POTM - December - Bill

Nov 30, 2017,08:49 AM
 

Dear friends
As we approach to grand finale of POTM series
I couldn't think of better candidate than our own man behind the scenes
our one and only Bill...man we can all thank to have this virtual home of ours..
man of great taste in divers watches, wines and cars...but not to spoil it you'll see it...
so final POTM is Bill.
Enjoy
D

1. Please introduce yourself!
My name is Bill aka “Bill”in the forum and I am a watch addict. 
It has ten days since my last watch purchase and three hours since my last visit to this forum.
But then again I just described 95% of the forum community.  I need to go back a few years to find the old me before I went watch crazy.
I live in southern California not far from the ocean and try to stay in shorts at least 350 days a year wearing my big boy (long) pants on the formal occasions. 
I have pushed my habit on the family and believe the phrase “A family that plays together stays together”. 



I have an old fashion MBA under grad BSC Bus Admin (before everything went the way of "social") and fell into the tech industry back in 1988. This stems mostly from my passion of technology.
I will date myself a little but some old timers may recognize the name Kaypro with CPM operating system. 
CPM was before DOS as we are talking 1981.  I was a whiz at multiplan, wordperfect and lotus 123. DOS took over the world not long after.
 The Kaypro was my first portable (Luggable - 30lbs) computer and we are talking two 5 1/4 inch floppy disk drives (high density of course)
with no hard disk as my second computer from Kaypro had a ten megabyte hard drive.  When I started in tech online services included Compuserve,
 mainframes and we used phone couplers connect to 300 baud modems but it was not to long before we hit blinding speeds of 9600 baud. 
Ok you guys now know I am a computer geek of sorts but it is the storage and use of data like our forum that enjoy. It is all about getting the right amount of data at the right time.
To close the loop on the career side MBA mixed with tech you end up being in sales but being entrepreneurial minded and I opened up shop to serve publishers distributing their
data on the info super highway (the Internet) in the mid nighties.  The forum here today runs on the upgraded version of what we started way back in the day.







2. How did you discovered  WatchProSite and what it means for you to be one of PuristS?

I met ThomasM in 2005 he founded of the ThePurists in 2001.  He helped me acquire one of my first watches which I still have the JLC Polaris Amvox1  Aston Martin first edition. 
We got to talking and PuristSPro/Watchprosite was born in 2006 the next chapter of this fun forum. 
The biggest challenge we had was maintaining three versions of the site to make sure every user was happy and nobody likes change. 
Lucky for us when the Iphone became omnipresent it gave a good reason to drop all the version and now we run just one flavor and a dedicated Iphone app. 
OKay I am boring you guys.  Back to the forum, I also met Nicolas (amanico) not long after 2006 ish and the virtual friendship translated perfectly into real world friendship
 and that is one of the great things everyone finds after discovering the site.  First we come looking for information and quickly there after we discover there are so many
likeminded people present that we end up part of a community. These friendships continue as I get more and more opportunities to meet members in the real world as they
pass through town or I pass through their town.  Most recently was "GIGI aka Giorgio from Italy" and Zabreg1 aka Zabreg1 not far from Damjan and many others from Indonesia to the UK. 
The fabric of this forum is in the great people we meet where we have real conversations and things we enjoy not just clicking on a like button and saying "nice".



3. What watch are you wearing today and how you choose watch “of the day”?


Patek Philippe 5980 not in my general theme as I am vintage guy but the watch has been discontinued.
I just love the look and feel and with a nautical aspect fits me perfectly.
Choosing a watch or watches of the day, in my case, is pattern less.  Or maybe I do have a few patterns.
When I buy a new watch I wear it for a couple of days even sleep with it.  I tell myself I am testing it as most watches I buy are "vintage".
I use the term because they are not just second wrist but really old my average watch is 25 years old and they all have a story to tell.



