Dave G
2078
My journey to post #1000...
Friends,
It has taken me quite a few years to get to 1000 posts. As I hit 999 a week or two ago, I contemplated what to post for #1000. I decided to describe my journey with watches over 30 years, and the influence of ThePuristS.com and PuristSPro.com over the last 12 years that I have been active. It is fair to say I read the site nearly daily, but go weeks sometimes without posting. I have learned much over the years with the continuing education via the stories, technical details and of course the great photos that often appear.
I first discovered ThePurists.com in December of 2003. Back then, I had a different UserID which I changed in 2006; hence, I passed the real 1000 mark some time ago, but I'll go with this current counter. I don’t remember why I changed it 10 years ago...
Looking back at the old archives though, I found what was my first post at 7:32PM on January 2, 2003 on the Ulysse Nardin Forum, which had opened just six days earlier at 7:09AM with moderator Marcus Hanke. I learned much from posts there over the years, like the great reference section Marcus created (a bit hard to find now). My first post highlighted my then brand new Blue Max, which was part of my early collection of UN pieces. I was enthralled by the genius of Rolf Schynder, Ludwig Oechslin and Pierre Gygax who led such innovation at the Brand. Many pieces come and go from my wish list, but I still have The Trilogy Set in Platinum at the top – one day perhaps. The book by the same name The Trilogy of Time authored by the good Dr. Hanke sits in my office and continues to fuel the dream.
This post is a bit of a brain dump typed late on a Saturday evening. It is hard to summarize 30 years in a few hours of thought at the keyboard. I'll try to walk through each decade a bit, and whilst I have pieces from dozens of brands, I'd like to highlight three specifically in the body of my writing, where I have a special interest cultivated by the special people involved in the making and selling of each. These include Ulysse Nardin, Jaeger LeCoultre and Patek Philippe.
Let's step back in time....
The 1980's
In the early 1980’s, I was certainly a fairly naïve young man of 18 graduating from high school in the Midwest United States. Like most kids, fine watches weren’t part of my thoughts. I do remember vividly though the red LED Casio and Pulsar watches that when you pushed the button the digits brightly lit up…this was really cool to my friends and I and through high school I suppose I had a few of these. Nothing mechanical though was even a thought to a kid in the 70's and 80's, at least where I lived.
In 1985 then, I graduated from high school and my parents
bought me the following watch for a graduation present. It was quartz and pretty expensive at the
time for them, and I cherished it for years.
I still have this Movado Museum watch, but haven’t worn it in more than two decades. It was the
first spark (my gateway drug so to speak).
I think I was most impressed as a teenager by the real gold in the
watch 
So, then it was off to university for four years. At this point, studies, parties and girls became bigger distractions and what little watch interest I had fell away. There was no real internet and my friends, despite most of us being engineers and into things mechanical weren't interested in horology. It does after all require some money, which like most students I had little of. I did continue using some of my spare time for Amateur Radio through a University club, which in many ways follows a similar pattern of interest in the constructed of gear, technical configurations, and so on. Instead of brands like Rolex, Patek and Vacheron though, I was into Yaesu, Icom, Drake and Collins and the vacuum tubes and antennas of old.
The 1990's
My first real job took me to Chicago in 1990. There I met my wife, got married, built a house, etc. These were also not heavy watch years as you can imagine that now the early career and a new spouse took priority. However, the early internet was coming on with the use of now long extinct browsers and search engines and there were glimmers of communities starting to form. I explored this a bit, but it was living in downtown Chicago at the time and trips to Jewelers Row in the Loop rekindled a bit of the watch interest again.
My wife and I were young professionals with blossoming careers and I had saved enough in the early '90s to buy a Rolex Submariner. I was about 25 years old and entering the dealer seemed intimidating at the time, but I bought a ss Rolex Submariner with date for about $3300 brand new. This was a big deal to spend at the time. I still wear this piece and will never sell it. It has been with me all over the World.
The next purchase influenced by love, was to buy my wife a Raymond Weil Parsifal watch for her birthday (around 1994). While I was looking I happened to pick up the man’s version and was enthralled by the “see through” back with what I believed was the most amazing thing inside (an automatic mechanical movement). This was a trigger moment for me. Yes, I understood my new Rolex was automatic, but I hadn't really seen one beating in this way. In addition to mechanical movements having largely vanished during the first quartz years, they were afterall, largely hidden behind closed backs at that time. This RW movement was nothing special looking back, but it absolutely had me fascinated, and I remember showing it to friends. I’m sure none were as impressed as I was.
In any case, this piece like nearly all the watches that I’ve bought over the years, it is still with me. Just in writing this post, I realize my first two “real” watches were two tone in SS and gold. Definitely popular at the time, but so not what I would buy today.
In 1997, my wife surprised me with a Daytona for my 30th birthday. It was definitely a treat, and while the gold and SS combination again isn't my favorite, it is of course a piece that I will never sell. It gets worn, but very infrequently. It is a piece that will go to one of my kid's someday with the family history.
The 2000's
This piece bought at the top of Europe at Jungfraujoch at a little Kirchofer store at the top of the Mountain while on holiday. If has some markings to that effect on the reverse
We moved to Birmingham, England in 2004, and I bought this piece on the High Street at Christmas in 2005:
A bit of a silly watch, purchased whilst on holiday in Italy in 2006.
Work had us moving to the Philippines in 2007 and this Chronoris was bought from a dealer there. The introduction of some orange splashes. Now really getting wild.
