grb 1 Posted May 10, 2011 Collezione de le Cravatti Cassetto Shardlow is the world famous inland port of the 19 century rivalling Venice for commerce and culture with both built around major waterways and both filled with bars and restaurants. In busy periods the population of Shardlow can swell by up to 200. The similarities do not stop their while Venice has the Guggenheim, Shardlow is home to the Collezione de le Cravatti Cassetto. The Collezione is located just behind one of the magnificent Palazzo’s off the Shardlow’s Grand Canal Both Peggy, over at the Guggenheim, and I collect stuff. Every time we have lunch together she continually tries to convince me to part with the contents of le Cravatti Cassetto(the tie drawer). It’s a 7x4 partition drawer that contains my original collect of mainly silk pieces collected from around Europe, but recently I’ve taken to storing nice examples of orologia. It was originally decided to try and collect one nice example from each of the main design houses, but this task fell by the wayside many months ago. Each cravatte(tie) has a companion in its compartment some have multiple occupancy. Please enter into the ‘Oro Ingress’ , then continue into ‘Misto Sala’, up the stairs to the ’Breitling Balcone’ briefly to ’Piccolo Sala’ and finally down to browse the ‘Panerai Gran Galleria’ Oro We begin with Frank Muller Conquistador quartz chronograph sourced from Mary. Worn new years eve 2010.A stunning detail on the face where the light catches it, this is a big watch. The second item is a delightful quartz example of a 47mm Vacheron ‘American 1921’. It came from trusted dealer HoS. The piece is very elegant, large but very slim, sort of thing one may wear at the gaming tables, also wouldn’t go amiss on a raunchy female. Reviewed by Monsieur sp boudart, it being he who brought this to our attention Next up is the magnificent Mont Blanc Twin Barrel RG (42m). Again this is a masterpiece there is so much going on, exposed rubies on the front, the second dial rotates while the hand is static, calendar hand in the centre, with nice deployment clasp. This was sourced for by our trusted representative Mary IWC F.A Jones with its Gio Armani black tie. Now this piece was stolen from a well respected galleria in Florida it has a new $150 crocodile strap but those of you with a discerning eye will spot the unmistakable DNA of Barry over at KBH. This is unworn by me it’s just one of those things that you want to own. If I were in Verona waiting to take Aren to dinner and then on to the opera this is the combination I would choose. Finally a Lange & Sohne Time Zone 1 it measures 44mm in diameter and is finished in RG. The Lange arrived from trusted dealer TS it was described as a hand wind but was delivered in auto format. Due to the inaccuracies in the description this piece has never had any love or attention. Misto First off we have the Chopard Mille Miglia Gran Turismo XL this is driven by an auto high grade A7750 from Robert . Not worn but fiddled with. This combination allows me to relive what Stirling Moss must have experienced. This is one of those notorious movements renowned where the newbie owner manages to get the second hand not to return to 12. As you can see here the piece is pictured with the chronograph running. This is shortly due to return to the service pit. Never been raced or rallied. Next up the truly awesome Patek Phillip Full Cycle working Moon Phase Chronograph (40m). This is powered by a manual wind Seagull movement, sapphire glass and beautifully decorated dial. One has to marvel at mans ingenuity at being able to produce something like this. From the house of PWC Standing in front of this it brings to mind what it must have been like to participate in Fritz Lange’s ‘Metropolis’ Omega Aqua Terra 21j from Robert. Pray tell me how he can do this at $99 and make a profit. I just didn’t get Omega until this stunning. Unworn Anonimo Due Millimetri Professionale(42mm) and Liberty. Well with my professional aquatic skills needless to say if it ever sees 7000 feet it certainly won’t be on my wrist. U-boat Left Hook (50mm) from Robert 21j. This is crystal clear, stunning, business like, but what’s this all about having to reach over to change the time. Saw it in a dealership, had to own it, unworn. Omega Professional SMP (48mm) 21j. Originally from Robert but sourced from a galleria in York undergoing refurbishments. Beautiful midnight bezel and face. Great transaction with Mr Madfish. Again unworn by me Breitling Chronograph quartz accompanied by Armani silver grey. Not a big fan of the normal style breitlings until this. PWC economico range $99. I must find time to wear this. Montbrillion Datora A7750 with Canali from Robert delivery miles. I do not have a clue how to operate this, but it’s nice to hold on to. Mint Now the Flying ‘B’ quartz and Theo Grimaldi - from PWC. I seriously don’t know what is wrong with members here. I have only seen one other of these mentioned. This is a beautiful retro style huge piece. This is my favourite Breitling. Worn once. Super Ocean Steel Fish in black (42mm) 21j with a cheap Zara silk. Again from Robert smooth sweep delightful. Unused Piccolo These are all genuine quartz tiny diameter pieces. Raymond Weil Oasis. This is with a Hugo Boss black tie should only be worn at the