VinnieD
3326
A tale of two brothers
Well, I believe that all the watches that are real keepers do have a strong stories behind them.
Here is mine:
When my great grand father celebrated his golden anniversary in the 70s, he gifted a Patek 2573j to each of his two sons. A while later, those two brothers became estranged for various reasons. One of them was my grand father: after he passed away, his barely touched piece was given to me by my father who does not care about watches at all. I was obviously very happy about this but the watch did not have such a strong sentimental value as I had never seen my grand father wearing it and we did not have such a strong connection.
On the other hand, my grand uncle had a warmer personality and we got along very well. He was also profusely smoking and wearing his Patek on a daily basis for decades. When he became too old to wind his watch (small crown) or to read its dial (thin gold hands), he had it serviced, put on a new strap on it and gave it to me. He did not make a big fuss about it but we both knew how fond I was of watches and how touched I was by his gesture.
Here I was with two equal watches, probably close in production numbers too but one was NOS and the other one had a stained dial from tobacco smoke (turned dirty gold instead of silver), the crown was well worn too.
A few years later, as I was gathering funds to buy my home, I had to find a way to some additional cash. That is when I took the hard decision to sell one of my sentimental watches (family jewels and all). Can you guess which one went out of the door? It was a case of condition vs. sentimentality. The potential buyer of the watch being foreigner to this story, was only going to focus on condition.
The next steps to this story will be:
- Checking respective production numbers (I have a picture of the factory certificate from the one I sold, which I will cross-check against the one I kept)
- Maintain the watch for several decades and gift it to a grand son of mine (I have three daughters).
- Maybe at some point have the "tobacco" dial gently restored?
- Cheers everyone - sorry about the long story!
- Smoking is bad for your watch health
- Patek used to make small, high quality boxes
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WristScan weekend 5-7 July, 2019, Let's Watch Your Stories
As communicated yesterday, I am your host for this weekend WristScan session. As a theme I have decided to give all our friends here the opportunity not only to show great photos of great pieces they have in their collections, but also to personalize a li...
Two watch brand as well.
The king and the soldier! Got this air king last year after trashing Rolex for more than a decade in various forums. And when it reached the time to get a in-house movement watch for myself, I realised not many companies really manufacture in-house moveme...
thanks for sharing the stories of these two watches...
I like the 'the king and and soldier' title, and the your uniform while taking the photo, really fits into the story....
Interesting combination, Iceheller!
And it seems your timing was good, too - in terms of getting one without a waiting list 😉
Great stories behind these watches, I. I will follow you with two of mines.
The one which started all, the Rolex GMT MASTER, because it was a promise I made to myself when I was 14 years old. Some 20 years after, I got it! And another watch with a funny story, this time... In the early days of September 2008, I got a call of a fr...
You lucky man Nicolas!! Great story of that wonderful...
... FF!! Superb shots you share!! I didn’t know that your love for GMT’s started with a promise in your youth!! Nice to know that!! Two wonderful watches and stories behind my dear friend! Hagwe and abrazos!! Abel
Ha ha ha!! I can well understand you my dear friend!!...
... I was also a fan of this TV series and great actor!! Keep loving your superb GMT’s my dear friend!! Cheers! Abel
My hero was Steve McQueen . . .
. . . in Bullitt. And while I probably won't get the Benrus he actually wore in the film, a military 1A like yours (gone, I know!) is still on my list. Art
I was vrry fond of McQueen too Art!!...
... seems we share similar tastes! And Bullitt includes two classics I love so much: McQ and Mustang! Cheers! Abel
I remember seeing . . .
. . . Bullitt when it was released, and thinking, "That's who I want to be when I grow up!" Reality is considerably different ;-) . . .
great little regiment of Rolex GMTs there Nicolas...good now to know how it all started with you...
but that FF...well, I guess you got already my thoughts about BP...sounds you being woke up early in the morning in that instance, paid off very well...really love that FF...
Sometimes it pays to pick up the phone in the middle of the night 😉
Two great stories Nico and it’s nice to fulfill one’s promises to one’s younger self 👍🏻
Love the Blancpain! (So, too, your pictures of Sunday morning Paris. So peaceful!) This is honest wear&tear, which I love to see in vintage pieces.
While NOS can have its charm, nonetheless to see that a watch has actually lived…. That, to me, is exciting. And the strap you have it on… perfection! FH
Two brands
For me there are two brands that ignited the watch fever Rolex: way back when we were married for 12.5 years we bought each other a Rolex Datejust Bicolor. I still have mine and it’s been a true companion. Never broke down never been opened never been ser...
thanks for sharing this here Jurry...
seems that Rolex is a common trigger for watch collection.... but the story that linked you both to VC is special....was so glad to hear and read that...I just wish you, your wife and family much health and many more watch discoveries to be done....I thin...