4. What is your favorite watch/brand/complication?

For the favorite watch question it is like the favorite child question. I don't play favorites.
My favorite watch is the watch I am wearing at the time.  I have no favorite child answer.
Rolex.  Yes Rolex is my favorite brand but not new Rolex but Vintage Rolex.  Now I need to describe what vintage
Rolex is as it is not a moving target of 20 or xx years but a very specific time period. 
Vintage Rolex can be described in a few simple terms.  First and a relatively easy way to recognize vintage Rolex is that it has a plexi crystal.
The second is that it has lug holes on the case which allows you to push the pins in to remove the bracelet.
These two give your average guy a way to recognize a vintage Rolex.  Now diving a little deeper Vintage Rolex
has applied markers on the dial or if you wish painted index markers i.e. the lume plots are laid by hand. 
And finally the model number is for digits i.e 5513, 1675, 1680, 5510 etc.  I know I said lastly but what I described give you 90% of vintage
Rolex with the last catch all being serial numbers that start with a number and the last range is 9 million serial i.e. 9xx,xxx,xxx and this effective puts the cutoff date of 1987. 
My favorite era is the gilt glossy period which ended around 1966. Yes, this is a pretty long answer to the simple question of what is vintage Rolex.




I have to admit I don't really have any deep knowledge of the mysteries of complications and how the hell my Perpetual JLC knows how to skip leap years and it is mechanical and it knows how to do this for 122 years.  I have to say my favorite is the perpetual calendar.




5. When and how you discovered horology?

I have photographic proof that I owned watches early on “Young Bill – fashion Bill”. 




But at the same time I was also a one Rolex guy for 17 plus years with this Rolex Thunderbird REF # 1625 which I still own today.
It was from the mid-seventies and stayed with me day and night wet and dry until it was replace in 2001 with another Rolex. 



But I have to say completely fell into collecting watches through the forum here I would say around 2008.
I discovered that I was hooked when I started to collect every variation of the same watch. 
If I just show you some of the Doxa or Seiko watches (other favorites) you will immediately see watch insanity.




6. What element of the watch is for you make it or break it factor?

I really care about is how easy is it to tell time on the watch.  So I would say legibility.  I have to admit I have seen watches where the hands blend into the dial like with skeleton dials and I just can tell what time it is.
I do also have a favorite size with is around 39/40mm which is what you basic vintage Rolex watch sits at.  I have a collection of Panerai watches and there I have them as large as 47mm and they work for me.  However, I would say my favorite size has to be 40mm.  Little part of the Panerai collection PAM203, PAM127 and PAM 217




7. If you could design your own watch what would it be and what it would look like?


I don't have the talent to design a watch.  But dive watches have always been a favorite style for me. 
Easy to read, rotating bezel with 5 minute indicators.  I like both rubber and metal bracelets. 



8. What is the watch that will last leave your collection and why?

I like to think that every watch I have has a story to tell.  Most of the stories are around the hunt and the desire to locate a specific watch. 
Also each watch, again going back into my vintage theme, has history of its own.  Cousteau divers had this model. 
The Aquanaut Berry Cannon wore this model Doxa on the fateful day when the Sealab III tragedy happened. 




So that is to say there is not really one standout watch with a very specific attachment. 
On by the way did I mention I am a watch hoarder.  I can't seem to let go of anything as every watch was a challenge to acquire. 



9. What do you love and hate about watch industry today?


I know that for many the love hate relationship revolves around after sales service / customer support. 
It seems all too often they are so lovingly on the retail front but can't afford the customer the same courtesy when is it comes to service.
My expectations are very different in service as my watches are all vintage and they have to go into the caring hands of independent watchmakers who do the best they can with the little options they have.
We often have to by a second watch to scavenge parts to fix the first watch so I live in a very different service / restoration world.


10. What was the evolution of your collection and how do you see it in next decade?


For me my theme has remained pretty much the same over the years.  Focus is on a few brands with a general sport / dive theme. 



11. What other hobbies do you have?


Anybody who sees my posts in the forum knows I love the ocean.  If I could be out every day I would. 
So I am not sure I can call the ocean my hobby but I like to spend time on the water. 
More along the watch hobby theme is collecting and enjoying wine.  My wine collection is 25 years in the making. 


Finally I like old sports cars much like vintage watches.  They all seem to have a history unlike new cars where you create your history.
Pictured below is the frame of my 1930 Ford and the second picture is the body. 








12. Your life motto and life philosophy is…

I saw this on a billboard not long ago.
It is nice to be important but it is important to be nice.
For me it is all about generosity to others.





