Simple complication

Odd title I know, but it refers to something that’s sort of crept up on me after many years of watch collecting. Complication, because I quite like the idea of more than just seeing the time and Simple, because I have no wish to check an instructional booklet every time I look at the darned thing, because it might be complicated to operate.

So a bit of nostalgia here, as I refer back to an older Post which I now update. This is for the Casio Lineage model LW-170M-1AER which exactly illustrates the solution to my dilemma – ie: a Simple complication.

Casio Lineage LCW-M170TD-1AER complication dress watch

This watch is so simple, yet provides considerable complication that’s also practical. So, good enough as a daily beater and requiring no input from the wearer at all – in other words – super, super simple.

First thing to say is, it’s a model that’s so understated and almost anonymous, it’s a masterpiece.

It is also rather conservatively stylish. Beautifully made of solid Titanium with subtly sloping brushed sides, polished bezel and a clear analogue dial but also an unobtrusive yet easily readable digital window. Good luminous hands, neat size, very slim and rather elegant – it simply belies it’s technical prowess.

Solar powered (in fact Casio call it “Tough Solar”) According to Casio it can use weak lighting outdoor or even indoor to provide enough charge energy to operate high power hungry features. So not just solar powered – this is one very clever watch – more like I’d call super solar powered.
Radio Controlled – with 6 Bands selectable.
World Time feature programmed to 2099.
Super slim at just 9 mm depth and 39 mm diameter.
So basically and right out of the box after first super simple calibration (push one button – 3 minutes with signal) you then strap it on and forget it – period.

More generally this model features are as follows –

5 Alarms, Hourly Time Signal (selectable), World Time programmed to 2099, a Radio Time Signal check 6 times/day usually overnight (once signal success all other time checks are cancelled), 60 minutes Stop Watch, Countdown Timer (1 minute to 100 minutes in 1 second intervals), LED (bright) night lighting, Battery Power indicator. Power Save function after 60-70 minutes in the dark (second hand parks @12 – display is blank – after 6 or 7 days all hands park @12 and most other functions such as Auto Receive stop, except for internal clock).
As usual with Casio but simpler than normal – the lower left (B) pusher is the Mode, lower right (C) is what I call the “does something” pusher and the top right (A) pusher operates the light mainly, though does have some additional functions. As per usual for me I set the default view in the digital display to show Day and Date – this can be toggled using the (C) pusher.

My own version – easily fits my 165/70 cm wrist.

The watch is also Water Resistant to 5 bar and the Sapphire Crystal is virtually scratch-less. It tends to be supplied with a Titanium bracelet which is good, though care should be taken if removing links owing to the Casio hidden split collars within the bracelet – but that’s another story (I covered removal of links in a previous Post).
I prefer it on a neat black silicon deployment strap as it’s comfortable, easy on and off and it looks good.

But as said at the start – this is a watch with a good many features and does NOT require a degree or constant referral to instructions.

Set it how you want it, wear it and forget it!

My first Post on this watch was back in 2016, but there are still versions of this Lineage series around – and I can see why – because it’s one of those models that Casio are very, very good at. It looks good, it’s really quite simple to use, yet with amazing complications, easy to see, very accurate, neat on the wrist – and it’s very difficult to beat – AND it is VERY affordable.

If truth be known, this is probably the only watch anyone would ever need – I kid you not!

A favourite designer

A few years back I found a series of watches from a German designer, Rolf Cremer and I liked the look of their range of neat colourful watches. One model really took my fancy back then as it was unusual in that it was a small watch but with a large double date window @12.

Rolf Cremer Bogen Gent – Double Date clarity.

Today looking at their current range, unfortunately I don’t see any double date windows this time, so just shows that when you see a model that really takes your fancy, you should buy it – assuming you can afford it. I should have bought this one as it was very affordable at the time. But too late now!

However as with most designers, they don’t stand still and they have plenty of new designs on their web site

I like this one. This is the Rolf Cremer Tower Automatic Date watch in red and black, which has a great modern look. The lightning yellow sweep seconds hand is quite striking. The Date window @between 4 & 5 is unusual with the triangle background, again giving it a ‘look’ which is both interesting and clear. The crown is in keeping and is also triangular, with a colour insert in co-ordinating red. The leather strap is in dark red antique finish and compliments the overall look with a stainless steel buckle as is the case which is 42mm diameter.

The movement is a quality mechanical automatic Miyota (can be seen via the clear glass back) which is a highly reliable workhorse and well suited to the Tower and Mech series of models.

