The Ming 20.01 Series 2 AgenGraphe Mosaic chronograph was only made in a series of eight prototypes for early backers of the brand. Happily for collectors including Chuck, a modified Series 2 version of the 20.01 did subsequently go into production, and thanks to his kindness GaryG is able to present it to you here.
The 23 vintage LIP watches in this article are not for sale: they were made for friends and are based on wristwatches from the late 40s and early 50s from the LIP brand. Thomas Brechtel shares this story of passion.
November 2018 marked a personal horological high point for GaryG as he took delivery of an “unobtainable” watch, the Patek Philippe Reference 3940P-027. Gary shares his reasons for buying this rare timepiece with us here.
Most will agree that re-painting a dial is a big no-no. Vintage pieces with re-painted dials can be had for a steal as they are difficult to shift and mostly unwanted. But not all dial restorations are created equal, and we do encounter varying degrees of “upgrades.” Some of these upgrades are purposeful deception, while others are not. Here is what one watchmaker feels about the subject.
Bhanu Chopra picked up his unique piece Kudoke Flieger Concept from Stefan and Ev Kudoke over lunch at their favorite steakhouse in Dresden, Germany. Here he describes how and why he fell in love with this unique one-off timepiece and what makes Kudoke’s watches so special in general.
Tim Mosso had saved a war chest for watches during his Navy and freelance writing years. Fueled by prescription-strength rationalization that a credible watch collection was a path to credibility in his new profession,he sought multiple JLC models long on his radar.
This is the story of GaryG’s pursuit, and eventual capture, of a classic vintage watch: a Type 20 “big eye” flyback chronograph manufactured by Mathey-Tissot.
Of all the questions Tim Mosso has been asked by other watch collectors, the most personal is the one that he has never answered in full. “What kind of watches do you like?”
Quentin R. Bufogle could go on and on about the Zenith Chronomaster Tribute to Charles Vermot’s stunningly beautiful, metallic blue dial, silicon escapement (visible via the open heart feature), COSC chronometer certification and that it’s one of the last truly great Chronomasters, but that would be missing the point, i.e. how Charles Vermot saved Zenith.
In no particular order, here are 15 watches from 2023 that Ian Skellern would love to own (if somebody else was paying) and one that he hopes to buy for himself.