London Watch Event / Longines Collectors Events - Review

[Omegafanman]

Hi Team OF,
For the last 10 months thanks to @Seiji I have been helping organise an event for Longines here in the UK.
A group of dedicated collectors and watch enthusiasts have been hosted for a crazy and fun packed few days by Longines. On the back of this we created an exclusive independent and not-for-profit get-together yesterday at the Devereux pub in London. A number of UK collectors also joining and celebrating navigation, aerospace and military watches. There was free food and booze...and some tea and coffee, thanks to some Kind sponsors.

The whole thing has been invitation only with no publicity before or during. All the venues, activities and lectures have been amazing, of course with some incredible watches.

Some Lucky members of Team OF were also able to attend the whole week schedule with more from OF and MWR attending on Saturday.

This is a lovely hobby we all enjoy.

@Seiji
@SpeedyPhill
@neilfrancis
@TimeODanaos
@tapaptpat
@wristpirate
@BlueBoy

 

[Zapatta]

Looks like you had a great time! I was honored to be invited by Frank, but unfortunately I couldn't come. Maybe next year!

 

[SpeedyPhill]

Thanks again @Omegafanman for setting up and inviting us !
Also thanks to the sponsors, and to all people who traveled from afar to meet up in London, Greenwich and Duxford...
Nice low level display of the civil version of the Consolidated Catalina amphibious aircraft at Duxford - Cambridgeshire!
Did I already mention, at Greenwich observatory
we could be alone with the historical Maritime Longitude clocks of John Harrison ?
(Photos: MWU)
.

 

[size11s]

Looks like a fabulous treat of a week. Not to ignore the plethora of wonderful watches shown, any further info available on the SmithS GS DeLuxe?

 

[SpeedyPhill]

Just a short impression of the different lectures given... interesting stuff on both civil & military aviation heritage of Longines !
(Photos: MWU)
.

 

[Mark020]

Based on what I saw on insta a very nice event!!

 

[TimeODanaos]

Truly massive thanks going out to @Omegafanman for delivering a beautiful international event that will have taken months of effort, and even managing to arrange sunny clear blue skies in London in October. The venue was clearly the inspiration for Harry Potter, involving weird ancient buildings and a narrow alley that probably isn't visible to ordinary folks (and might not even really exist...). The beer though was real! 😁


Great timez!

 

[DrmexicoII]

SpeedyPhill

Thanks again @Omegafanman for setting up and inviting us !
Also thanks to the sponsors, and to all people who traveled from afar to meet up in London, Greenwich and Duxford...
Nice low level display of the civil version of the Consolidated Catalina amphibious aircraft at Duxford - Cambridgeshire!
Did I already mention, at Greenwich observatory
we could be alone with the historical Maritime Longitude clocks of John Harrison ?
(Photos: MWU)
.

Fantastic! My Grandpa flew Catalinas and Sunderlands in WWII. Desperate to see either (or both) in the air.

 

[Omegafanman]

Seiji has made a great post for the dedicated Longines days.


https://omegaforums.net/threads/lon...nwich-kew-observatory-and-iwm-duxford.164573/
.

Edited: Oct 16, 2023

 

[Omegafanman]

DrmexicoII

Fantastic! My Grandpa flew Catalinas and Sunderlands in WWII. Desperate to see either (or both) in the air.

It was also a not fly day/too much side winds. The Catalina was the only aircraft able to go up and what a display it put on as SpeedyPhil said….

 

[TimeODanaos]

DrmexicoII

Fantastic! My Grandpa flew Catalinas and Sunderlands in WWII. Desperate to see either (or both) in the air.

Anyone ever wants to resurrect the Sunderland and fly it on the BOAC Australia route, I'm in. 👍

 

[Omegafanman]

For the Saturday we had two very kind sponsors. One I know would like to stay in the background. The other was Berry Jewellers so I should give them a mention as they made the effort to travel down (and had a great time at the event). They are watch enthusiasts themselves and enjoyed the day, and brought some nice watches. I know a few on OF who have bought new and nearly new from them / they get the collectors mind set....

Berry Jewellers brand list..
Baume&Mercier,Blancpain,Breguet,Breitling,Bremont,Bvlgari,Cartier,CHANEL,Chopard,DOXA,Glashutte Original,Grand Seiko,Gucci,Hamilton,Hublot,IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre,Longines,NOMOS Glashutte,OMEGA,Panerai,Patek Philippe,Rado,Raymond Weil,TAG Heuer,Tissot,TUDOR,Vacheron Constantin,Zenith

 

[Omegafanman]

Also a quick shout out to @tyrantlizardrex and the Time4apint meet ups. A few people came who I have met there. As a one off this was stressful to organise so I appreciate even more how hard it must be to run monthly meet-ups and find venues,... so lets all use it or loose it...

Time 4A Pint Get Togethers - Time 4A Pint

 

[wristpirate]

Was an incredible few days. I left feeling like I'd been in a whirlwind and whispering to myself "I need a Zulu timer"

 

[Omegafanman]

Some of us exchanged gifts. I was very pleased to get an Ed White photo from @SpeedyPhill 👍
.

 

[Omegafanman]

size11s

Looks like a fabulous treat of a week. Not to ignore the plethora of wonderful watches shown, any further info available on the SmithS GS DeLuxe?

I will ask him......

 

[size11s]

Omegafanman

I will ask him......

Thank you but no worries, it turns out that I know the owner 😀

 

[neilfrancis]

wristpirate

Was an incredible few days. I left feeling like I'd been in a whirlwind and whispering to myself "I need a Zulu timer"

I left feeling like I need a 13.33z. There were some gorgeous pieces about the place.

 

[SpeedyPhill]

A 1966 Edward White photo, taken before Apollo 1 training started... You did note White's Speedmster had the chronograph hand running !
.

 

[SpeedyPhill]

Without hijacking the topic, during this stay in London I visited all 18th century Maritime clocks by John Harrison and Larcum kendall.
Please allow me to remind everyone about the DVD which shows the remarkable history of " Longitude "
.

.
I have some good photos of all these clocks at:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/longitude-book-review.86056/page-4