Rolf Cremer Tower automatic 1 of 7 versions

There are 7 versions of this Tower model, all slightly different, but all very interesting and quite unique. I show here another version, this time with a combination of numerals and markers and whilst in the same manner, has a quite different and individual look all of it’s own.

Suffice to say the range is wide and varied, the use of colour and shapes paramount to the look of this collection, from angles dials to offset faces and so on, it’s always refreshing to see. One thing is certain, with such a range of diversity, it allows you to choose a model that matches with your own particular persona. And that’s not an easy thing to manage. Indeed a Rolf Cremer is immediately identifiable, but never boring.

Which is why they are always on my “Watch List” – Note – they also have quartz models too at a lower price-point. They can be viewed HERE.

Double Date

There’s always something special about a double date window, especially for those of use whose eyesight is weakening. Too often over recent years even with spectacles, I sometimes have to squint a bit to see the tiny date windows that many models seem to have today.

It’s even nicer to find a watch, however, that’s just a little bit different, such as the Kienzle K Spirit K801 1503011 featured here. And different in a good way and not just owing to the large split date aperture. The fact is, this is a quite large watch at 42mm diameter, which is about my maximum for comfort, but this model is conversely very wearable even to the medium wrist, because of its slimness. The case depth is a very neat 8mm – (9 mm including crystal) and that makes all the difference.

It comes with a leather deployment strap, though it’s one of those add on types that fits to a standard strap minus the pin buckle. I always find these to be quite clumsy, so I removed it and replaced it, first with an old spare blue leather buckle strap, to see how it looked, then finally for a proper silicon deployment strap in orange. It is now a much neater fit for me.

The watch dial is also round, but the case, not quite so and overall it is clear to

read. Add this to the large effective Date indication @6 and what we have is a really nice watch. Well specified with its Stainless Steel polished case with a brushed finished upper surface, Luminous hands and markers, red centre seconds hand and K1 Mineral glass. It is powered by the Swiss Ronda 6003B quartz movement (374 Renata battery) and finally has an impressive 100m Water Resistance. Note too that the crown has a neat red coloured indented line decoration.

I well remember the first Kienzle watch I owned was one of the very first Radio Controlled ones, which at the time were really well priced against the upcoming Japanese models. It was relatively plain, but it did the job very well indeed and never let me down. I still have a Kienzle Radio Controlled alarm clock, which I remember buying back in the 1990’s I think, which is still in use today.

Re-strapped with Silicon deployment – neater than original

Of course Kienzle have been around a long time, with origins from 1822 according to their web site, with clocks, then clocks and watches – in fact they were the largest producer of watches in Germany back in the 1970’s. Had a foreign investment take over for four or five years, but then back in German hands since 2002 I believe and today their main and very successful range is produced in Hamburg.

Note – I find the dial hour numerals a little unusual. Unlike most watches the main hour numerals here are all read as if from the dial centre, which is interesting – as most watches tend to change the hour numerals orientation to upright on the lower half of the dial. Using the same centre reading logic, one could be forgiven if you read the date as 80 and not 08 – but of course you don’t.

Odd, isn’t it. . . .?

Note – I added a final image with an orange silicon deployment strap fitted – so much better than the original retro-fit type – slimmer and neater on the wrist.

Swatch watch

After having been asked about a Swatch watch a friend bought the other day, I thought I’d have a look at what is currently on offer from Swatch this week. I used to check them every so often, but what with the problems over the past year, I missed out managing it.

I should add here that my views haven’t changed much over the years regarding what Swatch is all about, and the quick look-see at my friends new Sistem51 watch, confirmed my opinion. Because, checking over the watches around, it more or less cements my thinking, that at the end of the day the Swatch philosophy of “Second Watch” is still absolutely what they are all about, despite some of their latest ideas.

The original idea of simplification of manufacture, product and cost and using the cheap medium of quartz power, coupled with snazzy “modern” and often just printed dial interpretations, caught the public’s imagination and managed to appeal to those who wanted a cheap throwaway second watch, but one that could also show off their persona – and still their main attraction.

Their foray into automatic mechanical watches and associated hype, for me, is a departure from their core – I mean a cheap quartz powered second watch, ie: the classic Swatch watch as the ultimate disposable throwaway, with its cheap prices is one thing and a great idea, but a mechanical automatic at around the £200 mark – as a throwaway? I really don’t think so.