More posts: 5510aquanautAston MartinLotusLuminor 1950Luminor MarinaPAM127PAM203PAM217Submariner

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Comments: view entire thread

 

Bill.....

 
 By: Baron - Mr Red : November 30th, 2017-08:59
.....what a great story and journey. Truly inspiring. I love that saying..."a family that plays together, stays together". True of friends too! Thanks for giving this insight into your watches, background, thinking and evolution. Really enjoyed the read.

Thank you Bill for sharing some insights in the last (?) POTM series.

 
 By: HSTE : November 30th, 2017-09:13
Love the description of the pre-Microsoft era! On a more general note I think it was a splendid idea to start this series as it allows a more personal touch to some of the forum members, particularly if you have not (yet) had the chance to meet them in pe... 

Hi Bill, what a journey you have had and thank heaven that you...

 
 By: GLau : November 30th, 2017-09:16
met Thomas and Nicolas ! What you showed me in LA was so impressive ! I look forward to another GTG with you soon. Cheers, Gordon

Very nice reading more about you Bill...

 
 By: andrewluff : November 30th, 2017-09:27
I like you could not be without the sea for too long... I grew up next to it and apart from a few years in Switzerland have always lived close to it so that I can see it, be on it or often be under it at least every day. Wow that is some collection of car... 

Talking about cars. I am heading out this morning to do some "wrenching" as the home builder say. I do come home in a real mess not to mention all the knuckle injuries.

 
 By: Bill : December 1st, 2017-07:55
Another project another day. I just wish they were smaller because storage is a real pain. With watches just a zip lock bag and a bank vault.

You could collect pool cues instead, Bill . . .

 
 By: Dr No : December 3rd, 2017-10:13
. . . easier to to store than cars, and more fun than a barrel of monkeys. [African blackwood and persimmon Denali cue with maple and purpleheart shafts] And I know where you can get persimmon wood by the truckload if need be. Of course, you'd have to pra...  

Him turning around after is precious :))

 
 By: Ares501 - Mr Green : December 3rd, 2017-10:21
Where is everyone

Poor Curtis - he was practicing on his own . . .

 
 By: Dr No : December 3rd, 2017-10:24
. . . and no one was there to witness his first ace! Thank goodness for the security camera ;-) . . .

As always, wonderful to read POTM!

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : November 30th, 2017-09:33
And in this case even more so! Thank you for letting us have a peak into the life of Bill! Hope to see you soon again! Best Blomman

Indeed we should! :) [nt]

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : December 1st, 2017-15:08

You're the man, Bill!

 
 By: TheMadDruid : November 30th, 2017-09:34
What a great story. We are lucky to have you here, taking care of all of us. Cheers!

Damjan, I hope....

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : November 30th, 2017-09:34
You will continue this series of POTM into the next year! Best Blomman

Aaaah Bill, my friend, what a biography. Thanks a lot for taking care about our virtual home, thanks a lot for your friendship AND...

 
 By: amanico : November 30th, 2017-09:39
Wow, the pictures with you on your early days... Fantastic. I also love your motto. It is very important, for sure, and I know how important it is for you. All the best, and thousands thanks for being here and for being you. Nicolas.

Great post.

 
 By: kev09 : November 30th, 2017-10:01
I loved reading about your journey into watches, wine and cars. Your collections are amazing and your posts are always knowledgable, enthusiastic and encouraging to all. Best wishes and regards. Kev.

I remember a cold December day a few years ago

 
 By: cazalea : November 30th, 2017-10:10
One of my favorite cities Where we sat in a little bistro and talked watches for a few hours. Thanks for the background in this interview. Cheers, Mike ...  

It was a true pleasure to meet you, Bill.

 
 By: zabreg1 Mr White : November 30th, 2017-11:23
I hope we get to do lunch again sometime soon. And to see many more boxes, especially with Doxas in them. Thank you for all that you have given to this community. It was great to read about the more technical stuff you briefly touched upon when we talked.... 

Great to meet you virtually on the POTM and

 
 By: crown comfort : November 30th, 2017-11:25
hopefully will be able to meet you one day in person. I got a real flashback, when you mentioned CPM Operating System, that's where I started as well. Thanks for letting us be part of this community by doing all this hard work. Best, CC

Super cool, Bill

 
 By: Brandon Skinner : November 30th, 2017-13:45
Anytime I ever poured through the Purists archives looking for lord-knows-what and chanced upon a Bill watch/photo, it was always something great. Thanks for getting your stuff wet and sharing your passion.