tables. It has a stainless and gold alternative bracelet. Sector ADV 2500. I used to think this was a big watch it’s about 38mm Armani retro in steel delightful aged face Raymond Weil Parsifal 9ct gold and steel Panerai Gran Galleria PAM111 with Mario Marini - Robert economico serie with croc strap. PAM113 and Balmain - Pwc again the economic range with Steel bracelet PAM202 Slytech. Now this is the Great Pretender, it was sourced from an asset behind the old iron curtain. It was described as ‘perfect’ but what I didn’t know that perfect for a 21j meant that some buttons did ‘bugger all’. It was rumoured that this used to belong to Marshall Tito but I have no provenance to support that. To add to the pretence the piece arrived with a hand made peasant strap which gave the appearance that it may have been taken from a fallen comrade’s wrist during the battle of Sarajevo. The asset has now disappeared completely giving rise to suggestions that he may have been a double agent. But... having said all that I may put the strap back on, and the sweep of the second hand is absolutely delightful. This turned out to be truly educational, relatively expensive but great purchase. PAM177 and Marego - Pwc. Understated, my first born. PAM127 Pwc’s cheap range again. Now, don’t get me wrong I like this but this domed glass means I can’t see what time it is properly. My eyesight is deteriorating quite quickly I even tried to purchase KBH’s 182 and had to gently back out when I realised it was steel and not RG. PAM182 plus Dolce and Gabanna - Robert’s Swiss in house assembly, wound but not yet worn. PAM224 Firenza with black croc deployment. On a theme by Robert and Emilio Zegna, two of the better quality pieces available. I am just going to leave you quietly to take these both in. Pam339(47mm) wearing Nino Cerrutti. This I think what the experts call a fantasy, (but you may want to correct me) from Pwc, with a chocolate crocodile strap, but I like it. And the street people would say ‘it wears big’ PAM Daylight Robert’s quartz range. This was brought in as an experiment but the PVD didn’t catch on. Not yet worn Mare Nostrum, you will all have seen these but may be unaware of the sheer magnitude of the casing which houses the Seagull ST19 movement. It originated with PWC but was brought in quickly after what appeared to be a failed transaction in Sweden. It took from payment to being in its compartment with it’s Hugo Boss partner 3 days. ........ If you get the chance to deal with Rolf at V6 take it. Regatta quartz from......Robert, on a croc strap this is from the same range as the Daylight but better. California (not 47mm) and Nicole Farhi - looky likey from Pwc. I like this but I have to get some blue hands, as yet not seen the light of day. PAM Ferrari chrono and a very fine Paul Smith. The best factory sample that Pwc have in terms of movement Gold Seagull ST19 ribbed leather deployment. Most excellent. PAM253 Regatta Flyback high beat A7750 and Versace. This is the story ... I ask Robert for a picture of one his croc straps. He sends me the picture attached to this piece and then proceeds to tell me he made 20 for a list of named superstar celebrities which all went out. But...... he made 5 extras, he kept one himself, sold 2 to special clients, and there’s only 2 left. So if you want one there may be one left. It’s got twin exhausts see through glass coloured numbers every extra you can imagine. I’m not sure whether Robert deserves his trusted dealer status anymore because I’ve checked and I think Elvis would be able to afford a proper one, and that nice Steve McQueen wears a Rolex. PAM297 GMT and Hubert knitted silk ..... you guessed from PWC powered by A7750 on a croc deployment. This started badly and went downhill for a while, but is one of my favourite additions. I’ve sat here for 6 months now and listened to the forum giving out medals to Robert for the speed of transactions and service. I have had to wait up to 6 days for some of my early purchases to arrive. Anyway he’s now got it down to a routine .... I get a tracking number on a Friday and the delivery takes place Monday morning. But this time the Postman wakes me up at 6:45am Monday morning. This is not customer service... it was before I’d even had a coffee. It was only because it occurred during daylight saving weekend that I didn’t bring it up with someone. Anyway the item was unwrapped and it rattled. Emailed Robert, he says ‘take the back off and send me a picture’. Whoow, me take the back off, I don’t know about that. Anyway I get a hammer and chisel and the brownie out send him a pic of what is a little half moon piece of metal floating about in the back of my new purchase (which now I know that the rotor blade had become detached from the rotor spindle). Bad news... Robert says ‘I’ve never seen that before you better send it back’. Now I don’t know about you but I’ve got no money, no friends and definitely no patience, once it’s here it’s going nowhere. So out comes the screwdriver set (I know I mentioned the eyesight but did I mention the Parkinson’s disease, my auto watches really get a good wind) and I manage to repair it, hours of fun. If there are any left get one. On the way out is a cheap PAM GMT quartz with an unnamed Spanish number that I bought in Tenerife priced at 60euros that