Winding Down The Week (Feb. 11, 2022)
Talking To One of The World’s Greatest Private Watch Collectors
Observatory platinum-cased tourbillon pocket watch created to compete in the Geneva Astronomical Observatory Timing Contest of 1933. Owned by Henry Graves Jr. Image credit: The OAK Collection
Originally scheduled for December 2021, an extensive collection of vintage watches known as The OAK Collection is back on track to be showcased in the forthcoming months. Monochrome Watches spoke with the Parisian collector, Patrick Getreide, who introduces how he fell in love with timepieces at the age of 10 while visiting an Omega boutique.
The OAK Collection is quite an interesting concept, as it will be one of the few occasions in which a curated event is open to the public with the purpose to promote vintage (along with modern/independent) timepieces, Mind you, there are brand gatherings and auction events, however, the decision came from Getreide’s desire to ultimately share his passion with others.
“I find it very strange that no watch collections are displayed in museums. It became an obsession for me to showcase watches as art pieces in a museum. It is also about sharing the passion with people.”
The cornerstone of Getreide’s collection is arguably the five Henry Graves Jr. timepieces, one of which being an Observatory platinum-cased tourbillon pocket which competed in the Geneva Astronomical Observatory Timing Contest of 1933 and was then personalized to Henry Graves Jr. which he shared within the Monochrome article. During my visit to the Patek Philippe Museum, I noticed a section with some of the timepieces formerly belonging to Graves Jr., including his desk clock, which was separate from the other Graves Jr. timepieces. This was due to the fact they were lent by a private collector to the Museum so that visitors could appreciate them. While I can’t say recall which timepieces were among the section outside of the desk clock, I don’t believe these models were Getriede’s timepieces. Nevertheless, the fact that more timepieces with such important provenance are being shared in forthcoming world tour is really worth praise.
Image credit: Christie’s
Patek Philippe reference 1579P. Image credit: The OAK Collection
Among the collector’s favorites is the timepiece seen above - a Patek Philippe reference 1579P (“P” indicating the case metal as platinum).
“I adore chronographs and chronometers. I have six different iterations of the reference 1579, including a one-of-a-kind. I love this reference.”
Taking place over the course of May 19-25, the collection will be on view at The Design Museum.
Read the full article Talking To One of The World’s Greatest Private Watch Collectors, Owner of the OAK Collection.
Grinding Gears: Researchers Discover Connection Between Narcissism and High Jewellery Watches
Image credit: Dubai Watch Week.
Quite few writers in the luxury watch world contribute satire and humor within the space. Perhaps this is due to the fact the subject matter expects the writer to take themselves, and the product, with the upmost seriousness. One can also imagine the platforms dedicated to promoting luxury goods are also hesitant about stepping on eggshells that could hurt relationships in the future. With so many of these watches marketed as “rugged” and “built to last” that it is quite hilarious at the thought of a brand being thin-skinned over a joke or two at their expense. While there are noteworthy exceptions (see Max Büsser’s enjoyment from memes roasting him) the stiffness within the industry is quite apparent. With so many outlets, writers and brands, walking the narrow path, the impression of owning many of these timepieces can feel less aspirational and instead completely out of touch.
The author highlights the collector community’s lack self-awareness being “skilled in the art of the selfie, each was using the Facetune app on their phone, and continuously asked salespeople for a handheld mirror.” Much of what we see on social media tends to reflect a need to express self-importance through materialism and/or a position of authority on all things [insert brand/model/subject here].
The unexpected article pokes fun at the whole subject while backing everything up with scientific evidence from the world’s leading neuroscientists. Kudos the the author, and Dubai Watch Week, for drawing outside the lines.
Read the full article Researchers Discover Connection Between Narcissism and High Jewellery Watches.
A Complete Newbie Goes Vintage Shopping
Image credit: HODINKEE
Catering to the vintage audience in last week’s H column was Sarah Miller’s most recent Beginner's Guide article in which she finds herself compelled to go down the vintage route. For a “beginner”, she certainly speaks the language of a passionate watch enthusiast.
“I like old fonts and burnished metal, the austerity of the 1940s and ’50s mixed with the space-age-ness of the 1960s and ’70s. To my eyes, old watches are clay courts; new watches are asphalt.”
Image credit: HODINKEE