Thank you Bill for the immeasurable contribution to our forum.

 
 By: Luis6 : November 30th, 2017-14:13
“It is nice to be important but it is important to be nice.” That is so true! Such words of wisdom. I’ll take your life motto to heart. Best Regards, Luis

Very cool read...you sound “old” with those hardware but without them...

 
 By: Clueless_Collector : November 30th, 2017-14:35
we (technological advances) won’t be here today. Thanks for being here and I feel honored to be in the same POTM list. Rgds Raymond

Thanks for a very interesting read about

 
 By: halkcb : November 30th, 2017-15:44
your horological journey and lifestyle---insightful and concise. have always enjoyed your postings,especially about diving watches ,and of course ,your eclectic wine collection and tastes. Hope to meet up some day in the non virtual world. best henry

you're much too modest.....

 
 By: halkcb : December 1st, 2017-08:34
we seem to share some similar tastes in wines. looking forward to sharing a few bottles in the future!

Bill, love those pics of you as a young rebel!

 
 By: watch-guy.com : November 30th, 2017-17:16
your collection is incredible. I always love seeing those old Rolex subbies Thanks for sharing Julian

One hell of a Purist!

 
 By: Harry2 : November 30th, 2017-17:51
A pleasure to read about such a valuable and entertaining member of our community! Bill sure has style!

Thank you my friend

 
 By: Harry2 : December 1st, 2017-08:20
Quite a complement, coming from you! I’ll try to post more, and better always a pleasure Bill. Perhaps someday we will meet and saber a bottle or two.

Nice to learn more about our man behind the scenes!

 
 By: AnthonyTsai : November 30th, 2017-21:50
Great interview! AT

Thank you, Bill!

 
 By: stromer : December 1st, 2017-01:55
For some deep insights into the man behind the posts and for all the work you are doing to keep our virtual home opened and heated. Family, ocean, wine and watches. Life can be good 😊 Best, Martin

Outstanding read! Fascinating, Bill.

 
 By: MichaelC : December 1st, 2017-06:25
I admire the passion to own multiple samples of the same piece, and as you infer, that will help keep at least one of them going for a long time!

Every meeting with this POTM is blurry

 
 By: MTF : December 1st, 2017-12:32
Bill, Thanks for the stories. We've met a few times since 2008 but I don't remember much as we both, either separately or together, had been hitting the red wine... Am I old if I remember something called a Winchester hard disk drive? As a young graduate,...  

Good mac. All the ad agencies had them way back in the day. I used to run (Ashton-Tate) DB II and then DB III on dos and I think it was filemaker on the mac.

 
 By: Bill : December 1st, 2017-19:29
I looked them up just now kinda short lived but it was all the rage back in the 1980's. Industry Software Fate Acquired Successor Borland Founded August 1980 Founder George Tate, Hal Lashlee Defunct October 1991 Headquarters Torrance, California, US Produ... 

What a perfect yearly finale for POTM, with the one and only King of Cool, Bill!

 
 By: AlexSunrise : December 1st, 2017-17:20
Thank you, Bill for sharing with us the many virtues which make you a person and collector. Hopefully we will catch up soon! All the best to you and yours from south of the border. Alex

Thanks to both of you!

 
 By: KMII : December 2nd, 2017-04:26
A really inspiring read, this And your final motto is one everyone can take to heart, Bill! Thanks for all the behind the scenes work you do that ensures our favourite second (for some first) home is seamlessly running 24/7.

No the teal question.

 
 By: Bill : December 2nd, 2017-15:31
Am i working hard or hardly working. It is such a pleasure to hang out in the forum with so many cool members. Tjank you for sll hour great contributions. Bill

Very nice reading about you Bill

 
 By: RG1 : December 2nd, 2017-08:10
hope to see you again somewhere in Europe 🙏

Great to read more on Bill, the man, the legend & the "OG Doxa Collector" as my kids would say...

 
 By: Tim Jackson : December 2nd, 2017-13:05
Obvious Passion on display here, which is a hugely honorable pastime when executed by Bill. You earned your stripes over time and have "dived in deep" so to speak! Thank you for sharing, and I enjoy living vicariously through you, especially when it comes... 

