A five minute job

A couple of weeks ago we've advertised a nice Girard-Perregaux Classic Elegance '1966' watch in 18K gold case, set with diamonds. A very fine, elegant slim-line piece. The watch went to a good home - and I had the privilege of meeting both the owner and his wife - we spent almost two hours chatting. Very nice people, both over the moon about the purchase.

A few weeks later, the owner came to tell me that he is still very much in love with the watch and wonder if I can adjust the time keeping because watch was gaining a bit of time. Of course - this is just a five minute job - so I suggested that I can do it while he waited.

The five minute time frame to accomplish the task was a bit of an overkill. It really just takes a few seconds to pop up the case back, slide the micro regulator, and snap the case back on. Two minutes at most.

The watch arrived yesterday around lunch time, as scheduled. As predicted, the regulation was a piece of cake - it was oscillating gently within -1/+1 sec per day. Perfect! But getting the case back on was impossible! No matter how hard I was trying to push it on, it just would not click back! After 10 minutes, both my thumbs were sore, purple, red and green in color. But the physical pain was the least of my worries - it was the overwhelming sense of failure combined with nonchalant underestimation for time required to accomplish this simple task!

I excused myself to the owner and asked if he can leave the watch overnight.

An hour later, I've decided to give it another go. I cannot even estimate how many case backs I've snapped back on in my life - this really IS a stupidly simple task. But this one just would not budge!

Now, there are two ways of getting the case back in place: one - to place the watch in a press and snap it on, and two: to do it by hand, as I was doing. This second one is actually a preferable way, especially for solid gold cases which are thin and soft. And the ONLY way for diamond bezel watches with concave crystals. Unless of course you have at hand a factory made case holder, manufactured for this particular model.

Applying too much pressure with the wrong tool could lead to a catastrophic outcome: bent case, broken lugs, smashed crystal, scratched dial, bent hands, and crushed diamonds. Plus most likely a beyond repair movement. In this particular case we are talking about a $18,000 damage. A true watchmaker's nightmare.

Taking the watch to Girard-Perregaux's service center would be both embarrassing and useless because they would not be able to help - the watch would go back to Switzerland because there is no casing tool for the '1966' Elegance in Sydney. And this is exactly what any smart, sensible Swiss trained watchmaker would do.

But not me...

With no obvious and immediate solution, I've decided to take a few minutes rest and clear my mind. And then came the EUREKA moment! A piece of PVC tubing bought recently for a domestic plumbing job was almost ideal to turn into a custom made casing tool!

There are multiple challenges in making the holder: the material must be soft enough not to mark the gold case, yet strong enough to withstand pressure. The watch must perfectly sit, resting only on lugs, with the point of rest as close to the bezel as possible - yet not on the bezel itself. It goes without saying that glass and diamonds must remain "free" at all times, and the same goes for the winding crown.

Turning a piece of PVC into a holder is not a big deal and I was happy to put the old trustworthy Mayford lathe into good use. The lathe was too heavy to lift onto a bench from the floor so all the turning was done on the ground!

Voila!

Recess for winding stem and crown.

Finally the moment of truth: pushing the press down.

To my relief, with just the right amount of pressure, the case back clicked on in one go.

Not quite a five minute job - but definitely one less thing to worry about. As a wise man once said: nothing is impossible for those willing to improvise :-)

Coming from a good home: 1970. Sub 1680

Provenance - from the French provenir, "to come from" - means the origin or the source of something, or the history of the ownership.

In horology, documented evidence of provenance for a watch could be essential to establish that it has not been altered and is not a forgery. "Good and clean" history of ownership including any documentation related to original sale and servicing history is highly prized because the provenance itself can make a considerable difference to a watch's selling price in the market. An expert certification (for example, an insurance valuation) is not a replacement for good provenance because certifications themselves may be open to question. What you really want is material evidence which itself goes back to the date when the watchwas either manufactured or sold.

Unfortunately majority of watch owners are either not aware of the importance of keeping a 'log book', let alone interested in preserving the certificates, receipts, original invoices, hang tags, instruction manuals or even boxes! This is the main reason why only a fraction of vintage watches do come as complete sets, and only few have some kind of written documentation related to ownership and servicing history.

For that reason, our recent acquisition turned out to be a very special deal. A lovely, all-original Rolex Submariner 1680 manufactured in 1970; arrived with original fold over bracelet accompanied with a guarantee booklet! (The booklet is known as "Guarantee and at your service" sic.)

The booklet was to be filled-in by the Rolex retailer at the date of sale and kept as a servicing logbook.


Thanks to the efforts of a meticulous owner, we are now able to trace back the servicing history of this Submariner.

Manufactured in 1970, the 1680 was sold in June 1972 by Charles Packer and Company, London. The original owner vividly remembers the price: "132 pounds and 50 new pence, introduced just after decimalization in 1971."

The very first service was undertaken in 1977. Here is an excerpt from the logbook:

Date	Details of Service	Serviced By	Charge
12.4.1977	Clean, oil, adjusted	Prouds Chatswood	$ 28.50
16.4.1981	New glass, bracelet	Rolex Hong Kong	$144.50
25.3.1985	Clean, new bezel insert	Sydney	$132
24.6.1988	Re-sealed, clean	Sydney	$193
28.2.1992	Clean, seals, new glass	Sydney	$286
20.2.1998	as above	Sydney	$324
10.8.2007	as above	Sydney	$488

Once again, thanks to this meticulous record keeping, we have not only fantastic provenance but great historical data related to Rolex servicing charges over three decades as well!

As collectors and students of horology, we can only wish that every watch owner will take the same care of his precious ticker.

For more photos of this Rolex 1680 see http://www.clockmaker.com.au/w/p772.html.
Private stock, serious offers welcome.

Why are serial numbers so important?

The other day I was going through a pile of old watch magazines, when a glossy two-page flyer "flew out" of the Horologian Society. The title grabbed my attention:

"STOLEN. The following watches were stolen in London on 2nd June, 1980. Any information as to their whereabouts, etc. please pass to Det. Sergeant McMahon, Vine St Police station, London, SW1 or the Art and Antiques Squad, New Scotland Yard, London Phone 01-230 2150"

What followed was a list of 13 pockewatches with photographs and very detailed descriptions. The stuff were without any doubt both high grade and highly collectable. A couple of watches were Breguet, there was also a nice Kullberg, a Buffat Tourbillon and a vintage Lange. I can almost feel the owner's pain.

I wondered what would be the chances, 30 years later, of tracking any of these watches. To my surprise, it only took 2 minutes of googling to track the Breguets. After all, individually numbered and unique in design, they would be impossible to hide!

In November 1999, both Breguet No. 3259 and No 3964 were sold at Christie's. Here is the link to No 3259:

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=1473128

Accompanied with provenance notes:

Purchased by M. Le Comte de Toreno, 4 September 1821, for 4,800 French Francs. The Belin Collection, no. 170, Sotheby's, London, 29 November 1979, lot 194.

