Comments:
The world of seduction, fatal attraction...
Best, my dear friend.
Nicolas
This message has been edited by amanico on 2012-12-23 13:32:51
... in just being able to hold and photograph some of these rare beauties. I would be content with even that. But I understand how they grab the subconscious and drive the passion.
I hope your horological dreams come true, or at least some of them, in 2013, Nico.
Merry Christmas.
Andrew
I fear it will take some time to be able to put my hands on one of them....
But who knows?
Best, My Dear Damjan.
Nicolas
This message has been edited by MervC on 2012-12-23 17:43:59 This message has been edited by MervC on 2012-12-23 17:48:34
But I also have a huge collection of discs....
Aren't we nut?
Best,
Nicolas
I am very happy to " count " you among my friends.
I am realistic, and called myself a lost case. I feel I really am a lost case.
In my prime youth, I had to collect girlfriends, it was the same phenomenon, I had to get all of them.
I thought that with watches, it could be simpler, which is true ... And not true.
On one side, I fall in love with many watches, and on another side, I try to stick to my themes.
But how wan you " play it small " when it comes to a theme such as Vintage Diving watches?
There are so many- too many would be more correct- to get, find, and fund....
Same for Alarms, GMTs, Chronographs, and Chronometers, which are my themes of predilection.
So, I try to stay coherent in my choices and decisions.
Amagentic watches are a good example: How to " attack " this theme?
The Legends? So, you will have to find a Patek 3417, a JLC Geophysic, an Omega Railmaster, an IWC 666 and a Rolex Milgauss ( let's stay reasonable, let's forget the ref 6541, and let's be happy with the next one, the 1019 ).
I forgot the JLC Mark 11, which is amagnetic and chronometer at the same time, such as the Geophysic.
Chronometers... You will have to find a Longines manual choronmeter... good luck to find it, it is almost impossible. But you will more easliy find a Zenith 135, a VC Chronometre Royal ( but this last one being made in colored gold, I sadly pass on it ) and an Omega 30 T 2...
Which will lead you to school watches: BeBa... Peseux 260.... Another difficult theme to build!
Military watches? Same here. Which ones to hunt, and to get? I chose the Diving option, but there are some superb militaryt Chronos which are worth some thoughts / temptations... Which leads us to Chronographs...
It is not simple to be a Vlad...
Best, my friend.
Nicolas
The question is not to get all of them in one year or even 5 years... This is just impossible, as the hunting time and the funds are not realistic.
If I was only 30 years old, that is what I would hunt, because I would have 30 more years to find them all.
And I fear that year after year, their price will reach the sky....
How do we say in French? Le Mythe De Sisyphe?
Best,
Nicolas
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When a wish list turns into a nightmare
That is what came into my mind when I reviewed the watches I am currently hunting....
Here are a few examples.
Blancpain:
FF 3 / 6 / 9 / 12:
Bronze Milspec:
" Barakuda ":
Breitling:
Unitime:
Superocean Chrono first generation:
IWC Ref 666, a must have for every Vlad...
Girard Perregaux:
A Foudroyante, a Tourbillon, well, many things...
Jaeger Lecoultre:
Polaris II Red:
Reverso Red:
Duometre... But which one, the Chrono, the UTT, both?
Geophysic Cross Hair:
Longines:
Big Eleven ( Credit picture: I don't know. Sorry for that ).
13 ZN Mushroom pushers:
Weems:
U.N:
Monopusher ( sadly )....
Minerva: One of these delicious oversized Chronos...
Omega: A few ones, and among them, a CK 2777:
CK 2042 and why not, a nice Speedie ( 2998, please, as the 2915 would be my first choice, but way too high in price for me )...
Or, why not, a superb 33.3:
Patek....
3417, of course, but why not, a 5960P, and, naturally, the 5100G.
3417:
Rolex / Tudor...
7922:
7159:
But also a few 1675s ( Underline, Military ), 6542 ( SCOC Service Dial ), 16550 Rail Black, 1665 DRSD MK II, 16520 Black... The list is too long.
Vacheron:
Mercator!
And the terrific thing is that this list is far from being exhaustive!