Always a pleasure to share.

 
 By: Bill : December 2nd, 2017-15:28
With you so close we should get together in 2018. Bill

Hello dear Bill! Such a great reading! I enjoyed so much...

 
 By: Subexplorer : December 2nd, 2017-16:54
... viewing your collection and reading your thoughts and comments! I know well and share the meaning of your words: a family which plays together stays together! I’m 69 and going through some experiences which confirm what I had always thought: how impor... 

It will be with great pleasure to make your real life acquaintance (Virtual is fun also) should the opportunity arise.

 
 By: Bill : December 2nd, 2017-18:32
I remember when you posted a picture of young Abel diving and I saved it because it reminded me so much of the those fund days. Looking forward to a future encounter. Best Bill

Thank you so much Bill! I look forward to meet you in person some day soon and will keep enjoying...

 
 By: Subexplorer : December 3rd, 2017-05:06
... this nice friendship at distance. I feel honored to know you keep that old picture of my youth first steps with Scuba diving! Thank you so much Bill! All the best! Abel.

#FanOfBill #KingOfCool

 
 By: jrwong23 (aka watchthebin) : December 2nd, 2017-19:58
nice read! I’m a huge fan of Bill, his collection, style and also more personally (as I used to work with him when I was a PuristSPro moderator), a very professional and loyal team member and friend. Got to know Bill better thru this post. Thanks for shar... 

Just marvelous, dear Bill:)

 
 By: S F : December 2nd, 2017-23:55
A colorful account of a passionate vintage collector and someone who is so ready to share his knowledge. Not only do we learn about your hobbies but also insight into your life motto. When I started researching into vintage rolex, your posts were among th... 

Bill you're Da Man!

 
 By: fernando : December 3rd, 2017-18:18
Great admiration for all you have done for the Purists community. Wishing you all the best going forward and hopefully a GTG with you one day. Best Regards, Fernando

Wow, amazing journey

 
 By: Miranda : December 11th, 2017-12:31
was a pleasure reading your story And bang on about family All my best Imran

Really cool to read this POTM of Bill

 
 By: Seeks : December 12th, 2017-04:55
I appreciate very much now, more than before, the historical background of the early years of this forum thanks Bill, for the years you (and moderators too) have put into our virtual community. Two thumbs up! - - seeks

I remember that fateful moment when we met in the parking lot

 
 By: ThomasM : December 12th, 2017-06:41
Of the Bank of America in Brentwood... It has been an interesting journey, to say the least... So happy to see that symbolically important AmVox still in your collection... Cheers, mate. TM

Another one I stumbled over late after my return from South Africa.. So I do hope, it's not too late yet to say.. :)))

 
 By: hs111 : December 14th, 2017-08:46
What a man, what a superb taste for divers tic-tacs, beautiful wines and love for cars, boats.. - A true connoisseur and gentleman ! I had the pleasure to get to know Bill on one of my first Paris GTGs, through Nico (if I remember correctly it was 2010 or... 

You very kind Dear Heinz and a true gentleman.

 
 By: Bill : December 19th, 2017-07:56
We did only have a the one real life meeting but I have the pleasure continuously to enjoy your company here in our virtual world. I think we all teach each other a little something here and a little something there. Best wishes to you in the holiday seas... 

Thanks so much for your kind words, dear Bill !.. I am truly grateful for your showing &..

 
 By: hs111 : December 19th, 2017-09:15
.. commenting on a series of splendid Rolex specimens, just to name one example. - Really learned a lot !! And meeting you in person in Pariswas a special pleasure, so these encounters in our virtual world always were & are true pleasure ! Thx and Happy F... 

Dear Bill , nice to meet you through this POTM 🙏🏻

 
 By: Watchonthewrists : December 19th, 2017-12:48
Its sure is a nice read and thank you for all your effort for this great community . I am only a few years here but its such a nice and warm community 🤗 . Your live motto is beautiful and i can only agree with it 🙏🏻

How did I miss this?!

 
 By: Arie - Mr Orange : December 23rd, 2017-14:49
Boats Wines Watches Cars You sir are my kind of guy. My hat's off to you!