Discussion
Bernard Cheong initiates a thought-provoking discussion on the evolving landscape of watch collecting, advocating for a blend of exclusivity and inclusivity. His personal collection showcase, featuring a diverse range from high complications to accessible pieces, underscores his philosophy that the hobby should be enjoyable for all.
Being exclusive will usually mean being expensive.
It takes decades as well as many psycho and social links to open a market for collectables.
I am always FOR the watch collecting hobby to become a mix of exclusive and inclusive..like the collecting of antiques, old books and art.
Cars will be too exclusive, and definitely will not be within my budget.
Here goes what it is to peek into my watch collecting:
The above is my new..nov 30th 2013 addition to my 8 watch LV boxes.
I was in Paris for my daughter's debutante Le Bal and thought I would build a small collection just for her..which is what you see above.
Not inexpensive...but fun and will remind her of Paris with her parents.
I love the SEIKO Galante series for what it can do in circles of friends who will be much more comfortable with SEIKO.
SEIKO makes some extraordinary watches.
My age old 3919..now so small...
The girls need, and so do I, time off from serious tourbillons..and this Verbene was so darn cool, with acrylic case and a thermometer that is accurate.
See below:
See..not all tourbillons will cost millions.
This raw but totally functional one is a rarity.
Cased beautifully, and it pokes fun at ourselves.
Priced below a SWATCH tourbillon, maybe half of a SWATCH.
BUT..a real cage ala Breguet style!!!
AHHHH..the champagne of the era.
To my humble eyes..the best possible.
I had to buy the Invention Piece 1 as I took the WRONG risk as well as having not enough money to buy used second hand from a known collector in Singapore.
He was a GOOD chap. He is, I mean.
The highly recommended Invention piece was selling at over half a million dollars, no way I could come up with that money.
But years later, I did...but I had to pay MORE than the original price..rats.
The platinum 24 incline is my high recommendation...I thought it was not attractive at first, now, after a year..which I learnt lesson, buy GF new...like Patek.
This piece is accidentally stealth..it has a WG model dial...not a platinum model dial, unusual and is not in the GF catalogues.
See the difference?
The craziness of the tourbillons?
The Cabestan, number 1 to be precise.
Also a tourbillon, but the chains make it so darn whatchamacallit.
Finally..a blast from the past...the ORIGINAL pack of Fraanck Muller's watches...this one is a hand wound perpetual QP with a real tiny woman's movement..it was so darn cool.
Back then, he did not have the dial guilloche yet.
My eta based split seconds..the first of the series back in the 1990s.
They were still about to make the Porsche Design Ocean.
As you can see...the watch is "up to date".
On the minute.
On the winder.
It was ugly back then.
But today..one of my favorites.
So there...from SEIKOS to IWC to MBF to VERBENES to Pateks to Greubel Forseys.
I can't get more eclectic than that...yet.
Wait till you see more of my crazy stuff.
But one thing in common...I feel the soul in them all.
For me.
It is right.
My kids will know me..for sure. And I am NOT looking after them, I am using them.
The real deal...
Now..I need more money.
I hope we all have fun, and will conquer our insecurities...I am still trying.
I hope that this breaks down more barriers that prevent people from joining in....watches will be the art for the future generations.
It has the soul.
Specially like the "I hope we all have fun, and will conquer our insecurities" part Watches aren't shabby either but far from cheap & ordinary :) Cheers D
More about that vabene tourbillon?
The tourbillon...it is probably Chinese...but if you wait...I will post more. the cage is a typical swiss tourb which the Chinese never did often....they used the carousel type. This tourb is an unfinished, unpolished raw movement...that works very well...superb time. Wear and tear? I don't know. It depends on the type of ruby and oils. More soon...
I would have chosen the GF IP1, but instead, its the Cabestan that captures my imagination most. best, Horo
From the simple time only Patek, to the designs from childhood MB&F, The Captain Nemo VH and the Machine looking Cabestan.
I was owner number 1 for the Cabestan, brand new. Owner number 3 for the Greubel Forsey..and I was fated to own it. I wanted 00 of 11...but no money. Owners 1 made a KILLING...owner 2 owned for a short while, enough to make a second profit. At above $500,000 plus I had to throw in one of my most loved watches, please do not ask me which one...painful!!!!!! I acquired Invention 1 in platinum. No doubt, people will say they can get one. BUT..this one although is old, it is 100% mint. I know what i
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