Based on the above, we know that last recorded sale was in November 1979. But what happened seven months later remains a mystery.

The second Breguet was also sold at the very same auction so we can assume that they remained together for 19 years after the theft. Curiously, both watches were no longer associated with their original chains and fobs.

I was able to trace one more watch: Hunt and Roskell No 10413. It was mentioned in Merrill Lynch Cap Gemini (a managed fund) World Wealth report in 2007 and it is now part of a fund offered to investors interested in fine arts. God's strange ways...

I guess it would not be all that difficult to trace most of the stolen watches. Thanks to the fact that more auctioneers and dealers list stocks online, it would be just a matter of time before they will resurface.

So the bottom line is this: keep a good record of your collection. Serial numbers, photos, detailed description including receipts, guarantee cards etc. are essential if there would ever be need to report them as missing.

Second point: never buy a watch with serial numbers removed! And dare I say - never deal with dealers who refuse to disclose serial numbers online! Dealers have only two "valid" reasons for not disclosing serial numbers publicly: for fear that such stock could be stolen or to 'cook the books' and avoid GST and income tax. A legitimate business should also provide and disclose unique stock numbers, valuations and Tax invoices.

Second hand dealing in Australia is a highly regulated area and have strict rules with regards to handling stock and collecting data - including regular reporting to the Police. Therefore it is not a matter of choice to report or not, to disclose or not or to hide and play dumb. This is the only way to keep the traders 'honest'.

Similar regulations are in place in almost every country in the world. Online dealing is no different to 'over the counter' dealing so the same rules apply. Don't settle for less because by buying illegitimate stock or supporting shonky dealers, you are actually sailing in murky waters - and possibly be the first one to sink ending up as shark's feed.

Remember: the honest dealer has nothing to hide!

At the end of the day, we are merely guardians taking care of fine horology for generations to come. What an enjoyable and noble task!

An absolute entry level - or thereabouts...

The second most commonly asked question is "Nick, which one should I go for?" The short answer is - go for what you like and can afford.

And here is the longer version:

$10 - $200

The absolute entry level range in mechanical watches. Heaps to chose from - if you are not worried about external condition, resale value, water resistance, time keeping and... everything else! The name of the game here is go for what you like - and lower your expectations to avoid disappointment. You can still snatch a bargain: a smart Seiko 5 or some obscure Swiss made brand form 1970s in NOS (new old stock) condition. Unfortunately any money you'll spend on restoration or repair would really be just throwing good money after a bad watch. Not wise. Avoid anything that is not in working order - if it does not keep time, it's not a watch!

$200 - $500

Again, there is so much to choose from - especially on eBay or at an auction. Despite large offers, you would barely be entering the Swiss watch market so be extra careful: buying just for the look is no longer recommended. Most of the stock in this price bracket is unrestored and non-functional: "Bargains" in need of major repair - or at least complete overhaul. Overall condition rarely rises above 5/10, which means virtually no resale value. However if you are looking for
a nice 'beach special' and don't mind scratches or an out-of-trend size, then you should be able to find a decent pre-loved 'ticker'.

$500 - $1000

For five hundred bucks you should be able to pick a fairly decent Swiss watch. Or even a waterproof one - if you stretch it to a thousand ;-) Best buys are pre-owned Longines, Oris, or TAG in 8/10 condition. Don't settle for discoloured dial or hands, chipped or scratched crystals or worn / damaged bezel. A short bracelet is acceptable (you can always find a few extra links) but don't expect it to come with box or papers. Great price bracket if you are on a hunt for a nice, well-made pocket watch! Many pocket watches like railroad open face in steel/nickel or silver case still represent the best value for money in mechanical time keeping!

Tip: Buy only pocket watches with original balance staff, winding stem in perfect condition and no damage on case/hinge.

$1000 - $2000

Great place to be - especially for a first time buyer! In this price range, there is plenty of quality stock on offer. Best buys in pre-loved: Omega Seamaster and Speedmaster in 'as is' condition.
If you are not in a hurry, snatching a 9/10 piece should not be that difficult. And spending a few extra dollars on an overhaul is a wise investment- you'll have a watch which will last you for many years to come!

Tip: If you intend to own more than one timepiece don't overspend! One or two watches will do you just fine because the resale value is still under 50% at the best. Be picky: go for good provenance, box, papers, or recently overhauled stock. Take your time to learn about watches and watch collecting - investing in ‘knowledge’ is priceless!

$2000 - $3000

Welcome to the world of fine mass produced watches! Well, you've just arrived so don't get too cocky :-) This is really a 'wearer's market' - you are buying watch to wear, enjoy and be proud of. Smart choice: fine pre-owned stock in 9.5/10 condition or better. Unwanted gifts. Demonstrators. Overhauled stock - maybe a last year’s model, but still in like new condition.
This is Omega's territory: Moon watches, limited editions, Seamaster chronographs, smart Aqua Terras, dress, casual, sporty - plenty to chose from. A kind of stuff you would wear in office or with an Armani suit. Stuff that will impress any Holden or Ford owner, stuff that makes your boss (who still wears a 20 year old plastic Qantas el-chipo) look like a character from Summer Heights High.

Of course, if you are only buying a watch to impress yourself (as you should!) then feel free to explore other options: Baume and Mercier, TAG Carrera, Chopard, Mont Blanc, Fortis. Remember, you are taking advantage of other people's extravagance (previous owner made a wrong pick - wrong size or model, or simply wants to upgrade too quickly and need your liquid funds) so make sure to take as much advantage as you possibly can! Have no mercy, take no prisoners: ask to see that original receipt!

Vintage market: again, plenty of choices. Go for overhauled and restored - you can finally afford it! Avoid all battery operated and gold plated stock. Holy grail: a nice 1940s military chronograph in steel with black dial restored by an experienced watchmaker.

Tip: Don't even think of Rolex - in this price range you'll get nothing but a headache.

$3000 - $5000

Heaven for a first time buyer: You can finally buy them all :-) Or one good piece at least. Arriving at the Rolex level is fun: strong brand name, good re-sale value, water resistance, classic look. Plus all the Breitlings, top of the range Omegas – even the odd Panerai. You can have it all: the look, the quality. Each and every watch you try on feels good and appears as an excellent value for money!

Unfortunately for an enthusiastic and aspiring buyer, this is probably the most difficult price range. Such buyer is faced with a bitter paradox: While he was happy to double his or her spending budget, it looks like he really halved choices. He realizes that there is no such thing as a waterproof Navitimer, large Datejust or cheap Submariner. That dream 5513 with cream dial and original hands is nowhere to be found. Why is picking the right one so difficult now?
Confused, he spends more time researching, talking to dealers and reading watch magazines. Online watch forums no longer offer clear direction and eBay is no more Las Vegas.