So, the models I’ve highlighted here are classic Swatch, practical, affordable and the real Swatch deal to me – snappy design dials, cheap quartz movements allowing all sorts of permutations and looks, sizes, colours and styles and is obviously still the way to go – they sell!

The models I’ve chosen because of their ‘look’ plus their practicality – in that these have my preferred Day & Date indications, for I reckon that’s what’s actually useful – personal choice I know, but it is handy and so practical to know the Time, the Day and the Date, with a quick glance. And of course, these are all cheap – and affordable is a bonus.

The black mirror dial Ligne De Fuite, Quartz

The first one is the GAET Highlands Mix with it’s easy read good contrast Day Date, centre seconds hand with its highly coloured two layer silicon strap, black dial. Plastic cased model 41mm diameter and with just 9.85mm case depth. Quartz powered. 30m Water Resistance and around £60-£70.

The second one is the striking coloured Blue Blend bio-sourced model Day & Date watch. The bio-sourced case, strap and clasp – dimensions of 41mm diameter and 9.85mm depth ideal, a printed metal dial, 30m Water Resistance, again at somewhere around £65.

The third choice is the Ligne De Fuite (line of force) model with it’s mirror black effect dial in a matte white plastic case, gives decent definition, so very readable. White/Orange stiped lines silicon strap, Quartz powered, 30m Water Resistance again. Dimensions 41mm diameter and 9.85 depth.

In fact, all of these have the same sensible dimensions and ideal for almost any wrist. All have the standard Swatch battery hatch on the back, accessed so simply by a simple quarter turn with a small coin and the battery pops out to easily replace, so no special tools needed.

Anyway, that’s my current selection of the more Classic Swatch watches that for me, are the real attraction of what Swatch is, or should be all about. They are affordable, colourful and come with lots of variety. Every day watches that don’t break the bank and that so bizarrely and successfully can reflect whatever the wearer wants their persona to reflect. And when you think about it, there’s not many watches can manage that trick.

But I’ve probably already got my favourite Swatch watch – the Irony Green Wink – I know – silly name – But I Posted it way back whenever – I link it HERE

Interesting finds – Ladies

Sometimes the ladies can get a mention now and then – so many watch sites are virtually men only – but this time I found a great modern girl watch. None of the tiny vintage dial models that Granny or your Mother used to wear that often used to twist around with little silly bracelets, but a really decent and classy watch.

Junkers South America 6539-5 Quartz Ladies Date watch

This one is from the well known German Brand and is the Junkers F13 – or South America 6539-5, which I think you’ll agree would not be immediately thought of as a Ladies models – but it is – and looks really good.

This is a quartz powered watch, so wear it and forget it for a few years easily before the battery needs changing. Accurate too, as quartz these days is about as good as anyone needs. Great gold coloured case with an off yellow dial and VERY clear to read with those large hands, small seconds index and actually a pretty decent size date window @3. (some of their Gents models don’t). It’s also got a really good sized crown, so very easy to set the time on those non 31 day months.

The crystal is hardened mineral glass and there is a good brown leather strap with tang buckle. A neat little diamond stud @12, just sets it off and dimensions are ideal at 36mm x just 8mm case depth, so really slim. It is powered, as I say with Quartz, but this is a Ronda Swiss movement, so should be pretty decent. And to cap it all it has a decent 50m Water Resistance, which you don’t often get with say a ladies fashion watch.

I also noticed the little decoration in the background centre of the dial, which is another subtle feminisation of this piece.

So, a rock solid model from Junkers, but this time for the ladies and certainly for the modern girl, not your granny.

I like it so much I have to admit to being quite tempted myself and I’m in two minds whether I should let my Wife read this Post, as this is a watch size that she really likes, (my mistake for showing her my old Patek at 36mm) so there’s no question she’ll quite fancy this.

And it’s definitely affordable, it really is, as I’ve seen it for under £200 after Customs charges.

Note – This Post can also be found in the Ladies section PAGE.

Interesting finds (1)

Occasionally whilst trawling the Net, you come across watch making Brands that for whatever reason are quite unknown to you. Perhaps these are lesser manufacturers or models sold in other parts of the world and not so well known in your own Country.

Elysee Priamos 77015 Automatic Date watch

But noticed because for some reason their style, look or quality perhaps, says these are worth a further look.

Incidentally, this Post entitled “Interesting finds” I plan to be a recurring monthly feature, where I hope to Post a model/Brand that I think has merit and worth a mention.

