IPman shares his exciting acquisition of a Paul Gerber Model 33, Ref. 335, a dive into the world of independent watchmaking. His detailed unboxing and initial impressions highlight the craftsmanship and unique features of this limited-edition timepiece, emphasizing its true beauty and horological significance.
A few weeks ago I posted on this great forum about finding a gold watch in a particular price range, and received several great suggestions - thank you to Count de Monet, hoseachandra1, pmh6000, maverickmahesh, Watchonthewrist, cazalea, Passionata_george, and trm_tca.
Ultimately, another member reached out to me in private with some intriguing suggestions, and after a few moments of deciding I chose one of them. He is local to me, so we met up in person and had a nice chat before finalizing the deal.
Needless to say I am very, very happy with my decision to dive head first into the deep end of the AHCI pool. I hope you enjoy my little diary below. The watch is quite difficult to photograph in a way that translates its true beauty to the screen, but I tried my best.
A nice, sturdy, and rather heavy box. I wonder what's inside...
First thing: a nice envelope filled with...
A unique way to certify a watch, I think. The picture is of this actual watch - 1 of 20 in this series. I am not sure how many series Paul has made, but I guess no more than 3 (and probably 2).
Inside the cardboard box we find an absolutely gorgeous eucalyptus wood box. It is heavy, rich, and made to a very high standard.
A nice touch to put the name on this part of the box - showing a bit of Paul's humility.
And here we are - the contents of the box: the gorgeous, unique, and wonderful Model 33, Ref. 335 in 18K pink gold.
You can see the moon here - almost a totally new moon. This side is made from Lapislazuli, while the reverse of the moon is made of 54 hand-set diamonds.
Another angle - note how the guilloche changes as it catches light from different angles. The oversized breguet numerals are incredible.
Paul's version of a tang buckle involves making it longer than usual, and applying a beautiful shade of blue enamel to make his name stand out (but on the underside of the watch).
Here she is - the heart of the watch. This movement is special for many reasons: it is shaped for the case; the escapement is a completely new and patented design by Paul; you can see the reverse side of the moon with the diamonds; the anglage is gorgeous and so well done; the Geneve striping is at a 33 degree angle; screwed gold cabochons. Shall I go on?
Another shot of the movement. I love the hue of the gold case against the gold wheels in the movement - wonderful.
On the wrist it is one of the most comfortable watches that I have worn, and certainly the most comfortable watch on a strap. Sublime.
One last shot to show the blued hands.
