don't think it can be personalised. It looks nice when new... not sure after a few hot days whether it would look so nice...
Cheers
Andrew
Because..
.. There always has to be a first, first wrist watch, first tourbillon etc... Also there are only so many things you can do with something that is 40 mm or less on your wrist, the sapphire case is a really cool "up" to the watch game. Thankfully only some of the best of the best think they can and attempt to pull it off. Most importantly in the last 20 years, the DLC cases, saphire cases and such you mention, were not possible, at least on a scale of economics until recently. What it takes to fabricate one of these cases, tolerances, rejections, opp costs as you probably know (great RM article on this) are so insane that I believe it is a bragging point as much as anything else. What better material than one you can see through with finishing and engineering like this?
new or not...
It is to my mind a style choice of strap manufacture.
What it may say can only be construed as 'marketing'.
Not to be taken too seriously...
The watch is the thing!
What it may say can only be construed as 'marketing'.
Not to be taken too seriously...
The watch is the thing!
Of course but in a more and more competitive watch world, brands need to "find" new characteristics and arguments to attract customers... and it could be a (little of course) new one. Future will tell us.
Best wishes
Alkiro
Alkiro
Well, I'm ok with Sapphire and the strap is indeed a sentence already know in the brand
First, thanks for the pciture!
The Double Tourbillon Technique is my favorite GB.
Richard Mille started his versions (RM056-xx) quite a moment ago but MB&F had also his case made of sapphire quite much before that (though not a complete case).
However, since the last 2 years we have a whole bunch of brands making their own. Of course, it is that it is so rare a material (for cases) that makes it so obvious. But, it isn't because a brand has started using it already that the others shouldn't use it. I'm certain some people are happy to find that unusual offer in a brand they like.
Imagine we start making watches from Aluminum: should we say after the 2nd or 3rd brand "ow they are copying and they lack of originality"?
Why not using these materials more? Is it so un-original to do that? Well this is forgetting that traditional watchmaking is already about very classical movement and material solutions. So why making a fuss now? (I don't talk about you but talking about comments I saw on the net lately).
If we don't let brands go on the side of the street because one already did then it would be so boring. With the Double Tourbillon Technique, it is completely coherent: technical material look and also as it allows looking at one of the very best finsihings out there.
About the sentence, it is already used on the caseband of some of their models (especially the invention pieces from the brand). They decided to write it on the strap this time.
Cheers, Mark
The Double Tourbillon Technique is my favorite GB.
Richard Mille started his versions (RM056-xx) quite a moment ago but MB&F had also his case made of sapphire quite much before that (though not a complete case).
However, since the last 2 years we have a whole bunch of brands making their own. Of course, it is that it is so rare a material (for cases) that makes it so obvious. But, it isn't because a brand has started using it already that the others shouldn't use it. I'm certain some people are happy to find that unusual offer in a brand they like.
Imagine we start making watches from Aluminum: should we say after the 2nd or 3rd brand "ow they are copying and they lack of originality"?
Why not using these materials more? Is it so un-original to do that? Well this is forgetting that traditional watchmaking is already about very classical movement and material solutions. So why making a fuss now? (I don't talk about you but talking about comments I saw on the net lately).
If we don't let brands go on the side of the street because one already did then it would be so boring. With the Double Tourbillon Technique, it is completely coherent: technical material look and also as it allows looking at one of the very best finsihings out there.
About the sentence, it is already used on the caseband of some of their models (especially the invention pieces from the brand). They decided to write it on the strap this time.
Cheers, Mark
The strap is just fun, not
the stuff to start a revolution. Fun and a little bit pretentious. Writing all that about one self. I guess all that literature used to be written on the case, so they have to put it somewhere else.
The crystal case is another case. I do not think why we should be complaining about watches adopting a good each others ideas, if those are good.
Did anyone, complain about more than one brand using the invention of a 2 pushers chronograph, about the use of steel, both in the 20's? About the use of plexiglass or the return of toughened crystal in the late 60's?
Frankly to request that each and every single watch brand should be 100% original is farcical. Where do we start, where do we end?
In 50 years time or so experts will be able to look at watches like these and date them just by looking at the material of the case… just as we do today for vintage watches when we see such or such shared feature in those watches, irrespective go which brand it is.
Just my 2 cents.
Z'
This message has been edited by zed on 2016-06-19 07:24:43
Sapphire cased watch would be nice to own, but automatically out of my price range. (nt)
NT
Do not worry, I think it is the same problem for the huge majority of watch collectors ;-)
Best wishes
Alkiro
Alkiro