Sunday, May 27, 2012

Cortebert 1968 manual Winding Watch

Cortébert has a very poorly documented history. The brand name is currently owned by Italian watch manufacturer Perseo, and production under the Cortébert brand name has stopped in the mid-1970s. Cortébert used to be one of the highest regarded premium watch brands, manufacturing their own movements, supplying movements to other brands such as Rolex and introducing the jump-hour arrangement. When the quartz crisis hit the industry in the '70s, the majority of prestige brands ceased production including Cortébert. Others have already been resurrected (Baume et Mercier admits, while most companies like to pretend their production was continuous) and today Cortébert is the only remaining brand that has potential to be restored to its historic status.
This is one of my Cortebert I got from the HK Watch Guru Kiu Tai Yu in 1986, this is a gold bezel watch, manual winding watch, I have not been cleaned this watch over the last 28 Years. I have not wiped this watch and I seldom wear it.. or hardly wore it at all.
This is one of the Old good watch that brand has gone with the wind… it brings me only memorial and sweet story of my life back into 1980! This is a re-conditioned dial, funny part of it is the Chinese wrote it : "unbreaxable Sping!" Wrong spelling!!
HK Snob

Glashütte Spezimatic




Glashütte is a town in Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge, Free State of Saxony, Glashütte means “Glass House” in English…This is situation at Eastern border of Germany, which was the birthplace of the German watch making industry. The city has a population of about 7,139 in Dec 2010.. Historically it was first mentioned in a document around 1445. In January 2008, the former municipality Reinhardtsgrimma was merged into Glashütte.
Watches currently made in this location include:
  • Glashütte
  • A. Lange & Söhne
  • Bruno Söhnle Uhrenatelier Glashütte
  • Glashütte Original
  • Nautische Instrumente Mühle
  • NOMOS / Wempe Chronometerwerke
  • Union Glashütte
Attached is a 1961 Spezimatic 26 Rubies watch, gold plated version. That was almost the most extravagant version with plated gold n the early Eastern Germany monarch.
However German engineering is so good and preow any cise, the watch is so accurate…
  • I have another Chronometer, and that is evenr more accurate… if you open , you may shut: Oh ,… an simple polished finishing watch as it does not show any shinning glister of the latest A Lange & Sohne is used to have.. in fact, A Lange & Sohne was started in this Glashütte factory.
So sometimes, branded watch is good to have, but unbranded watch does not mean the watch is no good, in fact there are so many unnamed good watch being made in the last Century! This is one of them, note the design of the hands that echoes with the white indexers. The big thick sturdy design, the watch is about 39mm, no big and massive.
It is Not easy to find one with good condition now.
HK Snob

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Oris

Oris is situated in the picturesque village of Hölstein in the North-west of Switzerland. The location was chosen by Paul Cattin and Georges Christian, watchmakers from Le Locle, when they founded the company in 1904. Oris is the name of a brook and valley close to Hölstein. It has its origins in the Celtish ‘Aurisa’ and Roman ‘Orusz’ meaning watercourse.
Orsi is still making their watches in the same building, which has expanded to accommodate the growing company.
Attached is a 1992 Oris Automatic watch, that size is too small as seen from eyes of Today, but it is a durable watch, never been serviced after 20 years, It was only HKD$1,200 at that time.
HK Snob

Direct Translation







This will tell the time, but there may be problem for those who may not read English. Well, think of it for the Mechancial Watch display in this manner!? How Do They Do it?
HK Snob

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Audemars Piguet 18KT gold for my daughter


This was the very first lady watch for lady I bought in Bangkok World Trade Centre during 1997 Asian Financial crisis. As on that few days I remembered Thai baht dropped from three Baht to 7 Baht Vs one HK dollar in three days, I bought a few watches in one day. One Rolex Datejust lady two tone with diamond on Red dial. One Cartier Santos two tone auto and this lovely Audemars Piguet in 18KT gold… At that time I was prepared to give this to my elder daughter when she would grow up a bit.. and I just ttook back for cleaning in HK. This is a small, Elegant yellow gold watch with a touch of Art Deco design pattern on the perimeter, extremely fine manual winding mechanism, silent, and accurate.
HK Snob
PS Audemars Piguet produces an average of 30,000 watches a year with a team of 450 staff in Switzerland nowadays.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Rolex Datejust Two Tone With Diamand Computer Dial