There are stil a few Vacheron I could name, as well as some other JLCs, Longines, Rolex / Tudors, without forgetting some bands, I didn't mentionned, yet, such as Lemania, Heuer, Tissot, Favre Leuba, Zenith, and so on!
Despite the fact that I am convinced:
- That I am a lost case.
- That I am not alone in this ( lost ) case.
- That this list is just inhuman.
I start to wonder ( well, it is a long time, to be honest ) IF I should not focus in my collection and goals in a different way.
Not much easier, to say all, but with such a list, shouldn't I think about reduce my collection to ten watches, TEN major watches, a few I woud keep, and a few I would add...
Hmmm... That is such a delicious dilemma to have during Chrsitmas " Holidays ".
Best,
Nicolas
Here are a few examples.
Blancpain:
FF 3 / 6 / 9 / 12:
Bronze Milspec:
" Barakuda ":
Breitling:
Unitime:
Superocean Chrono first generation:
IWC Ref 666, a must have for every Vlad...
Girard Perregaux:
A Foudroyante, a Tourbillon, well, many things...
Jaeger Lecoultre:
Polaris II Red:
Reverso Red:
Duometre... But which one, the Chrono, the UTT, both?
Geophysic Cross Hair:
Longines:
Big Eleven ( Credit picture: I don't know. Sorry for that ).
13 ZN Mushroom pushers:
Weems:
U.N:
Monopusher ( sadly )....
Minerva: One of these delicious oversized Chronos...
Omega: A few ones, and among them, a CK 2777:
CK 2042 and why not, a nice Speedie ( 2998, please, as the 2915 would be my first choice, but way too high in price for me )...
Or, why not, a superb 33.3:
Patek....
3417, of course, but why not, a 5960P, and, naturally, the 5100G.
3417:
Rolex / Tudor...
7922:
7159:
But also a few 1675s ( Underline, Military ), 6542 ( SCOC Service Dial ), 16550 Rail Black, 1665 DRSD MK II, 16520 Black... The list is too long.
Vacheron:
Mercator!
And the terrific thing is that this list is far from being exhaustive!
There are stil a few Vacheron I could name, as well as some other JLCs, Longines, Rolex / Tudors, without forgetting some bands, I didn't mentionned, yet, such as Lemania, Heuer, Tissot, Favre Leuba, Zenith, and so on!
Despite the fact that I am convinced:
- That I am a lost case.
- That I am not alone in this ( lost ) case.
- That this list is just inhuman.
I start to wonder ( well, it is a long time, to be honest ) IF I should not focus in my collection and goals in a different way.
Not much easier, to say all, but with such a list, shouldn't I think about reduce my collection to ten watches, TEN major watches, a few I woud keep, and a few I would add...
Hmmm... That is such a delicious dilemma to have during Chrsitmas " Holidays ".
Best,
Nicolas
During the Christmas holiday ...
due to its atmosphere,I too tend to dream a lot,to fantasise,to get excited and dreamy about my wish list.....Its natural,its lovely I still have the buzz about it and I hope this passion will carry on for years to come.
I just came to the realisation that a watch in my dream list is not for me really,even if I came very close to jump on it a few hours ago.....a little sad,but liberating and it will help me focus on another option.
We are living a very healthy beautiful obsession,and we got to know a lot of us......I think we are blessed,we should remember this in this Christmas time...
Yours,Mo
"Have less . . .
. . . enjoy more."
The discipline of self-imposed limits is its own reward.
Restrictively,
Art
The discipline of self-imposed limits is its own reward.
Restrictively,
Art
I cannot imagine you...
...reducing your desires to just 10 pieces! Even I can't do that, and I think my wishlist is much smaller than most!
Daos
Even I can't do that, and I think my wishlist is much smaller than most! DaosGreat list, we may have some items in common ...
But, as you know I'm prefer new watches and let then to be converted on vintage on my wrist.
I don't have a list because I take, when doable, what shows up.
One recent example is the watch that I'm wearing. It was never ever on my wish list but ... I'm lovin it.
More about it later on the week.
Cheers,
Nilo
Now, on the never say never chapter, if a Milspec showed up ...
