World's Most Expensive Watch Ever sold!

Sotheby's experts estimated that this watch would sell for between $3 million and $5 million, but due to intense competition, bids soared to more than $11 million in 1999. With 24 complications or functions and two faces. This 18kt yellow-gold pocket watch took four years to build and still holds the record for the most expensive watch (non jewelery watch) ever sold. It is Patek Philippe Cal. 89. Only one is known to be produced!
If Patek Philippe produces two pieces, the auction price will not that high, it may reach 3 millions only... As this is a very heavy pocket watch which you never want to wear it in your pocket!
HK Snob

What’s the best Rolex for investment?

Many people talks about using Watch for an investment, yes that is right if you go for certain limited production for some branded watch like Patek Philipe, Audemars Piguet, Rolex… we can check out the hot items in the watch auctions. An investment watch has certain basic requirement:
1. Limited units available
2. Beautiful design or feature.
3. Sophisticated movement
4. That Watch will not be produced as a retro version as new anymore.
5. Timing (factors like Trend, preference on colour, size, material) *
If you said buying a new Rolex and put it in safe waiting for the price to go up and earn money, that may not be practical, as they are production watch, and those are new, you may have to wait for many decades to see that watch could offset inflation to return you some dollars.
Simply as I say No Rolex should be purchased with a perceived notion of investment....
They should be worn and enjoyed! Or more precisely having said that, almost all Rolex watches will hold their value in the long haul, but will loose out in the short term.
Watches should not be bought as an investment. Buy the one you like and enjoy it. If it goes up in value that's great!
If buying with the sole reason not to loose money on a future resale then buy second hand as most of the depreciation would already have been taken.
Your best bet to buy a Pre Owned Submariner, GMT or SS Daytona. They seem to hold their value pretty good in the used market.
I bought a 1950 bubble gold 14K Rolex in 1986 at HKD$5,000 from Kiu Tai Yu. After using it for almost 8 years and then I sold to some one with HKD$18,000 … and that watch price kept going up to HKD$38,000 in 1996. but due to the trend for watch size was going BIG, that Bubble back Rolex was not able to further appreciate much after 1997.
If I were you, at age over 38. I have no hesitation to recommend you to buy a used Day Date Ref. 18038 (Rolex Flag ship model). For your daily uses,
This is one that has its own specialty, the dial is beautiful, even colour, brown orange colour that is eye-catching even from a distance, Sapphire crystal for scratch proof, watch proof is not a question for Rolex, Day date is best for man like I to remind me the important of the day and time. Perpetual Auto rotor keeps power reserve for min. 42 hours. Price, estimated to be HKD$44,000…and I am sure the price will move up with inflation.
It is not an investment item, but after 10 years, you may able to get back at least HKD$35,200. So it costs you HKD$9.6 a day to own this watch.
If you don’t like Day Date, simply go for s used Submariner, GMT Master I or II.
Talking about real investment, we have better go to buy some blue chip when Hang Seng Index goes down to 18,000 points.

Note * a very ugly colour like Mandarin Yellow or Stella (Red) in the 60's which no one wanted, and was made only a few units... now it is likely to be very rare and expensive.

HK Snob

Jaeger LeCoultre Futurematic

 

I have seen a lot of Gold plated Jaeger LeCoultre Futrurematic. This is Solid Gold just has been restored.

It is very Stylish with Art Deco design arrangement of Dial.

Red Indicator on the left is power reserve Indicator. An interesting Watch with hidden crown. However if you are easy to sweat in Summer, you had better do not wear it, as the sweat will easily goes into the watch through the gap between the crown and the case.

The Automatic winding is running by a tiny swinging hammer with two spring dampers on both end of the rotating axis. The Winding up efficency is low comparing with centrifugal rotor.

HK Snob

Britian's Most Honest Man!?

