RECOMMENDED READING: Can you get rich from collecting watches?
While antique categories such as art, furniture and artefacts have long been recognised as stores of value, watches are a relative newcomer to the game of “buy low, sell high”. And this poses an interesting question – can watches help you get rich? It seems like every auction season, old records are broken, and new ones are set for vintage references, and not just with the usual suspects of Patek Philippe and Rolex. While quality examples of Nautilus and Daytona models reach eye-watering prices, enthusiasts and collectors are seeing brands such as Universal Genève, Omega and Cartier climbing in value too. The New York Times recently published an excellent piece on this phenomenon, exploring why watches are increasing in value, if they make a reliable investment, and what to look for when you start collecting. Definitely worth your time. Read all about it at The New York Times.
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It’s a truism to say that the watch industry loves an anniversary, and while mostly it’s the watch brands doing the celebrating, this time it is a retailer celebrating the big 4-0. Boy, are they celebrating in style. The Hour Glass is one of the major retail figures in the Asia-Pacific region, with more than 40 boutiques (including three in Australia). The first of these boutiques opened in Singapore back in 1979. The brand is celebrating their 40th anniversary by releasing a series of special limited edition watches with some of their long-term partners like Urwerk, Franck Muller, Nomos, Longines and more. They’ve kicked off their series of special editions with a big one. The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph For The Hour Glass comes in platinum — all 41mm of it. The Royal Oak doesn’t require much introduction, and it’s an apt choice, as the model has only been around a few years longer than The Hour Glass, even though this platinum model takes as inspiration the 2008 chronograph release. The standout feature here is the dial. Of course it’s the famous tapisserie pattern, in the twin tones of The Hour Glass — yellow and green. It’s a striking…
For the second year running, Breguet, Blancpain, Jaquet Droz and Glashütte Original — The Swatch Group’s top-tier brands — are showcasing their latest and greatest at Melbourne retailer Monards Crown boutique. Melbourne Watch Week, as it’s called, is running from June 20 to 30 (slightly longer than a week, but who’s counting). It’s a great opportunity to get up close and (somewhat) personal with these pretty special pieces. Yesterday I was filming some watches and I took the chance to have a look around at these standout pieces, and these are my seven picks. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Barakuda Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms releases are always strong, and inevitably popular. Amidst all the more modern interepretations (and the awesome Air Command), we were taken by this delicious (and limited) vintage reissue. It’s inspired by a watch made for Barakuda — a German diving equipment company (hence the name). This explains the retro dial design, and indeed the smaller 40mm case. RRP $17,650 AUD Glashütte Original SeaQ From one German-inspired dive watch to another. The surprising Glashütte Original SeaQ. Glashütte Original is not a brand known for their dive watches, even though they played a part in their history (the inspiration for this…
Editor’s note: I met Adam for the first time recently at a Longines event, and was blown away when he produced a roll of five watches from his pocket. Apart from some stunning Enicar watches from the ’60s, he also had a rather large, time-only watch, with an interesting dial. We got chatting and he told me the story of his mid-century Longines double signed with the retailer Cuervo y Sobrinos. Adam found it in Havana after persisting with a watch dealer for three days to show him the most interesting pieces from the back of his safe. Adam also noted that Cuba was a unique location for luxury goods, as Fidel Castro’s regime locked all the country down through restricting imports, unintentionally turning the country into a time-capsule for mid-century collectibles. While that might be a small highlight in a troubled period of history, it certainly makes for a great watch collecting story. When someone’s watch story starts in the backstreets of Havana, you know it’s going to be good. In fact, it would be a good story, even if the watch itself didn’t match up to the tale. Luckily for all involved, Adam’s oversized mid-century Longines, double signed…
