Horological Meandering

Hi All,

It is my pleasure to present Gary G as our POTW. Gary has been a long term PuristS member and I must say that it has been a pleasure to see his ‘Adventures in Watchland’ unfold, particularly amongst the independents. Gary has been very open in sharing his motivations and perspectives on horology and it is one of the things we love about him. I hope you enjoy this interview and feel free to ask Gary more questions.

Andrew

There's no place like HoMe!

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1. What watch are you wearing today?

Today it’s the Lange Double Split (or as I like to call it, the Mighty Double Split – I think ALS missed a trick here by omitting the obvious adjective from the name of this piece).

It’s one of my two main daily wearers, along with the Vacheron Overseas Deep Stream Chronograph in SS/Ti  – and in the summer in humid climates, the VC comes to the fore on the Maltese Cross bracelet or rubber strap.

2. How do you usually choose a watch to wear?

Mostly on the basis of what “speaks” to me on the day (or, in some cases, “Speakes”) – although I do also take into account the context of the day’s events.   For meetings with prospective clients, for instance, I might go with something a little less opulent looking, although by the same token I have certain “lucky” watches (the Observatoire first among these) that I like to wear on sales calls even though they tend to draw the eye.  I’ve worn the Simplicity with blue jeans and have worn the Antiqua a fair amount on business, so it really is largely a matter of prevailing mood.  There are some pieces, though (specifically the VC Malte Squelette, the PSM Fighting Time, and the JLC Reverso Repetition Minutes ) that are for dressy occasions only – nice dinner out or, more likely, Opera evening with my wife.   And as noted above, climate does play a role at times!

Not surprisingly, there is also somewhat of a newness effect – recently acquired pieces tend to come to the front of the rotation for a while.  Speaking of which, I don’t have a structured “rotation” per se – the key question for me on a given morning is “what watch will give me pleasure when I see it on my wrist later today?” 

3.  Do your watches reflect your personality?

I hope so!  Perhaps if I’m honest about it they reflect personality traits I wish I had in deeper abundance.  One trait that is perhaps missing a bit is that I am actually wackier than you might guess from my current collection.  The Antiqua gives you a hint of this, and maybe the Ploprof (original version).

But as I’ve written about (ad nauseam) on this forum, it’s more important to me that watches represent the essential characters of their makers.  A good friend of mine did an in-depth study of luxury goods buyers and identified a big segment of so-called “authenticity seekers” whose preferences are somewhat inside of the bleeding edge types.  I’m about as prototypical an authenticity seeker as you’re going to find, I think.

4.  How did you discover PuristS?

Years ago, I saw a PP 5015 on display in a store and really admired it.  Leading up to Lorrie’s and my wedding in 2004, I got a “pass” from her to search for (and pay for J) one for myself as part of my wedding gift.  That search led me to ThePuristS, where if I’m not mistaken my first post was a request to learn more about the watch and where one might be found. 

5.  What does it mean to you to be a Purist?

It’s all about the people!  My immediate thought is that it means that I am a welcomed member of one of the warmest and most knowledgeable communities to be found anywhere, online or off.  I have a few posts here and there on other sites, but this is by far my home.

This sense of community makes sharing a natural outcome – I’m generally not as forthcoming with other folks as I am here.

And, of course, passion!

6.  Is there a single element in a watch that is most important to you, and why?

It’s a bit of a funky answer, but my answer to questions of this type is always one word: “coherence.”  As long as the watch is true to the vision of its maker and has an internal integrity, I’m inclined to like it.  This means that my tastes might seem pretty eclectic to others, as I don’t have much else of a theme to what I collect. 

At a secondary level, I do like a watch that keeps good time.  I was really pleased that in the first 30 days after its arrival, the Observatoire gained a grand total of 9 seconds, and the first 3 weeks with the Simplicity were similar, at 7 total seconds gained.  Since its recent service, the Double Split has been losing between zero and 0.5 seconds per day – pretty much on the nose.  While my unscientific observation is that Omegas seem to keep the “best” time among the brands I’ve owned, the undisputed champion in my set is the JLC Geographique, which keeps pretty much dead-nuts perfect time, on or off the winder, in all conditions I’ve exposed it to.  Weeks or even months later, I can take it off the winder, strap it on, and go about my business.

7.  What other hobbies do you have and how do you like to relax?

The list of other hobbies is way too long, especially for the limited time I have to devote to them given my work schedule! 

