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

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

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.

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

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

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

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, 2^nd 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.

Rolex Watch and Mandarin Yellow DouFold Parker

Gold is deeply rooted in the psyche of the Chinese people. Stemming from a powerful mix of cultural, social and economic associations is relevance has been augmented by the country’s experience of totalitarian government. Gold is considered a symbol of prosperity and good fortune in China.  Chinese by all means used to increase and preserve one’s family’s wealth through the generations of Gold saving.

Thousand years ago, and Palace is actually decorated with layer of gold.

And the Royal Clothe of the emperor is printed with dragon in yellow colour, symbol of  Gold…and no civilians is allowed to wear the colour of clothe in Yellow Colour, or will be killed.

Till today, the Chinese still has  strong sense to be more preferred to yellow gold than white gold, or the Precious Platinum.

.

Note that 60% of Rolex was imported to HK and China, and Amongst them 85% is Yellow gold, and in Rolex AD shops of HK, the Day Date is almost 90% n Yellow gold, some even 100%, lately the Chinese taste changes towards accepting Pink Gold as a replacement of yellow gold. But White Gold is definitely not their first Choice…As at least I have not seen many mainland Chinese wears White Gold Rolex at all in HK.

Hong Kong people has this implication since the 70’s, White gold Rolex mean “Doing or nothing”, or “ No yield “ in the casino for gamblers. And even worse is “Blue Rolex” means “ Hard to earn a living” Who wants to wear a watch that has such be negative hidden meaning, especially the Chinese, no matter young and old! Of course, 90% people does not understand the different between Date just and Day Date, as Day Date is available in Gold Only. Who will appreciate a white colour watch “ White Rolex” that is not made of Yellow Gold.

White gold is an alloy of gold and at least one white metal, usually nickel, manganese or palladium. Like yellow gold, the purity of white gold is given in karats.And most of all the White Gold watch is more expensive than Yellow gold… as ‘there are some precious metal Iridium, Palladium in the White Gold…

Nowadays Rolex uses 18KT White gold for their Day Date, alloys which are mixed 1 8 parts gold to 6 parts alloy creates 18 karat, and so on. This is often expressed as the result of the ratio 18/24 is 0.750. That is why on the back of the watch body, it was stamped “750”.

However, as my preference for Rolex, the first choice, is Platinum, White Gold, Pink Gold, and Stainless steel. As White Rolex seems has a higher hidden value in plain outlook So called Low key. Well, sometimes, as The Chinese Says, we have to put some

Yellow Chi on the body… “ Chi” means “气”.  So, once in a while, I use Yellow Gold Watch…

When China becomes Richer, and people tend to go for taste,, by 2020* , I believe more Middle class Chinese will think of a 20^th Century good quality Day Date would be a icon of a good taste. So It is time to keep some good quality Gold Day Date now… as today is not popular and is scarce, meaning that it will be very expensive after 10 -20 years.

Mandarin Yellow or Chinese Yellow was the fifth color introduced on the Duofold after Chinese Lacquer Red, Black, Jade Green, and Lapis Lazuli, making its debut in 1927.

It was sold with $7.0. in 1928. 

But now it becomes every  pen collectors’ holy grail pen valued USD$7,000.00 or more for mint one.. The Colour indicates the Chinese Gold Colour... that is one of the reason this pen is priciest.!

HK Snob

PS* According to BNP Paribas, and Goldman Sachs prediction, by 2025 China Economies will be same as US and by 2050, China will be 2X larger than US Economies.

Parker Madarin Yellow Duofold Pen was a courtesy picture from Penhero.com
http://penhero.com/PenGallery/Parker/ParkerDuofoldFlattop.htm

TechnoMarine Alpha Titanium Chronometer

Swiss made TechnoMarine Alpha T7750 Valjoux 7750 automatic mechanical chronograph wristwatch.

Swiss Valjoux 7750 automatic mechanical chronograph movement has been used for many watches in the world such as Hublot Yacht Club De Monaco, IWC Top Gun…etc

This is Technomarine Chronometer, 44mm in size, with original soft black Rubber diving strap. Retail price is about USD$2,000.00

HK Snob

Vacheron Constantin Overseas

My understanding of Vacheron Constantin in HK.

Constantin is the name of what we were told the most expensive watch, elegant watch for rich people to wear in the 80’s.

I still recall there is the Whole Page advertisement on Shing Po at that time for Vacheron Constantin

What they said is hand made, very small number of production and not so man people who can afford to buy, because it is expensive!

That was true, in that period of time like 1970, a Monthly income for a Report in Shing Po was just HKD$250, whereas a Vacheron  Constantin was asking about HKD$4,000  that is two years salary!

In the movie on 1988, Chan Ho Nam is the causeway bay gangster head and Leng Kwan (acted by Ng Chun Yu) was his opponent in the same gang,, I still remembered Mother of Leng Kwan (Hai Ping) asked his son to buy a Vacheron Constantin watch for her…

The Hong Kong Cantonese pronunciation of  Vacheron Constantin is “Kong Si Dan Ton” In 1990, some of the movie script describes the mainland Chinese Called Vacheron Constantin as “Ro Si Dan Ton”

Also there are not so many shop displayed this Watch, thus this make this watch even farther more mysterious and far way from my pocket could afford.

Soon I met a watch lover show had two brands he loved, Rolex Oyster and Vacheron Constantin, he used worn the Model 222 for many years, and that was a beautiful  Automatic Watch

Well, here I show two, Overseas Vacheron Constantin…

Both are original stainless, one with Champagne Dial and diamond bezel and the other with Black Dial and no diamond..

This is some what the basic but the Flag ship model of Vacheron Constantin…

I love more on the Black dial stainless steel…

HK Snob

Rolex Sea Dweller Ref 16600 asking for its new owner

This is a dis-continued Sea Dweller Ref 16600, M-number, year 2008. excellent condition. Seldom used. Since this is supposed to be able to survive 4,000 feet below sea watch, so the Cyclops magnifying glass does not exist as it may crack under such high water pressure.
HK Snob
Ps Watch was Sold

World's First Waterproof Watch and the Watch of the Century, Rolex

Prior to the twentieth Century, men used Pocket watches and women wore wristwatches.

In the beginning of the 20^th Century, wrist watch started to gain its popularity amongst men. German Watch Expert Hans Wilsdorf started a Company on Watch sooner was named with Rolex in London n 1905.

Wilsdrof saw the public demand on high quality watch, especial for men. He started to import watch from Swiss Aeglier Company precision movement to produce watch. In 1912, Wilsdrof renamed this Watch Company as Rolex Watch Company and moved to  Geneva.

Sooner later his Watch was awarded an official chronometer certification for accurate timekeeping, the first watch to do so.

Wilosdrof , however , was still concerned with increasing his watch’s reliability. He knew that dust and moisture could cause the watch’s imprecise, and began working on developing a water proof watch. In 1926, he introduced the Oyster, the water proof wristwatch. This was followed the next year by a famous public endorsement stunt in which swimmer Mercedes Gleitze swam across the English Channel wearing the Oyster, a world first water proof watch . In !931, Rolex improved by introducing a self-winding movement, which made the water seal function even more reliable, and invented the date display in 1945.

Rolex continues to be a world leader in Watch-Making, and the Oyster was named “ Watch of the Century” by a panel of industry leaders in 1990s.

HK Snob

This is a Way to tell you Cartier is Authentic or not by viewing the Roman Figure VII. There should be a "Cartier" encripted on it. Some Cartier model has this word made on "XI",

HK Snob