The Blogosphere, the Websites, the YouTube channels, and Mr Google
Reading watches blog or website, and watching YouTube channel is some kind of entertainment to me. I have been doing this for more than a decade. But between the two, I prefer to read and appreciating the subject through “still photos” and write-ups. Watching watches review on YouTube is interesting, but besides the excitement of listening and watching I always found something lacking! Not all, but most reviewers do “unboxing”. Very few did it sufficiently to explain about the subject or the watch. The missing “close-up” and facts on the subject always vigour me to find out further. That is where Mr Google comes in. Get the facts and see some close-up! If it didn’t end-up in the blogosphere, it ends up on the website or watches forum. I’m use to this kind of process. Just focus on the horology subject or watch model, relate to the associating keywords… you will get it; in pieces or the wholesome. All on the screen. I don’t buy watches magazines anymore, paperless! Ha-ha, I bet professional football clubs don't scout new players this way! For watches, a necessity.
The Watches TV. One of my favourite YouTube channel. You can get in touch with the industry through this channel. Almost every year, I wait for their report on Baselworld and SIHH. Also, the latest news from the watchmaking industry. Comprehensive and impressive presentation.
The Best Money Can BuyI am not a myopic nor a brand centric. Though I appreciate much the Japanese watchmakers, I still love the Swiss and the rest of the brands originated from other countries. Watches are produced in various functions and designs. Sometimes I feel that brand is not much of a concern. I like it, so I get it. But liking comes with preferences and preference is a subject of diversity. Some people like the divers; some collect watches by the type or function (like GMT, World-time, Chronograph, Moon-phase, etc.); some collect the brand; some treasure the vintage; and some adore the plastic timepieces. I am the “some-type”! I do all. Keep hunting and get the best money can buy. If I don’t buy the new one, I get the used one. Football is an industry, the clubs trade players. Trade your watch collection?
Good-price hunting! I pay this brand new J.Springs 200m WR sports diver for 50 bucks (fifty US dollar). Made by SII (Seiko Instrument Inc.), J.Springs is another brand by Seiko. SII produces movement for Seiko Watch Corp. So no question about the quartz workhorse inside. Worth buying!
The MathematicsWatches come with a price tag. Cheap, expensive or negotiable. “Losing is gaining… zero is a plus”. What kind of mathematics is that? Sometimes we get the one we like without paying, zero! Not for free, but through exchange or swapping. That zero cost is a plus to us. Am I right? Sometimes, we let go our new and expensive just to get the watch we craving for though the cost is much lesser! Are we losing? No, we gain. We lost by number but we get what we aim for, satisfied. Ha-ha… that is the mathematics of collecting (watches). Don’t have money to buy, swapping is the way we do. I do this most of the time. I bet you guys did that too. Occasionally... or accidentally we lost! How? When we erroneously bought a piece of “Rojak” watch (Rojak means franken-watches) or mistakenly bought a clone or fake. Haru-blue braderr… rugi. Ha-ha a lost you can’t compensate. So be extra careful when buying or swapping. Football clubs swap players, I swap my watches.
I swap my one month old Seiko Arnie re-issue with this 1st batch 2015 Blue Turtle re-issue. Both are LNIB. This turtle cost less. But I treasure more. Why? Ha-ha. 1st batch, always the best. Keep it if you can.
What Matter Most?Shapes of things. I don’t bother much on the facade. Big but beautiful. Small but immaculate. Vintage but pristine. I venture all shapes of watches and accept whatever brand. The most important to me is the watch movement and the condition (in case of vintage or pre-owned watches). I won’t pay more than three hundred ringgit for a Miyota powered quartz watch or brand. I don't spend on expensive German watches using Miyota Cal. 8200. And, I won’t buy vintage that will cost me more to restore. Vintage or new, I am very particular on these two measures. Getting to know the watch movement is important. Experiencing the performance of the movement is an added advantage. Guys, I have disposed all my Seiko 1st gen Sumo. The Seiko Cal. 6R15 fifty hours power reserve does not entice me to get new Seiko of the similar movement. The Seiko Cal. 4R35/4R36 performs better. Wait for my article on this hot subject. For me, the watch movement reveals the true performance, the rest are design aesthetic and cosmetics. I would prefer to keep vintage Citizen using those good antique calibres with hand-winding and hacking function rather than buying new Citizen with Calibre 82XXvar movement. Skilful and experienced football player is more valuable. Don't you think so?
My vintage Citizen Seven Star V2 with Cal. 7790 performs better than the modern Miyota Cal. 82 variants. I won't trade this old guy with the new one. Get the mint or pristine condition vintage with this kind of movement. You will appreciate more.
Keep It Seven… Can You?If you are a mechanical collector, having too many can sometimes be a problem. Especially those that cannot be hand-wound. There is a myth about the mechanical. You can’t leave them stagnant for months. This might “jammed” the movement. It is like leaving your car engine not ignited and not getting the car moving for weeks or months. The car engine gets stuck, because the lubricant hardened! Watches movement got that similar problem. If this myth is true, then get a watch-winder! Not me, I wear every one of them occasionally. I remember a long lost friend Mr Roachman said, “Keep the best seven all the time. If you manage to get a better one, dispose one so you keep only seven! Wear one a day, so you rotate all the seven in a week". Make sense! FYI, Mr Roachman is from Ipoh. He disposed all his expensive Swiss just to collect Grand Seiko and King Seiko vintage. I guess Mr Roachman is a real GS-KS freak. Ha-ha… not like me, the “some-type”. But I will. I will keep seven, get the line I appreciate most. Rambang mata bekk… mana satu laa nak simpan. Kalau penternak? Ha-ha... non-performing football player goes first. The club will replace with the new good one. Definitely the club won't keep seven! They keep at least two best starting eleven for the competition.
One on the wrist, six in the box. Can you? Keep the Magnificent-7.
"Collecting watches is about passion. Acquiring
knowledge is a must. Catching up with the trend can be cumbersome sometime.
Buy what you like, as many as you wish. I remember a guy in the watch forum said… having many doesn’t make
you an avid collector. Knowledge on your collection is more important. OK
guys. Thanks for reading. See you in the next EH. Whats next?" - thetick-thetick2020