Let’s see: 

a.    Of course, there’s watch photography

b.    Opera -- which we attend and support in both San Francisco and Santa Fe.  Also ballet and musical comedies when we find the time.  Lorrie and I actually appeared as extras in Elixir of Love a few years ago in Santa Fe – here we are at the left of the photo, as Peasants 13 and 14…

c.    Wine –in particular California Pinot Noirs and specific Champagnes (read: Krug)

d.    Along with wine, of course, goes dining – Masa’s in San Francisco is a favorite (and is the place where I proposed to Lorrie) and my global fave is probably Taillevent in Paris – although the food at Lasserre seems to have improved recently, the room itself seems quintessentially Parisian to me, and when they open that roof at night – oh my!

e.    Cars and auto racing – particularly centered on Ferrari.  I’ve been driving Ferraris for 20+ years now, and have put in a lot of track miles at places like Laguna Seca (where I took Laurent Ferrier out a couple of years ago).  I’ve also raced single-seaters with the Jim Russell program, and won a novice-class race several years ago.  Here I am at Laguna in Turn 9 (photo credit: gotbluemilk.com):

f.     Native American art – specifically vessels and bronze sculptures made by Tammy Garcia.  Here’s a photo of her bronze “Brothers”:

g.    Clothing and shoes – with Brioni, Kiton, Cucinelli, and Loro Piana heading the prior list and Gravati, Bontoni, and Santoni (sounds like a trapeze act…) the latter.  Had my shirts made at Charvet for years, but given recent long absences from Paris have just had a batch made by Hamilton in the US

h.    Shopping for jewelry (mostly estate pieces) for Lorrie J to offset the watch passion

i.      Running – at an appropriately geriatric pace.  For reference, the last marathon I ran was in 1980…

j.      Bicycling – the good news about which is that one can coast down hills

k.    Golf – just a few rounds a year recently, but with ongoing intentions to play more in the future

l.      Travel – although that’s a core part of my work life, I also enjoy leisure travel – just a glutton for punishment, I suppose!  Always great to get to Europe, and I’ve now been to Singapore twice in the past year to visit PuristS pals, but (in addition to the annual Santa Fe Opera trek) favorite destinations are places where cocktails include fruit and umbrellas – Hawaii and Fiji

m.  Rose gardening – my parents have done this for years, and a very good friend of mine (now deceased) was an avid rosarian (completely out of synch with the rest of his wacky, ribald character, but that’s another long story) so I have a rose garden in his memory.  Ingrid Bergman is my favorite here – no fragrance (unlike Double Delight, another favorite) but gorgeous, robust, and disease-resistant

n.    Pets – right now we have four cats and a dog at home.  Here’s a shot of Astro, appropriately enough showing his appreciation of Ingrid Bergman:

For relaxation, there’s our Friday evening tradition of Pizza, Martini, and Hot Tub night – Lorrie and I throw a pizza in the warming drawer, I make the drinks, and then we sit out in the hot tub chatting about the week’s events and watching the light change over the back garden.  To give you a sense of the view:

I also treasure my time with the “NorCal Gang of Six,” the like-minded fellow watch collectors with whom I happily fell in a few years ago. 

I’ve given up some other things (motorcycling was particularly hair-raising, but I do flirt with going back to trekking in Nepal or trying to get up Mt. Rainier again) – can’t do everything!  Here’s a shot I took of Everest from the vantage point of Kala Pattar, across the Khumbu glacier, circa 1989:

8.  Are there other items that fulfill the same position as wristwatches?

Not really – there are other things that I’m acquisitive about, and I have done automotive concours, which is its own obsession, but these days I’m a watch guy!  I still have a few concours trophies that require polishing from time to time:

I do like “cool objects” as well – for instance I recently purchased the Laikingland “drumming fingers” hand from Max’ MAD Gallery, and may yet buy one of those cool lamps by the guy in Berlin – but for me it’s watches front and center.

9.  Have you followed any particular directions in your watch collecting?

Lots of them! J.  Quite a varied journey for me – and I suppose by any strict definition I’m not really a “collector,” as I do not, for instance, seek all classic watches from 1964.  I’ve owned a lot of world time watches in my day, and recently seem to be on a bit of a chronograph kick along with simple 3-hand watches – but my interests will, I’m pretty sure, continue to migrate.

10.  What is so special about independent watchmakers?

That’s a question for its own long series of posts!  In short, for me the key thing about the independents I favor is that each makes watches that are embodiments of their maker.  To know Vianney is to understand the Antiqua; Peter’s philosophy of robust construction is completely in line with his character; in many ways the Simplicity, Duality, and P&G Sonneries could only come from the classic mind of Dufour.  Kari’s mindset is a little more multi-dimensional to me in some ways – it’s not just about pure classicism, or only about inventiveness – but his personal combination of charm and deep caring are quite evident in the watches he makes.  Who else but Marco Lang, with his loden coat and lederhosen, could make those pieces of his?

11.  Do you have any favorite brands or complications?

The independents, of course.  As for the major brands, I really started out with JLC, and still have quite an affection for them as well as for Lange and Vacheron. 

I haven’t owned many watches of this sort, but I do love the astronomic complications.  My AP Equation of Time is a favorite, and I would dearly love to own a UN Tellurium.  Something about the reminder that we are on this fragile water-endowed rock, whizzing around a star, all in an impossibly tiny bit of the broader cosmos!

My all-time favorite complication was the PP watch that showed the date of Easter – until I found out that it was driven by a replaceable programmed cam rather than by a set of gears that “figures it out.”

Finally, I love the chimers and jumpers – would love to add more of those over time if resources permit.

12.  Could you identify any up and coming watches/brands/watchmakers?

For some reason when I read this question I was immediately put in mind of Eva Leube – I do love that curved Ari watch!  And, she brings experience working both with major brands and with Thomas Prescher, so she’s the real deal (photo credit Eva Leube).