The first is this rather nice traditional looking German model – the Elysee Priamos 77015, from yes, you’ve guessed it – Elysee.
And they have been around for a little while, founded in 1920 by Jaques Beaufort with the Elysee brand – though newly acquired in 1991, they now produce in Dusseldorf – ‘Made in Germany’ mid range quality watches, with quite a selection of models, both Gents and Ladies.

The featured model is a mechanical automatic (with Miyota movement), white dial with Power Reserve indication, small/medium seconds and an incorporated Date widow @3. Sapphire crystal, stainless steel case and a quality black leather deployment buckle strap.

Dimensions are a neat 11mm case depth and 41mm diameter and it’s water resistant to 50m.

It has the typical German traditional style, luminous hands and applied markers and overall, for my taste has a good look . However and especially for a Quartz model, being priced at around £300, it’s maybe a little high against its competition. It comes complete with a 2 year Warranty.

However, overall I was quite taken by the look of this one, partly because I like the German watch style, and I have quite similar ones in my collection, such as Bruno Sohnle, Junghans, Bauhaus, Nomos, Junkers and others – suffice to say I just find them to be fine watches and I like wearing them.

Note – on the pricing, I’ve found that most Germans models featuring Quartz movements, are very competitive and often under the £200 mark. And make no mistake, in general they are very good watches.
Upgrading to mechanical Automatics, if using Japanese movements, the price is up to twice that figure and for Swiss or in-house Automatics, maybe three times the price.

Now OK, that’s a rough and perhaps over simplification of pricing, but basically that’s my general experience. Of course there are exceptions depending on Brand name and so on. Though with the speed of change today, it may well be that watches for everyday wear will very much be at masses prices. Good for us, yes?

Swatch SISTEM51 for me?

A young friend asked me the other day what I thought of his new Swatch SISTEM51 Automatic watch, which he was wearing on his wrist when we met. Swatch of course is about as well known as Coca-Cola and I’m sure I own a couple myself, though not SISTEM51 automatic models.

Swatch Sistem 51 Automatic – the Unavoidable

The very first thing I noticed was the fact his particular model (the Unavoidable) was really quite thick at nearly 14mm coupled with a large diameter case at 42mm, makes this a big watch on the wrist – perhaps too big for me. In fact, when I checked my own Swatch models, not one of the three were as large. (in fact one of my Swatches – the Pounds & Squares quartz is only 10mm thick and 41mm diameter).

But, back to this model which is called the Unavoidable (perhaps owing to it’s size?) it has a small seconds @6 and a Date window @3 and a buckle strap, but my overall impression on first seeing it, was all a bit clunky on the wrist.

Now, I have a whole collection of conventional automatic watches, some of which are vintage even, so an automatic watch with winding rotor is nothing new. Some are what you’d call high end, some not so and they are all accurate enough for me (some very accurate indeed). And I doubt any of them are larger than around 12mm case depth.

But importantly – and I allude to the fact this watch has a totally sealed movement – all are repairable should anything go wrong. Now OK, it’s fair to say and certainly in my experience, very few do go wrong and those that might, would probably or possibly rather, be ‘complication’ models, chronographs and the like.

I do note that Sistem 51 Automatic models are mostly simple time keepers with few complications, save the Date, so I assume Swatch are hedging their bets, by minimising the possibility of anything going wrong. In fact, you could be forgiven in assuming these might even be viewed as disposable throwaway watches, which at £200 I believe this one cost, is some throwaway!

Swatch SISTEM51 chunky case – diameter 42mm and case depth of 13.8mm

Would I personally buy one? Well no, being honest probably not this model. The case thickness and the overall diameter doesn’t do it for me.

The SISTEM51 features, such as the reduction of movement parts, theoretically less to go wrong, the re-designed transparent rotor wind, whilst OK, frankly are substantially little different from conventional automatic models.

In other words, personally, I don’t see much of an incentive to have one. And if I wanted a throwaway watch, I’d surely be better with a cheap Quartz model, which could well give better accuracy plus many hundreds of styles, sizes, some amazing complications, looks and features to choose from and so on.

It’s as if they’ve over innovated – updated to transparent rotor – OK but why?, made entirely by robot machine – OK, then sealed it up in a non-opening case? Welded components – so basically it’s un-repairable. Maybe it’s a case of trying to re-invent the wheel? I don’t know, but it doesn’t give me a buzz at all.

However, my young friend likes it, this is his first automatic, so maybe he was unaware autos existed? You never know with the youngsters of today. It could be the mechanical movement fascinated him, as everything else he owns is electronic, modular and solid state (goodness even the latter words are out of date).
Anyway the plus side, for me is, he’s seen some of my watch collection now and is hooked! So much so that he has since bought another automatic watch (not Swatch this time) with an exhibition back, just to wonder at the movement.

