Entries by GaryG

Code 11.59 By Audemars Piguet: How To Fail At Marketing, AKA To Break The Rules You Must First Master Them

June 15, 2019 /0 Comments/in , , /by

The initial online response to the new Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 collection launched to great fanfare at the 2019 SIHH in January was extremely negative, and even among those who withheld judgment until handling the watches, “lukewarm” seemed to be the general view. Having let the dust settle a bit, GaryG takes a look at the anatomy of what he thinks was a dismal product launch (though not necessarily a dismal product).

Keep Calm And Continue Collecting: Advice For An Up-And-Down Watch Market – Reprise

June 2, 2019 /4 Comments/in , , /by

When GaryG first considered an article on this topic some time ago, the title was going to be “How High is Up?” in reference to what, at the time, was the ongoing escalation in the prices of both new and used watches and the flood of higher-end, highly complicated timepieces from makers both large and small. Times have changed, and so has the market. Here is GaryG’s advice.

Why I’ve Never Owned A Rolex – And Why I Might Yet (Update: I Do Now!) – Reprise

May 11, 2019 /2 Comments/in , , /by

Once in a while on the collector forums, a question is posed: is there anyone in the collector community who has never, ever, owned a Rolex? As a general rule, respondents to these queries tend to express disbelief that such a creature could possibly exist given the quality and ubiquity of the brand’s watches. Well, folks, GaryG is here to tell you that such people do exist, and that he is one of them. How could it be? And then what happened?

Behind The Lens: Philippe Dufour Duality – Reprise

May 7, 2019 /0 Comments/in , , , , /by

For this edition of Behind the Lens, GaryG shares a series of photographs of one of the great watches of our time, the Philippe Dufour Duality. The Duality, with its linked twin escapements, was originally planned for production in a series of 25 watches. In a turn of events that seems almost unbelievable today, a lack of initial demand eventually led Dufour to limit production to just nine pieces, one of which is owned by a good friend of Gary’s.

Why I Bought It: Vacheron & Constantin Reference 4560 Triple Calendar

April 8, 2019 /8 Comments/in , , , /by

Oh, those Geneva auctions! While GaryG’s intention is usually to browse the rare pieces on offer, gain an education from his auction-house friends and escape unscathed, it seems that more often than not there is a piece that puts him into bidding mode. And sometimes, that piece is entirely unanticipated as was the case of the Vacheron & Constantin Reference 4560 triple calendar that he stumbled across at the Sotheby’s preview. Here is why he bought it.