Independents

Hi Gary!

First of all a HUGE congratulations for acquiring this marvelous piece once again!

I am very happy to read your in depth review, just as i would have wanted to do it too but i am afraid i wont be nearly half as eloquent as you are!

The Simplicity is in many ways bittersweet for me, such as before i got to see it for the very 1st time, i wanted it so badly, then after seeing it for real the 1st time, i thought " hell i'll DEFINITELY purchase it if the opportunity comes along", then when it FINALLY did came i gave it a PASS! Why you may ask me? The watch is good, really it is. But at the end of the day as often others would say it in this passion of ours, no MATTER who or how much people say this watch is good or whatnot, it is YOU (the owner) who MUST be satisfied. Just as you say you would be obsessed to check on the differences in colours betwee crown and case for a Pt Simplicity with WG crown ( of which you are correct in saying that all Dufour's white metal watches have a WG crown, one of the big No nos for me), i too would very possibly find myself tossing and turning in bed JUST over this matter! ( I think you know what i mean)

Then there is the fact about it's size. I know , i know, some guys out there would really bash me over this, but i am glad it fits you that well! ( Jealous even! Hahah) But for me, when i tried it on, it just doesnt make the cut ( Maybe cause i do too many Beef bowl cuts at Lawry's! And to take a sideline, there even used to be a steak called the " Stephen T cut" in Tokyo, named after me, NO KIDDING! In both it's name and it's size, its a 2.7kg steak ,Unfortunately the place closed down a few years back so there's no way you can eat that anymore, which is sad)

As for the issue on the apex, my choice would be C. Although this again , if i owned this watch would cause more sleepless nights!

My heart and principles still calls for a watch that hacks, and i guess it was a no-brainer for me to release this baby, even though it aches at my heart to let it go. Well, one cant have everything in life, and what's one door closed is another open, and for me this cant be none the truer! ( I think you might have read on my favourite forum of what's coming in store for me)

But please, do not let me ruin your experience and your choice, because at the end of the day you are happy!

I must say though that in your post the part i absolutely LOVE the most is your final statement, is that your parents told you to stay with a nice German watch! Wow, did they really tell you so? This is something that i will ingrain into my kids too in the future, that when all is said and done, just stick with a nice Mechanische Uhr aus Deutschland They are the BEST.

And while i dont want to ruin your experience with your Simplicity, i cant help but to share with you a very similar far cousin, in terms of design and finishing. Pardon me utilising this shot over and over again, but it was and still is one of my best!

Danke schoen Gary!

Stephen

 

Hi Stephen!

Your photos are outstanding..............I can't believe that it was taken using an iPhone!!

To be clear, while some of those were iPhone shots many were taken with my Leica point-and-shoot.  Still, no DSLR photos in the bunch, so I'm quite pleased with how they turned out.

I will certainly consider another post in 6 months if I have anything to say!  pplater already did the definitive Simplicty vs. Observatoire post, so I may not try to repeat that feat, though...

Best,

Gary

I find some of the statements in your post, Stephen... kind of unfortunate. Not your opinions, of course. That's what we're here for. But would you--would anyone--really toss and turn over a wg crown or this apex issue, if you can even call it an issue...? It is like bedding Raquel Welch in 1971... and losing desire because she has a few split ends in her hair! (I have a 1970's mad love for RW.) Anyway, it's not yours or anyone's opinions or perceptions or peeves that are unfortunate... just the idea that a watch can be SO extraordinary, SO-SO-SO extraordinary, by anyone's measure... and still, a few will dwell on marginal observations... I guess it points toward human nature itself, which seems truly insatiable. I am a nut, as we all seem to be here. But when I was reading your post, I felt a little sad for humanity! Imagine God reading this stuff!  This message has been edited by Mostel on 2012-04-17 11:33:51

And for a perfectionist like me, I LIKE it!

Because it just goes to show indeed how imperfect we really are, for me as a christian all the more so.

Absolute perfection is this degree which can never ever be reached. That i know fully well, but the goal of my life is to get as close as possible i can till the day my breath gives out. The journey and the effort in doing it is what makes me happy.

Dont know if anyone else besides me will toss and turn over my Pt cased watch having a WG crown, but i can assure you i do, and for even more "trivial" issues too! Afterall the world of watches and it's indiosyncrasies have been with me for more than the better half of my life. I have seen loads, but still yearn to see more, and i know i will every day!

Indeed, your rhetorical statement, how Excellent does excellent have to be? How much MORE can it be?

I think about it my friend, everyday waking moment of my life.

Now, back to enjoyment of our beloved watches!

Yours sincerely and thankfully,

Stephen

hi, mostel,

I agree with your specific feelings, for the most part.

