|
|
Post by mikael on Sept 15, 2018 5:43:43 GMT
I had a mechanical stopwatch made by Heuer-owned Leonidas through the 1970s and 1980s. Having one was very useful at races, allowing you to know more than others and to know it sooner. A good stopwatch and good binoculars were essential.
It's sad to witness when a strong enterprise buys up a smaller competing company with interesting products, only to make it disappear (like the case of the "Englebert" tyres which we have touched upon in an earlier thread).
Not to turn this into a watch discussion - which doesn't belong here at all - but I hope you'll forgive me for the following "story". There was, since 1950, a rather small but very interesting Japanese watch manufacturer called "Orient Watch Company". (Surprisingly, Steve McQueen was actually a user, even though he obviously had a strong connection with Heuer!)
Steve McQueen and his Orient watch (around the time of "Le Mans", i.e. 1970). From a book about Orient, published on their 60th anniversary in 2010.
They always concentrated on making inexpensive mechanical watches of good quality. In the 1970's when quartz watches "boomed" they survived by concentrating on markets where the infrastructure wasn't really "geared" to support battery changes, etc., such as China, India, (then) Soviet Union, and South America. (This was brilliant, I think!) They always had some really unique designs, such as a recent (around 2010) series called "retro future", with designs inspired by industrial design of the 1950's, like the shown "Italian motor cycle" and "road/racing bicycle". (There was a huge array of designs: camera, Italian sports car, jeep, aeroplane, turn table, electric guitar, ...) Epson-Seiko bought 52% of the stocks in 2001 and by 2009 they owned the company completely, yet the company continued to exist. But in 2017 (last year) the "Orient Watch Company" was dissolved and now "Orient" exists only as a "brand" under Seiko-Epson. The interesting, unique products have disappeared, and the prices have received a huge "hike" up; so this seems to be the beginning of the end. Well, things like this happens all the time; yet I find this rather sad ...
 
|
|
|
|
Post by René on Sept 15, 2018 9:25:00 GMT
Mikael, any change of direction in a thread is fine with me. And those watches do look cool. The fact they made good looking and affordable watches also appeals to me. It's a shame the company doesn't exist anymore but that's how it goes. No sentiments with those kind of decisions, only economics.
I like Seiko too by the way. I have a nice sporty Seiko chronograph I wear regularly which I really like. A fine watch.
|
|
|
|
Post by René on Sept 15, 2018 9:32:38 GMT
René you have a fantastic collection of things Ferrari, congratulations. always loved Heuer from when I first saw it on the 1970 Ferrari 312B. I loved the logo, the name everything and it was always my dream to own a watch. My wife brought me a Tag Heuer F1 watch for my 50th birthday and it is the only watch I have worn since. Love that stopwatch too, very special. Thank you Rob. It is always funny to read how others share the same interests as yourself, isn't it? The watch I wear the most is my TAG Heuer Kirium next to the Seiko I mentioned to Mikael. And I have a Ferrari watch, a so called worldtimer that shows two different time zones, one analogue and one digital. Quite cool. |
|
|
|
Post by René on Sept 15, 2018 9:36:20 GMT
René, a most impressive collection! And amazing details by those beautiful models.
A very nice stopwatch too! In this relation, mechanical watches have experienced a renaissance during the last 10 or so years here in Japan - and perhaps everywhere(?) - with several 70's mechanical chronographs etc. being re-born. Electronic things can do "everything", as you'd expect them to, but in a "two-dimensional", "virtual" kind of way. It seems that many have acquired a "saturated" feeling towards yet more electronics and find "good old-fashioned" mechanical things much more desirable.
I had a mechanical stopwatch made by Heuer-owned Leonidas through the 1970s and 1980s. Having one was very useful at races, allowing you to know more than others and to know it sooner. A good stopwatch and good binoculars were essential. Carl, you say 'you had a stopwatch', did you lose it along the way? Could actually have some value now. When I was still young and went to the races I used my Casio LCD watch with build in stopwatch. It did the job, sort of.  |
|
|
|
Post by Carl on Sept 15, 2018 21:38:33 GMT
I had a mechanical stopwatch made by Heuer-owned Leonidas through the 1970s and 1980s. Having one was very useful at races, allowing you to know more than others and to know it sooner. A good stopwatch and good binoculars were essential. Carl, you say 'you had a stopwatch', did you lose it along the way? Could actually have some value now. When I was still young and went to the races I used my Casio LCD watch with build in stopwatch. It did the job, sort of. Yes, I loaned it to someone who was heading to a race and it was passed around, eventually to someone who quietly walked away with it.  This happened shortly after Riverside Raceway was closed and bulldozed for an industrial park and emporium of doughnut shoppes and losing it seemed to dovetail with the end of a great road course.
