Tag: Jul-2024

Is my watch self winding?

Posted on by Card Holder Name

When buying or owning a luxury watch, we understand that you might feel a bit silly or naive asking the question – is this a self winding watch? But trust us, the answer isn’t that simple and therefore it is a great question.

 

In fact, as a professional watch trader I recommend this be one of the first questions you ask when buying a pre-owned luxury watch and/or if your new purchase suddenly stops working.

Ultimately the answer depends on what type of watch you’ve got. Broadly speaking, there are three types of watch movement: quartz, manual and automatic. So, let’s take them one at a time.

 

Plus, keep reading to the bottom where we have included a quick reference table of example watches under each type of movement.

 

Quartz Movement

The movement of a quartz watch is powered by a battery. It never needs to be wound up. It just runs efficiently and accurately until the battery dies and then you pop in another one and away you go. A quartz watch never needs winding. This is a not a self winding watch.

 

Manual Movement

 

 

This is a mechanical watch movement powered by a mainspring that must be wound by hand in the old-fashioned way. Probably the most famous of all hand wound watches is the Omega Speedmaster, which was chosen for NASA space missions because automatic movements don’t work in zero gravity.

 

Once fully wound, a Speedmaster will run for between 48 and 50 hours before it stops and needs to be wound again. Of course, there is no problem with winding the main spring in the meantime to keep it fully wound so that it never stops. Again – this is not a self winding watch.

 

Automatic Movement (Self Winding)

The first automatic movement was designed at the end of the 18th century and its design is usually attributed to Swiss watchmaker Abraham-Louis Perrelet. Of course, as with many things horological, the glory was subsequently taken by Hans Wilsdorf’s Rolex Oyster Perpetual movement which was patented in 1931.

 

These days, most quality Swiss watch movements are automatic or self winding and this is considered to be the standard. A rotor is attached to the watches movement so that when you move your wrist, the rotor spins and winds the watch back up again by tightening the mainspring.

 

The amount of time that an automatic watch will run off the wrist before stopping is called the “power reserve“. The power reserve of most quality self winding watches these days is between 48 and 72 hours.

 

Any watchmakers who achieve more than this quite rightly considers it a significant feat so sometimes you will see a watch described as “8 Days” or maybe even “12 Days”. This refers to the fact that the particular watch has a power reserve far and away above the average.

 

Once the mainspring is fully charged, an automatic watch worn daily will run without stopping until the movement needs to be serviced.

 

Does this mean that an automatic watch never needs winding?

No, it doesn’t, and this is the not so simple bit.

 

When it first leaves the factory, it’s possible that the auto movement of the watch will work so efficiently that it will charge the main spring to its full power just based on the kinetic energy of the movement of your wrist. Once that watch becomes a few years old however, this becomes increasingly unlikely. It’s also unlikely when a watch sits unworn for an extended period of time.

 

We always recommend that if an automatic watch has stopped through lack of movement, the main spring should be fully charged through winding before its worn. This gives the automatic movement every opportunity to operate efficiently and as expected and keep your watch, running accurately.

 

How should I wind my watch?

 

 

The most important thing to remember when winding your watch is to take it off your wrist first. Winding your watch while you’re still wearing it puts undue pressure on the crown stem and can cause damage to the movement.

 

Then unscrew or pull out the crown to the winding position (you will feel the spring release) and wind it 40 to 50 times in a forward direction. On an automatic watch, you will not feel any increased resistance when winding, so just stop when you’ve reached the full amount. On a manual wind watch, you will feel the increased resistance from the tightening mainspring and when full resistance is reached, you won’t be able to wind it any further. Continuing to force the crown forwards once fully wound will damage your movement so a little empathy can be required.

 

If you’re wondering whether you should be using an automatic watch winder to save you all the trouble, our Guide to Watch Winders will be a useful read.

 

In Conclusion

Is my watch self winding or do I need to wind my watch? Check our handy quick reference tables below and if you’re not sure, don’t be afraid to ask.

 

Owning a luxury watch brings great pleasure and subsequently slight responsibility. Therefore, when choosing the right watch for you, think about the type of movement and commitment you’re prepared to make.

 

As well as following our watch winding advice, it’s a good idea to have your watch serviced by an authorized service centre for the brand or by the brand itself once every five years. During those years, the lubricants in the watch could have dried up. While it is serviced you can also ask to have scratches removed from the metal case or bracelet. However, if you value the originality of the watch, don’t let the service centre replace the dial or hands.

