25 Discussions and CommentsMember since Nov. 16, 2010Chicago,
United States
Happy Holidays everyone. My name is Brandon. When I'm not on the forum I'm buried in business books. I'm in the first year of an MBA program at Indiana University. I work for a pharmaceutical company in their marketing department. I live in the Chicago, IL USA. I use to have more hobbies, but school and wedding planning have taken their place. I first got into watches from my grandfather who spent much of his life in Europe working for Ford Motor Co. I was always fascinated by his Jaeger LeCoultre Memovox. So once I begun to put some money in my pocket I decided to purchase a watch that fit my lifestyle. The first true mechanical watch I owned was the IWC Aquatimer Reference #3548. I fell in love with the brand and purchased a second IWC last year. I wear the IWC Ingenieur AMG Reference #322703. If my fiancé lets me loose with the checkbook, I have my eye on the Pilot Chronograph Automatic. Here's to 2013 being a healthy and successful year to everyone.
2,996 Discussions and CommentsMember since April 2, 2011Hong Kong,
Hong Kong
Hi everyone,
My name is Shing, and I have not been on this forum terribly long - next April will make two years, as you can tell from my registration date. What I have had the privilege to experience, learn and see on this forum however, is bountiful within this short period of time.
I am native Singaporean but have been living in Hong Kong for the last seven years. Hong Kong is for all intents and purposes home to me and my wife (no kids). I am a former litigation & arbitration attorney who left law and 'stumbled' upon a recruitment job. Having had the privilege of legal training, editing the law review, joining a very large local firm and moving on to an even larger US firm, I was quite certain the practice of law was not something I could live and breathe naturally. I now head up that recruitment group's Hong Kong and China offices since being given the opportunity to build them some time ago.
My interest in watches began with my parents buying me (and each family member) the 'latest thing' in an ulta-thin Casio and I was to use one or two Swatches and Casios for my high school, army, and university days. My real interest in mechanical watches was perked during my pupillage days as a pupil-lawyer -- my pupil-master was always spotting a 'very interesting' timepiece which he then told me belong to a brand called 'Zenith'... that particular one I kept staring at is what I now know, and also have (the smaller T size version), the Chronomaster Open Grande Date XXT size. On qualifying as a lawyer I purchased two quartz watches - a blue ocean Seiko, and a Baume Hampton.
I started collecting automatic watches from the time I moved to HK - at about one or two each year. but it was at the end of 2010 when I 'stumbled' upon the IWC catalog at the Richemont Service Center in Singapore requesting an integrated strap for one of my Baumes that I started look at IWC properly. That piece would be the Il Destriero Scafusia Grande Complication - what an introduction to IWC :))) This led me to inquire at the IWC Elements Boutique one afternoon, and afterwards an appointment was made at HK Flagship Boutique at 1881 Heritage.
Still, I wasn't quite sold. The backdrop to this also --- was that I have had friends constantly speak about IWC (in fact one of them just purchased his first last month which he introduced here, followed by his 2nd IWC purchase weeks later). I couldn't understand what the fuss was all about, but still was very curious to find out more.
At around the same time, the business in HK was coming together nicely, and I thought I would take a bit more than the occasional peek around the usual dealers and forums in the watch world. Friends of mine had commented I 'disappeared for a couple of years' once I had moved to HK - and they are right. The commercial world of Hong Kong is scintillating with its pace and deals and diversity, and there is never a dull day on a typical work-day for me.
That year (of 2011), for my third watch of the year, somewhat on a whim, I purchased a ref 5001-14. Lugging watch and box and all to my office so that I could unwrap everything - I was so blown away by the clean dial, and equally importantly the brushed-finish of the steel casing. Of course, at that time, there was none of this clarity nor self-awareness as to 'what capitvated me to IWC' (it is only with subsequent purchases and comparison and groundwork done across many brands and editions past and present that I could more properly posit and verbalize exactly what my collecting aesthetic and taste is, and reflect on how it evolves...). The brush-finish of an IWC case, I was told later by Schaffhausen staff, is unique tobthe point that one can 'recognize an IWC by its side'.
So with this watch, the rest basically is history...
Buying an IWC is one thing - already in itself an incredible experience. (My first reaction was to msg that aforemention friend of mine who mentioned IWC now and ever again (Melv I am referring to you in case there was any doubt) to describe what was in my hands and how spectacularly beautiful it was.))
But that one purchase will in the months, indeed weeks, ahead open an entirely new world -- which brings us to this forum. These days, I talk about the Ws in life... work, wife, watches, watch-friends, watch-community, iWc, iWc Forum,... I echo many of the collectors' sentiments on how there is such a strong community united by like-minded thinking, sharing, generosity, helpfulness, and most importantly - a passion, and excitement, about IWC.