So, maybe these folk at Swatch know more about young potential customers than I realised – a little bit of marketing & fashion hype, whilst not, as I say, re-inventing the wheel, managed to convert a young lad brought up on “cell phones and wearables” – to the good old mechanical, wear and forget, battery-less watch.

He’s from birth – in a world of “throwaway” anyway – I mean today if it don’t work – bin it – right?

I’m writing this and thinking – sad! I was brought up in a world where things were made in a way that allowed them to be fixed – in fact when I was younger I used to make transistors – Yeh Yeh Yeh – I know – what on earth is one of those?

Searching the site

With this new theme web site layout – it is now very easy to SEARCH for articles and/or references to much more data than before. The old site – once I’d Posted an article it was more or less buried and then forgotten, replaced by something new. Not now . . . . .

So with that in mind –

If you use the “SEARCH” function you’ll be amazed at the number of “finds” you will pick up. I tried it myself and was really pleasantly surprised.

For example typing in Casio returned some 140 articles, with each page showing around 10 Posts per view and it was actually a nice way to randomly spend a half hour or so reading through them. Typing in digital was no less impressive – just amazing what I’ve written over the years. You’ll should find some stuff you’ve probably not seen before that hopefully might grab your interest for a while.

In fact so impressed was I that I found quite a few things I didn’t realise or forgotten I ever knew – and I wrote them!

My next Post is more or less an opinion – asked of me by a young friend – about his first watch buy – did I like it? About Swatch SISTEM51 watches.

Stainless scratches

Ever had a watch that’s been kept in a drawer full of metal tools for years? Well I came across two recently and these were as bad as I’ve seen. The cases were scratched, crystal/glass almost opaque and the watches generally pretty filthy. Now I could maybe understand this if these were owned by a jobbing builder and were just the result of concrete dust, walls proximity and heavy manual work – it happens – but these two were my Brothers and he worked behind a desk!

But, being a follower of watch auctions, this is not even unusual – some of the watches are awful.

So, seeing these were so bad, I decided to have a go at making both watch cases looking a little better, or that’s the plan at any rate! Now I’m not overconfident on this, but surely I can improve these somehow, without damaging them further. I mean, Hey, it’s hardly rocket science is it? Mind you, I have seen the results of a few attempts by friends to do just that – and being honest – I couldn’t see much difference after they finished! Anyway, I’m going to take it slow and see if I can at least improve and maybe reduce/remove some of these scratches. My advice however, is try it out on some old watch that is due for the bin anyway – just to be on the safe side!

I should say now that as I’ve just found these, I have not a photographic record of before and after – yet. . . . But if I manage even a little success, I hope to Post images at some point in the future. And what if I don’t, I hear some of you say? – well you can draw your own conclusions! Ha!

Of course to manage anything you need to have some tools and although you can do some work without, it’s really fiddly just with fingers.

So, I checked around the Internet and found the Tacklife 3.7v cordless Rotary tool (so much easier to use without a cable getting in the way), so no cable and the tool is only around 6″ long, quite thin, light weight and really easy to use. I used to have a Dremel some years back, as it was all the rage when it came out – but I was never impressed that much and found it clumsy – the cable being too stiff and just got in the way – but this new tool is really neat.

This comes in it’s own little box with an assortment of bits and things that do most anything I want. I like the fact, it has two (2) changeable bit holders – their own one which is small and one that fits standard Dremel bits – so really useful when looking for tool bits. The tool seems powerful enough for purpose and has 3 speeds from 5,000 to 15,000 rpm and has enough bits for anything you might throw at it.

Being so keen to try it out, right out of the box, I just took one of the scratched watches in my left hand and the tool in my right and started using it. (how amateur is that?). Now OK, if I wanted to get serious then I’d probably either clamp the watch or the tool and be a bit more professional and as it happens, taken a bit more care!

Now to be ultra cautious, I’m starting by using a small buff plus a little of the included grinding/polishing compound, basically as it incorporates a fairly gentle abrasive and is about as non-invasive as you can get.

Simply select the speed setting for you and have a go on the scratched stainless surface of the watch case and you should start to see results. It only took me around a minute or so on each of the upper and side surfaces. I hadn’t even removed the watch strap (which, of course, you should do, as the polish compound won’t do it much good), but in my eagerness I thought I’ll just give it a few goes and see what happens. And in the event after a few minutes the improvement was actually obvious. After a few more tries I upped the speed a bit as I grew more confident, but whatever suits your hand skills.

