u/Apprehensive-Pie-599

I love my collection. I’ll probably look to sell the Lorier. Neptune, Lorier Gemini and the Echo Neutra 1956H and replace them with a Serica 5303-3 and a Yema or Echo Neutra chronograph. But for the next 6-12 months I’m not gonna change this collection at all !

Where would you take this collection?

Got an awesome navy alligator strap from Atelier Oleartis on Instagram and put it on this GP GMT from 1990. Delightful!

I absolutely love this watch, but I have a problem. I bought it on Chrono24 and have just realised that the power reserve is not as advertised. It’s about 18 hours or so, instead of the expected 40-50 hours.

If I get the movement serviced it costs €200 here in NL. Which isn’t worth it for a €500 watch.

A replacement movement is €90 but replacing it at a watch shop costs also about €100 in labour costs.

So my options are:

1. Service the movement or replace the movement at significant cost vs purchase price
2. Reach out to Chrono24 and flag this issue with the movement was not included in the advert but as it’s been a month I don’t think this will work
3. Look to buy a new chronograph and upgrade to a reliable Swiss movement instead and sell the Gemini

What would you do?

Does anyone know of a chronograph cheaper than €1500 which has this vintage aesthetic?

A fellow Redditor, u/Lumpy_Friendship4950, offered to make a strap for my Girard Perregaux I posted here a few weeks ago. I took him up on the offer and commissioned two straps - one blue alligator leather strap and a leather strap to contrast with it. We settled on this gorgeous deep red. As you can see from the photos, the outcome was immense. The straps arrived quickly, the service Ivan provided over Instagram was immaculate and he offered his own thoughts on how to make the straps perfect for the watches. I didn’t intend to use it for the Furlan Marri but after a test it looks absolutely stunning.

Ivan is a top bloke, and Atelier Oleartis are a great company. I like to support small businesses, so this felt like a real win. Appreciate this might come across as a sales pitch but as I have had some questionable experiences with watch straps (Often you find out they’ve been drop shipped from China) but Ivan made them from scratch and shared photos as he worked on them. It felt like a cool side project while I waited for my baby to land 😁

My watch obsession was triggered by my Dad giving me a Smiths De Luxe shockproof watch from 1965. It’s from my grandfather who was gifted it by the Great Western Railway for 45 years service. Spent most of his life on an office in Paddington.

When Kenji Uchimura was a student in London it was an encounter with a Smiths watch from the 1960s which triggered his desire to open his own company. And the watch I’ve bought, the Kuoe Royal Smith is an ode to the Smiths De Luxe.

I feel in my own way this is my ode to my grandfather

When it arrived I must admit I wasn’t convinced it was for me and was very close to selling it. But, over the last couple of weeks it’s really grown on me. The second strap it comes with, this beautiful brown, is much better than the cream strap it’s advertised with.

Definitely the most comfortable strap I own as well!

Completely different vibe!

What’s the most comfortable strap or bracelet you own and where did you get it from?

I own a Sabbia Rosa from Furlan Marri and the leather straps are incredibly good. I want some for my 1929 Cyma and 1965 Smiths

Suggestions ?

I can’t seem to get rid of my obsession with Lorier. I own watches from Furlan Marri, Seiko, Smiths, Kuoe, Echo Neutra, Girard Perregaux etc but Lorier watches dominate wrist time.

I would pickup an Astra if I could find one 😭 … does anyone else have a fixation on one specific microbrand?