End World We Know

15/12/2020

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Folks might have noticed a pattern, which shall continue unless someone has a suggestion otherwise, where the front page shows Earth scenes and other places in the galaxy, real plus imagined (If it's imagined, it is real. Physical touch is not the outer limit of "reality" despite what the five senses insist) and on this page, conveyances of transportation, such as cars, motorcycles and airplanes. How about timepieces, since we often discuss & argue its existence and absence? Above is a start. (I bet nobody has ever heard of Monsieur Dufour. Boogle & Ging [the former operates TouYube] will inform the interested.)

If anybody else has run into/been run over by the robot photo filters upon commenting, that's a webhost "glitch" I neither requested nor control.

The post of the host follows above; but first a poem. A reader suggested composing one as therapy after my little brother died recently; that worked. (Thanks, ****!) Here's one, non-therapeutic:

Once came a virus corona
Shanghaied all the way to Verona
Some folks got sick
Others the stick
Even in hot Arizona

The world grew afraid and restricted
The troubles just were not predicted
Politicians all came
Took a shit on their name
But not even one got evicted

Safety is just not your choice
Shut up 'cause you have no voice
Wear that damned mask
And you may not ask
When we will let you rejoice

Resistance just means you're a child
Discipline for you was too mild
Your parents screwed up
They pissed in your cup
Disagreement means that you're too wild

Conform with the fear I promote
Agree to wear my big yoke
Do what I say
Or I'll ruin your day
Your business we'll right now revoke

You cannot make a decision
It'll cause a massive collision
You must now obey
And dance our ballet
Comply with all social incision

Prison words have been imposed
Lockdown is now normal mode
We live in lab
Your rights on a slab
Will freedom soon be deposed?

Who really wants to get sick
Or be hit with a very big brick?
Let's declare fun
Just say it's all done
I can't wait for jolly St. Nick!

52 Comments

Tigger

15/12/2020 15:15:31

I wonder if comparisons will be made soon about Sweden's approach to the virus and if this could help shift the larger perspective from continuing mandatory anything Corona virus related. It would be nice to see them step up and have a place in the counter discussion and questioning why so much fear mongering and control by namely politicians who just need to stop

Patrick

16/12/2020 20:17:48

I haven't heard such comparison, so it's unlikely anybody influential will either suggest or actually do it.

Jude

15/12/2020 15:29:29

I love your poem, Patrick! Beautifully describes the world we currently live in... Such a beautiful watch, is it not? Philippe Dufour is an extraordinary watchmaker in what we call the “Romandie” (French speaking Switzerland). A long time ago I once saw a documentary on him on Swiss television. He has his workshop in a rather modest, normal looking Swiss house in Le Sentier (canton de Vaud) and produces just one or two handful of watches every year, tailor-made as requested by his exclusive clientèle. I understand that he receives orders from the wealthy all across the world, and his waiting list is rather long, so you need to have not only a lot of money, but also a lot of time on your hands to be able to put one of these extraordinarily beautiful time meters on your wrist (or in your safe). I understand that most of his customers are from the Emirates. Still, fascinating pieces of craftsmanship! I myself own a 1993 jubilee edition of the IWC Portuguese with a transparent back so you can see the inside of the watch, with all the wheels, etc. Also a beautiful watch similar in style, but of course, a very long shot from the watches that Monsieur Dufour produces.

15/12/2020 18:31:54

You have an IWC Portugieser? Very nice..... ⏱ 😊
A Dufour watch inside a safe is a very intelligent tragedy. Beauty like that deserves action & display but for the price?

16/12/2020 01:00:13

That’s right, a Portugieser 👍🏻😂 I very much agree, put it in a dark safe would be a crying shame, this is why I am wearing mine 👍🏻 I hope to still be able to pass it on one day to one of my nieces and nephews or one of their children, if one of them discovers their love for beautiful time pieces! I have a steel edition (there was a total of 1‘000 pieces made for this jubilee edition), with a brown leather band and rose gold arabic letters, it is worn now but I simply fell in love with it and at the time I had the money and thought I might invest in something and still wear it and look at it a little 😊 I have a picture of it somewhere when it is still all new and shiny. I will see if I can dig it up and send it to you.

