Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays & A Blessed New Year in 2017!

So we're at the end of the 2016... some interesting events in the year (brexit, the trump) and passing of some great artists/musicians/poets (Carrie Fisher 'Leia!', her mum Debbie Reynolds Singin' in the rain, and many others... Prince, Bowie, Leonard Cohen, to name a few. RIP all) makes it a bit of a downer year for many. well, if 2016 was a low year, here's hoping that there's more upside in 2017. Hopefully there will be a brighter way ahead for Singapore, oh uhm and the watch industry, which is in a bit of a doldrums.

not that this will turn it around but here's some photos of some beautiful ladies with nice watches on, and no, buying these or similar, pricey luxury watches does not mean you will have any of them or anyone similar looking to them by your side. well it may be correlated to something else... no matter, just the pix then :)

and to end off, will just share one of a beautiful lady in a white dress sans watch... i think 2017 will have me taking more

 of these kinda pix which i hope u like too as i focus more on photography. appreciate the follow on instagram LINK

don't look back, look forward ;) 
here's to 2017! cheers, raph

STOP BUYING STUFF! :)

Note that the title is just advice to myself (and maybe the Mrs too ;) I moved house recently and what struck me other than the amount of stuff i have picked up over time is that for some of them, there was the belief that they would hold value so it was fine to pay a pretty penny for them. demand of course is not constant and things can have higher or lower demand at a point in time. you just hope that when you do look to liquidate (to buy the next new toy... DOH!), there is still some healthy demand especially if it was a once hot and now not item. 

what un-sage advice do i have then (for myself)? we don't bring all this stuff with us when we pass on and for those with kids, they would be wondering 'what is all this junk i have to get rid of?' and so the advice is...

Buy Less. Make Better Choices. Don't make rash, gut-instinct purchase decisions. Don't retail therapy yourself into stuff you use once or never use at all (i think most adults are guilty of buying stuff that has never been used once) 

Waitamoment though... we're coming to the end of the year... what are some of the purchases i've had this year that i am enjoying? Note these are my happy purchases that i'm just sharing about and to each their own for these items :) 

On the watch front - No brainer here, the seiko padi turtle. seiko was right to bring this line back. wonderful timepieces

Cameras! - Leica M9... (last year it would have been the Leica M6) it isn't a slam dunk camera for me but right now i am enjoying it and learning better how to work with it & Lens - Zeiss 50mm planar f/2.0 and Voigtlander 21mm f/1.8

and that's about it. super marked up uber expensive watches isn't so much my focus now as it is right to question the value of them. for under US$1k pieces though (of which there are a wide variety) there are many cool ones out there and i expect even more to come given the market sentiment. here's looking forward to more exciting, priced appropriately timepieces in future. and on the camera front, hopefully the next M will knock it out of the park.

have a good December and hols ahead! cheers, raph

Ventus ~ Singapore Kickstarter Watch Project I am Backing

I'm keeping this short. In my view, this is a worthwhile project to back on kickstarter and i am backing it. to check out the kickstarter page click here LINK 

so what's it got going for it (to me)? 

1) numero uno and what's probably most important, Ventus has come up with a good looking watch. Sure it 'borrows' a little here and there but most watches out there are copies of copies of copies (well a bit here, a bit there anyways) and the good thing is this is not a blatant ripoff or 'hommage'

2) it's very reasonably priced. now it's like about US$239 which is cheaper than some watch straps out there. 

3) How many brass watches do you have? Well i've got none and everyone needs at least one no? to me, this is a good price to pick one up at

definitely good looking

side profile. it's slim and lean and it will age over time

nice diver logo on the case back. seiko movement behind that which is always good ;)

with a good cup of coffee

this just to look at the vintage lume color on the pilot watch. there are 4 versions with 
2 more being looked at so do check out the kickstarter page to see the all the options

i will likely get this version... who knows i may even buy another one :)

To conclude then, in the metal, for me personally this a no brainer watch buy. Back this fine Singapore gent and watch lover on #kickstarter for a great looking #brass #dive #watch 