 

Oakleigh Watches is based at Michlmayr & Co the largest service agents for Rolex and Omega (among other brands) in Norfolk. With over 30 years’ experience, Simon Michlmayr and his team are more than qualified to look after all our pre-owned watch servicing and repairs.  Plus, all Oakleigh VIP members will receive a 15% discount on watch servicing.

 

Quick Reference Guide 

This list isn’t exhaustive, it’s just a guide to some of the more famous watches that carry each type of movement. If you are unsure, ask an expert. We’re always happy to help.

 

MANUAL MOVEMENT
Omega Speedmaster Professional
Rolex Daytona (pre-1988)
Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso
Panerai Luminor
Panerai Radiomir
Grand Seiko Elegance
Oris Big Crown Pro Pilot
Patek Philippe Calatrava
Lange & Sohne Grand Lange 1
IWC Portofino
QUARTZ MOVEMENT
TAG Heuer Carrera
Patek Phillipe Twenty-Four
Cartier Panthere
Rolex Oysterquartz
Casio G Shock
Bullova Lunar Pilot
CWC G10
Longines Conquest
Breitling Endurance Pro
Cartier Santos
AUTOMATIC (SELF WINDING) MOVEMENT
Rolex Oyster Perpetual
Heuer Monaco
Oris Aquis
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar
Rolex Submariner
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean
Rolex GMT Master
Rolex Daytona (1988 – date)
Cartier Santos 41
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean

 

 

10 Tips on How to Spot a Fake Rolex

Posted on by Card Holder Name

Rolex is one of the most coveted luxury brands on the planet, known for quality, durability, style, and prestige. Such an aspirational timepiece comes with a hefty price tag and therefore it’s of no surprise that the business of fake Rolex’ has become very lucrative. Therefore, knowing how to Spot a Fake Rolex is crucial when making such a high value purchase.

These days, some fake Rolex’ are so good that they must be partially disassembled before they can be identified as counterfeit and can even fool the experts!

And trust us they’re good!

Most of the fake watches that we come across are pretty easy to spot with a trained eye but there are some – that could fool most experts under normal scrutiny.  And I’m not talking about across a room or even across a desk, I mean in your hand and with a loupe. Plus some very clever fakers have adopted a ‘two from one’ practice…

Imagine you have one real watch and one ‘super fake’.  The real one is worth say, £10,000 and the super fake is worth nothing.  They swap the movements so they now have two watches; A real case and bracelet that pass all tests and a movement that won’t be discovered until the back is removed, and a very good fake that might prompt you to open the caseback just to be sure… when you do, the movement is real so it must all be ok…

(Papers can be faked more easily than watches so they’re both ‘Full Sets’.)  They sell them both at ‘bargain prices’, say £8,000 each for a quick sale and they’ve turned £10K into £16K.

‘Caveat Emptor” as they say in Rome.

Here are our 10 tips on how to spot a fake Rolex:

1) Unauthorised Sellers

Buying a Rolex is a serious investment, whether for pleasure or business, it’s a lot of money to part with. Therefore, our most important piece of advice is – only buy a luxury watch from a trusted seller or dealer.

Trust is very important when buying a pre-owned Rolex and here my friend, Google is your best friend.

ALWAYS choose a trusted, legitimate/authorised seller over a random individual you find on the internet. There might be a slight increase in cost but that’s the price of reassurance.

Look at the dealer’s selling history and reviews – especially trusted review affiliations such as Trustpilot.

Buying via international watch selling platforms such as Chrono 24 and Watchfinder, are a good place to start as the due diligence has already been done on the sellers.

eBay has recently launched a luxury goods arm and we sell via this platform. However, we are vetted as a Trusted Seller and any watch over £2000 will be sent for eBay authentication. Note – you do not have this security with individual sellers and sites like eBay and Craigslist can be rife with fake Rolex from’ [email protected]’.

Buying online can be a minefield, especially if not from a reputable seller. Therefore, if you decide to go down this route, you absolutely need to see the watch before you part with any cash. Below are some more physical clues on how to spot fake Rolex watches.

2. Movement

Carefully open the back of the watch – a fake simply cannot match the craftsmanship and precision of a true Rolex calibre. Plus, each genuine movement will have “Rolex” engraved on it.

However, thanks to modern technology it is much harder to tell the difference, refer to our previous example of the “Super Fake”.

Another clue – if it’s a quartz movement, alarm bells should start ringing as all Rolex watches other than the Oysterquartz of the 1970’s to 1990’s have mechanical movements.