16/12/2020 03:17:15

Sorry, arabic numbers, of course 🤪

Candy

16/12/2020 09:21:15

I looked up who Philippe DuFour is. Those are some beautiful watches but WOW the prices😳 I don’t think I could bring myself to spend that kind of money on a watch even if I had that kind of money. 💰

16/12/2020 10:38:57

@ Candy: Money is an illusion of faith, just don't say it around a banker or an accountant. Belief creates perceived value. For a person with enough numbers and passage of time, spending a tiny fraction for artwork has a different meaning.

I'm fascinated by the craftmanship and I'm happy somebody is willing to spend money s/he has so everyone may admire it, just like museums, art shows or concerts.

16/12/2020 10:43:35

@ Jude: Send a picture of it NOW. All new wristwatches look great (especially an IWC Portugieser!) but regular use makes watches more beautiful. Maintain the machinery, polish scratches in the glass but use them!

16/12/2020 12:24:53

@ Candy: I know, the prices for a Philippe Dufour are absolutely big time crazy! Mind you, I don't think there are many Swiss people who actually own such a watch, let alone wear it in broad daylight! Most of them go to insanely rich people abroad... Of course, the Swiss also traditionally invest in beautiful watches. I know my big brother (who I suspect is a secret reader of this site) has a beautiful Breitling in his safe, for the sake of diversification (he is a banker, so it is not all shares). He never wears that watch, a crying shame!

@ Patrick: Picture sent! Hope the e-mail address that I fished out one of your books still works (gmail)... Enjoy :-)

16/12/2020 12:42:17

@ Patrick: The gmail attempt failed... Any idea how I could send the picture? I converted to a small PDF but copy/paste here or in "messages" does not work either. Hmmm...

16/12/2020 12:47:04

@Patrick and Jude

Yes, I can see the beauty and workmanship value. I guess it matters what your weakness is LOL. Mine are crystals. I have many and one I paid over 1000.00 for because I have admired rocks and crystals since I was young.
If I had the bank account of some I suppose I would also have some art pieces that cost a pretty penny hanging on my walls 😃

Pierluigi

16/12/2020 16:50:23

@Jude
If you have an account to some cloud service like dropbox or google drive, just put a picture in a folder, then create a link to the file (it is very easy) and directly post it in this thread, so all of us can see your clock ;)

Have a nice day
Pierluigi

16/12/2020 17:32:06

Good thinking, Pierluigi 👍🏻 I will do that, thank you 🙏🏻

16/12/2020 18:11:05

Here we are! Hope the link works:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4zmpkhs0ggkrjay/img_7769.jpg?dl=0

16/12/2020 20:11:25

@ Jude: That Portugieser is B E A U T I F U L, as beautiful as a watch can get. Sorry Rolex, Omega and all the others.......IWC has you beaten! I am so envious....and it's now >25 years young? Wow....

17/12/2020 09:04:55

@ Patrick: Wow, I just realised that my little Portugieser made it to the title picture - I am thrilled!!! Thank you, Patrick!

You are right, it is a little more than 25 years old now. It was manufactured in 1993, but I did not buy it from the factory brand new, I acquired it a couple of years later from a German collector who had practically never worn it. I told him that I was planning on wearing it when I bought it, and to my surprise he was all for it so he gave it to me although he also had other offers at the time.

This watch, commemorating the 125 years anniversary of IWC, is an exact replica of the original Portugieser from the 1940's. It still has the original logo on the face, not just the three letters IWC. The only difference from the 1940 original is the sapphire glass exhibition back and the engravings on the wheels, as you will see.

I will send a picture of the back in a minute. I apologise for the quality of the picture upfront. It will be a picture taken with my mobile as my big camera has a flat battery right now.