Each #Mori #Diver will now also come with a 4 slot canvas watch roll and other color versions are being offered depending on the goals hit. more info here LINK 

HYT's new CEO Gregory Dourde Visits Asia (Sep 2016)

A lot of interesting things have been happening at HYT and I am happy to see them doing well, as they champion innovation through their unique way of having liquid for time telling. I would like to thank the fine folks at Sincere and HYT for the invite down to meet Gregory and hear him share on the strategy for HYT.

i was particularly interested in their bespoke offering. it's a smart move...

for their target clients (i.e. folks with a lot of money) who probably have no desire of wearing the same watch as others

checking out some of their latest offerings in the metal 

H3

H2 Alinghi

press pic of skull bad boy

Press Release: [Singapore, September 2016]

Five months into his role as the new CEO of independent Swiss luxury brand HYT, Gregory Dourde travels to Asia – bringing the annual international meetings (previously held in HYT headquarters in Neuchâtel and Cascais) to the six markets that HYT is present in: Singapore, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Indonesia (Jakarta), Japan (Tokyo), Hong Kong and Taiwan (Taipei & Taichung).

The first leg of the Asia tour began in Singapore at the Brand’s regional headquarters, HYT Asia. Welcoming media friends with an intimate breakfast at the HYT House, Gregory introduced HYT’s bold Q4 Novelties (to be launched on 4 October 2016) developed to honour HYT’s 3rd year anniversary, as well as strategic developments for HYT and Preciflex for the next three years.

Gregory shared HYT’s immediate strategic axes such as the brand’s announcement to extend customer warranties to 5 years with immediate (and retroactive) effect; the creation of the Brand’s Squad Team, a group of watch makers that travel the world visiting HYT’s points of sales to carry out any upgrades directly to ensure customers receive the sort of quick, direct and efficient service they should expect in 2016; the launch of its Bespoke service that gives customers with a particular creative bent and desire the possibility to create their perfect watch; and the announcement of the Special Series, limited piece series that would only be available in certain markets.

The 12-day trip culminates with the annual Independent Watch and Art Salon Taiwan (IWST) 2016 in Taipei, now into its fourth year, whimsically themed ‘Watchmaking Wonderland’. HYT is honoured to be exhibiting alongside 10 other independent brands.

Gregory Dourde concludes, “Asia is one of the strongest and most mature markets in the world for haute horology. When you combine this sophistication with the speed and creation of technological development that we observe here, we believe our watches have a special home in Asia.”

Congrats Vianney Halter on the Gaia Award!

Vianney posing with the earth... I mean 'Gaia'award :)

& from Vianney and his team

& a trip down memory lane... some wonderful pieces in this look back

& the fave for me from the lot which i once owned... the Antiqua

some other wonderful pieces to me... trio

& the Classic Janvier... a wonderful piece

SevenFriday Q ~ Q1 Q2 Q3 Launch

First off, my quick take on the watches and then some press release info and pix follow. Amongst the 3 new Q models then, I like the Q3 the best just based on looks :) I think I would like a version with a little bit more red in it which may come in future limited edition versions. Of course different folks will have different preferences and it's good to have the options available.  

Press Release: The Q is the 4th series in SEVENFRIDAY’s collection and features a new visual complication with De-central hour ring inspired by regulators. Q-Series watches feature the FSC (Fast Strap Changer) mechanism [Pushers at 9H side], NFC technology which allows registration via the SEVENFRIDAY app and for the first time on a SEVENFRIDAY, date function has been added. Each Q is tied to one of our three industrial universes, the Q1/01 is Essence, Q2/01 is Revolution and the Q3/01 belongs to Engines. Each universe has it’s own set of materials while each watch its own style, strap and of course inspiration.