I was tempted to bring out some of the ego-centrism (not an accusation or insult, just an adjective) in your points of views, which, again, I share in many of (including about that "family owned" brand, by the way. But we have to be careful about these "old friend insider references" as i can imagine it can be confusing to others who don't know your oft expressed peeve...and I can think of at least two brands that fit your description, though I know which one you are refering to..)

Your comments remind me of an eternal dilemma we constantly face here - it's okay to praise, to exalt, to idolize, but not to call out? to express dislike, even disgust? at what point is sharing one's appreciation bordering on idolatry? or dislike (or cynicism elicited by perceived cynicism) encroaching on harangues?

a thought experiment - suppose someone felt the same way you do about the "brand" but instead about independents - the broken promises, the (repeatedly) missed delivery dates, unreplied emails, the HUGE premiums vis a vis what is actually delivered, capricious "get out of my workshop, you are never welcome back" bad days, etc.

so instead of viewing those issues as charming quirks, and foibles of being small and "individual," they are viewed simply as flaky, emo, prima donna-ish, yea, even "cynical"...

Can you imagine?

I know my words will make little or no sense to many readers, but there are enough old timers who have posted in this thread who will, or should, have the CONTEXT of my comments to understand them in their implied CONTEXT, that I felt it worth a shot to take the time and energy to type this at 4am in the morning (actually started at 320am - damned iPad keyboard!) - all I can conclude is,

(sigh)

and why, among many other reasons, I don't post so much anymore - it's all about perspective, and I'm just not sure my perspective is relevant anymore in this brave new world.

Cheers,

TM

Too bad it is buried so deep in this thread!  I won't go on at length here, but I'm reading about at least a few issues here:

1. Whether it is OK to believe "it is always possible to do better" and to hold makers (especially those who attempt to differentiate on this dimension) to standards of perfection.  Or, a slightly milder version -- whether it is OK to be really "particular" (as Tim Jackson calls me) about fine details of one's watches

2. Whether we are here only to praise, or whether this is meant to be an open forum for both likes and dislikes

3. Whether independents can be just as human and infurating as major brands

On the latter point, I am now in the seemingly endless waiting cycle for two independent pieces -- one of which is now several years late (imagine!) and the other of which will likely be a year late before it is delivered and on which there have been some visible quality issues regarding (subcontracted) components along the way.  Even the sweetest and best-intentioned fellows can get caught up in the pragmatic demands and temptations of running a small business (e.g., the multi-phased expansion of the "limited edition" Observatoire numbers).  And while I am clearly an enthusiast, I hope that in my comments on various watches I am somewhat even-handed.

So, I can vouch for the fact that we are all human!  Whether it's my obsessive search for perfection in detail as well as harmony in conception (my thesis advisor always insisted that this is the definition of "genius"), or the producers' various foibles, we all have our issues, I suppose.

Keep posting, Thomas -- and Mostel!

Best,

Gary G

Thomas, 

thank you very much for your kind words. Actually, really warms my heart...

Not many people remember those old posts (or even the old site...sigh) - it's rare to find someone today who might recognize the watches in my avatar photo...

;-)

But affirmations like yours (and Mostel, who was kind enough to email me offline and not take my comments the wrong way) gives me the motivation to keep at it. Thanks!

Cheers,

TM

 

Hi Stephen

On a non-watch related note, now I know who's the guy who ate that big cut of meat at Porterhouse Steaks!

Cheers

Hi Real Muttley,

Emm i dont think that was me cause i have never been there before!

But i have to say thank you as now you have introduced me to another steakhouse in Singapore!

Time for me to go over there and see how's their meat! Btw the closest location to Porterhouse that i have made a name would be Bedrock at Somerset. I think i have my photo on their website somewhere......

Haha,

Cheers

Stephen

to make your points.

Thanks!

TM

Hope you are doing well -- and I appreciate the kind words.

All the best,

Gary

... And some superb pictures.

I am pleased that you found this post, and even more pleased that you took the time to add your comments. I find myself pulling this watch out of the box more frequently than I would have expected -- far from being dull, the clean appearance of the dial is quite comforting to me. 

Gary, I have been reading your posts and i enjoyed every one of them even though I do not respond much.  This post is exceptional

All, instead of responding to each of you, I have foud it extremely enlightening just by read your comments.

I learnt a lot just by reading each thread.  What I like about puristspro is I am not reading just technical reviews but passion, love, all the beautiful things of human nature ...

Thanks everyone!

I am very pleased (and flattered) that you found this post interesting -- I agree with you that the PuristS are thoughtful and passionate folks! 

I hope that you will continue to make your views known by posting more...

All the best,

Gary G

...on the very top of my "must have" list.

I'm very pleased that reading this post increased your excitement about this watch! The more I study it, the more I am impressed.

Good luck in your search -- I was fortunate to find one after some trying, and wish you good fortune!

Best,

Gary