As things turn out, I registered on this forum and started posting, and as 'learning assignments' attempted to answer many of the questions asked by posters on the forum. I was privileged to be engaged on the forum and outside it through emails, very early on by Michael our moderator and Nelson, Mark, Andrew... the forum has also helped to establish ties with other Asian collectors -- KS Low, KS, SC, Felix, Kelvin... the list runs long, and allowed me to meet up with many of the collectors who come through Hong Kong - Nad, Tracy, Ralph, Vishal... this list runs long too. Here are some of them:
The watch-world in the web-sphere runs parallel to the physical-world's --- and my involvement with IWC has allowed me to know and be engaged by, collectors of other brands who are equally passionate about what they love. The engagement through learning, sharing and intellectual comparison of heritage, design, movements, finishing, engineering, pricing, marketing, leadership, service -- is simply incredible.
The final dimension of my 'watch world', centers around IWC Flagship Boutique at 1881 Heritage -- the hospitality of the staff and the ambiance of that boutique draws you into the IWC World like no other watch brand I know of.
IWCs are beautifully designed, and with the different lines, and able to cater to me personally, something for each of my multi-faceted (read: 'very fussy' and what I describe as my 'functional-inclining collecting palette'... this year was my 'year of Classic slash 'vintage', producing these acquisitions..
So what have I realized after 20+ IWCs ? Our favorite brand is not perfect - we are all human afterall, the watches it creates and produces are the synergistic outcomes of a decision making process constituted by its leadership and collective corporate conscious, influenced by the evolving demands of the market, and buttresed by underlying commercial needs, and both propelled and restricted by technological innovation and evolution. But there is incredibly much good in what it has done before and what it continues to do -- as collectors and appreciators of the brand, there remains very many aspects of what it produces, and what the brand represents and who the people inside are, that we can appreciate.
And for me, the chief great benefit of my exposure and interaction with IWC is this - the shared excitement and positive energy that shines from the IWC collectors I have come to know, makes my world a better place, as I am sure it makes many of you here. While I still collect other brands, and find my collecting taste evolving to more 'modern brands' with more technological 'aesthetics', it is the community of IWC collectors centered around this forum, the meetings of collectors new and old, the regular email exchanges on our lives and watch acquisitions and assistance, activities precipitated by this very forum that makes this place so very special, and our individual worlds and lives, a much better place.
Thanks for reading !
Regards, Shing | email iwcforme1976 (at) gmail (dot) com time does not change us. it just unfolds us. max frisch. all that really belongs to us is time; even he who has nothing else has that. baltasar gracian.
The drawing is now closed --winners will be announced soon. Please check back.
Regards, Michael
mfriedberg@iwcforum.com
Last edited: 14 December, 2012 - 01:46
Cheers,
My name is Shing, and I have not been on this forum terribly long - next April will make two years, as you can tell from my registration date. What I have had the privilege to experience, learn and see on this forum however, is bountiful within this short period of time.
I am native Singaporean but have been living in Hong Kong for the last seven years. Hong Kong is for all intents and purposes home to me and my wife (no kids). I am a former litigation & arbitration attorney who left law and 'stumbled' upon a recruitment job. Having had the privilege of legal training, editing the law review, joining a very large local firm and moving on to an even larger US firm, I was quite certain the practice of law was not something I could live and breathe naturally. I now head up that recruitment group's Hong Kong and China offices since being given the opportunity to build them some time ago.
My interest in watches began with my parents buying me (and each family member) the 'latest thing' in an ulta-thin Casio and I was to use one or two Swatches and Casios for my high school, army, and university days. My real interest in mechanical watches was perked during my pupillage days as a pupil-lawyer -- my pupil-master was always spotting a 'very interesting' timepiece which he then told me belong to a brand called 'Zenith'... that particular one I kept staring at is what I now know, and also have (the smaller T size version), the Chronomaster Open Grande Date XXT size. On qualifying as a lawyer I purchased two quartz watches - a blue ocean Seiko, and a Baume Hampton.
I started collecting automatic watches from the time I moved to HK - at about one or two each year. but it was at the end of 2010 when I 'stumbled' upon the IWC catalog at the Richemont Service Center in Singapore requesting an integrated strap for one of my Baumes that I started look at IWC properly. That piece would be the Il Destriero Scafusia Grande Complication - what an introduction to IWC :))) This led me to inquire at the IWC Elements Boutique one afternoon, and afterwards an appointment was made at HK Flagship Boutique at 1881 Heritage.
