Why I Bought It: Vintage Rolex Day-Date Reference 1803

Sometimes with watches it’s like it is with pets: you don’t choose them, they choose you. When Martin Green strapped on this vintage Rolex Day-Date quite by accident, everything fell into place for him. Here he explains how and why he bought it.

Why I Bought It: Collector Quentin R. Bufogle and his 2006 Omega De Ville Chronoscope Chronograph

If you would’ve told Quentin R. Bufogle six months ago that he’d pass on a Breguet Type XX in favor of an Omega, he might’ve thought you were crazy. What changed his mind? Granted that in terms of sheer aesthetics, it ticks all the right boxes for him. But there’s much more to it.

Why I Bought It: Collector Koen Simon and his Two-Tone Christiaan Van Der Klaauw Orion

Koen Simon is a 28-year-old watch collector from The Netherlands. A regular reader of Quill & Pad, he is a fan of high-end watchmaking. He recently sent us this story about how and why he acquired his rare two-tone Orion timepiece by Christiaan van der Klaauw, which we are pleased to share here.

Why I Bought It: Rolex Air-King “Bloodhound” Ref. 116900

Quentin Bufogle has never worshipped at the “Green ‘n’ Gold” Rolex altar. But the Rolex Air-King reference 116900 has always been his favorite stainless steel 40 mm Rolex and here he explains why he bought one.

The One Hertz by Tim and Bart Grönefeld

Grönefeld One Hertz: A Collector’s Journey

GaryG has the pleasure of covering the wonderful Grönefeld One Hertz. For a watch fanatic, and especially for lovers of independent watch brands, it’s a dream come true to meet the makers of the watches that we admire.

Conspiracy Theories and Myths: JFK Assassination by CIA, Moon Landing Faked, 911 an Inside Job, Lemmings Jump of Cliffs, and Rolex Restricts Supply to Boost Prices

The (or at least one) definition of Faith is a strongly held conviction or belief that is not based on proof. Faith in a conviction is a powerful force that can bond many people together for good or for evil. Ian Skellern debunks a few falsehoods, including Rolex deliberately limiting supply.

Why I Bought It: Collector Koen Simon And His IWC Reference 504 ‘Türler’

Every day Koen Simon looks out for special watches, and a couple months ago he noticed an IWC on an online marketplace that looked rather odd because of three things: the shape of the case, the dial, and a “Türler” signature. So he investigated the history of this beautiful watch and now shares his rather personal love story with it here.

Why I Bought a Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 with White Dial It the Day Before it was Discontinued – Reprise

After years of consideration, Bhanu Chopra took the plunge and bought both a Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 mm and a Submariner Reference 114060. And less than 24 hours after finally taking ownership of them, Rolex discontinued both watches! Here he shares the story of how it all went down. Spoiler alert: he couldn’t be happier!

Form follows function: Omega Seamaster “Ploprof” 600m

A Contemporary Watch Collector Goes Vintage with Omega, Patek Philippe and Jaeger-LeCoultre – Reprise

To my longtime friends in the watch hobby, and perhaps to regular readers here as well, the mention of my name may conjure up a number of connotations: patron of the independents, fan of A. Lange & Söhne, admirer of Patek Philippe grand complications, and longtime customer of Jaeger-LeCoultre, among other characterizations more or less favorable. But vintage?

Gumball Rally/Around-the-World-in-80-Days/24 Hours of Le Mans: Here’s a Proposal for a Real-Life International Chronometry Competition that Both Brands and Collectors might Enjoy

Ian Skellern’s suggestion for an International Chronometry Competition is a group of well-heeled collectors – brands/independents are also welcome to participate, but I suspect they will wait to see how it goes – set off from, say, Geneva, but could be New York, Dubai, or Singapore, wearing one or two watches, on a two-week world tour. Here he explains how it might work.