$5000 - $10000

For those who've reached the 5-10K price range, life is good again. Finally, everything makes sense: You get what you pay for! Most importantly, you no longer need help choosing the right stock. As an experienced buyer, you know the difference between in-house movement and ETA,
and you no longer judge the watch by its appearance, brand or size. You are very picky (which is a good thing) have refined taste (still more a result of previous mistakes than in depth knowledge) and you are confident talking to fellow collectors and dealers - who finally take you seriously :-) Jaeger LeCoultre is king, and so is the IWC. Limited editions Panerai are tempting.
That black dial Daytona really looks cool :-) You've also realized that your pile of Omegas and two Datejusts is not really a serious collection. You are grateful to local dealers who exchange the whole lot for a nice pile of cash. Dealers are your best friend, collecting is fun - and you are ready to move on!

$10 - $20K

We are now talking serious money so let's get serious.

Best buy: Like new condition Rolex President. A mint condition Patek. IWC Big Pilot. Anything Lange (but not Glashutte!)

Now here is my tip: $15K is a mental barrier for even serious watch collectors so there is hardly any competition for fine stock. Cash is king so don't be surprised to see dealers bending backwards for your business. Finally, you are buying for enjoyment, not to impress.
And thanks to GFC, that double red Seadweller with box and papers is no longer out of reach.
You hate dealers, but that's OK.

$20K - $50K

Patek 5146 or 5110? Why not 5135? Maybe 1970s Daytona? Platinum Portugueser? Go for it, have fun :-) Watches are fun - as much as your newly acquired VIP buyer status is. You no longer have 'watch friends’ - neither real nor imaginary. After being banned from most watch forums you again talk to dealers.

$50 - $100K

Tourbillon. IW 177. JLC Master Grand T. Panerai PAM 276.
You have received a Christmas card from Angelo Bonati.
That dealer in Hong Kong now knows you by your first name.

$200K+

More tourbillon: Lange Cabaret.
You are invited to October Fest and Richemont pays for your beer and wurst.
Harry Winston Opus Eleven? Can't wait to see it finished!

$500K to 1 mil.

Finally, you are ready to let go all machine made stuff. Intrigued by haute horology, you now spend both summer and winter holidays lurking around Geneva. Can a watch be regarded as a Super fund? Self managed, of course! Too much to chose, but sitting on a waiting list for 5 years is not fun.

2.5mil +

Jaeger LeCoultre Hybris Mechanica Grande Sonnerie.
Single at 62 - and you enjoy every moment.

3-5 mil

You are back to Patek military chronographs.
Flying on Tuesday to Geneva for Christie's auction preview,
then flying on Saturday to bid on it in person.
Bidding over the phone is so not cool.

5mil +

Watch collecting is no longer fun - and playing all day with that Patek 1527 ($5.6 mil) has gotten a bit boring… You've got them all and you want some more - but there is hardly anything out there to quench your thirst!

Flying to Switzerland is no longer practical either so you've bought a stunning thirteenth-century chateau overlooking Lake Geneva.

Nice people from Christie's left a message that you may be interested in a small portrait by Picasso - great piece - with an estimate of just $9mil - absolute entry level in fine art...

Today I came across a vintage watch booklet which had the following slogan on the front page:



Encountering this was one of those moments that, although you are already being aware of it, really drives home the point of just how much times have changed. I mean, really, who could get away with using a slogan like this in 2011?

Anyway, time for a bit of fun...see if you can answer this:

Who is the company that this slogan belongs to, and what year is it from?

A. Patek Philippe, 1942.

B. Jaeger LeCoultre, 1920.

C. Rolex, 1966.

D. Omega, 1947.

Scroll down for the answer!

















*NB: This slogan was used for at least 10 years prior! For those interested, an excellent article on the subject written by Jake Ehrlich is available here.

Collectible Omega Sportswatches from the '70s

Collectible Omega Sportswatches from the '70s
- an Evening with Jon Wallis; April 20, 2011, 5:30pm

Want to know more about the vast range of Omega Sports watches from the 1970s? Need to know your Flightmaster from your Speedmaster and your Constellation from your DeVille? Want to know which are the most accurate and which are the rarest? Contemplating a vintage Omega dive watch and want to understand the range? Want to get to know some quartz watches that actually are collectable? And of course, we hope to answer those questions and more on the night!

So, come along to the presentation on Wednesday, April 20 and Jon Wallis (Author of The PloProf Book and DeskDivers.com and PloProf.com websites) will talk you through the collectible Omega watches of the decade. Jon will answer your questions too! Feel free to bring along your 70's Omegas on the night so the group can revel in Omega's '70s glory, and of course we can time your watches on the timing machine as well.

BOOKINGS: This is a private session at our premises so seats are strictly limited to 12. To reserve your seat please call us on 02 9232 0500. Cost: $40 per person.

Pop Quiz: The Results are in!

The response to the quiz was overwhelming! A total of 247 replies were received within 24 hours.

Quite frankly though, I was a little disappointed with the number of incorrect answers, especially since the correct answer was there - a simple guess should have had a one in four chance!

Some of you went to great lengths to explain why one or the other case back was 'wrong' by taking into account style of letters, font, symbols, logo type, finish of steel, model and reference numbers.

Yet only ONE correct answer was received:

"Dear Nick,

Both are genuine! I’m from Sabah, Malaysia.

Regards,

Michael Lee"

Well done Michael!

This just proves that our northern neighbours do know their watches and are good students of horology!

(Michael: Please email me your address - I have a small present for you).

"Original or fake?" is my favourite watch topic. Often, there is no easy answer and it takes a great deal of effort and expertise to become 'fluent' in this area of horology. Putting the pieces together, working backwards and employing every available forensic skill is often challenging...but always rewarding.

The purpose of the quiz is to encourage you, my fellow watch enthusiast, to question everything and to have some fun along the way :-)

In regards to case backs: I hope to be able to present you with a brief article on what to look for in order to avoid pitfalls. Stay tuned!

It goes without saying that buying a fine timepiece based on photos is like handing over your wallet to a stranger. If your chances are 247 to 1 then basically you stand NO CHANCE against online scammers! Scary!

Now, are you ready for your second chance?

(And If you find my emails of no value or if I'm wasting your time then of course, feel free to unsubscribe - see below for details)

I want you to win :-) so although today's question is not much easier, you should have more chance of scoring with only 3 answers to choose from.

Below is a photo of four Rolex dials, the first one is from a Datejust model and the other 3 from a Submariner.

The second photo shows the reverse side - and the third one shows writing on each dial in detail.

Note that only one dial is signed "Rolex".




Question: Which dial/dials are GENUINE Rolex dials?

A. only dial number 2. is original
B. all dials are original
C. all dials are fake

Mail your answer to nick@clockmaker.com.au

Have fun!

Pop quiz: Fake or real?

So you think you know your Rolexes? Then here's a little pop quiz for you:

Shown below are two case backs.


Which answer is correct?

