The number of watches it takes to comprise a collection is a topic which sways mightily in the wind of opinion. Ultimately though, none of that matters–the simple truth is: the right amount is that which satisfies you. Whether 1, 100, or 1,000 only you know when you have enough ticking treasures on your wrist, or in your safe. For the person who wants some advice on putting together a basic group though, I do have a few thoughts on where to start:

I. The Daily Driver

This is the watch that you would take with you if you had to grab something on the go, and not worry about it. Whether you go with self-winding or quartz, time only or chronograph, it should be water resistant, and durable, as well as something you really, really like–because this is one you wear often, especially when you are engaged in your favorite activities. What are some examples? The Omega Seamaster 300M, IWC’s Aquatimer Automatic or Chronograph, the Girard-Perregaux Sea Hawk, any stainless steel Rolex Oyster, and many Bell & Ross models. Those with a generous budget and a preference for the bold will find the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph an “ultimate”.

II. Casual Elegance

This timepiece bridges the gap between a pure dress watch, and one which is overtly casual. Overall, this is probably my favorite category, because truly, such a watch can just about do it all, although the fine finishing on watches in this category don’t lend themselves aesthetically to the real rough treatment. My personal loves here are the legendary Audemars Piguet Royal Oak models, and the Patek Philippe Nautilus line. Also superb is the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Evo3 series, another distinguished example of the genre. The refined Blancpain Fifty Fathoms watch is right at home here, as well.

III. Formal

The archetypal dress watch, on a fine leather strap, ideally on the slender side. The Omega DeVille collection has some very nice choices, and IWC offers its elegant Portofino. Movement elitists (guilty as charged) will delight in the Piaget Altiplano, Blancpain’s wonderfully slim Villeret line, the Chopard L.U.C Extra Plate, Girard-Perregaux’s 1966 watch, and the stylish Glashutte Original Senator Sixties models.

Why not have a fourth category dedicated to complications? Well, the reason I didn’t bother is this: various complications from basics like power reserve and chronograph up to complex perpetual calendars and tourbillons can be found in each of the three groups, particularly the latter two. If you have a hankering for mechanical complications, your desires can certainly be satisfied in any one of these categories. And remember, this list is just a starting point to put together a watch rotation you will find plenty of occasions to wear. Use your imagination, be true to your preferences (as opposed to peer pressure) and you will be able to create a collection that satisfies over the long term.

Technorati Tags: Omega Seamaster, Rolex Oyster, Patek Philippe, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms

Maybe he just found out that his Hummer’s gets less 10 miles to a gallon? Maybe he just found out that Hummers emit 3 times more carbon dioxide then an average car? Who knows…

But when California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ran for the office a few years ago, he said he was committed to clean air. He talked about cutting air pollution in half and reduce energy use by 20%  - which explains his personal collection of 5+ Hummers that he is seen driving around in.

Ease up, Arnie supporters….I am just teasing. Whether or not he personally wants to help the environment is his prerogative. There are enough tree hugging Prius drivers to help Ca-lee-forn-ya get to the 20% number.

At least he has a funky look going on - with his bright red Captain Kangaroo pants accessorized with a yellow and red hawaiian shirt. His outfit is perfectly finished with tan leisure loafers and big hulking U-Boat watch which seems to be the Governators watch of choice these days.

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With the recent passing of Corum Chairman Severin Wunderman, a man as renowned for his human qualities as his skill and dynamism as abusinessman, I found myself contemplating the unique creativity of many of the Corum watch collections. Certainly, the input of Severin himself played a major role in the creation of many of these memorable Corum watches–from eyebrow-raising Bubble timepiece such as the diabolically charming Baron Samedi or the notorious “Lucifer Bubble”, to some of the dazzling Golden Bridge variants, the viewer was always presented with something extremely unusual, beautiful, comical and sometimes even slightly macabre. Love them or loathe them, these are watches that are not easy to forget. As is the case with all art, you are forced to react in some way, and maybe question a few things along the way.

Among my favorite modern Corum watches, are the Classical Vanitas series, which stand out with their beautiful marquetry dials. Each of these dials are individually created by patient craftsmen who meticulously piece intricately cut segments of marble, precious stone, and mother of pearl together to form striking artworks. With their unique human element, and reflective themes reminding the viewer that life is indeed fleeting, the Vanitas watches are fine examples of the expressive qualities that define the Corum brand, as well as an ongoing tribute to the memory of Mr. Wunderman.

