Well I recently stated on here that I was happy with my collection... yet I have a week off work this week and got bitten again.
It is a disease which sadly never leaves us.
Anyhoo... I am after getting my watch numbers down now as I am simply not rotating my stock at all. I even am finding myself coming home in my Railway issue TOC watch... leaving it on my wrist without grabbing one of my own pieces to wear. So in a way I am glad I got bitten again. I miss the hobby.
So yeah. I am really after getting down to four watches. A couple of beaters and a couple of special pieces.
I was already in possession of two Speedmaster Professionals. One, a 50th Anniversary patch, and the other the standard classic hesalite with some amazing old lume on it.
The 50th Anniversary piece had actually broken. I was due to send it off to Duncan at Genesis for a new mainspring repair and service / breathe over. However, I got in touch with a shop who deal in pre-worn classics and enquired about what they would give me, and they gave me a wonderful part-ex price regardless of the fact that it wasn't even running.
I also had to source a couple of links, from a Blancpain dealership... otherwise the sale couldn't have gone through. The beauty of having large-ish wrists. Those have been sourced using the correct model number etc. so I was good to take the watch away knowing that I will wear it in future... and I won't lie... the wait is killing me.
So yeah... not your regular Blancpain but I am absolutely smitten with it.
I was after something unique... and I have had a look round and there aren't many of these to be had these days. Obviously a discontinued stock, but still very rare. I have seen a couple and they are coming in at much more than I had to part with to get this. One in the UK and one in the USA.
I have owned some lovely watches over the years... and even so I have become disillusioned with it all. Rolexes are now getting bought to move on for profit, same with the Speedie Tuesday. Watches, as a hobby, have felt distant to me of late. Blatant profiteering between peers on here... it all made my passion for certain brands and watches in general turn a little sour. So taking all that into consideration... I wanted something with that DIFFERENT satisfaction touch. A piece that you can tell is a quality piece, even if you aren't really wholly up on watches.. but one that is also anonimous by nature. Your average non-watch fan doesn't even know who Blancpain are... and that appeals to me.
And I love the model. It is a tool watch but the actual bezel and its mirrored numbers give a very SLIGHT tinge of bling. But not too much. They reflect in a way that gives it a jewellry feel but it's also a functionable watch.
It also has a feel of the Muhle Glasshute SAR... with the 'rubber on steel' effect bracelet.
It ticks many boxes for me... but mainly... I feel an individual with this piece. I took the train journey to the shop knowing that I could pick up a certain Panerai for the same price if it didn't fit and I couldn't source the links for the Blancpain... but I wouldn't be as excited. I even mentioned this to the guy working the shop who said: "Yeah... but I can source one of those any time you like. I doubt I will see another Blancpain in this design any time soon." And do you know what? He is right.
I don't even think that this piece is one for the Blancpain purists... and to be honest... I don't care.
It's for me... and I love it... and it has rekindled something in me.
I feel free for having it. I don't feel like I am running with a pack. Or bothered about the 'pack' even.
I feel ME with this piece.
Happy at finding a 'little corner of my own' in our great hobby.
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