The 28-year-old Aaron Large spotted the first timepiece while jet-washing a roadside drain a week ago! Striking gold: Mr Large was cleaning a drain near Chalkwell train station in Essex when he saw a glimmer amongst the dirt. He found a Rolex Daytona, Well., the watch as in the ditch!? That would be a good ad or Sales gimmick for Rolex as it is not being spoiled by the dirty water and contamination. Will you return the Daytona to Police station when you pick up a Rolex!? He later found two more; OneFrank Muller and an Omega.. Can I say Aaron Large is Britian’s most honest Man!?
Britian Snob

The Thinner The Better: Piaget

Piaget was founded in 1874 by Georges Edouard Piaget. Piaget is widely known for its magnificent jeweled dress watches - and for its Polo line of watches which has been redesigned into various incarnations over its 25 year history. In 1956 Piaget launched the first mechanical ultra thin movement with manual winding 9P calibre. They became the masters of ultra thin movements. Later on in 1960 they manufactured another ultra thin movement the 12P which landed them in the Guinness Book of Records as the thinnest self-winding movement (2.3 mm) in the world. Piaget is also recognized though for its watch movements and parts that are often used by other watch manufacturers (particularly Cartier and other brands in the Richemont watch group)
Attached Picture shows Altiplano manual 9P (1957) and automatic 12P (1960)

The other is the world's thinnest Auto movement 12P from Piaget!HK Snob

The Thin Cult Classic Universal Gold Shadow

In the 60s, Universal has made the thinnest watch I have ever seen, remember I went to see a displayed Universal at Swiss Watch Company at Central, I stayed there for 10 minutes from side to see how thin it was. That is so thin that is not thicker than one HK dollar coin. The price was about HKD$1,300, don't forget that an Rolex Date Just Two Tone was selling at HKD$1760 in 1976, So you can tell that this watch is very expensive in the year of 1965. That was Universal Golden Shadow and White Shadow were first produced in 1965 and were the thinnest automatic watch movements at the time, with a thickness of only 2.3mm. This record was held until 1978. The Shadows were also designed by Gerald Genta who invented the Famous AP Royal and PP Nautilus and were available in 18K yellow and white gold as the Golden Shadow, and in stainless steel as the White Shadow. Both watches contained the Caliber 2-66 micro rotor movement up until the late 1960s.
These GOLDEN SHADOWS are highly sought after and very difficult to find, I would go as far to say they are considered to be a cult classic amongst collectors. Universal Geneve was founded in 1894 and today produces EXTREMELY expensive watches. in If you are seeking a slim, spectacular looking and high quality dress watch; and also want it to be modest in size-here it is!

HK Snob

Vintage Rado SeaHorse and the latest Rado made of Ceramos Material

Rado Seahorse is a High grade Swiss automatic with Rado's famous rotating anchor. This Swiss made watch is an automatic, and has the date at the three o'clock spot. The watch also features a sweep secondhand. I bought Rado Seahorse in 1970, I remember the sea horse was blue. It was HKD$120.00.
It was a very durable watch, I had put the watch in the top Cold storage compartment of my Refrigerator overnight and next day I put it in hot waterr to study how durable the watch could be… and it was passed. I used to play watch Tug of war by resting the watch ‘s crown on my other watch’s crown and see which watch was going to stop first, It was a common Game we played for watch in the 70’s.
The next picture is the latest Rado Ceramos material to make watch, There seems has some shadow of the 70’s Seahorse. I had found another Art Deco Design Oval shaped Rado. That is a good example of beautiful Rado!
Anyway, the Rado was one of the watch I had in the 70.
HK Snob
Ps
Ceramos® evolves from the platinum-coloured high-tech ceramic which Rado introduced in 1993. This ceramic and metal composite was designed to have the optimal properties of both components. Today Ceramos® accommodates a unique platinum steel look for use in sharp, edgy designs. It is a light material, which adjusts quickly to skin temperature, offering unrivalled comfort levels when used to make watch bracelets and cases. It is hard as up to Vickers hardness at least 1200, which is harder than Gold, Steel and Platinum. Ceramos is super resistant to scratches. Hardness of Diamond is Vickers 10,000.

This is my first Omega Classic De Ville.