The Perrelet jump hour purchased from a dealer on my first trip to Singapore...an Asia watch heaven I would come to love...more on that in a minute:
A Maurice Lacroix Jour et Nuit from my first trip to Malaysia.
And the Blue Max that started my first post on ThePuristS.com . This was also one of the first two pieces that I purchased from my USA AD and friend. An early start with a relationship that would yield quite a few UN purchases over the years. Regrettably, international living and less attractive recent UN offerings have kept me out of his shop for some time, but if interest piques again, I know exactly where I will buy.
Another piece from the above mentioned dealer. He convinced me this platinum Gigante in 200 pieces was a good buy. I haven't regretted it. Just look at the anthracite dial
And another...
And this special set of triplets...
However, it was in 2002 that this dealer friend and I first met, and the watch that put me in a different league was the original UN Freak I have always enjoyed reading watch magazines, while on airplanes and for light evening reading. I turned the page in a now forgotten issue and saw this wonderful advertisement for the Ulysse Nardin Freak. It was brand new, crazy in appearance, used silicon for the first time in a watch and the movement was the hands. It was genius (back to the Rolf, Ludwig and Pierre comment). It didn't fit my typical style, but was there anyone at the time that could have said otherwise??? This piece was truly original and remains timeless I believe. It has spun off many variants all with a common DNA. It will likely never leave the collection as well. The advert listed the local dealers at the bottom of the page (my new friend), and a quick call indicated I could probably get one of the first pieces in white gold -- the color I wanted. After a bit of a wait the piece arrived, and it was certainly even better in real life. The issue price was around $29K, what a bargain compared to today....I had become accustomed to the $5K-$10K range and this was new territory. My supportive wife though again understood and life continued now with a new interest in more haute horology (2nd gateway passed):
The final UN piece I would highlight here came again from my dealer friend who offered me this special piece again in a fairly special combination of rose gold and a lapis lazuli dial. My first and only striking piece to date. More for show I think than frequent wear, it is a art piece as I see it.
Now moving on to the third favored brand. As noted early in this rambling, each of the three highlighted holds a special place on my list (in addition to the largest segments) due to the service and love the dealers themselves show for their wares. With Patek, again I return to my native USA, where my very first piece was a new 5070R. I had reached out to a dealer near where my parents live many years ago and had a good connection over the phone with a salesperson, who over the last 15 years would supply me with the 5070, 5396, 5970, 5130, 5098, 5227 and 5960 both remotely and through store visits. Whilst living in HK I added a few pieces locally to my collection as well. This past year she was able to deliver my awaited 5131 and finally supply the lovely 5575.
- Well, I am an addict, but I think this is a good thing.
- I know my boundaries and I look back at what I have picked up in knowledge with a smile.
- This site has been a blessing and thanks to Thomas for his innovation in building it many years ago. I've been pleased to have been both a frequent visitor and poster for many years. The dialogue is great, nearly always professional and helpful no matter what level the collector.
- Build relationships with good dealers and individuals. Saving a bit of money is a fine objective, but being short sighted can be expensive. I did learn this a few times. A good AD is a blessing and contrary to many of the horror stories on service times, I've found good support (in Asia specifically). I think the client/dealer relationship can help with these issues.
- With maturity and age comes a settling of tastes. In the past few years, I have focused on qualtiy, interested in finer finishing and more subtle designs. You will see quite a few in rose gold acquired over the years, but my focus is now mostly on platinum where available, followed by white gold and of course steel. I like the more subtle look of these metals.
- I never really bought into the bigger is better trend. There are a couple pieces in my collection that touch 44mm, but just a few. Today 38-40mm is where I play and I don't see this changing no matter the trend.
- I understand what a "WIS" is -- this term isn't used much anymore.
- If debating between two pieces, buy the one you really want if you can afford it. You will regret it if you don't.
- I know the attraction of a "community watch". You can see a couple of them below (Discus x 2, Legend Diver).
- Independents start to populate your brain at some point. Sarpaneva and especially Mr. Speak-Marin you will see below.
- I love leather straps, but are they ever so difficult to wear in the sub-tropics and tropics (KL and HK).
- Date windows often destroy a dial. Thanks for putting this in my head Nicolas...I have come to see the light here.
- Always, and I mean always buy from a trusted source. Better to pass if there are any doubts and face to face is always the best way.
- JLC gives out great chocolate
My journey to post #1000...
I wanted to be first to congratulate you and thank you for being such a great member...
Thanks Bill...
It may have been a little silly at the time but it remains a great watch.
Been looking for something over a year and did not see a single one being offered for sale :(
Over the last 3-4 years they are non-existent in the markets. I've had both of mine in white and black for quite some time.
The downside of starting late :(
Your post really made my day!
What a fantastic review! Thank you
Greatissime post, Dave!
Thanks for your comments Nicolas
The Sonata is one of these pieces which represents the genius of UN, in my opinion.
Wow! I enjoyed reading about your journey!
I suppose the GST refunds help...
Thank you very much for this trip down the memory lane Dave
I love your post Dave!
Congratulation, Dave! :)
The next phase is the hardest...
Well, I think I will come to this phase at some point soon.
Thank you!
Thank you for this informative post
What a superb write-up.. Full of "deja vue"s, hitting many chords in quite a number of us, I trust.. Topics, such as accumulation, more systematic collection, then condensation and also coincidence, elements of luck vs collectors' riping senses..
A Journey to the deep abyss...but one that will have no regrets!
Love these kind of write ups!
Very nice post and reply Arie
Dear Dave, thank you for a wonderful shared journey down memory lane...