3. Seconds Hand

On a genuine Rolex, the ticks of the seconds hand are so smooth, it looks like it’s gliding. If there is any stutter – it could be a fake.  You can also try listening, a real Rolex will be silent.

Rolex has made a small number of battery-powered watches in the past. These were called ‘Oysterquartz’. Rolex has never made quartz versions of the Submariner, GMT-Master or other popular models.

4. Weight

Since 1989, Rolex has used the best steel on earth called “Oystersteel” (904L stainless steel), which is rust and corrosion-resistant and importantly – it’s heavy! If the watch you’re holding feels light, it was likely built with cheaper metal and is a fake.  The difference is subtle, but you can definitely feel it.

However, it gets a little tricky with older watches with Oyster bracelets from the 1980’s and earlier as these have hollow links made by stamping. These hollow bracelets are much lighter than the current range.  However, the ‘head’ of the watch should still be heavy and feel sturdy. Also, the bracelet end links on a pre-2000 sports Rolex are hollow and can feel a bit rattly after a few years wear so that’s not necessarily an indication of a low-quality replica.

5. The Crown

Even the crown on a Rolex will be identifiable by the craftmanship. Only the high-quality steel used by Rolex can hold the intricate details you find on a genuine Rolex watch. Therefore, a smooth, plain, or brushed over crown will be a sign it could be a fake Rolex.

6. Dial, Hands & Clasp

The most obvious tell is misspellings, however as we’ve already mentioned, these days fakes can be excellent.

A genuine Rolex will be perfect when made, and fake Rolexes will be much less refined. So, get the magnifying glass out and check the hands, hour markers, dial and clasp for uneven fonts, inconsistent spaces between the lettering/numbers and smudges.

Even the tiniest imperfection on a new Rolex dial is incredibly rare so if it isn’t absolutely perfect, it’s very probably dodgy.

It’s a good idea to have an official photo of the exact model you’re buying to compare.

7. Case Back

Most genuine Rolex case backs are smooth and rarely factory engraved or transparent.

Some exceptions are.

-Rolex Sea Dwellers that are engraved.
-Milgauss’ are engraved.
-Comex Submariners and Sea Dwellers are often engraved.
-Vintage lady Datejust models 6917, 69173, 69174 – engraved with ‘Stainless Steel’
-‘Registered Design’ Military watches …. but if you’re shopping for a 5514 then hopefully you know what you’re doing.
-Since 2023, some models such as the Daytona have had sapphire case backs

Of course, some people do have their watches personally engraved (we advise you not to, if you’re thinking of buying for investment), but this should be obvious by the engraved content.

8. Laser Etched Crystal

Time to get your magnifying glass out again!

Some Rolex watches produced from the early 2000’s onwards will have a tiny laser etched crown at the 6 o’clock position on the crystal. The precision of this detail has made it difficult for counterfeiters to replicate – so it can be a good sign of authenticity (or not).

But beware, while the presence of the etched crown should mean that the crystal is real, it doesn’t mean that everything is.  Also, not even Rolex can tell you which references from which years should have the etched crystal (I’ve asked several people on several occasions), so don’t rely on this particular element.

9. The Big Date

The cyclops (bump) over the date on many Rolex watches is part of the brand signature. Its purpose is to magnify the date by 2.5 times.

If the glass over the date is flat and/or doesn’t seem to magnify very well then, it’s highly likely be a fake Rolex.

As always there are exceptions and the 40mm Rolex Sea Dweller and Deepsea Sea Dweller do not have a cyclops lens, despite having a date function. (They couldn’t make a glue strong enough to stand the pressure until 2019)

10. Model & Serial Numbers

This is perhaps the best way to authenticate a Rolex watch. Briefly – every Rolex has a serial and model number which are deeply engraved and symmetrical, clear to read and even shine in the light at certain angles.

On the contrary, fake Rolex watches will have a stamp that appears a little messier. It will either look like several tiny dots or etchings and if acid etched it will have a sandy/grainy appearance.

For more information on checking serial numbers and Rolex serial number tables, read our comprehensive Guide to Understanding Watch Model and Serial numbers.

In Conclusion

You really need to know your stuff. Knowing how to spot a fake Rolex is a crucial part of the buying process. If in doubt, refer to point 1 – always buy through a trusted/authenticated pre-owned watch seller.