Launch of the SevenFriday Q... some features noted below. from this pic u can tell the different fonts and markers
across the 3. eg the Q3 has the 24 on the inside track while the Q1 and Q2 have the 24 marker on the outside

 Q1/01 takes inspiration from Music, embracing design features from recording studio equipment.
Recording studios have a unique atmosphere with their vast panels of high-tech dials and crisp
silence. We looked at modern and vintage machines from recording studios throughout the ages to
find inspiration. When the SEVENFRIDAY Tour hit London we paid a visit to the legendary Abbey
Road Studios and got to experience no fewer than seven tourists risk their lives running into
oncoming traffic trying to catch their version of the iconic zebra crossing shot! [PRICE: 1160 CHF/USD (RRP ex. taxes)]

Q2/01 takes inspiration from Travel, channeling key features from vintage steamboats. The height of
luxury in 1800’s, steamboats were industrial masterpieces allowing people to holiday on water. Their
copper and brass equipment has been updated over the years but while the SEVENFRIDAY Tour
visited Amsterdam we found ourselves on a vintage ship where a brass Engine Order Telegraph
(EOT) caught our eye. It was utilized to send a signal from the bridge to the engine room with
instructions about speed and direction (ahead or astern), this copper and brass instrument stuck with us.
[PRICE: 1190 CHF/USD (RRP ex. taxes)]

Q3/01 takes inspiration from Engines, embracing key features straight from the pit lane. During the
annual Gulf Run race event we witnessed the world’s best supercars tearing up the Bahrain
International F1 circuit. We experienced the engine vibes in the pits and watched a McLaren prepare
for the race. Mechanics checking pressures and temperatures with a host of different gauges and
telemetry equipment. This place conveyed the spirit of our Q3/1 time piece. 
[PRICE: 1220 CHF/USD (RRP ex. taxes)]

Q3 ready to go for a drive with an Italian bull

Seiko PADI Turtle ... A Beautiful Watch and some other watches with blue and red in 'em

If you check out some other Seiko posts in this blog, u will know I love the Seiko turtles :) they were a great vintage design 
and now they're a great looking modern watch. some slight differences but overall it's a cool modern version of the vintage... 
my mate Stefano sharing his PADI turtle with me

Some basic math... Seiko Turtle + PADI certification does not equal Seiko PADI turtle :(

the watch barista and his PADI turtle... BIG THUMBS UP!!!

chilling with another watch with red and blue in it... well a very light blue and fuchsia... i love these faded gmt bezels
this is a legit one as verified by my Rolex servicer uncle Lim at Top Hour :)

but I will go for the non-faded ceramic pepsi inserts too! WHHHYYYYY not in STEEL??!!?? WHHHHYYYY??? 

and that's it for now... have a great weekend boyz and girlz. cheers, raph

Singapore Airlines Business Class Food Review by Up & Coming Food Critic... Ms Too

In the words of Ms Too (not so many words cause she's like... little): 

Once in awhile I do take Singapore Airlines SQ Business Class for my holidays and when I do I make sure I have some good eating on it. 

first let me introduce myself, Ms Too here, food critic and world traveller with my man servant, whom I call Papa
(he looks tired coz he was up last night packing for my trip. i pay him in watches :)

it's good to book the cook on business class flights to try out some of the different dishes done on SQ

and some of them as u can guess are done better than others. let's start with some appetisers...

this was yummy to me

next my first main.. LOBSTER! sometimes I pronounce robster... oh well it was delicious! (from sq site: 
Boston Lobster Thermidor ~ A whole lobster sautéed in butter, flambéed in brandy, sprinkled with cheese, 
and served with creamy mushroom sauce, garlic and spicy mustard, and buttered asparagus)

next up the beef and it was well... a bit tough to my liking... I think beef prep is tough on a flight so 
i would skip beef medium rare on flights

sometimes I do want local fare though and there is Nasi Lemak for me! fragrant coconut rice and overall
 it was pretty well done. Great selection of Singaporean dishes can be found here LINK

but my fave of the lot is their... SATAY!!! (from sq site: A popular local fare, these skewered slices of chicken, 
mutton and beef are flame-grilled and served as an appetiser with onions, cucumbers and a spicy peanut dip. 
Satay is available on selected flights, in Suites, First Class and Business Class)

the stewardess calling ahead 'Ms Too wants more satay' and indeed i do... Keep 'em coming

another kind stewardess setting up me and my man servant's seats for sleep mode. SQ service is the BEST!

time for a nap :) i love SQ! 

dreaming of more satay... nom nom nom