Collectors Alain, Ollivier and Andrew: their watches speak for them
Reluctant to expose themselves, addicted watch collectors help maintain the business of second hand watches and some niche watchmaking brands. Below is the report of an encounter with three of them.
By Joel Grandjean
Editor-in-Chief
Once the watchmaking virus is caught, it is transformed into affection. French is a teasing language; the word “virus” has two completely different meanings; it may refer to a sickness, or to an emotion. Both novices and experts in watchmaking share a passion that brings these two meanings together. Whether the virus has completely invaded their system or merely made them “watch-positive”, they will all present the same aches and pains: sudden buying fever, post-traumatic stress disorder when they fail to acquire an object, eyes shiny with desire, etc. No vaccine has been found so far. Yet, this article might help find the source of the spread of the virus.
Ollivier Broto, engineer, journalist and … collector
He is fond of technicality and believes in rationality. He took an interest in mechanical watches at an early age, as well as other collectibles such as cigars or writing instruments.
Away from the spotlight, he has been following, for the last twenty or so years, the bids of the three leading auction houses for this market in Geneva, namely Antiquorum, Sotheby’s and Christie’s (the latter being international number one under the aegis of the auctioneer Aurel Bacs). Calls from auctioneers produce in them an adrenaline rush and dizziness and further make him wait in suspense. Like any expert, he observes and is well aware of the quirks, weaknesses and ego that make other bidders go overboard. This mainly is a result of human nature but also from loss of control if we take into account the amount of zeroes involved in the bids. It would thus be necessary, despite the excitement of the moment, to avoid becoming hyper just like poker players who bluff and use psychology to make a difference.
Broto has even bought collectibles on the internet and he even held the record for buying the most expensive Patek Philippe watch ever sold on the internet. However, he does not wish to reveal the amount or the names of the pieces he acquired; the only exception being that he often wears a Panerai Bronzo, which was available in a limited edition and which he ordered directly from the brand’s CEO when he went to Sardinia for work. He had to wait one full year to acquire the piece and makes a point of honor of letting verdigris – characteristic of oxidizing bronze – settle on it.
Alain Mouawad, distributor, expert and manufacturer
This watch passionate is part of the fourth-generation of a watchmaking family, the Mouawad Group. He is in charge of its watchmaking division and he is not just a compulsive buyer able to detect gems of tomorrow, as happened when he bought all of Richard Mille’s first watches. Indeed, he has also designed and produced watches: for Robergé at first and more recently for his own brand Blacksand.
Thus,he has been able to bring to life all the advice – true prescription uses – that he kept giving to those selling their masterpieces. He took an interest in collecting watches when he was around 18-19 years old. “I grew up in the special world of watchmaking and jewelry-making”, he confided when explaining why he is so fond of collecting. “It is a good sickness and it can only be treated with a good dose of passion. It needs to be beautiful, simple and well finished”, he indicated while specifying that he was making no investment even though “some of my collectibles’ value has increased over the years”.
Being a reserved person, he prefers not to show his collection, though he often wears pieces from it. As he does not follow any specific theme, he’s got a heterogeneous collection and he only chooses what he likes at first sight. As he puts it, “my passion is real”. Furthermore, he admits he has no preference and that he likes “[his] Richard Mille and [his] “Réveil du Tsar” by Breguet and [his] Patek Philippe 970G equally”.
Andrew Luff, orange and customization
He was a child when the quartz crisis shook the watchmaking world. “When I was around 20, I already owned quite a number of watches by Cartier and Breitling – either diving watches or other – and they were not that great now when I think of them”, he admitted.
Now temporarily staying in Geneva, he confides that the Big Bang by Hublot , which he added to his collection (his “obsession”), represented a new chapter in his life. The next thing he did was to order his 44-mm Black Magic watch by Hublot.
When asked about his motivations for the present, he explains: “I rely on two simple criteria: the people from whom I buy the watch and my first impression upon wearing the watch for the first time”. Like a good citizen of the world, he never misses BaselWorld and has evolved with time: “At first, I bought everything that came to my fancy. Then, I discovered that it was too easy to lose control because I bought watches from unmotivated brands. Now, I only try to buy watches to which I can associate a good memory: a lunch, an evening with a watchmaker, a model linked to a particular event”. He has also developed a liking for the colour orange. “For some years now, I have decided to collect unique pieces with some orange in their design”. A word to the wise is enough…