1. Case back 1 is a genuine Rolex, case back 2 is a fake


2. Case back 2 is genuine Rolex, case back 1 is a fake


3. Both case backs are genuine


4. Both are fakes

Before you rush to answer, take your time to study both
case backs (enlarged images below).




Send your answer to nick@clockmaker.com.au

Good luck and have fun!

***Need help?
Here is a tip: Case back 1 comes from Datejust model Ref. 16234 [steel/18K white gold], and 2 from Submariner 16610...

Another day, another fake...

As you may already know, the ultimate reward for a watch dealer is the 'discovery' of an unworn sleeper: a watch which is 30 or more years old, yet in unworn condition.

Last Monday we received a call from a young lady who wanted to sell a “beautiful and unworn gold Omega watch”. Unfortunately the Omega Geneve in 18K solid gold case accompanied with the "original" receipt of purchase (dated 1972) turned out to be just another fake. Yes, the movement cal 601 was an original Omega movement, but everything else - the case, bezel, case back and bracelet - was unfortunately after-market production.

The dead giveaway was the shape of the case. And even more so, the inscription found inside the case back:


While it could fool an untrained eye, for an expert this case back was a painfully amateurish attempt to deceive. The logo type, the engraving, the style - in fact, the lot - was just wrong.


In this particular case, the engraving was done by hand using a sharp engraver (Omega case backs are stamped, not engraved). The quality of workmanship was pathetic too; each and every letter was engraved out of line, and even the Omega symbol is out of shape.


The second line was even worse: it looked to me like it had been engraved by some old half-blind crook working by candle light. I almost feel sorry for the poor bastard!

Ironically, the middle case itself was nicely done. It was highly polished and would appear attractive and even desirable to anyone whose best watch had been a Russian Raketa or Poljot.

The "original" receipt was issued in Italy and printed in both Italian and Serbo-Croatian. No doubt, the intended market for this forgery were cashed-up Yugoslav customers who flooded Trieste in early 1970’s.

While I had to politely decline to buy this watch, it certainly has brought back some memories from my early days as watchmaker-apprentice from my father's workshop. Very often, "new" Italian watches were brought to my father's workshop and he was often left with no other choice but to break the bad news to gullible buyers.

The world of forgery knows no borders and when it comes to watches, this trade has been alive for at least 500 years. Back then, the master con artists were the Brits and French, followed by Spaniards and citizens of New Colonies. Italians, Russian and Romanians had their run in 1970’s until global trade took off in China, Vietnam and Korea.

Today, thanks to the advancement of Internet, there is practically no country that is not involved in some form of watch scam, fraud or forgery.

Another day, another fake...

Aquadive Depth-Time Model

An e-mail we received from DeskDivers' news desk - A MUST READ!


Back in 1968 a small watch company filed a patent for a cool idea to measure
depth on the dial of a normal dive watch. They decided to back that watch
with technology through and through using cutting edge ideas including
hydraulics and an electronic movement. What started out as a good idea
became a seriously good product (not without its ups and downs of course),
yet within 10 years the company was no more - quite a rollercoaster of a
ride for any business!

Click here to get the full story

The “secret signature” business

We are constantly bombarded by fake items; from leather bags, to clothing, to jewellery, to watches, “knockoff” versions are everywhere.

For some reason, most people seem to think this is a relatively recent occurrence due to the sheer volume of fake stock currently available, when in reality, counterfeiting is as old as humankind itself!

There is a small pocket of the consumer market that is fine with the phony version of larger brand products, but ultimately production of these goods harm the original manufacturers and those willing to pay for brand name and the quality that comes with it.

The problem with fake goods is that the quality of them is now almost as good as the quality of the originals, and in some cases, even authorised service centres are unable to distinguish between genuine and fakes!

To combat this, it is common practice in the watch industry that the manufacturer would use a “secret signature” to mark his product.
Here is an example of Cartier’s signature: a rose symbol stamped on the middle case, just above 12 o’clock and underneath the bezel.


This symbol is not there for the end user. It is well hidden and tucked away from the eyes of counterfeiters as well. It is there for the service centres as assurance that they are assessing and dealing with the genuine article.


Of course the “secret signature” does change from time to time, which makes our own investigative more interesting!

Yes, we've seen them all.

Every now and then, a watch brought in for repair reminds me that fine watches are not designed and built for those who have no appreciation for fine mechanical engineering.

Pictured below is a four years young Rolex Submariner 16613. What exactly happened to it will remain a mystery, and even more so how it happened; but one thing is certain: applying brute force will not do any good to the fine winding system of any mechanical wrist watch.

Here is a brief explanation of what happens when you pull the winding crown
to set the time:

The stem (attached to the crown) will engage a number of setting levers, which
will in return push the clutch wheel to engage with the intermediate setting wheel. From there, the motion is transferred to few more wheels and finally to the hands.


Needless to say, the gear work is very fine and requires gentle handling.
Applying too much force too quickly will definitely cause problems.

To put the things in perspective, here is a shot of a clutch wheel and set wheel
next to a 5 cent coin:


If those wheels are free to move and lubricated properly, they will withstand
significant winding force. However if the wheels seize up or are jammed (by a loose crew or case clamp) then unfortunately something will break.

And here is another close-up:


Note the stripped teeth! In addition, the hardened steel setting lever was bent too!


Black specks shown above are actually broken off teeth that have lodged themselves
deep inside the watch movement, causing the watch to stop.

And all this could have been avoided with just a bit more care and common sense.

The photo below shows partially disassembled Rolex 3135 with calendar and winding system removed.


The bottom line is this: if the winding or time setting feels strange or tight, restrain yourself from applying any excessive force. Leave it as is and take it to your watchmaker. Often this is a tell tale sign that your watch is due for an overhaul.

The last thing you want to do is to cause further damage - which is not only completely unnecessary, but very costly too.

Cartier alarm clocks

If you are one of my regular subscribers, then you are well aware that I am a sucker for Cartier alarm clocks. Fine Cartier clocks have been in production since the late 1800's, and some of the finest examples are now worth many hundreds of thousands of dollars! They have always been regarded as toys for the privileged few, but in today's era of mass production, it is nice to know that Cartier is still designing fine alarm clocks.

Yes, starting your day with the soft chime of a Cartier alarm clock is one of life's little luxuries...

A pleasant buying experience

The experience of buying a high grade watch should be no different than one of buying a sports car or diamond ring. It should be a pleasant, memorable and definitely a satisfactory event.

At the end of the day, you - the buyer - is parting with a large amount of money,
so you should expect to be treated not just professionally, but with respect. After all, when it comes to buying a new piece of jewellery or a watch, that buying experience is included in the price of your item.

This is exactly why retailers spend a great deal of money to impress you with
the shop fit-out, the luxury packaging, the red carpet and the glass of champagne. Don't get too excited though, you are the one who is paying for the lot (including the fake smile!).

Unfortunately those very same luxury retailers are often the first ones to rob you of that precious commodity.