I managed to get for 10euros, so you can see it’s a good one it ticks like a mantle clock and the strap smells bad. A fine example of what not to do. The size difference Epilogo Before you all go, if you’ve not already left. Just a few more words. My story goes a little like this, and I’m beginning to think there’s something wrong with me, I listen to the chatter and do a bit of research I make a selection, purchase it and in anticipation wait for it to arrive, I’m excited it arrives I unpack it, inspect it and then I put it in the drawer. And then I think I wonder whether Aren is really like Lady Galadriel. Are there any real doctors here? Is this normal behaviour? This forum is like one of those bars you find on holiday or when you move to a new home. You enter sit quietly and observe for a while, listen to the banter at the bar from the regulars. And then maybe come back tomorrow or next year, but it has a place for many. It’s informative, funny, sometimes sad and occasionally a fight breaks out, but we are ably protected by Greg and all the other bar staff of which we should be grateful. I leave you with one more thought. This collection wouldn't be here without you, if you like it congratulate yourselves and if you don't make sure you switch the lights off behind the bar. I thank you all. Better go now I’m expecting the nurse with my medication. Oh Greg a large G&T and a Dry Spritzer please I’ll be back in a jiff. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
powderfreak 0 Posted May 10, 2011 Awesome! Pictures and text Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Balad1 0 Posted May 10, 2011 Wow Brother, that's a lot of stuff in one post. After drinking beers last night and then scanning your post I have a headache above my right eye now. Thanks for sharing, I think. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
amuthon 0 Posted May 10, 2011 Thank you for the very entertaining presentation of your nice collection. Should be awarded..... ups....wrong forum... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miggie 0 Posted May 13, 2011 You look to be a big fan of Panerai, very nice collection Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kolchak 17 Posted May 19, 2011 Not sure how this thread managed to slip by me unnoticed. Most entertaining & thought provoking collection presentation I've seen! TY Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
downfromtheglen 0 Posted May 19, 2011 Holy shit, dude. Looks like you have one for each day of the year. Are you interested in selling the Datora? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grb 1 Posted May 19, 2011 It's coming later in the week with steel bracelet Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
downfromtheglen 0 Posted May 19, 2011 It's coming later in the week with steel bracelet Keep me in mind!!!! does the pitchfork date indicator work? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grb 1 Posted May 19, 2011 I'm afraid that went over my head. It's a Robert super watch that's all I know. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
downfromtheglen 0 Posted May 19, 2011 I'm afraid that went over my head. It's a Robert super watch that's all I know. I'm referring to the red, half-moon date indicator that's over the 20 at the 6:00 position in your pic. Is it functional? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfcdre 0 Posted May 19, 2011 Nice collection thanks for sharing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grb 1 Posted May 19, 2011 Hi I've just tried it and if I part pull out the winder I can move it individually so I'm not sure what it should do. But it does appear to do something Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grb 1 Posted May 19, 2011 Oh I see it moves to a new day number on the inner bezel. It has been too complex for me but I think it does do something. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
downfromtheglen 0 Posted May 19, 2011 Oh I see it moves to a new day number on the inner bezel. It has been too complex for me but I think it does do something. Cool. Thanks. What are you hoping to get for it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grb 1 Posted May 19, 2011 It was about $375 with delivery and the steel bracelet. But I'll look at it when it's turn comes up, usually when I've done with something I just want it taken away. As you can see not many of these have been used. Generally I thought 'that may be nice to have' but this one arrived with all sorts of dials and buttons much too complex. But having inspected it. It is quite a nice thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SB56667 155 Posted May 23, 2011 Shardlow is the world famous inland port of the 19 century rivalling Venice for commerce and culture with both built around major waterways and both filled with bars and restaurants. I love it! One hell of a tour -- kudos. I didn't believe you about the coffee when I got started, but I'm going for one now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CPSNine 0 Posted June 3, 2011 Nice post, thank you for taking the time to put it together! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deyd 0 Posted June 3, 2011 Whaow Superbe ! Thanks to share al these beauty !!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites