Vianney Halter Antiqua: A Collector's Macro View

Bernard Cheong, a prominent collector, shares an intimate look at his Vianney Halter Antiqua, a piece he acquired before the widespread globalization of the watch market. His post delves into the watch's intricate details, emphasizing the hand-finishing and unique characteristics that distinguish it. Cheong also reflects on his personal collecting philosophy, including a temporary hiatus from acquisitions and a newfound interest in the pre-owned market.

Previously an "unword", not found in any dictionary.

But..I will try to share.

I use no photoshop or artificial light.

Err...ok..I am obviously a person who takes photos raw..meaning not raw files, but not cleaning or enhancing the watch, except with a wipe of cloth.

I try to use full frame, macro and ISO 50.

F 22 or 16.

But I will soon switch to 6 x 6 , cos I have an old, really old Pentax...second hand..and digital.

Second....I have used too much of my savings, that when a friend asked for help, I had no money.

This will sound really bad, because I am here or anywhere posting and sharing.

I am going to stop spending on watches for 3 months....I hope that who ever I owe help or money promised will not be affected.

But I will be back to collect again, in August.

This time, I am going to sing "used watches", I will explain why later.

For now:

The Vianney Halter Antiqua, the first, which I bought from the retailer before the web went so global and when there were less than 10 watch websites.

Note the orientation of the 1,2,3 and LY. to the alphabets denoting the months. This is the secret that allows one to tell this watch apart from all other platinum or gold

Antiquas.

First off, there are many, not less than a few hundred people who own much larger, much more eclectic and fascinating collections than mine.

It was hard work to get just a few to share, and show.

Only a handful revealed their names...it may not be important to most people.

I, unlike most, prefer to know the owner's names.

It gives a certain "life", a soul like relation, to who buys these styles, shapes and what character profiles support certain makers.

It means a lot to me.

By facebook, you sort of make your own picture of my personality. There is no right/wrong...I am as flawed or even more flawed than most. That's why I am out side the

curve.

Here below:

You can see that each dial is made of separate rings of solid gold, yellow in the platinum Antiquas then.

The fonts and words are hand carved, I personally watched them do a dial.

It was done by Vianney for this watch. It was his submission for membership of the clan, and this watch was also instrumental in winning him his GPHG award.

I must say that both Greubel and Forsey were highly supportive of Vianney, and I admired their generosity.

Look and admire the obvious handwork.

Yes, we say that good hand work will not resemble handwork, which in this case is the same, only that we are looking at hundreds of x of magnification.

Also, on a simple loupe and eye, the dial is faultless.

Note that the surface finish of the base dial is totally different.

The blue hands which Vianney and Dufour and Mark were so kind to show how they were made. Google 4 words bernard cheong vianney halter, and then click on images.

Note the worn, soft, solid gold rivets after years of ownership and time adjustments.

The very subtle wear and tear.

The singular thing about watches is that although I am a Christian, a Jesus Saves Christian, I am very afraid of bad luck.

In my case, since I was the age of 16, my classmates always remarked I had an uncanny following of good, immense good luck.

It works both ways, I am afraid to buy a used watch mainly because of this.

It also works for me, later, below, you can imagine how hard it was for me to sell off 100 watches, but it took only 12 to 20 buyers, people who I know, to buy them up.

Their reason...my unaccountable track record of good luck, as in choosing wrong and stupid (time and again), but getting good unpredicted results. I will explain "Wristwatch Feng Shui" in another post....there must be something.

But I must say, that even the good Book reminds us that there are powers beyond what we can understand, I think the writer was referring to our belief in science's

infallibility, often shown to be off the track. Historically. If we were to think of how much science has explained.

Look at the spindle holding the weighted sapphire rotor with a gold weight on one side which can't be seen.

This is not a single plate movement. The line between the 2 plates is so fine, I cannot find it.

Note how difficult it must have been to cut those letters in that font size by hand.

And later to bake the coal colors in.

Note the beautifully made screw heads. The extremely fine bevel work to both the screw head and the counter sunk edges, how spectacularly even and precise.

It is not visible to a loupe...but taking these pics and admiring the hundreds I took, some with a torch light, are very zen and soothing.

Note below, that I was not aware till today, that my coating of the crystal was so badly scratched.

I still cannot see it with a loupe.

But on a photo, taken 1:1 on the sensor...we can all see:

A few words off topic.

For now, I believe not "the greater fool theory", because I don't like being the fool. Although, probably I am.

But that if, the watch industry does not support, regulate, finance in an organized and non combative position, the second hand market...the new watch market will suffer a

 huge punishing drop. I already see this happening.

I was in the east of my home, beyond Vietnam, when I experienced retailers, plural. And authorized ones, showing me their cost prices in a file, and offering me the

watches at 1% below their cost. Which is a lot. I did not have the money. But I tried to arrange it. The watches were good Richemont, LVMH and SWATCH group.

I arranged with 3 good confidential, non collector and non believers in watches, to finance me to buy over 100 watches in May.

I will explain why in a later post, if people wish to know.

Now, all I can say is that I quickly sold these watches off, as used watches, so as not to tarnish brand images.

I am not being "generous", but if newbies see this happening, they will not buy new or think of buying used. Nothing wrong.

But it will cause a massive drop in resale. Which selfishly admitting, may well affect me. And others.

Watch retail is costly. Rentals are high, very high, in good locations.

Being in retail, not me,  but the real retailers, they bleed daily as it is not easy to sell new expensive watches these days.

Of course..as a fool who believed in the value retention of watches...I wish to see retailers flourish, and sell many new watches.

But I wish to see a healthy used market exist parallel to it. Any way..later...I hope to explain.