Comments:
The toughest thing to find: Prototypes. I know some of you guys out there own prototypes. Show them!
The only one I was able to get into my collection is an all Titanium IWC Porsche Design Chrono 3700 which was tested on the next generation bracelet that would change the reference into 3702 later on.
Cheers, HSTE
wow wow wow
pardon my ignorance but am I right that to acquire these prototype one needs a special relationship with the manufacture ?
thanks!
Christian
thanks!
Christian
A certain relationship, yes, but not always. Luck is another factor. [nt]
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Why is it that I was thinking about you when posting .... fabulous proto-collection my friend! [nt]
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Only 4. But I cannot complain, as they are very dear to my heart. [nt]
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IWC Porsche Design Ocean Bund Prototype
Supposedly there were 5 prototypes made. One of the five prototypes has been "lost" or gone "missing".
To clarify the 5 prototypes were supposedly made for the ref. 3519 Amag version [nt]
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Freak!!! Do not tell me that you have this one?! Being the owner of two AMAG I knew the second picture...
...but I never have seen the front side as pictured in pic1.
Very interesting
Cheers, HSTE
Very interesting
Cheers, HSTE
Yes, agree Proto are a huge challenge
I am amazed by Nicolas' collection of Protos.
I was lucky enough to find mine which will be a keeper.
I was lucky enough to find mine which will be a keeper.
For me the allure of protos is that they show the progress in conceptual thinking...
as well as dead-end roads, errors, and solutions. In short: they are a testatament to human's psyche. I am happy to own/have owned a few of them:
First, there is the a MIH watch proto (the one in the middle). This I had on longer term practical testing, it is long back with the MIH team:
The watch was already very close to the final piece. It lacked the am/pm indicator and was a bit smaller. As far as I know this (there were about a dozen or so such protos in circulation) was the final proto. The production watch had initial problems with the crown which were thus not spotted in time...
My second prototype is an ochs und junior Due Ore, Ludwig Oechslin's ingenious 2-timezone watch. This one was made entirely by Mr Oechslin in hie workshop at his home. Very rough, very Ludwig Ochselin. Apart from the excution it is extremely close to the final watch.
Third is a Paul Gerber Ref. 41. This watch is less a prototype than an (almost) unique piece. It's a large date watch with a switchable jumping/continous seconds complication. What makes mine almost uniqie is that the change between the two seconds indications is managed by pushing the crown instead of a separate pusher. Paul Gerber never advettised this or offered this publicly. As far as I know there are two such watches, mine and one in the possession of another Paul Gerber collector.
Thanks for this thread - I enjoyed going through these pieces again!
Best,
Magnus
First, there is the a MIH watch proto (the one in the middle). This I had on longer term practical testing, it is long back with the MIH team:
The watch was already very close to the final piece. It lacked the am/pm indicator and was a bit smaller. As far as I know this (there were about a dozen or so such protos in circulation) was the final proto. The production watch had initial problems with the crown which were thus not spotted in time...
My second prototype is an ochs und junior Due Ore, Ludwig Oechslin's ingenious 2-timezone watch. This one was made entirely by Mr Oechslin in hie workshop at his home. Very rough, very Ludwig Ochselin. Apart from the excution it is extremely close to the final watch.
Third is a Paul Gerber Ref. 41. This watch is less a prototype than an (almost) unique piece. It's a large date watch with a switchable jumping/continous seconds complication. What makes mine almost uniqie is that the change between the two seconds indications is managed by pushing the crown instead of a separate pusher. Paul Gerber never advettised this or offered this publicly. As far as I know there are two such watches, mine and one in the possession of another Paul Gerber collector.
Thanks for this thread - I enjoyed going through these pieces again!
Best,
Magnus
I like the way you see them. I guess it is a different outcome when they come from a big / generalist manufacture.
Where the protos are identical to the definitive watches.
They are just outside the production numbers, when they are limited editions, like the examples I posted.
They are the first pieces, worn by the people working at the manufacture, just to see how the watches behave. Just to see if there is nothing to change.
I was able to see the first protos of the TT Deep Sea Alarm, there were things which changed, especially the inserts, which were too glossy.
But the rest of the time, protos are replaced by virtual pictures coming from the computer. And the evolutions are virtual, too, till the outcome is satisfactory.
At least what I saw with JLC.
Best,
Nicolas
They are just outside the production numbers, when they are limited editions, like the examples I posted.
They are the first pieces, worn by the people working at the manufacture, just to see how the watches behave. Just to see if there is nothing to change.
I was able to see the first protos of the TT Deep Sea Alarm, there were things which changed, especially the inserts, which were too glossy.
But the rest of the time, protos are replaced by virtual pictures coming from the computer. And the evolutions are virtual, too, till the outcome is satisfactory.
At least what I saw with JLC.
Best,
Nicolas