Oakleigh Watches’ office is based within S.Michlmayr & Co who have a Rolex certified watchmaker on the premises available to check all of our watches for authenticity.

We’d be happy to help and guide you through the process. Visit our collection pages for current stock and sign up to receive our regular newsletters and stock drops.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for, we also offer a Sourcing Service and are experts at finding your dream ‘genuine’ watch.

10 Years & 10 Lessons Learned

Posted on by Card Holder Name

We celebrated our 10-year anniversary on 1st of November 2023, and I was asked to reflect on what I’ve learned over the past 10 years, creating, developing and running Oakleigh Watches.

I think I can confidently say, after 10 years, I am a luxury watch expert. So, keeping with the ‘10’ based theme, here are 10 of the most important things that I’ve learnt running a successful business.

And …… because I couldn’t resist – 10 of my favourite watches from the past ten years.

 

1. Believe in yourself

I once overheard a conversation where someone asked when I was “going to stop messing around and get a proper job?” That was 10 years and £20m in watches ago. Just because they don’t believe in you, don’t let them knock yourself belief.

 

2. Customer service is everything

I’ve got into this business because I couldn’t find a watch seller who was interested in anything other than money or watches. I love both of those things, but without our customers, we would have neither so we must always remember that customer service is paramount.

 

3. Concentrate on the ‘doing’ not on the ‘winning’

To be honest, this is a phrase that has been in my mind for the past 35 years. What it really means is that if you do the absolute best that you can, every hour of every day then the end result will take care of itself.

 

4. Honesty is vital

It’s crucial to both buy well & sell well. Repeat customers are absolutely vital, so it’s important to do right by everybody, all the time. A quick buck can lead to an early demise. Remember to pay it forward.

 

5. There’s a wrist for (almost) every watch

We all make mistakes sometimes (even watch experts), but generally speaking, every good watch will find a home eventually.

 

6. Brand integrity is key

Somebody who I respect & like enormously once told me that I “inhabit my brand”. I think what they meant was that I believe in the brand of Oakleigh so deeply that I live and breathe it, and with that comes authenticity.

 

7. Enlist the help of experts

Understand what you do well and get other experts for everything else. No one is good at everything, so you should find somebody equally as talented in their field as you are in yours to do the things you can’t do. Never try and wing it because it will always end in tears.

 

8. Online and offline are as important as each other

The future of successful retail is the combination of a great website with personal service. Just because your website is good, doesn’t mean you don’t need to be able to back it up. If you get your SEO right, make your shop window reflect your values and back it up with great customer service you should be onto a good thing.

 

9. Do the right thing!

Own your mistakes and honour them – if you’re wrong, you’re wrong, so do everything you can to make it right as quickly as possible. Then you will have nothing to be ashamed of and will have earned the right to stand up for yourself when it’s right to.

 

10. Love what you do

Then it won’t feel like work, and your success will be all the sweeter.

If you want to know how it all started 10 years ago, visit our About Us page and watch our short video.

 

In Conclusion

So, there you go. It’s all very well learning these things, but of course even a ‘watch expert’ must apply them consistently as well. I’m sure that’s not something that I achieve 100% but it is my aim and I do my best.

If you’re reading this, I hope that you’ve experienced the benefit of some of these key things over the last 10 years, and you can rest assured that I will do my utmost to keep serving you for the next 10.

Visit our Collections Pages for our current stock or get in touch if you need some luxury watch expert advice.

Why you need more than one watch

Posted on by Card Holder Name

Over the years lots of people have said to me “I don’t understand why you need more than one watch” so I thought perhaps I might take this opportunity to shed some light. You see the first thing wrong with that question is the use of the word “need”.

To be honest, very few of us need one watch these days because almost everyone has a mobile phone with the time on it.

But then this isn’t about ‘need’ is it?

 

Type ‘v’ Taste

Watch collectors seem to fall into two main categories – those who collect by brand or type and those who collect simply from personal taste. Some people will collect only Rolex for instance or only chronographs or purely military watches, whereas others will just collect those watches that ‘speak’ to them. For what my opinion is worth, it seems to me that the latter are those with the most courage of their convictions and confidence – and I can say that as I am one of the former. So, if it’s not about ‘need’, then what is this watch collecting business all about?

 

Pleasure

Well sometimes it’s about the pleasure that comes from choosing which one to wear today. Maybe it’s not your favourite; maybe that must be saved for a more special occasion and today doesn’t fit the bill. Now there’s an exquisite pain.