Great story Jurry ...
I would like to wish both of you but especially your wife good luck and in good health for the future.
Two beautiful watches and a most moving and great story behind Jurry! So nice to read! Thank you so much for sharing with us!
I wish you and your wife will keep enjoying these watches in the best of good health and joy! Hagwe! Abel
Ah… The "Harmony…" Breathtaking! I love that cushion case, and it fits you so well! But the watches pale against your loving years together. Well done.
And may you be blessed with many more! FH
Hello dear friend Izhik!! Great to have you hosting WS this week end!!
Always believed that our most cherished watches were those with a good story behind. You show two superb watches with a great story backing them as a nice starting of this thread. I’m sharing two watches. The 16750 GMT I showed with its complete story a c...
Thank you Abel for sharing these two watch biographies with us....
that GMT has such vibrant colors on the bezel, but of course it's history it is what makes it really so special...as always, real stories are associated with emotions, as I believe it is also in this case...indeed a family piece and watch with family root...
Thanks a lot dear Izhik! It is always my big pleasure to participate and share my wathces and its stories here. Indeed...
... These two are very special pieces to me. Glad you like it my friend! Abel
Great story’s Abel and...
Your photos are superb as ever. Look after that wonderful GMT Master !
An amazing selection, as always, Abel!
Fantastic pieces, too and great stories to go with them 👍🏻
Here is my story of one brand I'm collecting
After a few visits at Baselworld I got my eyes wide open for a company named Glashütte Original this was in 2005. We was invited to the company and they treat us as the stars we are so we feel at home from day one. Just two regular guys that love watches ...
thanks Jocke for taking us along with you in this Glashütte journey....
things are always better understood with the appropriate background, and that's very true when we realize how our affinities for particular watch brands were and are still evolving... I must say, some magnificent photos here....I looove that lume of the S...
Great post Jocke ...
I think it gives us a good sense of your passion for the GO watches and some great photos 🍻
Thank you so much Jocke for sharing your story and relation with this superb brand. Regarding your pictures...
... What to say. You always let me speechless viewing the perfection of lightining, focus, angles and props you present in every shot! Perfection!! Hagwe! Abel
It’s great having your whole GO journey recreated, Jocke!
Thanks so much for the story and the superb pictures accompanying it 👌🏻👍🏻
As you may have read, dear Jocke, I, too love the GO aesthetic. But whereas the PML may have been a bit delicate, the Senator Observer feels just right!
So serious a timepiece! Were one to land on my wrist, all resolve would vanish. I feel your pain! Great contribution, and so interesting to hear this story of your long relationship with GO! (Such a fan of your photography… Please kee it coming!) FH
. . . and thanks to the miracle that is YouTube, we can share . . .
. . . your experience!
Always been very partial to the MIH...
Looking forward to hearing what stories emerged 😊
Hello from Phuket.
My only watch for the holidays. Has served me well so far. HAGWE! Fernando ...
Great watch Fernando! Nothing else needed for your trip to Phuket when speaking of watches. Waterproof and tough timepiece ...
... Will stand the rough treatment of traveling by plane, going to the beach or submerge in the sea. A classic model in an aggiornated face lift which makes it look more modern but with the timeless style of its origins. I love this watch! Enjoy your vaca...
You are right Abel and I hardly notice it's there.
It can take the good with the bad and seemingly no worse for wear. Thank you for the kind words amigo.
Me big pleasure Fernando! A favorite watch of mine too...
... you have a peace of mind with it on your wrist!! Great choice and beautiful watch! Keep enjoying! Cheers! Abel
This might well become my second Omega...
Really like the material combination and the lack of date 👌🏻
Jaeger Lecoultre is among my top 3 brand
I’ve been lucky enough to collect some of them, and could find NOS some model I couldn’t afford when they were released being at that time a student The Reverso Rouge wasn’t NOS but almost ...
Yes
My main concern is I don’t appreciate that much the new line. They are bigger than before and I don’t like that. I wanted the WT Geophysic but way too big for me .
Beautiful watches Tyo and great shots! The DSA Europe is a model I would love to have in my collection. Of course I love the other two...
... And as a matter of fact I own them and enjoy so much. Great shots! I am specially fond of the b&w shots. I am happy you could catch them in such a superb condition ! Hagwe! Abel
That’s true my friend!! This one has been elusive to me!!
may be some day I’m lucky!! Cheers!! Abel El Dexter
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