pplater
5425
Wow, Jay!...
The Children of Lir came as a complete surprise, but how very appropriate! Thanks for mentioning it; the history of this watch could be about to re-write itself. ;-)
For the benefit of others who did not know the legend, this extract is from 'askaboutireland dot ie':
The story of the Children of Lir is one of the best known tales of Ireland. This story tells of Lir and his wife Aobh and their four children called Aodh, Fionnghuala, Fiachra and Conn. Lir's wife died and he married again. His new wife was called Aoife and she became the children's stepmother. At first she loved them dearly but after a time she grew jealous of their father's affection for them.
One day she bore them away and put them under a spell. They were turned into four white swans at Lake Derravarragh in County Westmeath. They remained there for four hundred years. Then they flew away and settled on the Sea of Moyle between Ireland and Scotland, where they stayed for three hundred years in cold and misery. From there they spent three years in Erris, County Mayo where they endured even further sorrow.
At the end of that time they returned to their old home at Sídh Fionnachaidh in County Armagh. Their father was long dead and the place was desolate and empty. They flew off again to Erris and there met the Christian Missionary, St. Mochaomhóg who treated them with great kindness.
At last their period of enchantment came to an end and they were turned into three withered old men and an old woman. The saint baptised them and they died peacefully. They were buried together.
Maybe that was playing subconsciously in John's mind all the time; in another piece of serendipity, his home is in County Westmeath! If you do get to visit him there, you may want to have a liver donor handy.
As for the watch? Sorry: it has to be said that it wears its size; it's not one of those 40mm watches that wears like a 38mm, so your assessment is probably accurate if that is an issue for you. Or: you could always bulk up?
Cheers,
pplater.
“No man is an island” (except one) - Reprise!…
This story really begins – as so many stories do – in a bar. A very expensive bar; in a very expensive hotel; in 2013. John McGonigle has travelled from his workshop in country Ireland to chilly Geneva in order to deliver a new watch. Quite conveniently f...
A tip of my paddy cap to John on his latest creation . . .
. . . and a wink and a nod to you for inimitable presentation. Grazie , pplater. Art PS - seeing as how KE sweated bullets engraving the swan, perhaps the Oileán should be on your wrist whenever playing pool. Cuemaker BF (also Irish) cussed loud and long ...
Cheers, Art...
(...or would you prefer 'Three Ball Charlie'? - you knew that was coming). There's no point in making it easy for 'em, right? We should not rest until we've found the hardest material to work with and the most insane application for that material! Hope al...
All's good here, pplater. My pool table mechanic is coming over in a few hours . . .
. . . to install a fresh sheet of Simonis 860 (British racing green, of course!) and hopefully resolve two problematic pockets. Still accumulating cues and Omegas; hoping for a revival of the postponed Stones tour. In other words, nothing has changed.
Great post and excellent looking watch .
Gorgeous movement en dial and i am a big fam of engraved cases .
Thanks WOTW...
All credit to John and Kees; the end result is hugely satisfying. Cheers, pplater.
Thank you so much, K, for this great article. The encounter with the Creator, the watch, the work on the watch. Fantastic. I am very interested in his watches, thanks to our dear Tim who posted some.
You made me want to dig into this brand even deeper. Thank you! Votre bien dévoué Confrère. Nicolas
Merci, Nico!...
Tim is a huge supporter of the brothers McG; we have swapped notes before on the 'grail' status he affords to their work. That's a very big call from someone as knowledgeable and immersed as Tim. Another big supporter is Ian Skellern, who was good enough ...
Dear pplater... thank you so much
...for a most interesting read on a special watch. You could (well, should!) be a writer. Best, Daniel
Very kind, Daniel...
Although it is no more than 'giving back' a small fraction of what this site and its members have provided, it is gratifying nonetheless that the effort should be appreciated. Cheers, pplater.
What a fantastic post, a great compliment to the watchmaker.
I would love to see one of these in the metal, and I think when I go home next I will try to visit John (assuming my wife permits it). I would love to have one of the McGonigle pieces but the size is prohibitive for me. This new offering from John I was e...
Wow, Jay!...
The Children of Lir came as a complete surprise, but how very appropriate! Thanks for mentioning it; the history of this watch could be about to re-write itself. ;-) For the benefit of others who did not know the legend, this extract is from 'askaboutirel...
Bulk up seems to be the answer to many of life’s problems ! LOL
I think the 40mm might be workable, but would need to see it in the metal on my wrist. The Tuscar etc I just never bothered as I knew they would be too large for me. The other thing which immediately came to mind reading your post and noting John’s flexib...
You can count on it, Jay...
...and the discs are a great idea, IMHO - shoulda thunka that. If you ever want to discuss your other ideas on PM, you’d have a willing correspondent. Cheers, pplater.
Love the customization aspect.
And the engraving, quite good and artistic on such a small area! Thanks for your post.
You’re right, Michael...
The ability to customise a watch greatly amplifies the ultimate appreciation of the piece. There is a sense of collaboration in the design and a sense of uniqueness in the resultant product. This is where independent watchmakers come to the fore. John, it...
Superb watch
And the Post does it more than justice! Love the dial and although I am personally critical of swans after battling them from river Kajaks in my misspent youth I guess I‘ll make an exception there. Glad to see you back in the forum within such an unusual ...
Thank you, Andreas, for your comments here...
...and in response to the first failed posting effort. Amongst the many thoughts posted about a new watch, or watchmaker, yours count for something - especially given your balanced appreciation of the efforts of both haute horologerie manufactures and elv...
Pplater, coming out of retirement for an epic post😜
This really does huge justice to our dear friends John & Stephen. I’m so glad that you continue to support them, it’s guys like you who get them and it’s important for them to get this lovely feedback. They are really under the radar and do some extra...
Not retirement, Tim…
...more like Covid lockdown! But thanks; it’s a pleasure to be posting more, lurking less. You are right to say that guys like the brothers McG deserve more of our support. The horological world sans Indies would be so... beige! Thank you for putting your...
VALJOUX 72C
I recognise the movement and the layout..... Used in my Gigandet Wakmann from the '60s...... I love it. Thanks for a great story. ...
