closing tag is in template navbar
timefactors watches



TZ-UK Fundraiser
Results 1 to 4 of 4

Thread: Popping in to say hello

  1. #1
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Kent, UK
    Posts
    785

    Popping in to say hello

    Almost two years ago to the day I posted this thread (https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...dnight-from-me), documenting my watch collecting journey, ending up with the final "everyday" watch, my Longines Hydroconquest.Since then I've lurked periodically on the forum, but haven't posted.

    The Hydroconquest carried on being my everyday watch, but I had an issue with the Marine Chronometer I bought, which meant it had to go to a specialist to be repaired. When I picked it up, he had a 1950's Russian Chronometer for sale. Being a sucker for Russian Horology I bought it, and somehow a Russian deck watch has also been added to the mix, so here's where we are now with that...



    There's also one watch I've always been keen on, but I've never seen in the flesh. As time has worn on this has turned into more of an itch and, early this year, I decided to scratch it. The problem was that nobody in the UK appeared to have one in stock. I found one company who said on their website that they had one, but when I rang them it turned out they didn't. I don't believe I've ever seen one on Sales Corner and, although there are a fair few on Chrono24, they're all in places like Poland and Germany, which is a bit tricky post Brexit. In the end I came across one at Chronext, enquired if it was actually in stock, and took the plunge as it was some £600 off list price.

    As it turns out this was a mistake, but I just about got away with it. After a short delay (apparently caused by their annual stock take), the watch was dispatched......from Germany. Hastily I did a lot of research. As Chronext operates in the UK I reckoned they were registered for VAT here, and they'd advertised the watch as including VAT and all taxes, so I reckoned I was OK on the VAT front, but I wasn't sure what would happen in terms of Customs.

    I tracked the watch anxiously as it left Germany, and landed at Stansted, where it got stuck. The UPS tracking is terrible - oddly I got more information from Chronext's own tracking site, which told me it was 'being stored temporarily'. I had no idea what this meant and couldn't find any reference to it on Google. How long was it going to be 'stored temporarily' for? The UPS delivery date came and went, and I resigned myself to a possible long wait.

    On Thursday a miracle happened and I had an email saying the package was coming. In disbelief I checked both the UPS and Chronext tracking, and they both agreed that it was on a van for delivery. Mid afternoon the package arrived, and I'm delighted. The Hydroconquest is in the watch box having a well earned rest, and my gamble on buying a watch I've never seen appears to have paid off (although I still might get clobbered for a customs charge).

    So what is it, and is it worth all this aggro? May I present my new Nomos Ahoi Atlantik Datum, with apologies for the rather quick and dirty wrist shot...



    This might be a bit of a surprise, as I'd listed the Nomos Tangente as a 'Miss' in my goodbye thread two years ago, but I've always liked the look of the Ahoi, particularly the Atlantik. It's got all the good parts of the Tangente (the Bauhaus styling) but somehow manages to be less austere. The dial varies from grey in direct light, through a gorgeous dark blue, to almost inky black depending on how the light hits it. It wears large, but I think I can just get away with it. It's 200m waterproof so, like the Hydroconquest, I can swim with it, but it oozes with class in a way that the Hydroconquest can't quite manage. Don't get me wrong, I still love the Longines, and it will get its fair share of wrist time, but this is definitely in the next level up.

    I'll leave you with the obligatory shot of the movement through the glass back. I hope you like it.


  2. #2
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    694
    That is a lovely looking watch. I feel the same admiration for Nomos, having just bought an Orion Neomatik Date, that actually arrived on Christmas Eve. I was not expecting it until the end of this month, as Nomos did not have any stock so had to manufacture some more. I am glad I got in before all these Brexit tax changes.

  3. #3
    Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    London
    Posts
    1,660
    Very nice, great to see your enjoyment continuing.

    P.S. the Zenith EP is still here and still bringing much joy!

  4. #4
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Kent, UK
    Posts
    785
    Quote Originally Posted by S Works View Post
    Very nice, great to see your enjoyment continuing.

    P.S. the Zenith EP is still here and still bringing much joy!
    I'm glad to hear it!

    Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Do Not Sell My Personal Information