Griingo
March 28, 2016, 12:12pm
#41
itera:
I’m going to include in my will a clause for my trustee to pose as me on AF. As long as he keeps using key phrases like "hacksaw, plumbing, top 2, models and bottles, " I think I can keep fooling all of you
We’d suspect something was up, I don’t think the trustee would be able to pull off the appropriate level of immaturity, it would come across like parody
Griingo
March 28, 2016, 12:45pm
#42
ohai:
Well, since today is a market holiday, I had some time to walk over to the IWC boutique in midtown to look at the Portugueses (now called “Portuguesiers” I guess). Anyway, wow, these wear really high and look big on the wrist. IWC uses flat and vertical walls on the side of this model, and the watch faces are expanded to the extremities of the case. Combined with the “modern size” of these watches in the first place, these are quite loud pieces, and they are unsuitable for an understated individual with small wrists such as myself. I was quite disappointed.
I thought the cheaper IWC, the Portofino, had a much more classic and subtle appearance that is more suitable for daily use. However, the watch is quite non-descript, and I’ve heard some negative things regarding quality control on this watch.
Anyway, while I was there, I also stopped by the Omega store, as I had recently “discovered” the Dark Side of the Moon Speedmaster and wanted to see one in person. Although I was initially turned off by the levelling of brands within the Swatch/ETA empire, their scale allows them to out compete probably all other brands when it comes to content per price. In addition to one of the best integrated chronometer movements today, it had details like a curved crystal (so it appears “invisible from all angles”), multiple levels of finishing on all surfaces, a titanium/ceramic deployment clasp, a silicon hair spring (Patek Phillipe thinks they are The Sh for using this), white gold applied markers, plus the ceramic case for which other manufacturers probably lacked the resourced to develop. A black 44mm watch would be hard to wear in some settings, but I think the “Grey Side” version might be a good compromise. It is quite expensive for an Omega, but I think the features justify this price.
this is interesting, I’ve been a long term coveter of a IWC Portuguese but I’ve never actually had one on my wrist. I really dislike the large watch trend so prefer something that sits a bit more subtely on the wrist. I’d never really considered the Portofino before but it looks like a nice watch. The chronograph looks very similar to a Maurice Lacroix watch I almost bought one time when I was very drunk in Istanbul airport, undoubtedly with much better detailing up close.
I’m not a fan of the Omega dark side of the moon watch. Seems like a gimmick that they dreamt up to get fanboys to buy a 2nd or 3rd watch from them. Grey side looks ok though.
ohai:
I don’t know if there is a difference between different authorized dealers, other than service and selection. All of them will give you a factory warranty (which lasts 4 years, by the way, for watches with the co-axial movement from Omega, like the Speedmaster above), and I believe all of them will charge you full MSRP, which is typically 25% to 35% above the price you will pay on the grey market. The Omega sales representative got a little bit defensive when I suggested that the warranty did not justify this premium, but I suppose this is an issue that he deals with frequently in his job.
Anyway, I’m incidentally not at all interested in the old Speedmaster. It just has normal quality, everyone has one, and the “moon” theme is the most tired reference in the watch industry. How can you offer an acrylic crystal on such a watch today? However, these new Speedmasters are state-of-the-art; they are really the best in terms of quality, manufacturing precision, and reliability that the industry currently offers. I might get one. I don’t yet own a chronograph and am not quite taken with the aesthetic of the commonly referenced chronograph watch in this price range. The main thing I really am not sold on is the toughness of the ceramic case and will need to do some research on this material.
Also, I’m not crazy about the nylon strap that comes with the standard DSOTM watch. However, since I’m leaning towards the Grey version if I get one, this will probably not be an issue. I should say though, that it is an exceptionally nice nylon strap, and that the underside is in fact lined with leather. So the nylon material was chosen for aesthetic and not economic reasons. The strap is also not as prominent in real life, compared to in these magnified pictures, and it tapers in width to a more streamlined (I think) 22mm. In these dimensions, the nylon lining is more palatable and I even prefer it to some other Omega straps, most notably the rubber strap that comes with some Planet Ocean Seamasters.
The other thing that cannot be determined from photographs is the finishing on the dial of either watch. The black dial is made from some kind of ceramic and has a rather fascinating not-quite matte yet not-quite polished appearance. The grey dial is made from platinum, and has a slightly grainy surface. This is a reference to the moon surface and is a bit of a gimmick if you ask me. However, this is the kind of attention to detail that impressed me in these Omega watches. The tachymeter markings, by the way, are also fully luminated - the numbers and everything. They really thought about everything.
The case back is another area that deserves particular attention. There is a full sapphire crystal display on the back of the watch, and through it, you can see the integrated chronograph automatic movement. The movement is not designed for maximum transparency - compare this to the IWC Portuguese 100 hour movement for example, with its skeletonized weight. But again, it’s finishing is quite exceptional, with a mix of scalloped and round polishing. This is the sort of extra detail that cannot be found in even more expensive watches and just comes from having more manufacturing resources due to economics of scale. I don’t know why Omega chose to project the glass case back beyond the width of the case though. Given the level of detail given to the rest of the construction, I think this must be deliberate. It does add some symmetry to the design when viewed from the side, but it is odd that they chose to prioritize this over wearability.
loving this, reminds me of the business card scene for some reason.
ohai
March 28, 2016, 2:58pm
#44
Yeah, a 45mm black watch is a bit too prominent for my tastes as well. It will turn you into “that guy with that watch”. The Gray one is much more balanced - you can tell something is “different”, i.e. it does not look like stainless steel or titanium, but can still pass as normal if needed. The Dark watch is a Corvette Z06, the Gray one is an Audi RS6.
Anyway, the average Omega supposedly sells for about $4k, so the company has to put in a lot of extra effort to sell a watch at this higher price point. Hence, the abundance of minute details. They used a laser to engrave the names of all the major parts of the movement in the back (this might be a bit too much), and they applied lume to the little Omega symbol of the crown. The chronograph buttons, crown, and buckle are all ceramic, as well. It’s like when you paint a picture, and can’t decide when to stop, so you keep painting new things. Obsessive watch people are all over this sort of thing.