And that touches on another reason. Sometimes it’s about having just the right watch for just the right job. Lovely though a Patek 5120G is, it’s just not the right thing for an evening in the pub with your mates.

Equally, your stylish and fantastically crafted Sea Dweller just doesn’t sit well with your dinner jacket.

And an evening at the theatre with your wife? Well, that’s three already…

 

So, it’s certainly not about ‘need’ but a collection can have a practical side, not to mention the investment value. But that’s another subject all together…. and our Expert Guide to Investment Watches will help you build a financially sound portfolio, if that’s your desire.

If we’ve inspired you to own more than one watch, visit our collections where you’ll find a range of high end pre-owned luxury brands.

Or if you would like help finding a specific watch, get in touch as we’ll be more than happy to help.

 

Why I fell in love (late) with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

Posted on by Card Holder Name

Those in the watch loving world often rant on about how brilliant the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is. That’s ‘Oh duh marr piggay’ – or ‘AP’ for short.

 

“Designed by Gerald Genta in less than 24 hours”, “Changed the face of watchmaking by being the first luxury sports watch”, “The first luxury stainless steel watch”, “Helped to save the watchmaking industry from the quartz revolution”.. blah blah blah.

 

The thing is, I never got it. For me, there was always something wrong with every Royal Oak I ever saw. Too big, too brash, wrong strap, screws the wrong colour, dial too busy…… until.

 

One day, a chap came in to see me with a box full of watches that he wanted to sell (“I have too many…”). One of which was a very plain 39mm, white dialled Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15300. This watch stood out amongst everything else in the box like it had a spotlight on it. It made me realise that I’d been looking at the wrong APs all along.

 

Genta may have designed this watch, but I’ve seen the original sketches, and they look ok but they’re not outstanding. And that’s the thing, this watch is OUTSTANDING. (I’ve added one of the sketches at the top of the page). It was the geniuses at Audemars Piguet who took Gerald’s design and turned it into a piece of impeccably crafted horological beauty. For instance, the way that the much talked about integrated bracelet fits the wrist and flows into the case is sublime.

 

The Details

And speaking of the case, the shape, the multiple bevels, the mix of satin and polish, the octagonal bezel, the white gold screws, all that stuff that people rave about, combine to make this particular Royal Oak one of the most beautiful watches I’ve ever seen.

The standard ‘Jumbo’ Royal Oak is sophisticated enough to wear with a dinner jacket (and it will fit easily under a shirt cuff) and casual enough to wear with jeans and trainers. So, the “First luxury sports watch” moniker was totally deserved.

These days the Royal Oak, and Royal Oak Offshore or ‘ROO’, is available in several sizes, styles and complications and prices can easily run into six figures. For me however, Monsieur Genta and Messieurs Audemars & Piguet nailed it first time back in 1972. A 39mm automatic in stainless steel on a bracelet with either white, black or if you’re very fortunate a blue tapisserie dial, and you have pretty much the perfect gents watch.

 

In Conclusion

There, I’ve said it.

By the way, not many things find their way into my personal watch box, but I’m delighted and incredibly fortunate to be able to say that this one did and it’s not going anywhere.

 

Why are watches so expensive?

Posted on by Card Holder Name

When watch lovers discuss their latest acquisition or perhaps their pride and joy with friends and family, the reaction that they receive sometimes can be one of disbelief. How could they waste such an enormous amount of money on a something to tell the time. In response to the quite understandable reaction – why are watches so expensive? I thought I would share with you my take on this.

 

First of all let’s be clear, what I’m not talking about here is the question of why a luxury watch costs as much as it does? That question has been asked and answered elsewhere many times.

 

What this is about is relative cost and not priority. I’m not making any judgements on priorities or life choices here; I’m merely making financial comparisons.

 

Now that we’ve got that over with, let’s look at some facts.

One of the most popular watches that we sell is the 1990’s – 2000’s Rolex 14060 Submariner at approximately £10,000. So, we will be using that for this comparison. The lifestyle choices that we’re using are wine, cars and holidays. No judgement here, no question of giving up one to fund another. Heaven forbids because I love all of them.

 

Wine
Wine is one that many people don’t think about. If you’re reading this page and you like a glass of wine, then you’re probably spending at least £10 – £15 or so for a bottle of your favourite tipple. We are told that a healthy amount of wine to drink is one glass day, and I’m sure that we drink a bit more at the weekends. Let’s say that an average wine lover drinks two bottles a week at £10. That’s £1042 a year or a little over £3000 in three years…

 

I love a glass of Rioja if anyone’s buying…

 

Cars

Cars are an easy one because the figures are readily available. If we keep our sums modest and say that you spend £40,000 on car, then after one year it’s worth around £30,000 and after three it’s worth around £20,000.

