RECOMMENDED READING: What do collectors really look for?
What do collectors really look for when they are already at the top of the watch game? Rarity? Provenance? Complexity? All are true for different collectors, with some placing value on the design of a timepiece, and others on condition. This variety is what keeps it interesting in the stratospheric peaks of the collecting world, where money is no object and the hunt is the source of the thrill. For collector Leon Botstein, president of Bard College and orchestra conductor, his interest lies in both pocket watches and wristwatches that were produced without the aid of computers. He describes his collection of watches as “amazing works of art”, ranging from the 19th century to the 1960s, when technology began to unwelcomely intrude in the production process. For him, the beauty of a piece lies in the complexity of its functions, and the history of a watch that shows it was once a tool of practical day-to-day use. He also shares an uncommon sentiment, that the drop in pocket watch values is “scandalous”, which forced him to consider wristwatches, when his passion was clearly held in the hand. Quoted in an article by Barron’s, Leon Botstein also discusses the modern watches…
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In the early years of the 21st century, Zenith was a brand that looked to the past — honouring their iconic El Primero in its original guise, and taking flights of nostalgic fancy with its Pilot’s collection. All fine watches, but comfortable takes on familiar forms. In 2017, the brand abruptly changed direction, with a thoroughly modern iteration of an old name — Defy — taking centre stage. One of the pillars of this new Zenith vision was the El Primero 21 (a watch we looked at in some detail here), which took the iconic high-frequency chronograph that is the El Primero and rocketed it to the next level. You see, the regular EP runs 5Hz, allowing 1/10th of a second accuracy. The chronograph on the El Primero 21 runs at a boggling 50Hz, meaning that the chrono hand makes a single revolution in a second, and offers 1/100th of a second accuracy. Of course this rate only applies to the chronograph operation; timekeeping runs at a more sedate and less power-hungry 5Hz, which is plenty accurate for day-to-day timekeeping. This year we were treated to a new take on the Defy: the 44mm case is offered here in carbon,…
For decades, the Seiko 5 collection has been some of the best-value mechanical watchmaking on the planet. The ability to buy an automatic watch with an in-house movement for only a few hundred dollars must be responsible for introducing tens of thousands of people around the world to watches. You would be hard-pressed to find many watch collectors out there who haven’t owned a Seiko 5 at one point in their collecting journey. And while many of the big Swiss brands would hate to admit it, the watch industry is a much better place for the existence of the Seiko 5. It is with great excitement then, that Seiko have announced the relaunch of the Seiko 5 Sports Models, with a brand new logo and collection. The new logo is an amalgamation of the “S” in sports, and number “5”, a number specifically used for the requirement of every model to feature the following: a day-date display at the three o’clock position water resistance an automatic movement durable case and bracelet and a recessed crown in the four o’clock position With a list of minimum requirements like that, at the price point of the Seiko 5 it’s very easy to…
Editor’s note: Ergonomics have always been at the forefront of design for the IWC Big Pilot, with the large legible dial and oversized onion crown perfect for low-light cockpit conditions, and use with flight gloves. Despite this, it was a significant move when IWC took the design to a new place, with the Big Pilot Edition ‘Right-Hander’. It now features the crown on the left-hand side of the case, to avoid uncomfortable digging into the back of the hand or wrist. While we are still digesting this design update, we wanted to look back at the Big Pilot that started it all, and the cult status that it commands around the world. When IWC released their Big Pilot (reference 5002, now updated to reference 5010) in 2002 they were pioneers in the big watch game and they could hardly have known what legend they were creating. At 46mm it was a beast, an irresistible force. The deceptively simple design and concept is one that has been imitated, but never bettered. The Big Pilot makes a Big Statement, and over the years has attracted some big-name wearers. Orlando Bloom Orlando – A longtime IWC and Rolex fan (he’s often spotted with…
Alfredo Paramico doesn’t look like a watch collector. Living in Miami Beach, he looks more like an action hero, tanned like Baywatch and ripped like Schwarzenegger, and clad from head to toe in the latest designer capsules. However, in spite of this initial Wooster-esque impression, he is in fact one of the most well-known collectors of vintage watches in the world. A former merchant banker turned investor and watch dealer, he has amassed a collection worth an estimated $25 million. An offshoot of his own collecting behaviour is Elite Advisers, an investment fund devoted to collectible watches that are expected to appreciate. In an interview with Luxury Society in 2017, Alfredo Paramico discusses his fund in some depth, what he looks for when building his collection, and if there is a bubble in the vintage watch market. These comments are interesting in the context of what has happened to both the pre-owned and primary watch markets over the last 18 months, with certain models exploding in value for both markets. While the watch industry has changed more generally through these areas of growth, a collector of Alfredo Paramico’s calibre expresses a perspective that captures the mood of the moment.