Technorati Tags: Corum, Severin Wunderman

A recent Auction is Asia was the site of a record-breaking diamond sale. A 6.04-carat Emerald cut, Fancy Vivid Blue, sold for $7.98 million.  The internally flawless Diamond sold for $1.32 million per carat, which is a new price per carat record sale for any gemstone ever sold. Wow!!! This sale just solidifies the content in a previous article that Michelle and I had written just this month in regards to our clients asking us for larger and more important diamonds across the board. Our clients are beginning to have us source more and more large and or rare colored diamonds for investment portfolios.

Blue Diamonds have always fetched big numbers due to their rarity and beauty. There are many books even written about the most famous blue diamond of all time, the 45.52-carat Hope Diamond which is displayed in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.

It used to be that only the elite and most astute collectors could appreciate the value and beauty of these blue diamonds that has changed as many people are at a point of upgrading an existing diamond and becoming more and more educated about these rare colored diamonds.

We have had the pleasure of dealing with these very rare stones in the store with our clients and it is always an amazing experience to see the excitement from people when they see such a rare piece. 9 out 10 people that are even privileged enough to touch and hold these stones all say the same thing as they first lay eyes on these stones…..”WOW, are you kidding? Michelle and I just said it ourselves last week when we had a G.I.A. graded 40 carat Fancy Intense Yellow and VVS1 clarity Diamond arrive at the store.

Larger colorless diamonds and the rarest of rare colored diamonds are in demand.

John and Michelle Bassett

Technorati Tags: Blue Diamonds, colored diamonds

So, I recently splurged and purchased my self an Audemars Piguet Rose Gold Rubber Clad Offshore! Needless to say I LOVE IT, and have been wearing it regularly in the store and out and about on my days off.

I am a huge Audemars Piguet fan and have been for many years now and do not expect the ether to wear off any time soon. Now comes my disenchantment…not for the timepiece but rather the lack of Horological knowledge I am seeing in “collectors” as of late.

At first I thought it was comical that 3 out of 4 “collectors” who came into the store commented on the beautiful Hublot Big Bang I was wearing, so for two weeks I started keeping track of how many people would actually get it right, any guesses? Still 3 out of 4…. and we are an Authorized Audemars Piguet retailer with the collection front and center in the store.

As funny as it may sound, it just solidifies my notion that many watch collectors are afraid to venture off on their own and do some serious homework in order to better educate themselves prior to jumping into the world of Fine Timepieces.

This Horological world we live in today is more exciting than it ever has been!! There are so many choices out there now that you can’t help but want to uncover layer after layer of what’s new and cutting edge. While the Hublot is a good looking timepiece, I still prefer the original timepiece Hublot took it’s inspiration from…..the Audemars Piguet Offshore.

-John Bassett

Technorati Tags: Audemars Piguet

Up, Up, Up is what’s happening in the diamond world. We have experienced tremendous growth with our personal clientele with an increased demand for larger, more important diamonds. Some of these diamonds include a very rare purplish red diamond, a fancy intense purplish pink diamond, a fancy blue, and many high quality fancy cuts in the 6-10 carat range.

There is a noticeable increase in educated buyers whom are absolutely comfortable making purchases for important gemstones that are seven figures and above. The thought process comes from a view of investing in rare goods. We are designing important gemstone portfolios for clients, much like investment portfolios. The collections are diverse in that collectors want to have every piece unique, well crafted, beautiful, and of course the rarest colors in the world.

Global diamond values have continued to rise since 2006. More Specifically, the rare the color the more valuable and more sought after by astute collectors. The USA is responsible for nearly half of all diamond jewelry consumption worldwide every year.

Here are some facts:
( percentages and values from international diamond exchange)

- 5 carat diamonds are up 25.9% from Jan 2007 to Jan 2008
- 4 carat diamonds are up 48.2%
- 3 carat diamonds are up 21.6%
- Diamonds below 0.50 carats posted lower prices

So what sets diamonds apart from everything else? The biggest distinction is that diamonds are tangible objects that are not only beautiful but can also be seen as pieces of art. Diamond jewelry can be worn every day and enjoyed every moment while it is worn. Let’s face it, women love jewelry! Diamonds make even the most modest woman light up.

You can see the trend is up, up , up. Larger stones are highly sought after and valued. People are saying “ Give us bigger, better quality diamonds”. They want the truly unique, “one of one” pieces that set them apart from everyone else.

