Baselworld 2014

MiCr0

Any one see anything exciting or come across anything fun?

All i've seen online of interest is this wonderful Starfleet Machine from the wonderful mbandf.
A steal at only 30k CHF - about 25k euro

paddyh117

GQ have some nice ones listed

http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/watches

CarltonBrowne

I was starting to get excited about the Tudor Ranger until I saw the bracelet they've created it for it. FFS, if I want a bracelet without endlinks I can get them off Ebay.

Mredsnapper

Would have liked the new sm300 if it was more like the old one.

Being a newish WIS the one thing that I find most interesting are all of the threads on the other forums where people are more concerned with trying to guage the impact of the Rolex announcements on the prices of their current pieces. I'm guessing that there are a lot of people who stretch themselves on a Rolex based on the hope that they will be able to resell for more than they paid.

MiCr0

i've got to say that releasing a "new" model which is exactly the same as the old one but with a new dial or bezel just reminds me of this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaOgZwk9rN8

Deep Thought

Agree about the end links....prob well made but not right

I do in general like it, nice clean and easy to read with those hands

Wibbs

Flying the Longines flag as I do. I see they have finally copped on to their Czech pilots watch of the 30's/40's



Pity it doesn't have the rotating bezel and pointer of the original. Pity yet again about the bloody date ruining the dial IMHO of course. Again IMHO regarding homages, if it didn't have the date on the originals shoving one on rarely makes things better.

No news on price, nor when they're coming out, nor how many(numbered series). My advice? If any of ye reading have thought about pulling the trigger on one of the originals, I'd do so now, as the prices will likely climb when the new one hits the streets(and the new one will be dearer anyway). The price of their 1960's vintage compressor cased diver did when the Heritage Diver came out.

Plus if you like that look Precista had an homage that was more true to the original IMH.

Some pics have also surfaced of prototypes/updates/homages to some of their funky 70's designs so yet another area to keep an eye on in the vintage market, cos you get any number of that era on the bay for well under a grand and often under 500 and sometimes even less than that.

I'm a vintage whore. I'm getting help for it, I swear.

CarltonBrowne

The dimension to watch with that re-issue is the lug-to-lug one. I've spoken to two previous owners of the Precista variant and the 51.5mm was a killer for them - the Longines re-issue is 1mm wider than the Precista (and naturally the original) but I haven't seen the lug dimension. One would imagine that it must be of a similar order or the proportions would start to look wrong.

It's also clear that the gnomes have no shame given that the homage of their watch is significantly more accurate than their own attempt :P.

I should have the opportunity to try on the Longines 1928 pilot re-issue later this week so I'm quite curious about these. I saw the Avigation Type A-7 in passing at Zürich airport last week but only had a 35 minute connection so didn't have time to try it on. I think it looks fantastic but imagine that, being 49mm, it's a non-no. Maybe next time.

Eoin

Sorry if these aren't specific to Baselworld, but I've seen some cool arrivals appearing on my twitter feed over the last few days.

Edit - just came across this report that someone wrote up; some nice pics in there: http://roleks.se/bas2014.htm

Not usually a huge fan, but I love the first one of these. 45mm is a bit big for a square-ish (and "retro") watch though.


Tag Heuer Monaco V4 Tourbillon

This beaut


Like the new Rolex:

CarltonBrowne

CarltonBrowne wrote: »

I should have the opportunity to try on the Longines 1928 pilot re-issue later this week so I'm quite curious about these. I saw the Avigation Type A-7 in passing at Zürich airport last week but only had a 35 minute connection so didn't have time to try it on. I think it looks fantastic but imagine that, being 49mm, it's a non-no. Maybe next time.

Well I tried this on last Thursday.


I think, if I'm going to have something in a 1928 pilot pattern style then, it's going to have to be an original. Although it's not a small watch and the lug style could be described as a little awkward it's actually really comfortable and fits my small wrist rather well. Neither the lugs nor the large crown dig in at all which I was slightly surprised about (I'm sure I've heard others say something similar though).

The negatives however were enough to put me off.
- A crown this size really needs to be connected to a manual wind mechanism. The watch being an automatic shouldn't come as too much of a surprise given that it's rather boldly stated on the dial but it didn't really sink in until the sales lady pointed it out quite proudly. Just a waste in my view and Longines must have a movement in the stable that would fit. It also makes the case thicker but, as already stated, the case size isn't a problem.
- This brings me onto the fact that the seconds sub-dial is too high up and out of proportion - a classic sign of small movement syndrome. The date display partially obfuscates this but once you've noticed it then you can't ignore it.
- SWMBO came out with the classic - "that winding crown looks like a disco glitter ball". She's right of course. A vintage specimen, even if originally polished, would presumably have enough wabi to tone this element down a bit. This wouldn't have been a dealbreaker as I could probably get somebody to brush it but the movement-related negatives means I won't be taking this one any further. I'll still try the Avigation A7 variant on next time I get a minute at Zürich, though.

Edit: Just to add that I don't think that Longines are taking the pi$$ too much on price - this was in a German jewelers at €1630. The same watch with Chronoswiss or Zenith on the dial would be selling for three times that.

Wibbs

Nice review CB. My thoughts exactly.

They really need a no date option, but as you say that would make the small movement all the more obvious.

TBH I hadn't considered the handwind movement, but you're so right, with a case this size surely they could have rustled up something like an ETA small pocketwatch movement(if one exists?). Better yet do a limited edition of one of their older movements as Zenith did, if they have any left. It's not as if Longines of all people don't have a huge legacy of quality handwinds to pick from. I wonder what was in their original of the species? I have noticed that while some like Zenith and Omega had full sized movements under the bonnet, others had small movements and big movement rings to take up the slack. Strangely the subseconds in such cases doesn't look as awkward.

On the comfort aspect, yep they are surprisingly comfortable and they really don't look it. The crown is the biggest surprise on that score. I can't recall ever catching it on anything, or myself. By comparison the Czech Longines I had of the same vintage was something you knew you were wearing(one reason I wasn't too sad to see it go). It felt bigger and fatter, though side by side there was little in it. You're also spot on about original crowns. They nearly all go brassy with time(the Omega being the exception here, but it has a shorter crown tube so not as obvious). That takes the edge off the glitterball vibe.

Interesting models from Panerai. Not unlike one of the recent Longines 70's reissues.

There does seem to be a few nods towards the 1970's from a few makers. For me the 70's was a very interesting time in wristwatch design, both on the outside and inside. Some real pushing of the design boundaries was going on. IMHO it was a high watermark moment in watches, even if it was a remarkably underrated one. 70's Heuers seemed to be the only ones that always held a wider interest. Ironic considering at the time Heuer were in serious difficulties with sales way down. I recall reading a figure of only 150 odd watches sold in the US in the entire year(72 or 73). Brietling were also really struggling and pretty much went under, only to be rescued by the owner of a cheaper brand. This was even going on before the quartz stuff really kicked in(early ones of those should be on the bargains at the moment list. If you can find a good un).

Was it here I mentioned that 70's vintage was a good area for bargains? It still is, but I can see that changing soon enough. Wasn't it only last year a 70's GP went for 200 quid on Adverts? I'd reckon double that now, on ebay at least.

PS I really like that Rolex Cellini. V nice.

Wibbs

CarltonBrowne wrote: »

Edit: Just to add that I don't think that Longines are taking the pi$$ too much on price - this was in a German jewelers at €1630. The same watch with Chronoswiss or Zenith on the dial would be selling for three times that.

+1. With the other makers in most cases the reissue would be more expensive than a good condition original, with the Longines crowd the reverse is usually the case.