 

The cost of depreciation alone for your car is £20,000 over three years.

 

Holidays
Finally, holidays. If you’re family with 2.2 children and a taste for foreign travel, a comfortable but unexceptional two week summer holiday won’t give you any change from £10,000.

 

Do that once a year for three years and your total bill is £30,000.

 

You come back rested, relaxed and you have some great memories.

 

Luxury Watches

Now let’s look at your watch and try to give a little justification to the question – why are watches so expensive?

 

The initial cost of your Rolex will be on average £10,000 and that will buy you a world class example of a 2002 No-Date Submariner.

 

If you keep your watch for a year and decide to trade it back in, it’s now gone up in value and worth approximately £10,500. So, you have made £500! Now here’s the thing, if you keep it three years, it could continue to go up in value at 5-10% a year. I can’t guarantee that it will, but it often does.

 

Conclusion

In summary, over three years your holidays are costing £30,000, your car is costing £20,000 and you’re spending £3,000 on the odd glass of wine.

 

Suddenly, spending £10,000 on a Rolex which could be worth over £11,000 in three years, doesn’t sound too bad does it? As to convincing a doubting loved one who asks “why are watches so expensive?” Over to you!

 

If you need more advice, read our ‘Expert Guide to Investment Watches’

 

We are proud of our 5-Star Trust Pilot rating, check our many happy customer reviews.

The Oakleigh Forest

Posted on by Card Holder Name

Did you know that Oakleigh Watches was inspired by the strength and integrity of an actual Oak tree in my garden?

 

I often get asked about the name and the logo and I can’t mention either without acknowledging Felix who designed the logo for me at the tender age of 14.

 

Clearly, I love trees and as part of Oakleigh’s commitment to reducing its corporate carbon footprint, we have joined forces with an innovative new initiative called Ecologi and will now be planting 25 trees for every watch that our customers buy. I’m not physically planting them myself, (that might be above and beyond) but through a neat little widget on our website we automatically donate the funds every time a customer buys a watch. Rather wonderfully, every customer will get showcased in our Oakleigh Forest on our Ecologi profile page. You can see the species of tree you’ve helped to fund and where in the world they will be planted.

 

Since the beginning of 2022 we have already raised enough funds to plant over 19,500 trees.

 

A little bit of Ecologi background ….

Ecologi work with a range of tree planting partners who responsibly plant millions of trees a month on their community’s behalf. For the sceptics amongst you, we’ve done our due diligence and 85% of the money that we donate goes towards the planting of trees.

 

The initiative started with a cup of take away coffee when the Co-founder and CEO Elliot Coad asked himself – “how much climate action could I fund with the cost of my daily cup of coffee?”

 

The answer led to a revelation – that the pocket change that billions of us have, would not only be a significant upgrade to our own personal contributions to the crisis, but could also one day account for reducing half of the world’s emissions.

 

Small Change = Big Difference

Trees are the best tool to keeping the world’s temperature from rising above 1.5C and crucial in preventing ecological collapse. I’m personally over the moon at the impact this simple gesture can have towards tackling the climate crisis.

 

Ecologi offer lots of great ways to help save the planet including offsetting your carbon footprint, monthly donations to fund conservation projects and making meaningful gifts. They also encourage businesses and individuals to set sustainability goals and Oakleigh Watches will be using recyclable packaging and offsetting the carbon on all our shipments.

 

Get Involved

Please visit our Ecologi profile page and have a mooch around to see how it all works. Even better, join us on our mission. By using our referral link, Ecologi will plant another 30 trees in the Oakleigh Forest and you’ll be making a sustainable step in the right direction!

 

My first Proper Watch

Posted on by Card Holder Name

How it all began ….

I’ve written here before about my entry into the world of luxury watches which was mainly down to my dad and my older brother in the 1980s. When I was a trainee bank manager in the early 1990s, I found myself in a position to buy my very own luxury watch. So it was that I found myself on Saturday morning at Munsey & Co in Cambridge, with the intention of buying a Rolex. I discovered that I couldn’t afford a Submariner or a GMT Master. The £2500 or so that they cost was over my budget, so I remember looking at the Oyster Perpetual and the Datejust. At the time I felt they just lacked a certain something that I was looking for.