Indeed, the "fancy" buying experience is often overvalued and poorly delivered.
Why bother buying at full retail price from an authorised and exclusive dealer when
the moment you walk out of that glamorous shop your watch (or car, or diamond ring) loses 30, 40 or even 60% of its value?

Some buyers are victims of their own mindset and they will continue to buy (and pay) retail simply because they are incapable of considering alternatives. There are numerous, but here are a few:

- buying from an authorized dealer located in the suburbs
- buying last year's model on sale
- buying a new, identical item from a non-authorized dealer or
- buying a pre-owned watch in mint or near mint condition from a second hand dealer

You would be surprised how much you can save once you decide to break away
from that 'must be brand new' mentality.

Indeed, some of the finest pieces of jewellery, diamonds, fine watches and clocks, objects 'd art, paintings, books, scientific instruments, motoring - even real estate - have already been passed from generation to generation often increasing in value. All of these objects are no longer available new, yet when sold at auction they generate great interest and attract knowledgeable buyers.

Interestingly enough, based on years of dealing with collectors and savvy customers,
we know that those who actually have more disposable income and can afford luxury
are very happy to buy fine pre-owned items!

To put things in perspective: out of the entire quantity of fine watches in circulation, brand new watches account for just a fraction of a percent. A mere tip of the iceberg!

Therefore if you have consciously excluded the idea of owning fine pre-owned stock, you are not doing yourself any favors.

For an educated buyer, the ultimate buying experience is VALUE FOR MONEY and a thrill in hunting for timepieces which are no longer available
from authorized retailers. They love to save, not to lose money; they buy items which are not necessary the latest hype but those which have already depreciated, have a proven resale record, have reasonable resale value and can be bought at a significant discount.

Finally, in order to get your business and take your buying experience to the next level, many second hand dealers and watchmakers will provide additional services like case and bracelet polishing or adjustment, valuation, repair and servicing, or even a trade-in or buy back option of your timepiece.

As we always say, those who are not in a hurry and have realistic expectations will always get a better deal and ultimately be rewarded with a truly satisfying buying experience.

Omega Speedmaster Professional X-33 MARS Titanium watch
A rare collector's set

"Selling" online

As most watch collectors are aware, there are a near-infinite number of second hand watches for sale online through a multitude of dealers – some reputable, some less so.

The information age has made it so simple for the dodgy types to cut and paste from websites and use these legitimate sounding ads to con unsuspecting buyers.

I was recently tipped off to this ad by a friend. The fact that this particular dealer "borrowed" his product description from my own website is nothing new - I am actually more surprised that one of my ads ended up on Gumtree Cape Town, South Africa (of all places!)



The bottom line here is simple. If the seller doesn’t give you the opportunity to see the item in person, DON’T BUY!

There is a huge difference between “selling” online and selling online. It may seem obvious to say, but many buyers are still falling for it – don’t be one of them.

Lost & Found

Have you stopped to think what would happen if your watch were to be misplaced or lost? It's a situation that can happen to anyone, so I thought I'd share this email enquiry that I'd recently received about this very situation:

Hi Nick

Just a superquick query - we found a Breitling watch on the street yesterday morning. My partner knew of the brand & that they were a good quality watch - and expensive! We handed it in to our local Police Station. My partner said there appeared to be some kind of number on the back....Is this number able to be used to track the owner? I'm horrified that someone has dropped such an expensive watch. It was close to the roadway, as if it had come off someone's wrist while getting into a car. There are 2 aged care homes nearby & we've dropped in there with negative results.

Many thanks in advance
T

---

Dear T,

First of all, you must be congratulated on your honesty! In your effort to locate the owner of the lost watch, you've gone way above your duty of care. Well done!

To answer your question: Unfortunately, numbers on the case back are not directly related to the owner. There are two lots of numbers on it: 1) The model reference number, which (in the case of Breitling watches) starts with a letter followed by 5 or more numbers. The second lot is the unique serial number.

It is always a good idea to record any numbers or text engraved on the case back of your watch. If it is lost or misplaced, this is crucial piece of evidence which will help in the identification of your watch.

Better still, have your watch valued and insured! Insurance valuation does not cost much (we gladly provide free insurance valuation for all watches we sell). In the unfortunate case of loss or theft, please contact Police and your insurance company promptly.

Back to your situation: We do hope that police will be able to trace the owner of the Breitling, however, if the watch remains unclaimed for a certain period of time, legally you will become it's owner. :-).

The police will contact you and you will have every right to claim it, keep it or sell it - assuming, of course, that it is a genuine Breitling.

Thanks,

Nick

More Lost & Found here

---

Some related stories sent in by one of our readers:

'Some years ago I was running along the beach at Kingscliff, northern NSW and found a watch lying in the sand. The watch was a diving model Tag Heuer – quite an expensive watch back then. Whilst I would have loved to keep the watch I knew the owner would have also loved to get it back so did the right thing and handed it in to a local police station.

Several months later I received a call from the police station to advise me the watch had not been claimed and I could pick it up – I was delighted! However, the following day I had another call from the police to advise me not to bother claiming the watch as it had been stolen, along with some other valuables, during an overnight break-in at the police station. Oh the disappointment!'

Another watch story that had a good ending follows:

'A good friend had his car broken into a couple of years ago at Byron Bay and had his 1970s Omega Seamaster stolen. Several months later a work colleague had his car stolen from the beach at Kingscliff (about 40 mins drive north of Byron). Months later, the police found this car in QLD and advised my colleague of the find and asked if he had lost an Omega Seamaster watch that was in the car’s glove box. On being told this story, I told my Byron Bay friend to contact the QLD police just in case it was the same thief and his watch. He did this and described the watch to the police – yes it was his – it had returned!'

Dislodged hour markers

The dreaded scenario: whilst admiring the fine details of your new Rolex, it accidentally slips through your fingers and finds itself on a one way collision course with the floor. In the milliseconds before it even hits, a number of possible outcomes flashes through your mind - none of them good.

After the impact, you examine the watch carefully. Although there is no visible major damage and it seems to be functioning correctly, you do find that an hour marker has dislodged itself from the dial. What should you do?
First and foremost, pull out the winder in order to stop the watch and avoid any possibility of the loose hour marker scratching the dial.

Secondly, you have two choices to consider in regards to repairs. You can take it to a Rolex service centre where it is highly likely that service will involve replacing the dial and overhauling the watch altogether, which can set you back roughly $1500. The other option is to bring the watch to us, which will set you back all of $50 – free if you purchased it from us.

Why the drastic difference in price? Because we see this as a simple repair (assuming there is no damage to the mechanism itself). Each hour marker is held in place with 2 “feet”, and can easily be set in place permanently with a microscopic drop of adhesive – no replacements necessary!

Treasures of the Reef

Nick,

You may have forgotten – it was ages ago when I was last in your showroom – but I did promise to give you a copy of the report we sent to Rolex after my wife lost her Lady Datejust off the coast of South Australia many years ago, only to have it turn up, miraculously retrieved from below the waves, where it had been lodged in a reef.

