The Watch Appreciation Thread - Part two (Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Jaeger LeCoultre,

[smittycl]

View attachment 1693283

I really like it but it’s bold with chunky markings. Not comparable to JLC.

 

[bespoken pa]

Taking this in a slightly different direction, I'm trying to decide between that one and the Saxonia with the small seconds. Right now, it's all based on photos since we've been in lockdown. I'm hoping to visit the ADs in a few days and actually try them on. I'm not sure

My preference is this:

rather than this:

Only reason at this point is that in the second shot, the small seconds dial takes a bit off the 6 marker.

Definitely the first one but I'd also consider the vc small seconds.

 

[am55]

Just for fun - we all know that this is the day of the luxury sports watch. I decided to amalgamate all of the iterations I could think of outside of the "big 3 or 4" (Patek 5711/5164; AP 15202, etc.; VC Overseas). What are your favorites? Which are the best executed? As a side note, it is kind of amazing watching the extreme proliferation of what was an incredibly niche subsection of the market 5 years ago.

Bvlgari OF S:

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GP Laureato:

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Parmigiana PF:

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Moser Streamliner:

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Jurgenson One:

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Czapek Antarctique:

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Lange Odysseus:

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Lang & Heyne Hektor:

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Piaget Polo S:

View attachment 1692944

I don't know about whether it was "incredibly niche" - I saw it routinely in London in the 2000s. Maybe the US was late to the game? Maybe the Brits back then were less comfortable taunting 300g of steel and the slimmer profile of the 1970s designs worked better.

Alpine Eagle (not on your post) would be my choice *in person*. The Polo photographs immensely better than it looks in the proverbial hand; the Laureato is probably second worst; my second best would go to the Bulgari even if I dislike its hands.

 

[am55]

Just saw Dino's post - I'd say the AE is the embodiement of a Philip Johnson type of self-conscious post modernism, definitely not a great fit for the Dino life but over here in the mess of Southeast Asia it's a good fit. I do think the grouping and resizing of the screws helps differentiate it from the octo-axial (?) symmetry of its brethen, which is also why the Laureato is so boring.

 

[Journeyman]

Just for fun - we all know that this is the day of the luxury sports watch. I decided to amalgamate all of the iterations I could think of outside of the "big 3 or 4" (Patek 5711/5164; AP 15202, etc.; VC Overseas). What are your favorites? Which are the best executed? As a side note, it is kind of amazing watching the extreme proliferation of what was an incredibly niche subsection of the market 5 years ago.

Great post!

I quite like the GP Laureato and I like the *idea* of the Bulgari but find the bracelet to be too wide where it connects to the watch.

Dino mentioned the Chopard Alpine Eagle. I know this is very subjective, but I don't like the arrangement of the screws on the Chopard at all, nor the little "ears" - it looks too derivative, like the bastard offspring of a menage a trois between a Hublot, an AP RO and a PP Nautilus.

As other's mentioned VC....the Overseas has improved over the years, with their most recent version, but it still doesn't hold a candle to their original sports watch the 222. I'd love to see that in a 38 - 40 mm case as part of their Historiques collection.

+1 - I really like the VC 222.

Used to be quite affordable but (like so many other watches over the past few years) good examples have tripled or quadrupled in price.

^Right?! I'm totally biased.

View attachment 1693076

Berchtesgaden in Bavaria?

 

[am55]

So, who else has adopted the $1.50 elastic lace "strap" for their Explorer II?

 

[Dino944]

I do think the grouping and resizing of the screws helps differentiate it from the octo-axial (?) symmetry of its brethen, which is also why the Laureato is so boring.

Just curious as to what you mean by grouping and resizing of screws? Perhaps I missed something. The screws and how they are grouped on past and present Chopard sport watches (St. Moritz and Alpine Eagle), look about the same to me. What has changed was the shape of the bezel and how it incorporates the screws. The earliest St. Moritz had very rounded sections, and was maybe a bit feminine in design. Later in its life the rounded areas were squared off. In this latest incarnation, the design around the screws was eliminated, giving the watch a completed round bezel. I find the round bezel and "Ears" on the Alpine Eagle give it a Hublot-ish look. Or do you mean putting a cluster of 2 screws near eachother, it differentiates itself from say single screw designs of RO, Hublot, Santos, or indentations of the vintage IWC Jumbo SL Ingenieur?

Early version.

Later version

Alpine Eagle

 

[Bersabee]

Thoughts?
View attachment 1686075

Where did you get the movement from? And how are you getting the dial made? I've always been interested in building a custom watch.

 

[am55]

Just curious as to what you mean by grouping and resizing of screws? Perhaps I missed something. The screws and how they are grouped on past and present Chopard sport watches (St. Moritz and Alpine Eagle), look about the same to me. What has changed was the shape of the bezel and how it incorporates the screws. The earliest St. Moritz had very rounded sections, and was maybe a bit feminine in design. Later in its life the rounded areas were squared off. In this latest incarnation, the design around the screws was eliminated, giving the watch a completed round bezel. I find the round bezel and "Ears" on the Alpine Eagle give it a Hublot-ish look. Or do you mean putting a cluster of 2 screws near eachother, it differentiates itself from say single screw designs of RO, Hublot, Santos, or indentations of the vintage IWC Jumbo SL Ingenieur?

The latter. The orientation of the screws presumably implies that, like the AP, they are decorative; vintage version ones were not aligned. The IWC uses fewer screws, and their odd number gives a completely different type of symmetry. I see what you mean about Hublot but the relative lack of care with which these are put together immediately sets them off - a bit like the Polo vs the cohesion of the Nautilus or the AP RO. With a simple design it is all in the proportions. Not that the new AE is simple, but it plays with them right, in person anyway. I was never convinced by the photos.

I see what you mean about feminine in the St Moritz but funnily enough as an engineer by training seeing functional screws makes it more "manly" or whatever you want to call it, than the decorative "screws" of the new one. But it works on the latter one as a postmodern touch, which is clearly intentional given the rest. To be honest the new AE reminds me the most of.. the Moser frankenwatch PR stunt

never forget

 

[RSS]

I recently received a recommendation of Nesbit's Fine Watch Service to service and repair IWC and JLC watches. Sadly they no longer do. According to a Nesbit's phone representative, neither watchmaker will provide (sell) parts. Sending my 25+ year old Flieger back to IWC.

 

[gomestar]

at least IWC makes it seem easy. I looked up the service on a 3711 and was quoted like $650ish. OEM straps easy to buy too.


Also, any recs where where I can look for a 3711? Chrono24 has like 2-3 at any point that aren't priced all that well or are missing some paperwork to justify the price (to me).

 

[mebiuspower]

 

[RSS]

at least IWC makes it seem easy.

I agree. They even send a kit containing an insured mailer. That said, I ordered mine three weeks ago and it's still not here. BUT, I called IWC service this morning and was told "We ran out of kits. Yours should be to you by Saturday."

 

[Neville Southall]

So… went to a party over the weekend. It got crazy. Long story short, I dropped my 116520 Daytona on the concrete from like 4 feet. Bezel is chipped. Crystal is scratched. Bracelet is fucked. Sent it to Rolex today to have them look at it. This is likely going to hurt.

 

[gomestar]

sounds like a sweet party tho