Entries by GaryG

Whither Watch Websites? The Future Of Online Watch Journalism (You Read It Here First)

October 27, 2018 /8 Comments/in , /by

Several months ago, Ian Skellern published a provocative article taking issue with the current state of online watch journalism. Specifically, he criticized what in his view is the low quality and repetitive nature of what we see online. But are things really uniform and uniformly bad or are there distinct types of online sources and content? GaryG wonders how we think about the different business models and value propositions of watch sites, and what it tells us about how the future may unfold.

The Independent Watchmakers’ Struggle: Why It’s So Hard And What They Can Do To Better Survive (Archive)

October 21, 2018 /2 Comments/in , , /by

GaryG loves independent watchmaking and independent watchmakers; one of his great joys as a collector is having the feeling that, in a small way, he is supporting their efforts. So he put some thought into why independent watchmakers struggle in a business sense and how they can remain relevant in changing market situations.

Why I Bought It: Romain Gauthier Logical One (Archive)

October 14, 2018 /4 Comments/in , , , /by

GaryG was sitting at his breakfast table on the morning of January 18, 2013, when during his morning scan of news he saw a photo of something breathtaking. It was Logical One by Romain Gauthier – a watch he immediately knew that he would own someday. He was captivated by the white gold version with frosted gold movement: this was “the one” for him.

Mothers Of Invention: Behind The Lens With Invention Pieces 1 And 2 By Greubel Forsey

October 13, 2018 /10 Comments/in , , , /by

GaryG was delighted to take possession of an Invention Piece 1 with its inclined double tourbillon, while a good friend of his replied in kind with a purchase of the quadruple-tourbillon Invention Piece 2. Ever since, he has been dying to get these two gorgeous monsters side by side in the light tent. And the time has finally come!

Why I Bought It: Hajime Asaoka Tsunami

September 29, 2018 /21 Comments/in , , /by

This is the story of a daily-wear watch: the Tsunami by Japanese independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka. It’s not a “beater” as it’s too beautifully made for that description, and some folks justifiably take offense at characterizing a five-figure expenditure in those terms. But it is a watch that GaryG suspects that he will be wearing a lot and in a variety of settings.

Behind The Lens: Beat Haldimann’s H1 Flying Central Tourbillon (Archive)

September 23, 2018 /0 Comments/in , , , /by

In GaryG’s view, every successful independent watchmaker has elements of a “house style” that may attract some buyers and put off others, but nonetheless sets him or her apart. And, at the highest level, this style goes beyond “branding” to become an expression of the personality and artistic vision of the creator. In the picturesque Swiss town of Thun, Beat Haldimann and his small team distinguish themselves by focusing on technical virtuosity of the highest order, as typified by the Haldimann H1 Flying Central Tourbillon.

Behind The Lens: Patek Philippe Ref. 5950A-001 Split-Seconds Chronograph (Archive)

September 15, 2018 /5 Comments/in , , , /by

Given GaryG’s musings on these pages about the relative roles of rarity and complication in driving the value of a watch, he thinks it appropriate to dedicate this “Behind the Lens” entry to a piece that is both complicated and limited in production: Patek Philippe’s Reference 5950A. What’s so special about this watch? Well, first of all it’s a split-seconds chronograph. What else?

You Are There: Monterey Car Weekend 2018 With Singer Reimagined

September 13, 2018 /2 Comments/in , , , /by

There’s a big overlap between the populations of watch and car enthusiasts, so it should come as no surprise that some of GaryG’s watch (and car) buddies leapt at the chance to attend the annual Singer Reimagined Monterey event this year and then took advantage of being in the area to sample other events over the weekend as well.