17/12/2020 09:11:24

This is the link to the picture of the back:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/v7qjrbqmse3rcws/IMG_3464.JPG?dl=0

Steve

15/12/2020 19:12:59

Since we in Straylia survived the winter Covid scare, things are rapidly going back to same ol, same ol, government crowing about growing the economy yada, yada, yada.... all interest in the stock market levels etc, etc,. I did kind of fall into the rave of " things won't go back to the way they were" but as I survey things down here, that's exactly what's happening, a government " obsessed" with getting things back to the way they were.
I imagine the only thing that would be able to stop the mad rush madness of modern day humans is one of those supposed Volcanic eruption and the dim period. Pretty hard to " hype" that away 🤔🤔

alex campbell

16/12/2020 11:48:12

I wear a Casio F-91W. Cost me £10 and it's the world's best watch. Don't believe me? Check this out -
https://wristwatchreview.co.uk/casio-f-91w

16/12/2020 12:09:08

Some watches are fun toys. Mechanical timepieces have been obsolete for five decades already BUT they're enjoyable miniature machines. The Seiko Spring Drive is fascinating (mechanical quartz hybrid, more accurate than either type). Expensive fun for whomever wants and can afford it. Free will in action, folks....

My plastic Timex Ironman (about the same cost) might be even better than the fantastic Casio models, except the G-Shock range, which are superb. ⏳

Linda

16/12/2020 12:35:57

Thanks, Patrick for mentioning the “glitch”. I have had a hard time posting comments and even when I do and sign up to be notified of comments, it doesn’t always happen. I thought it was just me or some trouble with my device.

I am always curious of the images of items and places you post. I did the same with Philip Dufour and was surprised that the last sentence of the wiki article says he was wearing a Rolex watch although no picture of the watch is visible in the picture the link leads to. I was surprised such a master watchmaker would be throwing his clout to Rolex. His opinion on watches holds much sway. Seems interesting but I don’t know much about watches. I’m more into old Singer sewing machines 😁

16/12/2020 20:03:39

Dufour, from what little I've read about him, is a big wristwatch and pipe aficionado in general and he is also not proud. He has been seen several times at big trade shows wearing watches he doesn't make. He admires all good watchmakers, inexpensive and affordable volume manufacturers all the way up to his high cloud. Rolex requires no clout from anyone, their ability to manufacture as many as they do (rumors say 2,000 watches PER DAY) yet sustain such quality is remarkable for any complicated mechanical device.

Magic Mike

16/12/2020 14:01:54

One day when I can afford it I would like a Patek Phillipe utterly beautiful watches.

16/12/2020 19:55:02

Patek Phillipe is up near the top of the watch food chain. Aim high my friend...!!

17/12/2020 07:11:32

I would prefer a stick in the ground and the good old sun to make it work.
Someone said that it doesn't need recharge at all, tough it seems not to be working at night and on rainy/cloudy days.

On my wrist currently there is a decent philip watch, that my parents gave me when I got my degree, some 20 years ago.
It works fine, even if my wife says that I need also to watch it, every now and then...

Have a nice day
Pierluigi

Hotchip

16/12/2020 14:13:46

I’m a longiines & seiko 😊 liker. Love wearing a watch - noticed a couple of years back that type wearing of wrist watches turned towards mobile phone & Fitbits,

16/12/2020 19:52:59

I think Apple is now the largest watch company in the world. The Apple watch (or iWatch?) now outsells everything.

16/12/2020 23:58:49

The Apple Watch I think is another thing like the latest iPhone. I am sure it is great if your a tech type of person but I am still in the cheap Timex Indiglo era ( mostly for the light on it) but since reading all the posts here about the beautiful time pieces I think I would not mind having one at all, not the Apple, one of the old fashioned, mechanical ones. I am appreciating the workmanship I believe but certainly would have to go with a lower budget one than one of Philippe’s😁

17/12/2020 08:49:26

@ Candy: If you want a good but not too expensive mechanical wristwatch (a couple of hundred dollars) I'd suggest a Seiko, Orient, or Tissot. You might have to buy it from a website.

17/12/2020 09:24:54

I will look them up! Thank you Patrick.

16/12/2020 14:37:14

I guess the glitch needs me to post twice and ask before granting me included in notifications....

Speaking of wonderful timepieces...I have a very special mantle clock. I inherited it from my grandfather who received it in 1969 upon retirement from the company he worked for.

It’s a lecoultre atmos perpetual motion clock. It works perfectly. It derives energy from small temperature and atmospheric pressure changes in the environment, and can run for years without human intervention. Sometimes referred to as the perpetual motion clock.

(Maybe with this second comment I’ll get notifications 🤞.)