Attached is a copy of the original report to Rolex. It’s brief (I think Rolex cut it down from its original word length) but it still covers the essentials, a copy of the cover of the Rolex booklet and the Rolex letter to me.

There’s a bit more to the story – the involvement of a pawnbroker, Rolex in Melbourne and the police but those are side issues.

The reason I’ve not fulfilled my promise to you is that in our move from Sydney to Adelaide (again), our copy of the Rolex publication that our report was reprinted in was mislaid or just plain lost. In early December this year (with Christmas coming and nothing to offer you), I decided to write to Rolex in Geneva and ask them if they still had archived copies of their publication dating back to the 80s.

I returned from Adelaide today and found a copy of that original publication and a nice letter from Rolex.

To say I was surprised would be an understatement.

Will you please consider me a man of my word? Yes, belated, but I’ve done what I said I would do.


My best to you,

Lance


PS I’m into your web site almost every day. I do want you to sell me that old, non-working Submariner I’ve pestered you about.

BREITLING: The Spare Link Saga

A couple of weeks ago, a lovely young couple was in our shop, looking at a fine Breitling Navitimer watch for the gentleman. After seeing the watch and with some careful consideration, they decided that it was precisely the watch they were after and that they were ready to purchase it – but just one thing stood in their path… the bracelet was a bit too small, and would require two extra links to comfortably fit on his wrist. Unfortunately we did not have any spare links for this specific watch, but told them that we would immediately contact DKSH, the authorised Breitling Service Centre, to source the links. The couple was seemed disappointed that they couldn’t take the watch home that day, but would wait until we had gotten the appropriate links.

We phoned DKSH that day, and they requested that we submit a fax specifying the desired part. We did so, and followed up after a couple of days to verify that they had received our request. DKSH informed us that the man responsible for watch parts was out of the office, but they would get back to us. Finally, we received a phone call from someone at DKSH asking for some additional information, a bracelet number, which we provided straight away over the phone. This gave us some (false) hope that they were actively trying to locate the links.

After several days of silence, we called back, and were told that despite giving the bracelet number, the man we really needed to talk to was out sick. Calling back four days later, the man was still sick! By then, it had been more than a week since our original request. Again after a couple of days, we phoned and were finally able to talk to the repairman who handles spare parts. He informed us that he had just gotten back to work after being ill; he had received our parts request, but it was in a large stack of other requests, and it would be a few days before he would be able to get back to us. After getting in touch with the relevant person at DKSH, we gave him a bit more time. A week passed and no response, so we called back. We were able to speak with the service manager, but unfortunately did not have any luck. She informed us that the repairman was extremely busy with watch repairs, and most likely would not be able to get to our spare links request until after the holidays. Despite being the service manager, she nor anyone else at the company, is able to locate and distribute spare parts except for the repairman who remains flat out or just plain “out”.

Before this entire debacle, we knew that DKSH was notoriously difficult to deal with, but their inability to supply two spare links has brought it to a new level. We are fighting ignorance; we are fighting continually arrogant people with no sense of customer service.

The tragedy of this story is that there is no ending. Three weeks has passed, and we are still unable to source the two necessary spare links to give the Breitling Navitimer a new home and we have absolutely no idea if the links are available, how much they cost or how long it would take to get them delivered.
Honestly, I doubt that there is a single person reading this who believes that answering a simple spare link request should take more than a fax and follow-up call. Neither does anyone believe that drilling a hole in a piece of stainless steel is rocket science; these links are not hand-carved out of some rare extraterrestrial metal, they simply come out of a link-pooping machine!

A loss of sale is really something we can live with, but such a blatant attack on our intelligence and the intelligence of our customers is not something we are going to put up with any more.

Update December 23rd .
Another week passes, and we contact DKSH Breitling Service Centre once again enquiring as to current status of our request. Unfortunately there is no progress as they’re closing soon and reopening on January 4th. We are told that they will deal with our enquiry in due time (?)...

ROLEX: Don't mess with us Mr. Tran!

"Can we speak with Mr. Tran?"
"Tran speaking!"
"Rolex here. You owe us $2.2 million".

7,000 fake Rolex watches are steamrolled in Philly



(AP) – Apr 27, 2010

PHILADELPHIA — A steamroller has crushed about 7,000 fake Rolex watches in Philadelphia under the orders of federal authorities seeking to deter would-be counterfeiters. Customs officials staged the destruction Monday to highlight law enforcement's role in protecting intellectual property rights. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say the watches were seized from Binh Cam Tran, who pleaded guilty last year to charges including trafficking in counterfeit goods.

Tran is serving six years in federal prison. He has been ordered to pay more than $2.2 million to the Rolex Co. Authorities say Tran fabricated hundreds of thousands of fake Rolex watches in his home near Philadelphia. Officials seized about 24,000 counterfeit watches and enough parts to create 1 million more.

Time to move on

After nearly 35 year behind watch repair bench, I think I am ready for downsizing. Servicing 'all brands, all makes, all models' is no longer practically possible. Swiss manufacturers refuse to supply spare parts to independent watchmakers and with no spare parts there is very little I can do to fix your timepiece.
I've started apprenticeship in my fathers workshop at age of 12. I clearly remember times when we could get almost any spare part shipped in no time. Swiss spare parts dealers were bending backwards to get our business!

Unfortunately for watchmakers, time has changed. Small, independent, highly skilled and experienced watchmakers are now seen as 'pain in bum'. Big brands wants all the repair work done 'in house' which allows them to act like any other monopoly. They charge what they want, they give no options.

In all fairness, if you are perfectionist then you should have nothing to worry about. Your watch will be serviced/repaired/restored to factory-new condition by it's Swiss maker. Yes, such service is expensive and will take for ever but quite frankly no independent watchmaker can provide service that can come even close to factory standard.

Since I have run out of most spare parts for most brands (except for Rolex for which I am still able to source spares from overseas supplier) as of this month I am providing repair service for Rolex watches only. More precisely for makes and models manufactured between 1960 and 2005. This includes all Datejust, Date, Precision, President, Submariner, GMT, Explorer and other sports and standard models. The only exception is Rolex Daytona, Tudor and OysterQuartz line.

Focusing on one brand will allow better turnaround time and hopefully better overall service. It will allow me also to step away from work bench and spend more time sourcing, buying and selling other fine timepieces and to finally commence restoration of vintage Rolex watches from my own collection. It's time to move forward!

Who the *#$% is Jackson Pollock ?

Before you jump on me for using a profane language, let me clear that above sentence is actually the original movie title. But more about that later.

Suppose you have choice of buying a 1 year old Rolex 16613 and the same model watch, but 3 years old. Which one would you go for? Well this is no brainier; while the younger watch is an obvious choice, you would make the right decision only in case that said younger watch is also in significantly better overall condition.

The key word here is the overall condition.

