HSTE[Omega Moderator]
4025
Clearly, the acquisition of „the Karl“ took a long time and comprised some lucky timing: one morning, some years back, I walk into a small watch store to see a watch ....
Jan 24, 2019,11:48 AM
.... that was on display. In the store, on the table is a tray of 6-8 AP RO 5402. Most of them special (custom dials, white gold case etc.) but one caught my eye immediately: a black, rocked 5402. I asked what it is and the guy said: ah, it’s from Lagerfeld. Now mind: at that point in time the only thing known about KL and 5402 was one Interview in a French magazine where KL stated that he wore- and loved AP RO 5402. It was not known that his 5402‘s were black.
I looked at the watch, tried it on (perfect fit) but the asking price seemed to be too high. I left the store. Next morning I went back. I told the guy that I seriously considered to buy the watch. But it was gone ..... to the factory for a movement overhaul. I verbally agreed on a price level and that once the watch would get back he would notify me. This store by the way was at some geographical distance to the place I lived back then.
Months passed by and I sent regular mails to the store, checking if the watch was back, but almost a year passed by. During those months I searched hundrets of pictures and video fragments of KL until, at one point I found a picture of young KL from 1979 where he wears a BLACK 5402.
Almost one year had passed by and I happened to be in the city of the watch store and I had some time so I popped into the store. And as I walk in just after it opened in the morning, there was „Karl“ on the table. It had literally just been delivered back by courier from the factory, all factory paperwork etc being next to it.
We discussed again the Price (that had moved up slightly), agreed, and the rest is history.
Cheers, HSTE