In the Belly of Time

People ask me that what I do for a living, and its the same exciting answer "SELLING TIMEPIECES". I've been taken as a nut case, who the heck on earth sells watches. Some even empathize with me. What a sadistic career to pursue. "Selling watches", I tell my friends, its almost similar to selling a piece of art, which also tells time.

Common dude wake up, look at banking, wealth management, investments, real estate, and what did I chose "Watches."

Its like asking an art curator that why he works for a museum. Had it not been time pieces, I would have been happy selling Christie's art work or busy digging lost ruins somewhere in Greece or exploring the Mughal architectural marvels in sub continent.

Rolex is and will remain the "King of Watches", though compairing a Rolex with Patek Philippe is an insult to the house of Patek, manufacturers of divine timepieces. Patek, Audemars, Lange, Vacheron, Journe remain true to hand made concept and till date deliver watches in limited numbers. The King Rolex, churns out a million pieces per annum, and seems people are still hungry for more.

Though I personally am not an authority on micro engineering but the exposure to high-end mechanical time pieces made me respect this delicate balance between man's quest for time perfection and physics. Finding the right balance wheel and correcting the gravitational discrepancy since the days of Breguet to Richard Mille today, have been the quest. Few fine men have dedicated their lives in finding the right time, so we can live without getting lost in the count of minutes or seconds.

If you ever see a Tourbillon escapement, you will be impressed with the miniature complex cage, taking turns and defying gravity. Its almost as if the artist gave life to a mechanical miracle, I can go on for minutes observing the whirlwind taking mysterious turns, only a watch maker's loop hanging between the eye and the marvel.

The price of a decent time piece with a Tourbillon escapement from a respected house of Patek, AP or Lange will be few hundred thousand USD. A pleasure enjoyed only by very wealthy individuals with weakness for haute luxury, which have risen beyond wealth.

The Mantra now days is understatement, sometimes a Royal Oak Carbon Concept won't hurt you. But will take some attention.

High-end Complications became the rich man's fiery desire and to add few in their Zurich safes, when not on wrist, is a passion pursued by feverish collectors. Some have discreetly told me about their excitement when they hold a rare Complication, and how they built the collection, complementing their luxury yatch and private jet.

To me personally, when I see a woman wearing 40 mm Rolex Datona steel, or an AP Royal Oak 39 mm, I admire her boldness. And, if its Grand Lange or IWC pilot, I will certainly compliment her. Who says diamonds are women's best friends. This breed of woman is rare and demands respect, head strong and intensely intellectual femme. Once a girl held an indepth discussion on mechanical time pieces and I almost lost the balance.

The business goes like this, let's say AP launched a series of limited edition in forged carbon, the Alinghi. Within the first week the premium is plus 35 percent on retail price. Thanks to the Russian Business Czars, who would buy anything as long as its limited edition. Then you have Italians, Germans, Arabs, Asians, Brits calling from all over and demanding the time piece to be reserved for them. Requesting, coaxing, bribing or just threatening at times. I have met and observed some genuine desperado.

With much wealth but short on luck. At times even premium can't buy you a time piece, cause all have been absorbed from the market into private safes, or worn inside bullet proof RR Drophead's and in party like Palm Atlantis where you rub shoulders with Robert De Niro, Shahrukh, Kylie Mineau, Royalties and Business Mughals.

One doesn't have to be rich to admire time pieces, its like being to Louvre and basking in Vinci's Mona Lisa, without taking her home. Or being to Vatican and lose reasoning with Michelangelo's "CREATION".

With so much of journal and on line sites, it really has become easier to learn and enjoy the details of time pieces. I see time pieces as a passion, which develops overtime, with lots of patience and only patience, there are few lucky ones who enjoy both passion and work.