 

Obviously, I was disappointed, so I asked what else they had and was shown the Cartier Santos that you see in these pictures. I bought the watch and wore it every day for over 10 years, regularly having it serviced and the battery replaced. In the early 2000’s I fancied a change so bought a Cartier Pasha and sold the Santos to a good friend.

 

31 years later ….

Over the years, watches became an increasingly important part of my life. When Oakleigh began in 2013, I started mentioning to my friend that I would like to buy the Cartier back if he ever wanted to sell.

 

He held out for a long while and having owned the watch for over 20 years he approached me recently and said that he was ready to part with it. Of course, I jumped at the chance to buy my old Santos back.

 

I’ll be honest, it’s had a tough 20 years and is in serious need of some TLC.

 

I was however delighted to see that it is still absolutely complete in every way. All of the boxes, manuals, papers, wallets, everything. It even has six lots of service documents from over the years, all of which are in my name.

 

Serendipity

I bought the Cartier back on the 13th of July 2022. It wasn’t until I got home with the watch that another friend pointed out that the Saturday morning when I had visited Cambridge to buy my watch was the 13th of July 1991 – exactly 31 years to the day previously!

 

I do believe to some extent in serendipity and even if I didn’t, I would have to admit, that’s a hell of a coincidence.

 

My Cartier went straight into the Michlmayr workshops for a full service, a good clean and refurbishment and to source a replacement clasp for the bracelet. A month later it was back with me and as you can see from the photos, looking rather better.

 

I may rarely, if ever, wear it but this watch is special to me and the Massingham family won’t be parting with it anytime soon…

Breitling – My Journey of Enlightenment

Posted on by Card Holder Name

If you ask anybody who knows me and my taste in watches, they will tell you that I don’t like Breitling. Never have, never could, never will. Despite the fact it was a Breitling Navitimer that got me started in the watch trading business.

 

And now, my dislike is technically no longer really true.

 

It might be because my tastes have changed over the years but I suspect it’s more likely that I completely overreacted to some of the first ones I saw – that I thought were oversized, blingy monstrosities – and closed my mind to the brand from that point on.

 

Suffice to say, my mind is now open to new Breitling possibilities.

 

My irrational prejudice is particularly odd when you think that the watch that gave me the courage to start Oakleigh Watches in the first place was a 1975 Breitling Navitimer and it was exquisite.

 

It was a one owner, untouched Full Set that even had the little paper tag with its string attached – I didn’t buy it because it was something I was looking for, I bought it because it was too beautiful to leave in the shop. Just looking back at these photos now makes me realise that it was an experience that probably should’ve taught me something.

 

However, for years, when I thought of the word “Breitling” this is still what I pictured:

 

I’ve come to realise that it’s not the fact that it’s a Breitling that I don’t like about this watch is the fact that it’s huge, bi-metal and covered in diamonds. If you took a Rolex Deep Sea Sea Dweller, made it bi-metal and covered it in diamonds I wouldn’t like that either.

 

Let’s just say that over the last few months I’ve been re-educated by some of the Breitling watches that we’ve been offered and have bought and sold.

 

This Breitling Navitimer Montbrillant is a delicate and incredibly well engineered aviation tool and the detailing on the dial is superb – another one owner full set, it was also great value.

 

A couple of years ago we took this Breitling Colt Skyracer in as part exchange from a good customer and friend of Oakleigh Watches. I was sniffy about it at the time but to be honest, it was a cracking watch – well designed, incredibly lightweight and superb value for money. That was possibly the beginning of my slow enlightenment.

 

The journey was completed this week when I bought a nearly new Breitling SuperOcean Outerknown for stock and was smitten. This is a superb looking thing with styling and build quality to match any Tudor and a definite hint of JLC Master Compressor about it.

 

When I think that it’s as new and sub £3,000, it’s an easy decision.

 

In closing I would like to offer a formal retraction of my numerous previous slanders and an apology to Breitling lovers the world over.

 

Just please don’t offer me an iced out bi-metal Chronomat Evolution – there are limits

What’s the best watch in the world?

Posted on by Card Holder Name

One of the questions that I’m often asked as a member of the luxury watch trading fraternity, normally by the ‘bloke down the pub’ is this: “So then, what’s the best watch in the world? “

 

My answer on these occasions is usually circumspect, but today I’m going to answer it properly.

 

The best watch in the world is a Casio G-Shock

Now this may not be the only use of the word “shock” appropriate to this article so to explain my reasoning I thought I would list a few characteristics of watch excellence and compare the G-Shock with some traditional luxury models.