Tacklife Rotary tool – neat, cordless and powerful enough

Now I know to remove deeper scratches on stainless steel it’s probably better to BE bold – but with care on the edges and corners of course – and can certainly give decent results.

You then start from a new sheet or surface as it were and use finer grades of abrasion each time and then polishing compounds to get to that mirror scratch free finish you are seeking. BUT – I’m starting out here from scratch (excuse the pun). So softly softly . . .

I can also decide how far I want to go and maybe say – OK that’s a big improvement, I don’t need to do any more – OR once I’ve had a bit more experience I’ll go the whole way, but that’s a decision I’ll leave for now. OR, horror of horrors, say – Jeez this is worse than I thought – and well I never liked that watch anyway – and bin it!

But after just 2 minutes of Tacklife use as a first phase it’s improved the look already.

So, it seems obvious that with this kit and other abrasive compounds and surface bits, there is little that can’t be achieved with this simple set up and stainless watch cases should present no problems at all.

For Gold cases however before I started I’d definitely read up on it from someone who knows that they are doing. You certainly don’t want to remove too much Gold. Bad enough with solid Gold, but for Gold plate, then less is more, as they say, plus a bit of common sense.

Fortunately, I have very few watches that have a scratch problem, but the odd one that does find its way into my collections, I can fairly confidently look forward to at least improving these to my satisfaction enough that I’m happy to wear it.

This is not the first time I managed a case clean-up, as I did one well over a year ago from my Wife’s watch box (what does she do with them!) And this was long before I’d even thought of a Post like this and unfortunately, I didn’t think of photos at the time, so no photo was taken “before” I started. But I’m happy to report the watch looks pretty decent now and my Wife is happy enough to wear it – so I think it’s passed inspection!

But as always – watch this space.

Note – I hasten to say that I’ve no vested tie up or commercial connection to the rotary tool used – it just happened to be the one I picked at random on the Net, that seemed on description to maybe be ideal for my purpose. The fact that it worked out OK for me, was and is a bonus.

Art Deco – enamels

There’s something about Art Deco watches and enamel that just go so well together and as I was digging around in my Wife’s collection I found these.

A trio of Elgin Parisiennes from the ’30’s – perfect!

A nice little trio of Elgin Parisienne models from the 1930’s, each of which is a neat design of watch and coloured hard enamel decoration. Brought out as a marketing idea by Elgin, these were designed by mostly Lucien LeLong and were giver specific names of Haute Couture designers of the day in Paris

Names such as Louisboulonger, Agnes, Jenny and Premet etc. and some whilst featuring wonderful designs of hard coloured enamels also were often cased in 14k Gold filled cases, sometimes with semi-precious gems added within the overall design. And they sold really well in those days and quite affordable too, even then.

These are usually powered by the Elgin 488 mechanical 7 jewel movements with Breguet hairsprings and my Wife has maybe six of the Elgins, plus a few Gruens, Bulova, Fortis, Benrus and if I recall right, Mildus? and a few others whose names escape me entirely, but all of them are decorated with coloured hard enamel.

What always fascinates me is that as watches, they all still work and work rather well and the enamel colours are as bright today, as the day they were made. After all most were made around 90 – yes 90 years ago, rarely serviced and they’re still ticking along – Wow!

In short supply these days and I should take the time collate them properly and manage a Post featuring all of them, which should look pretty good. I hasten to add that she wears each and every one of them, in rotation and although the Pandemic lockdown situation currently has curtailed her social activities somewhat, they still get wrist time.

But once we’re out of this nightmare, then perhaps the ‘Parisiennes’ and others of the day, will be on proper display again.

Anyway, just to brighten up the site, I thought I take a quick snap of this trio, as they were the nearest to hand. I think they look good and so wearable even today, as I find many of the current ladies models look rather dull and lacking any pizzazz, so nice to get them out every so often, just to remind me of past times.

What I love about these watches is that they are NOT specifically “cocktail” watches (I hate the term). They are not festooned with sparkly diamond bits surrounding often over-elaborate mini dials. The Parisiennes are everyday wear watches and very often with some superb enamel work for added colour. And yes, they look great at any so called cocktail. And recently I met a 19 year old who has one – who delights in telling everyone that it’s over 5 times her age! And she doesn’t need a wall socket to charge it either!