My little trip to London

[steveclocks]

I haven't been starting a thread here since a long time. So better as posting it in the already long thread of the London GTG, I'll kick off my own.
This time I was in London from 5 till 9 November. Every day involved watches!
Think I did my very own GTGs, because I have been meeting so many of my friends and making some new once too!
Can't post everything directly, so please give me a bit time... Reactions are always welcome ofcourse.

Wednesday was busy, but I still did my eveningwalk.
Remember, remember the 5th of November. Bomfire Night to remember the plot of Guy Fawkes to blow up Parlement in 1605.
So fireworks everywhere.
I just took some 'normal' photos







The poppy display to remember the Great War 1914 - 2014 !
Every poppy represent a dead British soldier.
It was very moving and as a Belgian it went strait to my heart.
My own family sadly suffered a lot in both World Wars!







Just couldn't resist a photo with my BLNR (sorry guys)

[Cru Jones]

great shots, thanks.

[Racerdj]

Great night photo's. The shot with all the poppy's is very humbling!

[FTX I]

Great pics my friend. Thanks for sharing. London is great and in 45 days my wife and I will be there once again and we are very excited.

[steveclocks]

Thursday morning I went to see the opening of the Flanders Fields Memorial Garden.
Our King arrives with the Minister of Defence of Belgium







Queen Elisabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke of Cambridge



http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.en..._ENG/1.2140835

[steveclocks]

Then meeting up with my good friend Sayub!
I wore his LVc all day and he my Daytona (Zenith)



We did some watch and other shopping


















The Rolexes were ours

Had some nice dinner in the evening (light at the restaurant wasn't very good for photographs I am affraid). I had the honour and privilege to unpack and see my 'little brothers' brand new Rolex BLNR. Yes I know, I shouldn't have enabled him so much, but it's such a wonderful watch, it suits in every collection !!!! Congratulations again buddy



Mine and his together:


Oh, and I was still wearing this beauty:

[viper9669]

Very nice pics Geert, thanks for bringing us along on your trip!

[The Joker]

Great pics Geert, managed to get down to the Tower last night to see the Poppy's myself briefly. Your photos are wonderful. Sorry to of missed ya this time.

[steveclocks]

Originally Posted by The Joker

Great pics Geert, managed to get down to the Tower last night to see the Poppy's myself briefly. Your photos are wonderful. Sorry to of missed ya this time.

Glad you did see the poppies Wes. Would have liked to see you again too man! It's always such fun But you know I come frequently so there's always a next time!

[steveclocks]

Jump to friday...
Tea at the Portrait Gallery. My favorite museum in London.
Opposite is the memorial for Edith Cavell, who was murdered by the Germans in Brussel during the first World War, where she worked as a nurse but also did services for the British secret service (She helped more then 200 Belgian, British and French soldiers to escape). After the War in may 1919 her body was digged in Brussels in the presence of King Albert I of the Belgians. Sent back to the UK, there was a National ceremony in Westminster Abbey and afterwards her body is reburried in Norwich Cathedral (she was born in Swardeston, Norfolk. So she returned to her home County)
Notice the British and Belgian wreaths in front of the statue



some book shopping at Hatchards, Christmas shopping at Fortnum & Mason.
To the Royal Academy of Arts for the exhibition on Giovanni Battista Moroni
Statue for Sir Joshua Reynolds 1723-1792 (Painter and founder of the Academy)



In the evening I went to a Omega Speedmaster GTG, organized by fratellowatches and Bexsonn. It was great fun. All new faces, except our very own Steve (DiamondJack). Always wonderful to catch up with him (and see his stunning White Gold Blue Submariner - Smurf )
Anyway...we went to see Speedmasters...
A very special one with unusual blue bezel


Or the one Paul Maudsley (International Director of watches at Bonhams) brought. A Speedmaster that went to the moon on the wrist of an astronaut, his widow gave the watch to another astronaut friend of his and this last ones' son is now selling the watch at auction Bonhams December sale. All history is checked with omega aswell. So this is an historic piece!
(Next day it was in the showcase at Salon QP by the way)
I photographed it together with Pauls' own Speedmaster 125! Marvelous watch aswell !!!


A bunch of watchneards around a table...(that was just a few of them because there were quite some guys present! I couldn't even talk to all of them)


this was on the table

[steveclocks]

that last pic went wrong...this was at the table

[steveclocks]

Saturday I met up with Kevin (111forza) and a friend of his Danny (who's just starting into the watchstuff). We had some coffee and tried on some watches at Wempe.

[vitalsignsrn]

Nice pictures. Sounds like it was a great time. :-)

[SoonerTA]

Wow, those were some great photographs! Thanks for sharing

[Wllnv19]

Thanks for sharing!

[Ruud Van Driver]

Excellent photos

[T01]

Looks like a great trip!!

[FKruger]

Great pictures

[ltmgeller]

Great pics. Thanks for sharing.

[HERITAGE82]

Great pics!!... Love those Speedmasters!

[travisb]

Looks like nothing but good times and great watches!
That black 5960 is the stand out for me!

[tkerrmd]

WOW Geert great shots!!

[steveclocks]

thanks you guys! the photos are just snapshots with my Iphone Tom, so nothing really special

[nick c]

Very nice Geert thanks for sharing

[DiamondJack]

Hi Geert

Great to meet up with you on Friday night and to see your fab Daytona.....an absolutely beautiful watch in a veritable sea of Speedmasters.......

Also sorry to have missed you on Saturday. I met up with Paul (BH13GMT), Gabriel (Sweregen) and Adam (Red Earth) and we had a great time salivating over the amazing timepieces on display at Salon QP and then we spent a leisurely few hours in a pub off the Kings Road in Chelsea before I had to dash to stand in the rain watching a firework display .....

As a foot note......I also almost escaped without buying anything in Salon QP but couldn't resist snapping up a limited edition vintage diver (last one of 60)from Squale. They are a family owned company (now in their 3rd generation of family ownership) which had a great diving history and reputation at the same time Rolex and Blancpain were also designing the Sub and Fifty Fathoms. Indeed, Squale actually supplied cases to Blancpain. Only 60 have been made and they were designed as a special project based around 60 original NOS hand crafted bezels from the early 1960's they found in an old stock drawer. The project used the same company that used to build their 50/60's vintage dive watch cases, with a new but old style plexiglass crystal capable of 825 feet depth. Plus a few other little goodies such as a penknife, an Italian leather strap etc. all wrapped up in a presentation pack made by a Saville Row tailor...... All in all a nice little watch........

For those that are interested......

http://www.hodinkee.com/blog/blood-i...tory-of-squale

[Belstaff]

Great pics
Cheers london is a wonderful city

[steveclocks]

wonderful Steve !!! congratulations man.
I'll show later in this thread what I bought in London and yes it's watchrelated

[DiamondJack]

Originally Posted by steveclocks

wonderful Steve !!! congratulations man.
I'll show later in this thread what I bought in London and yes it's watchrelated

Thanks Geert

And yes I'm looking forward to seeing your new watch home .....

I was very tempted by a few on display at QP.......

[steveclocks]

Originally Posted by DiamondJack

Thanks Geert

And yes I'm looking forward to seeing your new watch home .....

I was very tempted by a few on display at QP.......

mine is even better so I think !!!

[thewatchguy93]

Great thread Geert buddy, gutted we couldn't meet for a second time, Summer are you over again?!



Dino