We have moved!

Well, a part of us have. All coverage of watches: photographs, reviews, news, events and all else to do with watches have moved to Deployant by Peter Chong and Friends.

This is a new and exciting site by watch collectors for watch collectors. The new site is not a site which prides itself in journalistic excellence, though we do think we practice that par excellence, but one where the collector's voice is heard. Many of the large watch websites and blogs are started and done by people who are not passionate about watch collecting, but are by professional journalists. Nothing wrong with that, but I feel that it is time to give a voice to the collector.

And the new site Deployant by Peter Chong and Friends is intended to be just that. I have teamed up with some of the most influential and prominent collectors in the world (starting with Singapore and the region as this is where I live) to provide these insights.

I will continue to provide most of the photographs and most of the articles. The articles will be more opinion styled, and will offer the collector perspective about the watches being discussed.

Walk over to the first new article on the new site: The Top 5 Most Impressive Watches of SIHH 2014

I will also continue with general photography articles on this blog...but for the next few months, will focus efforts on the new Deployant

Instagran: Follow me!

Today we take a breather in preparation for SIHH next week, where we will be streaming live photographs direct to Instagram id @chonghgp. Back on Friday.

Meanwhile, at the Lange showroom in Altenberger Strasse

One day in the showroom at 1 Altenberger Strasse, Glashutte...

A collection of Lange timepieces were gathered for a quick photoshoot. This is the result.

The 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar

The 1815 Auf/Ab

And the awesome Lange 31

Lange 31: A view on its commercial achievements

The Lange 31 is a unique and very interesting watch, but have not really enjoyed popularity. Why?

I have covered this watch during the launch event in Dresden in 2007. See Lange 31 - more complicated than meets the eye.

As is apparent in the article above, I am rather impressed with the technical prowress of this watch. So it is with great interest that I follow the commercial progress of the Lange 31. Unfortunately I find the watch not to be very popular, commerically.

I am not entirely sure why not, but can offer that perhaps the very large size of the watch, and the plain-ness of the dial, looking very discrete, not calling attention to itself as reasons. Yet hidden within, is the incredible technical achievements packed into the rather large and thick case.

But history has shown us in the past that models from the great houses which were not commercially successful at launch and production years are the ones which manage to achieve impressive results in auctions years on. One example is the Rolex Daytona, another is the Patek Philippe Amagnetic. At launch, they were poor commercial performers, but when disconnected (I refer to the first series of Daytonas, as later generations are extremely popular) proved to be highly sought after and achieving very high auction results.

Perhaps the Lange 31 might be one of those as well. For me, a key BUY recommendation.

Single Shot Fridays: Sinn U1

The Sinn U1, made in tagimented submarine steel has gained some interest amongst the collecting cogniscenti in recent years. The small German manufacture, from the Frankfurt area, now owns and manufactures its own cases in their SUG factory in Glashutte. And made of super harderned tagimented steel, makes a very nice, rugged watch for sporty intents.

I do wear my U1, The Hour Glass Tempus Edition for my cycling. And recently, met up with a friend, mid-ride for a beer. And he wore his Sinn U1 The Hour Glass All Black edition. Shown below, both watches.