16/12/2020 20:07:41

lecoultre atmos? Related to the fabulous Jaeger-LeCoultre watch company of Switzerland?

16/12/2020 20:46:54

Yes, that’s the one!

(Still hoping to get notified of comments. Maybe three’s the charm )

BTW, the robot filtering is the more subtle example of the greater censorship we’d experience was predicted by TC. Another accurate prediction. Doubter’s of TC’s more recent predictions, might take notice 😁

GaryG

16/12/2020 18:55:12

My friend gave me a Marty Mcfly, Back to the Future Casio calculator watch as a going away present! I love that watch and movie. Brings back some good memories of the 80s.

16/12/2020 20:13:00

One of my favorite movies also! Do you still have that watch?

17/12/2020 01:13:55

Of course, he gave it to me last month! He moves away yet I receive the gift? I think this scenario is suppose to be the other way around!

17/12/2020 01:25:42

I don't wear watches but if I had to chose only one, it's the Back to the Future Casio Calculator Watch and nothing else. He knew this fact, hence the kind gift.

16/12/2020 21:25:13

I have a nearly unused Swiss Zenith pocket watch from the 1800s, having come down in the family. When I was a kid, trousers still had a special pocket for pocket watches. I also have a Rolls-Royce and big Mercedes Benz rotting in my backyard. After my wife and daughter passed on years ago, I woke up and ever since those things don't mean anything to me any longer. A blessing in disguise.

17/12/2020 00:07:29

@TV
Sorry to hear you lost your wife and daughter. How difficult that must have been. Big hugs❤️

17/12/2020 00:23:53

@Candy:
I wasn't sick, it was much easier for me than for my wife and my daughter as they went through severe and prolonged pains. But the experience caused a shift for me, that's the blessing in it.

17/12/2020 08:37:10

A Zenith pocket watch from the 1800s? That's almost a museum piece! Zenith invented the world's first automatic chronograph in the 1960s and the movement is so good (it's still made today) for about 15 years it was possible to buy a chronograph which said "Rolex" on the outside but the machinery inside was Zenith.

Artie Fuffkin.

16/12/2020 22:11:08

I once shook Elton Johns left hand, on his right wrist was a Rolex, that's as close as I've ever come to having an expensive watch experience 😁😁

17/12/2020 00:11:21

Ah heck, I would love to shake Elton John’s hand! I love his music and outrageous personality. Lucky you😃

17/12/2020 08:31:34

Whatever the price of the clock, late is late and early is still early. I like the German words, clock and the one strapped to the wrist is an arm clock.

Stephen

17/12/2020 00:52:35

I wear a Seiko (model Grand Seiko) mechanical watch. My wife, who wears an iWatch, calls it a tintanium horse carriage. Seiko tightens the tolerance of the tiny internal parts to 1/1000 of a gramme, using modern equipment like lithograph machines. It is accurate within 5 seconds daily, which is the limit of a mechanical watch. Of course, a US$25 Swatch is more accurate.
A Philippe Dufour is not an ordinary watch. Think of it as an art piece that happens to keep time, too.

17/12/2020 07:16:00

A Grand Seiko is one of the best watches in the world. Congratulations!

Saint Irene

17/12/2020 08:46:35

This brings back fond memories of when my father opened up the back of his wristwatch to fix the winding stem. He showed me the inner workings and told me there were tiny jewels that made the gears run smoothly. I nearly flipped my lid when he gave me an old scratched and broken watch to dissect--great memory of these little masterpieces!

17/12/2020 09:20:23

@Saint Irene

That’s funny, I too was given an old broken watch of my father’s to take apart and I loved all the little gears. I was intrigued that all those parts could fit in there and also was never able to get all the parts back in it the right way as I was pretty young.

Tom P

17/12/2020 09:19:24

My wife has an Apple Watch and she can take phone calls with it. It reminds me of the Dick Tracy television cartoon show back in the 1960's. His police chief would call him on his wrist phone to inform him of a nearby crime. Dick's closing reply was always "I'll get on it right away!"

17/12/2020 12:02:57

What ?!? Phone calls with a wristwatch? Dick Tracy must be OVER THE MOON....

Ohwell

17/12/2020 10:18:50

He's on to something alright.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu6nsMHZAdI

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