I bought this watch at one small watch shop in Kowloon City with HKD$1,080 in 1981. After 5 years, I sold it to one of my best friends KM Chan at HKD$800. He has been using this watch for many years. Omega had once produced the best watch in the 60's till 80's. You know that Omega was once more expensive than Rolex in the same category and class. But After 80's Rolex overtaken Omega in price and also in quality.
Today, whilst we had a tea with KM in the morning, I saw that watch again, he knows and every year whilst we meet, he worn that watch and showed me! But he never want to sell it back to me!
This is the first Omega I had first purchased. I can see the plating of gold is so thick that it looks 80 microns; is that Older is always better!? Note Also the Art Deco dial Design, it is beautiful, classic, simple, accurate and thin! What else you want from HKD$1,080?
HK Snob

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms

In 1952, the French "Nageuers de combat" (combat swimmers) was instituted by the French government as an elite team of tactical soldiers - the NAVY Seals of France. Captain Bob Maloubier was at the helm of this group, whose missions included underwater intelligence, sabotaging operations, and clandestine port-attacks. The team was already using tools such as compasses, depth gauges, and yes, watches, but none were specifically designed for the rugged tasks at hand. He was the original Designer for Fifty Fathoms, and he approached LIP and then the very small company of Blancpain to make this diving watch for him, that was 1954. Today there are about 20 variations of Blancpain and I used to have one A "No Radiations" Model From 1966. but I looked at the case carefully, and saw that there are very rough case profile and I suspected that was a fake,, and in fact I had not so much knowledge at that time, so I sold it to some one, Today, I fell regret as that is a rare watch, and that is beautiful. How Can I get this watch again!?
The picture shown here is the new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms limited to 500 pcs Only.
Blancpain had announced that they produce mechanical watch only and never will make any quartz watch! This may be the only one swiss company that can definitely say they produce Mechanical watch only.
HK Snob

Breitling Navitimer

Breitling Navitimer is a great name that went back to 1954, The original Breitling Navigation & Time was developed as a navigator watch for Pilots, who could use the slide rule to calculate remaining distance, fuel consumption, beside the time keeping.
It can be classified as one of the most important watches for flying professions besides Rolex GMT Master and it has gone through so many years and likely four generations of Design Changes, It is one of the most durable, beautiful and presentable cult watch for air borne flyer.
HK Snob
The Picture was taken at HKIA by Nolia N97 mini Hand set.
Ps This gentleman has a complete collection of Breitling Navitimer.
http://people.timezone.com/breitling/bfaq/Reviews--Navitimer.html

What we would buy for your beloved one in Saint Valentines’ Day?

* Courtesy of Cartier

Life is a time-series of romances a continuum of events and eipsodes that takes us through all peaks and valleys, something faster than we can feel. Time moves in haste, but one thing for sure makes its stand still:Love! Buy a watch for your wife, mistress, parents, daughters and sons... that will keep your intimate relationhsip last till that watch can move...Someone says that it is not necesary to buy anything other than a bunch of flowers.
I would rather prefer watch as whenever she looks at the watch, she might remember you.
Of course if you can afford, buy a Rolex, as its value would likely been maintaining as money tends to depreciating year after year.
For those who are still not going to marry or your budget is limited. You can consider something functional, unique and beautiful. We have found that Lancaster Italy has some beautiful creation of watch, likely not too expensive, in the range of HKD$2,000.
This Lancaster Italy Bongo men's watch is a real Italian statement watch. The sharp black dial along with the black rubber band is sure to dazzle all your friends. It is for men.
How about a gift for girl, well, Rolex Ref 179175, 178274, 179171, 179173, 179171, 178240 or if budget allows go for a Ref 179159. Needless to say a Submariner Ref 116610 LV for after-office usage. If budget is tight, a Technomarine, a Philip Stern, Longines, Movado or a Swatch!

How about a Cartier Ballon Bleu W69002Z2 Pink Gold White Gold with inlaid Diamonds for the sophisticated feminine lady? It does not matter what kind of watch, so long it is from you she will like it.
HK Snob