 

So here we go:

 

1. Timekeeping – Accuracy is clearly vital in this business and the Swiss watchmaking industry is monitored by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres – COSC for short. To earn the COSC seal of approval for chronometers, all mechanical Swiss watches are accurate to between -4 and +6 seconds per day. Rolex has recently cocked a snook at COSC and publicly announced their own ‘Rolex Superlative Chronometer’ standard which is -2 to +2 seconds per day.

 

With that kind of stringent standard, surely the current Rolex 116610 Submariner must be The Best Watch in The World for accuracy? Well, an average G-Shock is accurate to around 1 second a MONTH, so …

 

2. Validation and history – When looking for the best watch in the world, we want our choice to be credible and interesting with a great back story. A watch with real history worn by people whose decisions we trust.

 

One watch springs to mind – the Omega Moonwatch. IT WENT TO THE MOON (probably). It has the best watch story EVER and was chosen by men with exacting standards for whom timekeeping was vital and literally meant the difference between life and death.

 

However, that that was 1969 and over half a century ago. So, what do astronauts wear now? Yup G-Shocks. They are also issued to the US police force and soldiers including British and US Special Forces. Delta Force wore G-Shock watches during the ‘Blackhawk Down’ events in Mogadishu as did ‘Andy McNab’ and ‘American Sniper’ Chris Kyle. If you’re looking for validation of a watch being ‘fit for purpose’, look no further.

 

3. Robustness – If you’re going to spend a lot of money on a watch you don’t want it to be fragile and fall apart at the first encounter with a door handle (Ouch!).

 

Nobody understands this more than The Bremont Watch Company whose MB range of watches are developed alongside the Martin Baker ejector seat company.

 

To ensure that their watches are tough enough to withstand the rigours of fast jet flight, Bremont strap their watches to a mannequin in a rig which in a period of a few hours simulates the equivalent of around 20 years in an aircraft cockpit. They then subject them to repeated simulated aircraft crashes and ejections to ensure that they really are “Tested Beyond Endurance”.

 

The thing is that a mechanical watch can never be as durable as a quartz watch because of the way that their movements work. To test its durability, French diver and G-Shock fan Jean Michel did the following to his Casio DW-9052 GH-Shock:

 

• Immersed it in continually boiling water for ten minutes.
• In the course of an hour, he froze it to -40ºC and then heated it to +70ºC and he then repeated this another four times.
• Put it in a vacuum chamber for 24 hours.
• Pressurised it to +2 Bar.
• Cryogenically froze it to -65ºC.
• Ran it through a full washing machine boil wash.
• Took it diving to -40 metres.
• Finally, he drove over it in his Range Rover

 

 

You can see a photo of Jean Michel’s G-Shock above and …. it still works perfectly!

 

4. Value for money – As I’ve said on this website before, while costly, I believe that a well-chosen Swiss made luxury watch can represent excellent value for money. Read our article on Why are watches are so Expensive? (http://www.oakleighwatches.co.uk/arent-watches-expensive/).

 

Alongside all the usual suspects such as Rolex, Omega, Panerai, etc., Tudor is making some quite superb watches that are really well priced. The Black Bay is particularly good, and at £3,500 retail represents exceptional value for money. I really can’t recommend them highly enough.

 

BUT – you can buy a great G-Shock on Amazon from about £70.

 

I rest my case M’Lud – The Best Watch in The World is the Casio G-Shock.

 

But hold on a minute – Do you actually want the best watch in the world? Or do your desires lead you elsewhere?

 

Fortunately, very few of our lives, or schedules for that matter, would be seriously affected if our watch lost or gained four or five seconds a day. Very few of us get ejected from fighter jets, frozen in polar ice caps or scorched in Death Valley and if you’ve read this far you already know that buying a luxury watch has everything to do with desire and nothing to do with value for money.

 

The decision of which watch you buy, or wear should come down to your personal preference and your tastes as much as it does to anything else. This is all about ‘desire’ and ‘want’, not ‘need’ or ‘best’.

 

What do I wear? Well-being in the business that I’m in I’m fortunate to have a choice of a lot of lovely things, but unless I’m running Tough Mudder or climbing a mountain it’s definitely not going to be ‘The Best Watch in The World’ – it’s going to be something that makes me smile with pleasure every time I look at my wrist.

 

MUCH more important than ‘Good, Better, Best’….