Sham1 shares a deeply personal reflection on the concept of an 'exit watch' after 35 years of collecting, culminating in the acquisition of a Berneron Mirage 34. His experience highlights the unique journey of collecting, especially with independent brands, and the unexpected delights that can arise, such as an earlier delivery at a lower price.
After more than 35 years of watch collecting, I am happy to be enjoying my retirement with a small collection of watches. But I do miss my monthly salary which means every watch purchase becomes a lengthy deliberation. I always ask myself if the watch I am considering might be my exit watch although many of you will argue there is no such thing as an exit watch especially if one is passionate about watches. But in life we all have different priorities and I have had more than my fair share of great watches and I do have plans to buy a home in the UK, my home for 36 years. That would leave me just enough money for a Swatch
I have always had a soft spot for the Mirage by Berneron and I had exchanged a number of emails three years ago with Sylvian Berneron when he just started his brand. But i have noticed that I have this incurable habit of allowing the price of a watch to increase by a certain amount before deciding to place an order, something I finally did two weeks ago. I was delighted when I was allocated a Mirage 34 in lapis lazuli for delivery in Q4 2029 which for me is a short wait. I actually like waiting for a watch as it allows me to appreciate it more when it arrives. So imagine what a surprise it was when Berneron's Director of Business & Administrations got in touch with me a week after I left the required 50% deposit to ask if I was willing to accept the watch a year earlier in Q4 2028 at the lower 2028 price. Now, I have been dealing with independent watch brands for more than 15 years and I know not of any brand that would not only offer you a watch a year earlier but that too at a price CHF4,500 lower. This gesture has made the purchase experience even more memorable and rewarding.
I love the dial, the hands, the movement and of course, the case on the Mirage 34. It is not a watch for everyone but it will be a great addition to my small collection, many of which are round watches. I have not tried on the watch yet but it should fit my small wrist. An exit watch perhaps............. time will tell.