What always amazed me were the team clipboards with three stopwatches attached, each with an extended handle, to time everyone the team was concerned with throughout the weekend.
|
|
|
|
Post by René on Sept 16, 2018 9:57:21 GMT
Carl, you say 'you had a stopwatch', did you lose it along the way? Could actually have some value now. When I was still young and went to the races I used my Casio LCD watch with build in stopwatch. It did the job, sort of. Yes, I loaned it to someone who was heading to a race and it was passed around, eventually to someone who quietly walked away with it. This happened shortly after Riverside Raceway was closed and bulldozed for an industrial park and emporium of doughnut shoppes and losing it seemed to dovetail with the end of a great road course. What always amazed me were the team clipboards with three stopwatches attached, each with an extended handle, to time everyone the team was concerned with throughout the weekend.
Ah, that's a shame. Those clipboards were cool and controlling them accurately was almost an art.  |
|
|
|
Post by chrisb on Sept 16, 2018 20:57:30 GMT
I still occasionally wear my late Father's watch a very nice Hamilton, I wear it as I know he would disapprove of this, but my main watch is an Accurist which is currently being repaired, but I have a beautiful pocket watch which I treasure dearly - trouble is I don't have any waistcoats,
I am looking at buying a Jaguar [car] watch - in the hope, it doesn't run as fast as my car
but love those photos of the above, real beauties,
|
|
|
|
Post by Jamie on Sept 17, 2018 15:46:26 GMT
Chaps, I’m a bit late to read this thread but some really interesting posts on here, excellent stuff.
René, your home must be an absolute treasure trove for chaps such as us......the amazing slot car track and model collections......you should start charging admission 😆
Inspired by you guys, I have decided that a hero factory model will be my next project when the Libra is finished....either the XJR9 or the 917K. Perhaps I should start with something less ambitious, I don’t think I could do one justice yet....
And funny that we should start talking watches as I hate the way they’re rammed down your throat in magazines these days, but I do like a watch and would really like a ‘McQueen’ Hauer Monoco.....no chance of that happening now with prices as they are. I have a really beautiful gold pocket watch that was given to my great grandfather on leaving his regiment shortly after the cessation of WW I, my absolute prized possession. Also a beautiful Longines dress watch and a quite lovely Christopher Ward.
I’d really love a Breitling also but one of the 60/70’s versions before they got a little ‘blingy’. My Dad is the proud owner of a Brietling Navitimer given to him by my Mum as an engagement present in 1968 and it’s exquisite, a fantastic thing of beauty; mum says it’s the most expensive thing she’s ever bought. It’ll be mine one day but, bearing in mind the circumstances in which it would come into my stewardship, I’d be happy to never own it.....
|
|
|
|
Post by charleselan on Sept 17, 2018 17:01:49 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by Jamie on Sept 17, 2018 17:25:28 GMT
Jamie I to have a treasured "demob" pocket watch that my dad was given after WW11, it has pride of place on my bedside cabinet and wound up every day. What lovely memento's we have John. I regularly get my great grandfathers watch out for a good winding! Here's a picture (not the best photo).  |
|
|
|
Post by Carl on Sept 17, 2018 17:44:22 GMT
Jamie I to have a treasured "demob" pocket watch that my dad was given after WW11, it has pride of place on my bedside cabinet and wound up every day. What lovely memento's we have John. I regularly get my great grandfathers watch out for a good winding! Here's a picture (not the best photo). Jamie,
What a great photograph! My grandfather was at one time a yardmaster for the L & N Railroad (Louisville and Nashville) and I have the Hamilton pocket watch he used at work in an almost identical display case!
Small world at times...
Cheers, Carl
|
|
|
|
Post by Jamie on Sept 17, 2018 17:50:45 GMT
Fantastic Carl! Why do watches hold such memories?
Funnily enough the display case came from the US......somewhere in Portland, Oregon I believe.
|
|
|
|
Post by charleselan on Sept 17, 2018 18:21:28 GMT
Jamie I to have a treasured "demob" pocket watch that my dad was given after WW11, it has pride of place on my bedside cabinet and wound up every day. What lovely memento's we have John. I regularly get my great grandfathers watch out for a good winding! Here's a picture (not the best photo). Jamie, They could be almost identical, although you do your proud with a beautiful display, whereas mine rests on a glass table mat still with its chain dad had fitted. It also could do with a good external clean which I have been shamed into doing  . Watches do have a certain power; I also have my grand fathers in a drawer but sadly that does not work. John |
|
|
|
Post by René on Sept 17, 2018 19:43:13 GMT
René, your home must be an absolute treasure trove for chaps such as us......the amazing slot car track and model collections......you should start charging admission 😆 That's a good idea Jamie, haha! But in reality, I have a small man cave in the attic where I keep all the models, books and the slot track on a few square meters. In the rest of our house there is actually nothing race related except for a magazine or book on the coffee table! |
|
|
|
Post by René on Sept 17, 2018 19:46:07 GMT
Jamie I to have a treasured "demob" pocket watch that my dad was given after WW11, it has pride of place on my bedside cabinet and wound up every day. What lovely memento's we have John. I regularly get my great grandfathers watch out for a good winding! That is beautiful Jamie! |
|
This happened shortly after Riverside Raceway was closed and bulldozed for an industrial park and emporium of doughnut shoppes and losing it seemed to dovetail with the end of a great road course. 
.