It’s great to see that our intelligent collectors are recognizing the significance of the investment grade diamonds we mentioned, even in an economy that is under pressure.

In October, Bell & Ross watch fanatics will have a chance to enrich their obsession just a bit more. Following on the established and smashingly successful BR Instrument collection, Bell & Ross has taken a turn in more subtle directions with the new BRS timepieces.

Showing off a strikingly handsome case made from black or white ceramic, the Bell & Ross BRS is noticeably thinner than other BR Instrument timepieces, a factor which can be attributed to the use of a manually wound movement–a first for this collection.  The BRS is also considerably smaller at 39mm, which qualifies it as either a moderately sized men’s watch, or an over-sized ladies watch, depending upon who you ask.

Ultimately, the Bell & Ross BRS watches should have true unisex appeal; the diamond-set white versions should be particularly fashionable for women, while the basic black ceramic model will draw attention from men who enjoy the purposeful Bell & Ross aesthetics but feel a bit “carpally challenged” by the company’s 46mm BR 01 variants.  With its classic, uncluttered dial and stylish ceramic case the BRS should shape up to be another smash hit for Bell & Ross founder Carlos Rosillo and his team in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

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The other day I got an email from one of my readers (who happens to be my nephew) giving me cryptic instructions to watch a music video on YouTube. He told me to start paying attention around the two minute mark and then to REALLY start paying attention at the three minute mark. I took his enigmatic instructions and proceeded as I was told.

The video was for the new hit “Take a Bow” by the ultra popular Barbadian beauty Rihanna. The video immediately pulled me in because the first image I saw was not Rihanna’s face - as expected. The first few seconds of the video start out focusing on a gold watch on her wrist, and then the camera panned to her facing. I couldn’t make out what the watch was - all I could tell was it was a gold case with a gold bracelet.

As I watched the video I got the strange feeling that I had seen it before - but I hadn’t. There was a mild plot, with the majority of the video being her singing in a plain black tank top - with the focus being on her face. The video itself was minimalist in nature, featuring a matte black background so that whatever was in front of it - really popped.

I examined the video closely - looking for hidden clues as if I were Nicholas Cage in National Treasure or something. Then something odd happened. I noticed that Rihanna looked at her watch in a concerned manner. Not that it is illegal to do that, but there really wasn’t anything in the story line of the video to support it - it just seemed awkward.

I thought “Ok, that was strange”.

Shortly after that - she did it again…Something was up. I looked at the clock on the flash player and it was close to the three minute mark - I waited in anticipation.

All of a sudden, WHAM! there is was - a blatant 2 - 3 second product placement of a gold Piaget Polo watch. The shot lasted a REALLY long time. Then I realized the format of the video was very similar to that of Alicia Keys “No One” video - which also featured blatant product shots of Piaget watches.

I am taking bets on who will be the next Piaget R&B shiller. I got my money on Ashanti, Leona Lewis, or Ciara. Anyone else got a prediction?

Thanks AT for the heads up.

Paul Out

Technorati Tags: Rihanna, Piaget

The Piaget Altiplano Petit Seconds watch is a gorgeous new member of Piaget’s extremely fine dress timepiece collection. With a 40mm diameter, this model promises to be a fantastic formal watch for the modern male. It should without question attract more interest than the established but rather marginally sized (by today’s standards of fashion) 38mm case diameter that we’ve come to know the Altiplano Large for.

One that that as NOT changed, fortunately, is the impeccable elegance that is such a hallmark of Piaget. Graceful lines, and faultless workmanship define every tiny detail of the Altiplano dial and case; truly, as dress watches go, this one is in a class with very few competitors. The striking but extremely attractive half-circle upon a circle small seconds display adds a nice touch of technical interest, but in no way spoils the charming minimalism of the design.

My hat is also off to Piaget, for putting an exhibition back on their newest Altiplano. While the intricate hand-wrought engravings on the standard Piaget caseback is a delight in its own right, its very nice to be able to admire the workmanship of the ultra-slim calibers which have given Piaget its fine reputation as a manufacture. The manually wound Caliber Piaget 838P (the designation of the movement inside this model) has an overall height of just 2.5mm. It’s worth noting that this is the kind of thinness that would ordinarily be associated with battery-powered quartz movements–not one comprised of hand-finished, entirely mechanical parts!

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