1. ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DAYS WITH THE A. LANGE & SÖHNE SAXONIA THIN
Five or so years ago, A. Lange & Söhne introduced the Saxonia Thin. It is a time-only two-hander that was supposed to introduce the brand to a wider audience by virtue of its more affordable price. Despite this, the watch is said to be as finely finished as Lange’s higher-end pieces. Lange famously said that it applies the same fastidious standards of finishing to all of its watches. So regardless of whether it’s a Saxonia Thin or Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon, its craftsmen finish the watch and movement to the same high standards. To find out if that’s really true or just marketing spiel, here’s a super detailed look at the Saxonia Thin.
Source: Watches by SJX
2. FRANKEN/FAKE OYSTER “SOTTO” DAYTONA (RCO) AT CHRISTIE’S HONG KONG
“Sotto” is Italian for “underneath” or “below.” And in the world of vintage Rolex Daytonas, it refers to Paul Newman Daytonas that have the “Oyster” designation after “Rolex” and “Cosmograph.” Hence, the dial reads Rolex Cosmograph Oyster (RCO) as opposed to the more common Rolex Oyster Cosmograph (ROC). It’s a rare watch, and only 20 or so proper examples have surfaced. Needless to say, it commands big money and recent examples have hammered for over a million dollars. Recently, an example turned up at Christie’s Hong Kong which looks legit at first. But further investigation by Jose Pereztroika of Perezcope has uncovered inconsistencies that are worth noting and further examination. Let it be a warning to readers looking to acquire vintage Rolexes. Vintage Rolex Daytonas are big money. And when there’s money to be made, greed follows. Tread carefully.
Source: Perezcope
3. HOW DOES WATCH ALLOCATION WORK?
The industry is different now. Gone are the days you could walk into a Rolex boutique and walk out with a Submariner or into an AP boutique and walk out with a Royal Oak. Social media and a host of other factors have made this hobby popular. There are now more players in the game. Watch brands and watch retailers know this and have started a system of allocating watches. This is no different than any other hyped-up hobby like sneakers or handbags. There are simply not enough products to go around. And once you understand and accept this, it becomes clearer and easier to know what you need to do to get that grail watch that you have in mind.
Source: ScrewDownCrown
4. THE EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO THE WATCH INDUSTRY
Every hobby industry — and I think we can call watches that — faces the problem of renewal. By definition, hobbies aren’t necessarily essential to survival. There are more important things in life. Consequently, people come into and leave hobbies all the time. This is a problem for the watch industry because many people who are new to watches are finding it difficult to get watches that they want. And this frustration is turning many of them away to other hobbies and endeavors. This isn’t a problem now because people are snapping up everything that they make but what happens when the current crowd exit this hobby? Where are the new customers going to come from? It’s something that watch brands must consider because many would argue that the current situation is untenable.
Source: NYC Watch Guy
5. DECONSTRUCTION ROGER DUBUIS MILLESIME RD180
Early Roger Dubuis was a very different brand than it is today. There was a keener focus and greater respect for traditional watchmaking. This is why early pieces are so sought after by knowledgeable collectors these days. The Millesime RD180 is unique because it’s using an unfinished antique caliber. This explains its, frankly, monstrous size. Still, this is a watch with a split-seconds chronograph, perpetual calendar, and minute repeater. Dubuis took the movements and then proceeded to finish them in a manner that would earn the watch the Geneva Seal. Take a look at what makes this watch ticks in the link below.
Source: The Naked Watchmaker