This is a Rolex Date Just Two Tone Men worn by our Country manager Mr. Park he who bought it in HK Rolex AD in 2011. It is the most popular Rolex Model: Date Just in two tone with a touch of Bling Bling Glitter radiations from those 10 tiny Diamonds on the Computer Dial, A perfect watch for everyday's use! HK Snob

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Rolex Day Date Ref 18248 Onyx Dial

A Rare Rolex Day Date with Onyx Dial. This is next mint, Nice to wear, and nice to show, Yellow Gold with Bark pattern of bezel. How do you think it is? I had a Date Just with Oxyn Dial but not yet a Day Date. HK Snob

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Rolex Day Date Stella Series Red Dial with Chinese Character











Rolex has produced a lot of beautiful Day Date model since 1956, knowing that a lot of collectors in the world eventually go to collect Day Date as one of their expenisve bad habbit after the Submariner, Daytona, Explorer, GMT Master, DeepSea, Datejust, Yachtmaster collection.


Why? because there are a lot of colour, various kinds of material for dial like Gem, mineral, stone, wood, fossil, silk screen lacque printing, coat of arms, stampped Rolex pattern, Different type of date such as Arabian, Thai or Chinese language, decoration by diamond on dial, on bezel, on case for your collection… it makes me crazy…and this is hard to collect all possible colour and dial combination, even though you have that kind of money and time…


Attached two one in Red and one in light blue is my dream Day Date…I have begged the owner to sell me the one in Red! The dial was hand made in Italy!
He was not willing to sell unless he has found another one….Oh! that May take years!

HK Snob

Rolex Ref 116244 Date Just men with Diamond bezel


This is Rolex best seller Date Just, a bit extravagent, set with Diamond Bezel. Rolex Date Just is One of the casual and all time sportive time instrument for most of people. Original Price is HKD$96XXX, Sold!
HK Snob

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Where to buy Rolex Daytona Black Dial Ref 116520BL in Tsim Sha Tsui?






According to friend and collector, and overseas Rolex Fans, this Daytona is very hard to find, someone told me that he has been waiting for months…

Black dial has a higher value as people tends to go for Black rather than white as it has a better contrast and looks likes a Ninja in black.

I made a tour Tsim Sha Tsui yesterday and I could spotted that there are about 15 of  Daytona in the Rolex AD, for the shops and those shops selling collectible pre-owned watches. Of curse the real number should be higher as there are at least 50 shops selling Rolex in Tsim Sha Tsim. Assume one stock in each shop, there is 50 pieces already.

Take for an example,  right at Holiday Inn at Tsim Sha Tsui, beside the magnificent Rolex AD, there is “Watch Collection Limited” at G9-G10 ground Floor, there is two pieces, but there was no price.

In Rolex AD there is White gold Daytona Black Dial, HKD$283,200.00 and needless to say they have Daytona Black dial and white… my estimation, they have 4 black and may be 5 white… don't forget they are one of the HK largest watch dealer for Rolex dated back to 1962.

Opposite of Holiday Inn, 2nd Floor of Brand Off  at Lock Road.
There is a used Daytona Black Dial SS HKD$90,800, and one New Daytona Black Dial at HKD$98,000.00.

Right at Champagne Court near by Mira hotel, there are 5 Daytona Black Dial…price are hidden.

Of Course, the preferred Choice is Rolex AD, there is 100% guaranteed that the watch is brand new, comes with all accessories…at Rolex AD, 100% new price HKD$98,000
Shop Selling new and used watch, even they claim the watch is NEW… there is a chance that the watch is not 100% brand new… Price ranges from HKD$78,000-86,000 for used one…
New one is subject to their markup and your negotiation power…

Tsim Sha Tsui Snob.