The Watch Appreciation Thread - Page 1053

Originally Posted by Cylon 

http://www.mywatchmaker.net/deployantclasp.htm

Originally Posted by Dino944 

Under the Jaeger name they also produced speedometers, RPM, and other gauges for many foreign sports cars up until maybe the 1960s or so. 

Originally Posted by Dino944 

Wow!  I have not had to have my CPCP Tank XL serviced yet.  I am surprised to hear that they are getting $1,650 to service a time only CPCP, as at least up until a few years ago the costs of servicing a standard (non CPCP) Cartier was very reasonable, almost inexpensive compared to Rolex.
I have a Pasha 950 Chronograph with the F.Piguet 1185 movement.  While overall, its a good movement, I agree that the F.P 1185 in the Pasha its not finshed as finely as when it goes into an AP RO Chronograph or VC Overseas...and its also not as finely finished as movements in the CPCP pieces.  Then again, while the Pasha chronograph was quite far in price from an AP RO Chrono or VC Overseas Chrono.  Around 2002 its list price was about $6,800 on a bracelet, about $5,800 on a strap...and those were the pre-discount prices.  In steel and gold, on bracelet its list price was about $8,000.  An AP RO chrono was about $14,000, and when the Overseas Chronograph came out, it was always about $1,000-$1,500 less than APs RO chrono.  So as you can see while the Pasha was significantly more than say a Santos Galbee or Tank Francaise,  I always thought it was kind of the entry level way of getting a chronograph using an 1185.

I've had my Pasha for nearly 8 years and never had a problems with it, with the bracelet or the bezel (and once or twice) I accidentally hit the bezel against things.  As for your quality issues, do you know if your Pasha was pre-owned or new?  Also, I'm guessing when you say the bracelet fell apart you mean a screw came out either near the clasp or at the lugs.  If no locktite was used to hold the screws after a lot of wear, motion, and vibration, they can work themselves loose.  I had that happen on a Royal Oak many years ago.  But I noticed the screw was coming out before it actually came all the way out.  Now AP uses locktite to hold all of the screws in on their bracelets, but it makes sizing a bracelet a bit of a pain...although now you won't accidentally lose any screws.  Anyway, I can definitely see these experiences souring you on Cartier products. 

As for the boutiques/service you mentioned Asia in a prior post IIRC, so I presume you are not in the US.  Maybe service overseas has declined?   I only have great things to say about the ones I've dealt with especially, in Boston and Las Vegas.

As for their jewelry being 10x the price of their competitors...who are you considering their competitors today?  My wife really likes Van Cleef & Arpels' jewelry and I can tell you they are not any cheaper.  My wife has looked at Bvlgari and they really are not much cheaper and my wife does'n't like many of their designs other than their serpent watch with tubogas bracelet.  Tiffanys, I think only their vintage merchandise is competitive with Van Cleef, Cartier, Bvlgari, etc.  Just curious who you see as their competitors that are selling products for less...maybe I can convince my wife to go there instead and thereby save some extra watch money!   

Best regards,
Dino 

Originally Posted by ~ B ~ 


Agreed, the Pasha chrono is a relatively cheap Piguet 1185 with the column wheel. But it was pegged as one of Cartier's higher-end offerings, not counting the CPC. I think parts of the watch itself are not finished as finely as I would like. Eg the crystal should be domed to give a better appearance, the steel ring between the bezel and crystal is very fragile, the bracelet should be bevelled like the RO and the clasp should not have the laser-engraved logo. I was the second owner after my father; we exchanged watches after the Fifty Fathoms Concept 2000 he gave me had the rubber ring surrounding the bezel just fall off!
Regarding the bracelet coming apart, it literally split into two somewhere in the middle, between the lugs and the clasp. The steel part securing the link actually broke. I sent it in to Cartier London and they fixed it for free, out of warranty, admitting it was their fault. Anyway I have never had any watches with bracelets ever break apart like that, not least on a supposedly prestigious marque's.
The RO bracelet is excellent, incredibly comfortable and sleek. The crown, however, is a pain to wind on the vintage model.
Yes I am currently based in Asia but do spend time in London often, so visit the Western European boutiques a lot. I can tell you that the service standards there are simply head and shoulders above those in Asia in general.
By competitors I meant the likes of Bulgari, Van Cleef, Tiffany, Boucheron, Piaget etc. My partner and I recently went jewellery shopping and a commodity-grade gold ring with some rubbish diamonds was priced at 15k USD. The equivalent at the others was much, much cheaper. The Cartier Fine Jewellery is even more ambitiously priced. On a sidenote, the feeling at the Bulgari boutique is decidely downmarket these days, maybe after their recent takeover. I preferred Van Cleef myself. Checked out their watches too.

Originally Posted by in stitches 

beautiful JLCs guys.
also, lame thread name change is lame. :(

Originally Posted by in stitches 

beautiful JLCs guys.
also, lame thread name change is lame.

Originally Posted by Journeyman 

However, it does have the advantage of allowing me to look at the thread whilst at work. I don't really want to have to explain to IT people why I was looking at something with the "p" word in it whilst at my desk and if I tried to explain that it involved watches, rather than wimmenz, they'd probably begin to think that I was very peculiar...

Originally Posted by Newcomer 

It looks like many-a-thread have received the appreciation treatment. I agree with the fact that now I don't need to explain to people why I link watch and porn with one another.