Unfortunately with vintage watches, overall condition is less important. The predominant factor is ORIGINALITY. You don't really want a watch in your collection which is a marriage of bits and pieces. Such watch may keep time, but the time keeping in vintage watches is even less important than overall condition.

Lets expand this bit further. You are a keen collector, knowledgeable buyer, ready to part with rather large sum of cash on an extremely rare piece. What would be the predominant factor that you'll be looking for in a watch now?
The overall condition? Originality?
Price? Resale value? Investment potential?

All of above, of course, but to a degree.

To tell you what the key point is would be too easy. And if I do so now, you will have no reason to watch one of the best documentary movies I've ever watched
on this topic!

The movie is called "Who the *#$% is Jackson Pollock".
It is available at your local video store.
Rent it tonight and watch it because the key point or moral of the story is so brilliantly presented - it will change your understanding of rare, valuable and unique objects (and the way they are they traded) forever.

Aussie websites cash in on counterfeits

[Jeweller Magazine, July 2010]

Jeweller has discovered that Australian-based websites are openly selling counterfeit watches and jewellery from well-known brands under the guise of “replicas”.

Investigations by Jeweller have established that a local website – www.***Replica***.com.au – sells exact copies of well-known brands including Tag Heuer, Breitling, Omega and Rolex.

The website is registered to a company called Brantley Pty Ltd and Australian Securities and Investments Commission records show the company as having two, Sri Lankan-born, directors; Kristiaan Martenstyn and Peduru Jayalath.

The registered address of Melbourne-based Brantley Pty Ltd is Unit 1508, 18 Waterview Walk, Docklands and the website lists a telephone number as +61 414 015 405 and makes the following claims; “We are Australia’s #1 Replica Watch Retailer, 1 Year FULL Replacement Warranty, 7 Day Risk-Free Money-Back Guarantee.”

Last week Jeweller contacted Martenstyn, who confirmed that the company had been operating for two years but claimed his actions did not breach any Australian or international laws. He went as far as describing his business as operating in a necessary industry because consumers demand the product.

“I wouldn’t call it counterfeiting,” Martenstyn said, adding that his products were “high-end replicas” produced in Geneva, Switzerland. Interestingly SwissReplicaWatches.com.au states, “We say NO to dodgy ‘fakes’ from Asia.”

According to intellectual property expert Lisa Egan, a senior associate at law firm Middletons, assessing whether product is counterfeit is quite straight-forward.

“If a business is using brand names without any authority [form the brand owner] then it’s likely to be a trademark infringement,” she said, adding that selling exact copies could also be a “design infringement”.

Egan confirmed that the term “replica” was incorrect – copies carrying a brand’s logo are classified as “counterfeit” goods.

Martenstyn justified his operation by claiming the website “helps” the watch brands.

“People who buy from us, they are not going to buy the original, so it doesn’t directly affect the trademark owners. In fact, it helps them,” he said.

Egan said the only reason the site could remain online was if none of the affected brands had taken action.

“It’s up to the owners of the brands to take action against it and have that content removed,” she said.

Martenstyn claimed he had never been contacted by any of the brands featured on his website.

“We’ve never actually had any issues at all. If we were to have any sort of issues with the trademark holders we are happy to work to meet a resolution,” he said.

The blatant nature of such operations raises questions about why the websites are allowed to remain online in Australia, given the potential damage caused to the brands’ reputation and integrity.

Interestingly, Rolex managing director Richard De Leyser said he was aware of the website.

He refused to comment on the matter any further, but said: “We take any infringement of our copyright very seriously.”

Martenstyn said he would continue operating the website for as long as his business was profitable.

“The reason we are in business is because consumers demand the products,” he said, adding: “The day that consumers no longer wish to purchase such goods, that’s when we wouldn’t supply them any longer.”

Rather than taking a low-key approach, further investigations reveal the company appears to be ramping up its operations, having recently advertised for two customer service representatives.

“We are looking for two new members to join our dedicated and friendly team that specialises in supplying high-end luxury goods such as jewellery, timepieces and paintings,” the online advertisement reads.

Egan said there is a number of steps companies can take to protect their intellectual property from online counterfeiters.

“The first port of call is to send a letter to the operator of the website,” she said, adding that Google can also be contacted to have a website excluded from search results.

“If that’s not dealt with appropriately then court proceedings could be issued.”

Egan said responsibility lies with the brands to protect their own copyright.

“I think brands need to be really vigilant in monitoring these websites. It’s really about the brands taking a proactive stance and making sure they’ve got their brand appropriately protected,” she said.

Martenstyn stressed that he had not been contacted by any of the brand owners about his website and added, in an interesting twist of logic, that he believes that his business activity is legal because no one had contacted him to say it wasn’t.

He added that his legal advice is that he is not in breach of the law.

In addition, a disclaimer on SwissReplicaWatches.com.au states that the brands “cannot prosecute any person(s) affiliated with this website”, citing code 431.322.12 of the Internet Privacy Act.

Many more online stores display similar disclaimers, all citing code 431.322.12 of the Internet Privacy Act.

Another Australian website, DesignerWishlist.com.au which offers Tiffany and Gucci labelled jewellery cites the same code, stating: “Any person representing or formally employed by any of the brands offered cannot enter this website. … If you enter this site and do not agree to these terms you are in violation of code 431.322.12 of the Internet Privacy Act.”

Apart from the fact that a broad disclaimer like that would not be accepted by a court, Jeweller’s research could find no evidence of the existence of the, so-called, Internet Privacy Act. It appears to be a disclaimer used by many counterfeit websites in an attempt to deter legal action.

Jeweller emailed Martenstyn asking, “The Terms & Conditions section of your website refers to the "Internet Privacy Act". We can find no such Act, can you direct us to it?”

Martenstyn was also asked whether he agreed that the product his business sold was counterfeit given that it carries the logos of well-known brands.
At the time of publication Martenstyn had not replied.

Legal advice obtained by Jeweller indicates there is no law that prohibits legal action against a website. Any information obtained from these sites may be used by the affected companies in court proceedings."

Epilogue: July 6, 2010.

After reading the above article I was literally in an overwhelming state of disbelief and shock.
Is it really possible that someone based in Australia would display such
arrogant disrespect for Australian Commercial Law?

Or could this be just a late April fools day joke?