Johannes Jahnke developed one of the prettiest movements I’ve seen, the Lang & Heyne monopusher chrono, while still an apprentice.  More recently, he designed a jump hour complication for entry-level brand Christopher Ward – it will be interesting to see where he goes from here

Finally, as an American I am hopeful that Keaton Myrick will keep developing as a watchmaker – I’ve had the pleasure of corresponding with him a bit, and he certainly seems to have a great appreciation of the demands that discerning collectors place on artisan watchmakers.  I’ll be keeping my eye on him!

13.  If you could keep only one watch in your collection, which would it be?

Ouch – that’s a bit of a tough one, as I even have a difficult time getting the list down to three!

At this point, however, it’s still the Voutilainen Observatoire for me – I loved it the moment I saw a photo of it, was fortunate to select metals, colors, and little custom touches that still appeal to me a lot, and had the wonderful experience of communicating with Kari throughout the process.  It is also (to me at least) the watch that “made” Kari as an independent – the decimal repeaters are more precious, but the Observatoire really made things take off.  I like the Peseux 260 and the very idea of putting a competition calibre in a daily wear watch.  Looks great on my wrist, and gets a lot of compliments without being flashy.

14.  Is there a watch you love, but would never own?  Why?

Never is a long time!  Two come to mind: the Lange Time Zone and the MB&F HM4.  The former ticks just about every box for me, including being a world timer, but for some reason it just doesn’t sit well on my wrist.  I have tried on the HM4 a bunch of times, and love how it looks, but I just don’t picture myself wearing it very often – which for me knocks it out of the running.

15.   Which watch has most recently captured your attention and why?

The Gronefeld One Hertz, in particular the original 1912 in SS.  I like the way it looks, I love the thoughtfulness behind the whole separate mechanism for the jumping seconds and the wind/reset mechanism, and who wouldn’t want something made by Bart and Tim?  You have to see this watch running – the ticking of that huge seconds hand really makes the watch sing, from my perspective.

16.  What single piece of advice would you give to the novice collector starting on this path?

Make the journey your own!  Just because “everyone else” likes a certain piece doesn’t mean that it’s right for you.  Be prepared for your preferences to change along the way – that’s why it’s a journey.  Oh – and please write about it here on PuristSPro!

cheers

PAt

I will do my best to answer them...

1. The issue of coherence and brand personality absolutely play a role for me with regard to mainstream brands.  For instance, I associate VC first and foremost with openworking, so my "top" VC watch is a Malte Squelette.  Similarly when it comes to JLC, my selections (the Master Ultra Thin, Reverso Repetition Minutes, and original version Geographique) to me all say something important about who JLC are as a company and a manufacture (at least the "Janek wing" of the company!).  The fact that I can identify something as distinct as the "Janek wing" should tell me something, I suppose.  As for the RRM, it's the brainchild of Eric Coudray, who to me is a legendary guy in his own right.

At a recent VC-hosted dinner, I actually spoke out against one of their most complicated watches because to me it seemed only an attempt to cram as many complications into one watch case as possible.  Sort of like putting a repeater into the AP EOT -- why?  Vianney once said that he could have put a tourbillon into the Antiqua, but a time traveler wouldn't need one of those -- just a perpetual calendar!

2. More affordable mainstream pieces -- I'm immediately drawn to JLC here.  As noted above I own the MUT (original version) which in SS was very affordable and which is a beautifully conceived and made watch, in my opinion.  The Reverso Tribute to 1931 is very tastefully done, I think.  I will have a "new" pre-owned Reverso to share some time in the next week which has a lovely set of small complications but which, purchased through the Collectors' Market from a known collector, cost in the four figures in USD.

Omega also captures my attention -- the use of the Co-Axial Escapement provides lots of horological interest, and I think that many of their pieces are neither less nor more than they promise to be -- just very solid, wearable watches.

Finally, I've never owned a Rolex, but for robustness and good time keeping you have to admire them! 

I owned one Panerai but sold it -- just wasn't my thing, I guess.

3.  Lost inerest -- Sad to say, I have to put Parmigiani in this category.  I was a big enthusiast for a while (and my wife still owns and loves two of their watches, so I should be careful not to speak for her) but they seem to have lost their way.  Speaking of the topic of coherence and personality: what exactly is Parmigiani about?  They have a big variety of pieces, but the center of gravity of the brand seems to shift constantly.  They "do" high complications, but many of those are made by R&P (which is no sin, but best to be very open about these things).  At a dinner last year, a senior person from Parmigiani told me that they serve three market segments: under $X, from $X to $Y, and above $Y.  As any freshman marketing student could tell you, those aren't segments, they're price points.  I'll stop the harangue here, and I feel bad about it as people at Parmigiani have been unfailingly lovely to me over the years.  I still think that the form movement in the Kalpa Hebdo is one of the most beautiul I've seen -- too bad that this watch gets swallowed up in the very wide assortment.

Hope that is of interest -- thanks again both for your questions and kind remarks.

Best,

Gary