Still, I wasn't quite sold. The backdrop to this also --- was that I have had friends constantly speak about IWC (in fact one of them just purchased his first last month which he introduced here, followed by his 2nd IWC purchase weeks later). I couldn't understand what the fuss was all about, but still was very curious to find out more.
At around the same time, the business in HK was coming together nicely, and I thought I would take a bit more than the occasional peek around the usual dealers and forums in the watch world. Friends of mine had commented I 'disappeared for a couple of years' once I had moved to HK - and they are right. The commercial world of Hong Kong is scintillating with its pace and deals and diversity, and there is never a dull day on a typical work-day for me.
That year (of 2011), for my third watch of the year, somewhat on a whim, I purchased a ref 5001-14. Lugging watch and box and all to my office so that I could unwrap everything - I was so blown away by the clean dial, and equally importantly the brushed-finish of the steel casing. Of course, at that time, there was none of this clarity nor self-awareness as to 'what capitvated me to IWC' (it is only with subsequent purchases and comparison and groundwork done across many brands and editions past and present that I could more properly posit and verbalize exactly what my collecting aesthetic and taste is, and reflect on how it evolves...). The brush-finish of an IWC case, I was told later by Schaffhausen staff, is unique tobthe point that one can 'recognize an IWC by its side'.
So with this watch, the rest basically is history...
Buying an IWC is one thing - already in itself an incredible experience. (My first reaction was to msg that aforemention friend of mine who mentioned IWC now and ever again (Melv I am referring to you in case there was any doubt) to describe what was in my hands and how spectacularly beautiful it was.))
But that one purchase will in the months, indeed weeks, ahead open an entirely new world -- which brings us to this forum. These days, I talk about the Ws in life... work, wife, watches, watch-friends, watch-community, iWc, iWc Forum,... I echo many of the collectors' sentiments on how there is such a strong community united by like-minded thinking, sharing, generosity, helpfulness, and most importantly - a passion, and excitement, about IWC.
As things turn out, I registered on this forum and started posting, and as 'learning assignments' attempted to answer many of the questions asked by posters on the forum. I was privileged to be engaged on the forum and outside it through emails, very early on by Michael our moderator and Nelson, Mark, Andrew... the forum has also helped to establish ties with other Asian collectors -- KS Low, KS, SC, Felix, Kelvin... the list runs long, and allowed me to meet up with many of the collectors who come through Hong Kong - Nad, Tracy, Ralph, Vishal... this list runs long too. Here are some of them:
The watch-world in the web-sphere runs parallel to the physical-world's --- and my involvement with IWC has allowed me to know and be engaged by, collectors of other brands who are equally passionate about what they love. The engagement through learning, sharing and intellectual comparison of heritage, design, movements, finishing, engineering, pricing, marketing, leadership, service -- is simply incredible.
The final dimension of my 'watch world', centers around IWC Flagship Boutique at 1881 Heritage -- the hospitality of the staff and the ambiance of that boutique draws you into the IWC World like no other watch brand I know of.
IWCs are beautifully designed, and with the different lines, and able to cater to me personally, something for each of my multi-faceted (read: 'very fussy' and what I describe as my 'functional-inclining collecting palette'... this year was my 'year of Classic slash 'vintage', producing these acquisitions..
So what have I realized after 20+ IWCs ? Our favorite brand is not perfect - we are all human afterall, the watches it creates and produces are the synergistic outcomes of a decision making process constituted by its leadership and collective corporate conscious, influenced by the evolving demands of the market, and buttresed by underlying commercial needs, and both propelled and restricted by technological innovation and evolution. But there is incredibly much good in what it has done before and what it continues to do -- as collectors and appreciators of the brand, there remains very many aspects of what it produces, and what the brand represents and who the people inside are, that we can appreciate.
And for me, the chief great benefit of my exposure and interaction with IWC is this - the shared excitement and positive energy that shines from the IWC collectors I have come to know, makes my world a better place, as I am sure it makes many of you here. While I still collect other brands, and find my collecting taste evolving to more 'modern brands' with more technological 'aesthetics', it is the community of IWC collectors centered around this forum, the meetings of collectors new and old, the regular email exchanges on our lives and watch acquisitions and assistance, activities precipitated by this very forum that makes this place so very special, and our individual worlds and lives, a much better place.
Thanks for reading !
Regards, Shing | email iwcforme1976 (at) gmail (dot) com
time does not change us. it just unfolds us. max frisch.
all that really belongs to us is time; even he who has nothing else has that. baltasar gracian.
Last edited: 14 December, 2012 - 09:33