So I've decided to ring the above mentioned mobile phone number in order to
find out what is really going on here.
- Hi, my name is Nicholas Hacko. I am a watch dealer.
I've just visited your website and wonder if you also wholesale watches?
- Hi. Well I am just a watch dispatch person you need to talk to my boss.
- That's fine. However, it is important that before we enter into any business transaction, I want to make sure I am not breaking any laws...
- What do you mean?
- Well you guys do sell fake watches, right?
- No, not fakes. We sell replicas.
- Replicas, fakes, same thing...
- No, no. Our replicas are NOT fakes!
- Oh sorry, my misunderstanding. So you actually do sell genuine Rolex watches?
- No, no. You don't understand the difference with fake and replica...
- Huh?
- ... not genuine Rolex, just Rolex replica. But definitely not the FAKE Rolex.
- OK I see. You sell REPLICA Rolex!
- That's exactly right. Genuine replicas which look identical to real Rolexes.
- Very good. So would you be able to accept payments in replica money?
- What do you mean, I don't understand???
- You know, the replica money. Money which looks identical to real money but it is just replica. Like the stuff I can print on my printer...
- [laughter...] I don't know, I am just a dispatch worker. You really need
to talk to my boss [more laughter...]
- OK - let's say that I do come into agreement with your boss and he does accept my replica money for his replica watches - which sounds like a perfectly fair deal to me - would you accept that replica money as your wages?
- [upset voice] Are you serious??? I don't work for fake money!!
- No, no, no - it is not FAKE money, it is just REPLICA money, mate ...
- Sir, I am busy, if you have any more questions please send us an email.
Our email address is info@Replicax.com.au .
Thanks for calling. [phone hangs up]

So there you go. I never thought that my newsletter would provide
a link to REPLICA ROLEX website, but this bunch of clown dummies
actually deserve as much publicity as we can offer.

Is there a lawyer in the house? Can we get free legal opinion on this one please :-) ?
(What a heck - we'll even take REPLICA LEGAL opinion from FAKE lawyers)
Happy collecting,

Nick Hacko

Bad mathematics

Gold stolen from watchmaker Rolex
AFP June 04, 2010

LUXURY Swiss watchmaker Rolex has been robbed of more than 15kg of gold - worth almost E15 million (US$21.83 million) - and a foundry worker has been taken into custody, a judicial official said overnight.

Rolex, whose status-symbol wristwatches cost several thousand dollars apiece, says the employee, a temp, admitted stealing 5kg of gold from the plant in Plan-les-Ouates, the official said.

The man's lawyer, Francois Canonica, said he has been detained and charged with theft and breach of trust, the ATS news agency reported.

"Whether he should be blamed for the extra 10 kilos remains an open question," said the lawyer. "It appears that the security system put in place by Rolex - supposing it has one - has shown its limitations," Mr Canonica said.

Oh boy... As they say, never let the truth spoil a perfectly good story.

Unfortunately this time the AFP got it wrong because 15Kg of gold is *not* worth 21 million dollars but only USD$ 576.000.

One can only hope that Swiss judge will do his maths before sentencing the poor idiot.

Less than perfect ? Fantastic!!!

While taking photos of K1964 Omega Moon watch, I've noticed something really unusual: there was something above the letters TER (speedmasTER). It looked like bit of dirt but under magnification it was clear that this was a 'metal left over' of casting / stamping during the manufacturing process!



Such imperfections are usually detected in foundry, or during assembly, engraving, polishing, or at least during final QC. Imperfect watch cases rarely appear on the market.

Strangely enough, this one slept through the net and neither the salesman or previous owner have noticed it.

Great conversation piece !

Every passion has its Holy Grail- have we found ours?

Every passion has its Holy Grail, and Rolex Daytona book collecting is no exception.

Yes, one can enter the Daytona book market for as little as $35.
And very solid subject-related book sells for $120.
But a hard-core Daytona collector serious about his investment would not settle for nothing less than $700 Bible called Rolex Chronographs by Pucci Papaleo editore.

Now, if you feel that $700 for a book is heaps of money then please keep reading.

The above mentioned Pucci Papaleo, self confessed "collector, devotee, historian, but above all willing victim of love for beautiful timepieces" is now ready to take you to the next level of book enjoyment.

His upcoming book "Ultimate Rolex Daytona" is volume of epic proportions:
the 12 KG book is "work of infinite complexity with the very best, and only the very best (Daytonas) chosen to portray every requirement of each aspect...with the one objective of crating something not only unique but above all undeniably beautiful".

The book is limited edition, 600 pieces typographically printed in seven colors
and high definition.
Papaleo hired highly specialized architectural photographers who took photographs
on optical bench. The end result is masterpiece with finest rendering of effects in
details, hues and textures.



So what is the book like this one worth to you? $1000? $3000 ? Obviously we are talking serious money here but if you want to reserve your copy then be prepared to part with solid $7,300 AUD (plus postage).

Again, if you think than only a madman would spend over $7K on this book then you are new to watches and watch collecting:
few weeks ago, the very first copy of Papaleo's book was sold at Christi's for AUD$ 44,065. Yes, it was a charity auction, but that hardly makes any difference.

[ Just in case that you are tempted to place an order for Ultimate Rolex Daytona make sure to talk to me first. If we can order few pieces as combine order, surely Papaleo will find bit of room to move on price :-) ]

And if you don't want to go above $35 then get yourself Patrizzi's Pocket Expert Daytona form my website http://www.clockmaker.com.au/books/
This one is very popular and selling fast, so you better be quick!

Private stock: bruised, battered and beaten

Last week I had request for one particular vintage Rolex Submariner.
Since private stock rarely sees daylight this was great opportunity
for a photo session. I ended up spending 3 days
pulling apart a number of Submariners and in the process I took over 400 photos :-)

Time well spent - I now have enough material
for a PowerPoint presentation called "Collecting vintage Rolex sport watches"
which I intend to present this month.
This 'watch talk' event is suited for both novice and advanced collectors,
especially those interested in Rolex Submariners.
Stay tuned for more! Oh yes - the new wall projector is on it's way
so expect nothing less than a full IMAX experience :-)



For a quick preview fell free to browse the private stock listed at
http://clockmaker.com.au/private

While I don't regard myself as a watch collector per se,
I don't mind hanging onto a few pieces.
This particular lot was built up over a period of 12 years
and consist predominantly of "virgin" (unrestored) Submariners.
A word of warning: if you are not familiar with vintage watches
be prepared for shock and horror!
Although some pieces are in top collector's condition, most
other Subs are purposely left unrestored, scratched and dirty.
Yes - some of them still contain dirt and soil - in the very same condition
I'd found them! Which is exactly how mad collectors want them.

But we'll talk more about that on the night.

(You may wish to bookmark the above link because I do intend to
list few more in near future).

Rolex dials: fancy and exotic

From the mid 1980s to the late 1990s Rolex was heavily involved in production of
very special, exotic watch dials. Those dials were mainly fitted to Date and Datejust
models. Precious and semi precious stones like sugilite, rose jasper, blue and green jadeite, pink opal, coral and almost every colour of shell were used to turn conservative looking Rolex watches into unique and distinctive timepieces.
My favorite exotic dial is blue sodalite which was used in production of gent's watches, including Daytona models.
Pictured here is a slab of Bolivian sodalite:



...and an 18K WG Daytona with sodalite diamond dial
on blue alligator strap:



Unfortunately fancy dial Rolex watches are not common and they rarely appear on pre-loved market.
The k1893 on today's offer is fitted with rare Arabia-shell dial. Great watch in 35mm unisex size.