I don't have a list because I take, when doable, what shows up.
One recent example is the watch that I'm wearing. It was never ever on my wish list but ... I'm lovin it.
More about it later on the week.
Cheers,
Nilo
Now, on the never say never chapter, if a Milspec showed up ...
Aaah, you see? You are entering a dangerous world.
The world of seduction, fatal attraction...
Best, my dear friend.
Nicolas
I always keep telling myself ...
... don't even think of a wish list ... i think of only ONE watch i might acquire in 2013 ... but now you showed us your wishlist and every one of them looks so appealing (and unattainable) ...
... soooo, i am just as confused as you are my friend .. tough decisions to be made ? ... i don't believe in reducing your collection to just 10 or 15 pieces my friend because every one you momentarily own is soo special ...
You could sell your 2 most expensive pieces and buy a few of the others maybe ??? eeerrr ..??? Nope !!!
!!!Evil Bim
Well, not all are impossible to fund. But most of them are impossible to find. ;)
This message has been edited by amanico on 2012-12-23 13:32:51
You have gone part of the way ...
... in just being able to hold and photograph some of these rare beauties. I would be content with even that. But I understand how they grab the subconscious and drive the passion.
I hope your horological dreams come true, or at least some of them, in 2013, Nico.
Merry Christmas.
Andrew
I know, I know. I think I am able to catch a few of these targets.
And yes, I was lucky to be able to take pictures of most of them...
We'll see how all this will lead me.
I think we all have this kind of dilemma...
Shall we complain? Life would not be life if we didn't have dreams to feed it.
Best, my friend. And thanks!
Nicolas
Ten Major List (TML)
now that is one I'm dying to see
If you could be so kind in this Xmas time?
Most curiously
Damjan
Which of these ones do you want to see in the real?
I fear it will take some time to be able to put my hands on one of them....
But who knows?
Best, My Dear Damjan.
Nicolas
OK, you just gave me some nightmares! ;)
Many of these beauties I recognize from my own list...
The Geophysic Cross Hair and the Patek 3417 alone will give me nightmares for the rest of this year!
Stunning photos, my friend!
And before I forget - thank you for all your hard work here, this year you have outdone yourself!
Much, much appreciated!
Best
Blomman
That doesn't surprsie me, Blomman. We have such close tastes. ;)
Thank you for the kind words. Much appreciated.
All the best.
Nicolas
So many beauties you could hold ....
As you know I'm not a vintage specialist but even I can realize what those represent.
Maybe the best thing I could wish you is to always have at least one from your list you don't possess (refilling the list is not forbiden)
Merry christmas Parisian neighbour,
Cheers,
Mark
Maybe the best thing I could wish you is to always have at least one from your list you don't possess
(refilling the list is not forbiden)Merry christmas Parisian neighbour,
Cheers,
Mark
LOL. But in a certain way, you are true.
As we always discover new things, with which we fall in love.
Merry Xmas.
If you have the time, we may take a glass ( or two... )
Best,
Nicolas
Nicolas, this is sweat dream not nightmare!
The nightmare is: you found those watches but you have insufficient fund to buy because you need to pay so much taxes to the Government.
Regards
Ling
Giving ourselves a limit
Giving ourselves a limit eg: '10 major watches' provides us a focus, to maximise the use of our money, and prevents the sometimes inevitable transformation from a hobbyist/collector to a hoarder.
Although its pretty hard, and fiscally impossible for most of us to hoard watches....
Merry Xmas!
I have much less watches than this gentleman has compact discs.
But I also have a huge collection of discs....
Aren't we nut?
Best,
Nicolas
A dilemma but not a new one...
I guess when we all first started collecting, there was a natural choice....we bought the watch we wanted most. Once that watch was in the collection then when money was available and another watch was calling to be part of the collection, then the second watch was bought. Then, this process gets repeated again and again until one of the variables becomes exhausted...ie either there are no more watches calling to be a part of the collection or the money is not available to purchase....and then a new form of equation morphs.....either patience until the money gets created, a watch that is no longer loved gets sold.......or the collection theme gets adjusted so that fewer watches form the collection. I have definitely iterated between these various equations over the years.
