The Watch Appreciation Thread - Page 1077

And those Autavias are sweet!

I've worn my 15202 almost everyday since I got it in August, and I love it.  Its become my favorite watch and I think its one of the best purchases I've ever made.  Admittedly I'm not really tough on my watches.  Initially, I wondered about its water resistance, but I have several Rolex watches including a Sub that I would wear for more rugged sports. 

 

I own 2 VC dress watches already.  I liked their dress watches, but of their sport watches the only one I really like is their original 222 (from the late 1970s early 80s).  I've never liked the Overseas all that much.  The original was decent looking but had lots of problems with bracelet links locking up (a buddy of mine that collected VCs had a chronograph with lots of problems and eventually dumped it).  The second generation is just an oversized ugly watch.  The case looks lopsided and heavy, and grew in size just to join the "Look at me I have a giant watch club."  The dial is ugly on the time only model (the first generation was more sophisticated), the alternating subdial size design of the chronograph is goofy...then there is the gaudy bracelet.  No thanks.  I spent a lot of time looking at various models of ROs, Overseas, and PP Nautilus.  The Overseas just never seemed to have the quality of finish that the ROs or the Nautilus had. 

 

I'm kind of dissappointed with where IWC has gone in the last 10 years or so. 

 

 

Actually, the 2120 and 2121 have been used in AP dress watches for decades.  In addition, several VC dress watches have also use/used the 1120/1121 (their version of AP's 2120/2121) in dress watches and sport watches for several decades.  Sadly, the current version of the movement in the VC just doesn't look as nicely finished to me as in the AP.  Even the rotor in the current VC using the 1120 is not as beautifully finished as it used to be when they used that movement.  

Yes, they are under my homeowners Chubb. 

+1

 

The oversized IWCs of today are just played out and tired...and as you mentioned they seem to be the chosen watch of poseurs.   If I were to get an IWC now...it would be vintage.

Hi Medtech, glad to hear you are enjoying your 15202.  As I said in a previous post this is the best purchase I've made.  Of the watches the OP mentioned the 15400 is the nicest watch...but it is far from my favorite RO.  I like its dial and second hand more on the 15400 (I hated the tail on the old 15300 second hand ...silly I know), but I thought the proportions looked off.  Even though they say everything has increased by the same percentage it never looked quite right to me.  I felt the bezel and dial looked wrong.  I agree with you that its very rare to see a watch where the movement of a smaller watch went into a larger case and it was an improvement.   They got everything right with the new 15202 and the finish of the case and bracelet is much finer than I've seen on any sports watches.  The 15202 is just a real pleasure to wear. 

speaking of the 15202... another visit to a watch store, this time in philadelphia. crossed the glashutte panomatic lunar off the list. attractive, but too thick and also a bit sterile for me. unfortunately fell in love with the 15202 when i put it on my wrist. just lovely. also very $$$ for me.

Also saw the PP 5146 in platinum, which I far prefer because of the lack of arabic numerals, which I think suits the dial much better. It's too bad that only the platinum has that particular dial.

what is not to like?



i like the white gold too, the three arabic numerals dont bother me.

Maybe here I'm in the minority. However, I'm friendly with lots of collectors that think IWCs have become sterile in design, unattractive, caught up in the supersize trend, and offer little worth purchasing.

No watch can be everything to everyone, but their offerings in the last 10 years are a disappointment to me. Years ago I wanted an IWC. Sadly, today there is nothing they currently make that I want to own.

I think IWC makes excellent pieces, but may be getting a bit caught up in the supersize trend, as you state.

These are quite cool indeed

I just purchased my first Chinese watch not very long ago.

I own Swiss and Japanese watches, but have never had a Chinese watch.

I've stayed away from Chinese watches up until now because I've been kind of skeptical about quality. However, I've continued to hear good things about the higher end Chinese offerings, so I decided to take the plunge. (I am old enough to remember when "made in Japan" had a derogatory connotation, and that clearly has changed over the past several decades, so I'm willing to give the Chinese the benefit of the doubt.)

For my first Chinese watch, I decided on a Seagull Tourbillon. I figured that the tourbillon model was likely to be among the highest quality Chinese watches available, so it would give me a good idea of the state of the art of Chinese watchmaking. Also, I don't really ever intend to buy a Swiss tourbillon, so this was a good chance to buy a tourbillon at a reasonable price. I've not really ever lusted after a tourbillon, but this seemed like the opportunity to get one.

I've been pretty pleased with the watch so far. The dial is quite nicely done, and it has hands that are blued. The crystal is a very well done domed sapphire crystal. There is a crystal display back. The hand winding movement is not particularly fancy looking or decorated. However, it does look like quality, with blued screws and a portion of the tourbillon visible.

The tourbillon is pretty cool. I actually like it quite a bit more than I thought I would. Watching it move and twist its way around the second hand marker is kind of mesmerizing. It's very steam punk, with its tiny gears and cogs all in motion.

The watch seems to be keeping very good time. I don't really have any means of checking accuracy to the second, but after wearing it for 4 days, it's still running accurate to the minute, which is accurate enough for my purposes.

The alligator band is nice, but the deployant clasp is not quite as comfortable as some I've used.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the watch. It's a very nice piece, and a good addition to my collection. I've got another Chinese watch on the way. Will post impressions of that one when I've had a chance to wear it a while.

The rose gold with a silver/white dial certainly has a warmer feel to it -- would pair well with my tweeds and flannels. The white gold would be more flexible, particularly with the black strap; for those days when I also need to put on a coat and tie. Given that I wear tweeds, flannels and earth tones more often, the rose gold might be get more use in the long-term...

Dino - as we've discussed before, the VCs - while certainly beautiful - seem overpriced and finishing is not as fine as the APs (IMHO).

You also quite rightly point out that the 2121 used in the Extra Thin is the sibling of the VC 1120; weren't they both originally developed in a JLC-AP-VC joint venture? A lovely movement; great review on TimeZone about it?

I'm happy you are happy with your watch, but your review is the horological equivalent of a teenager being impressed with his first Beats headphone.

IWC has always had large watches. If anything, the "trend" found them, not the other way around. I am amused by the IWC hate in this thread and will be curious to see if it affects the SF groupthink. I remember a few years ago when the IWC Portuguese was the SF-approved watch (for instance, Foo had one at the time). In-house movement, beautiful dial, legitimate history. As for its being "not really dressy" and "not really sporty," the same could be said for any number of the tool watches that many here think pass for dress watches. Yet they are admired for their "versatility." In my mind, the Portuguese is much more versatile than a Panerai, Rolex Sub, or RO (not to say that those watches aren't also "beautiful" in their own right).

But, of course, I might be biased as I just purchased an IWC--pics forthcoming