My recent search for an RG IWC ended happily. The watch in question had previously been in Dennis' hands, then it passed on to Alam, who then very very kindly agreed to sell it to me (thanks Alam & Dennis!). The watch is outstanding and both guys have obviously taken good care of it. The 'passing on of the torch' (or rather a watch) and Unclebuck's recent post also made me think - do we really even own the watches we have? Or are we just custodians? This is particularly relevant as many of us own vintage watches, each with a history of various owners over the years, and I'd be naive if I thought I'd be the last owner. There also seems to be a feeling that some outstanding watches should be 'kept within the OF family' and a general feeling that something was done right whenever a nice specimen goes from one member to anothe (hence the 'dibs' system, and the 'gone to a good home' phrase) We do derive some satisfaction by trading watches within the 'family', and it again reminds me that we are a community where the process of exchanging watches is partly transactional, but also ceremonial to some degree. So I think while we do temporarily own watches, in truth we are custodians - holding it for the next person to enjoy when we ourselves don't get enough wrist time with it, holding it till we need to sell it for our next purchase, or perhaps holding it till we shuffle off this mortal coil, and leave our grieving widows to pass/sell it to someone else who will appreciate it many years from now. clockwise from upper left - Dennis, Alam, and my arms. And of course, apologies to Patek for me shamelessly using their ad! I think my new perspective of being a custodian increases my respect for the watches we have - knowing my time with them may be long or short, it makes me appreciate the time they spend on my wrist, and the need to care for them before their next owner takes over.
There are a few watches on this forums have have stamped their passport more than three or four times by now
Thanks! And this would never have happened without Dennis' enabling, and Alam's generosity. This is a forum that looks after its members.
IWC made (well, still make I suppose) beautiful watches during the Golden Age. Outstanding quality that lacked a bit of the flourish of the Trinity. For me it has always been the Trinity, then IWC, then everyone else (usually Rolex next, but sound arguments could be made for Omega, Zenith, and whomever anyone wants to argue!) I recently tried jump-starting a fading interest in vintage watches by acquiring two fantastic examples of IWC from forum members (thank you Dennis and David, o/w known to us as ulackfocus and Modest Proposal). Sadly, I didn't bond with these watches. Considering the time spent on this sales forum I didn't feel the audience who appreciated them was here. I sent them out to the 'bay where each found new homes. As for being custodians and not owners, it's a romantic notion for me. I am always on the hunt for the next "gottahave" timepiece so my collection is always rotating. The vintage Patek Calatrava I owned for 18 years (and wore on my wedding day) I traded for a Nautilus, which I then traded for a contemporary Calatrava. My Cartier Roadster hit the sales forum (elsewhere) a couple years ago but got parked when my wife started sharing custody! I really have little interest in it, but I keep it for now. My wife gave it to me on my fortieth birthday and after trying briefly to sell it I felt bad. I have an old Wittnauer that was given to my grandfather on the occasion of his retirement in 1969, a year before his death when I had just turned four years old. This is the only watch I will certainly keep for my forever, and pass to my daughter when I'm gone.
