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#1 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Dec 2023
Location: USA
Posts: 32
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Van cleef watches
I recently came across some extraordinarily expensive, complex, and rather unique watches made by van cleef. The first one I saw was a couple on a bridge where the time is told with retrograde hands as the couple walk towards one another on the bridge. I also saw a quite vast collection of others where the time is told by flowers opening and closing, others where birds or butterflies fly around the dial, and one watch that is basically a planetarium with various planets in the solar system orbiting the sun.
I’ve been interested in watches for about two years now and I had never seen van cleef watches mentioned in any articles or talked about on YouTube or in forums. Does anyone have any of these watches or like them? In particular their collection called “poetic complications” seems to have quite unique and complex movements with high quality finishing and a long heritage of being in business, which are typically what I hear is the draw towards Rolex PP AP etc. Is van cleef just viewed as a jewelry company so their watches are dismissed on those grounds? If so, why does Cartier still seem to get a lot of attention for their watches? The watches are several orders of magnitude out of my price range, but they do seem pretty cool to me. Most are very feminine, so I don’t see myself purchasing or wearing them, but the craftmanship still seems impressive to me. Anyone ever heard of their watches? Have any opinions on them? Why are they so seldom discussed in the watch community? Any insights would be appreciated. Thanks! |
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#2 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: mississippi river
Posts: 3,034
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Quote:
The majority (not all) of Cartier watches were not considered collectible until recently. I remember those quartz ladies tanks for $100. now they are asking $2,000 |
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#3 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Dec 2023
Location: USA
Posts: 32
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I find myself wondering what makes up the retail price of quartz watches. A friends fashion quartz watch broke recently so I opened it up and found a replacement movement for sale new for $5. Swapped it out and the watch works again. I guess it’s just paying for the brand name, which I don’t happen to remember for the watch I fixed…
Last edited by LazyTimegrapher; 31 May 2024 at 12:20 PM.. Reason: Typo |
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#4 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Real Name: Louis
Location: Bay Area, CA
Watch: PP 5131R
Posts: 5,054
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Oddly enough I have a deposit down to pick up a VCA watch this Saturday. It’s a two time zone jumping hours retrograde minutes.
https://swisswatches-magazine.com/le...wer%20aperture. I hope I can make it, gotta try to get into urgent care tomorrow morning. In my opinion that piece is a great value in terms of the unique complications, totally crazy at that price. |
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#5 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jun 2023
Location: USA
Posts: 1,080
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Quote:
Going back as far as I remember, the tank in all forms was desirable and iconic. |
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#6 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Feb 2021
Real Name: Henry
Location: Korea/California
Watch: Breguet/ALS/Patek
Posts: 75
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VCA is definitely off-the-beaten-path for watch collectors. I have not found anything piqued my interest yet but, I believe, they have used movements from well known movement makers. Their unique pieces were made (modules and some entirely new movement)by well known high horology masters such as Jean Marc Wiederrecht and Christian Van der Klaauw.
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#7 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Real Name: Michelle
Location: Canada/Florida
Watch: WG Breguet Typexx
Posts: 2,832
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Handled some at the boutique in NYC last week. I had no idea. Not for me but nice to see.
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#8 | ||
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: nyc
Posts: 6,539
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#9 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: mississippi river
Posts: 3,034
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Quote:
A lot of their old movements were ETA and/or quartz. Go back a little further and you will see a lot of there watches in the 50's and 60's were just other makers watches with their named stamped on it. I agree with your sentiment on jewelry and design, however I wouldn't have considered them a watchmaker until this century. |
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