It boils down to personality. If you happen to be one of these passionate guys who just loves his watches and gets filled with emotion when he wears a specific watch, who enjoys the variety of wearing different watches at different occasions, who enjoys changing the straps to give the watches a different feel, who finds constant inspiration from the variety of change, and a guy who clearly gets so much pleasure from the hunting phase of watch collecting then it becomes very very difficult to strip the collection down to a small number of watches. I don't think the "hunting" phenomenon should be underplayed. For some collectors, it is the hunt that is truly exciting. Take that away permanently, and a vaccum is created.
Having said all this, I think what Art said was so true. Yet so hard to do. Especially hard for some personalities...... those personalities with their curse.
And so, where does this leave me? Well, first of all we are discussing the curse of the Vlad...a guy who has tempted so many on this forum...so many guys have fallen victim to his watch temptations. I know, lets have a roll-call of guys who have ended up buying a specific watch having been hypnotised by Vlad? it will be a record-length roll call! Yes...we are talking here about Vlad the Temptor.....and we are meant to be sympathetic?!?!?! I say...balls to that!
Here's what I say...
Dear Vlad, you have a curse. There is nothing you can do about it. And by the way, you missed the 1019 from your list!
Best,
Baron von Pile'em'high
Dear Baron Von Pile' em ' high and short....
I am very happy to " count " you among my friends.
I am realistic, and called myself a lost case. I feel I really am a lost case.
In my prime youth, I had to collect girlfriends, it was the same phenomenon, I had to get all of them.
I thought that with watches, it could be simpler, which is true ... And not true.
On one side, I fall in love with many watches, and on another side, I try to stick to my themes.
But how wan you " play it small " when it comes to a theme such as Vintage Diving watches?
There are so many- too many would be more correct- to get, find, and fund....
Same for Alarms, GMTs, Chronographs, and Chronometers, which are my themes of predilection.
So, I try to stay coherent in my choices and decisions.
Amagentic watches are a good example: How to " attack " this theme?
The Legends? So, you will have to find a Patek 3417, a JLC Geophysic, an Omega Railmaster, an IWC 666 and a Rolex Milgauss ( let's stay reasonable, let's forget the ref 6541, and let's be happy with the next one, the 1019 ).
I forgot the JLC Mark 11, which is amagnetic and chronometer at the same time, such as the Geophysic.
Chronometers... You will have to find a Longines manual choronmeter... good luck to find it, it is almost impossible. But you will more easliy find a Zenith 135, a VC Chronometre Royal ( but this last one being made in colored gold, I sadly pass on it ) and an Omega 30 T 2...
Which will lead you to school watches: BeBa... Peseux 260.... Another difficult theme to build!
Military watches? Same here. Which ones to hunt, and to get? I chose the Diving option, but there are some superb militaryt Chronos which are worth some thoughts / temptations... Which leads us to Chronographs...
It is not simple to be a Vlad...
Best, my friend.
Nicolas
ahhhh...
.....so you have a long history of this curse too!
I think I would like to bet on which way this will turn out....10 watches or viral?
I know where my money is.....
I think there is beauty in the fact that a collection is never complete. I really do. Just as we are never perfect as people........a collection is always in the process of being formed.....it never actually gets completed.
But Art's words do keep echoing in my head.
I fail to see the problem
if you really got them all in 2012 wouldn't you be a bit overwhelmed with giving them all their due wristtime? And having a bunch of goals for the coming year(s) sounds better to me than having nothing left, or only things that are out of the question. Anyway, great list, and boy is that UN Monopusher a good looking watch - I assume from what you wrote it was stolen? Very sad.
Thanks and best Xmas wishes
Andreas
This wish list could well be an ideal collection, too, Andreas.
The question is not to get all of them in one year or even 5 years... This is just impossible, as the hunting time and the funds are not realistic.
If I was only 30 years old, that is what I would hunt, because I would have 30 more years to find them all.
And I fear that year after year, their price will reach the sky....
How do we say in French? Le Mythe De Sisyphe?
Best,
Nicolas