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MONDAINE WATCHES : What is worse is that you don't realize that 99% of the reason why itis better to live in today's world is because of the way that man'sgenius has been used to make affordable things that all used to be tooexpensive except for the rich and/or powerful. Modern medicine anddentistry are vastly superior to what used to be available primarilydue to mass production and lower prices, so penicillin now costs lessin today's dollars than it did during the first 20 years it wasavailable. Even non-crafted cars are reliable and useful to a muchgreater extent today than they were 50 years ago. The hand-craftedworld you describe was good for royaly like Queen Victoria but reallyhell on earth for 99% of mankind. It's really too bad that Patek can'tcompete as a timekeeper any more unless they use quartz movements, butsince all they can do is gild lillies and make pretty baubles, theydon't act like they care if they make the best timekeepers any more.
MONDAINE WATCHES : I collect watches and 80% of my collection is mech. As a way topreserve history, collecting watches is interesting. On the otherhand, it is ridiculous to say that mech watches are "better". Betterat what? They aren't better timekeepers, they aren't able to resistthe shocks of normal life as well, they aren't even as water resistantas quartz watches. Eco-drive watches work better than any mechautowind watch and they will keep running for a month if you take themoff. Quartz watches have more complications than any mech watch couldever dream of having and quartz watches are more affordable too. Sothe only thing that mech watch makers seem to be better at is makingthe inside of the watch pretty. That's a cop out for mech watchcompanies whose products can't do what timekeepers are all about aswell as quartz watches. If people with quartz watches want overpricedart inside their watches, and overpriced art that can only be seenwhen the watch is removed from the location where it is supposed tofunction, they can either buy mini-Picassos and Rembrants to putinside their watches, or they can commission great art to be paintedonto a small cover over their movement as well as buying a view backto allow them to see the artwork. Seen for what it really is, mostpeople would consider adorning the inside of a wristwatch a greatwaste of talent and energy. Even engraving and damaskeening theoutside of a watch's bracelet would make more sense. Craftsmanshipisn't dead, it just isn't being buried inside an item most consumersare told not to open.
MONDAINE WATCHES : Further comment by Watchking: Almost all the items mentioned belowlike Shaker furniture are not being made any more, (although thismight be because the Shaker prohibition against sexual activities ofany kind caused them and their craft culture to die out). Other thanthat the other items mentioned are simply "rich people's toys" and ofcourse you don't sound like you have much ability to relate tonon-rich people. Unlike many people who see great artistry in any itemthat does something well, you seem to say that you just can'tappreciate the genius it took to create a remarkable timekeepingdevice and the way it reflects the people who had to createlon-lasting companies, quality designs, precise machines andproductive assembly lines to make them. Too bad for you that you canonly see one narrow area to define as quality.
MONDAINE WATCHES : Since even Patek doesn't make their own cases or bracelets and most ofits base parts, you seem to revel in the part of the watch that isgenerally considered "the gilded lily" portion of the item. Do youlook at the stuffing and woven frame inside a Louis XV chair? Do youtake apart the engine in a fine car or better yet do you take apartthe hand-crafted auto body, just so you can say that you like lookingat fine craftsmanship? It's only in watches that this superfluouscomparison can be made between watches with adornment inside the itemand watches that are unadorned inside. And that's because if thetimekeepers were compared on the basis of their timekeeping, shockresistance, or water resistance, then the $20 Casio might be betterthan the Patek. Obviously Jack doesn't appreciate exquisitely precisetimekeeping. In fact the only thing Jack seems to appreciate issomething that can only be seen when the watch isn't being worn andused the way wristwatches were designed to be used, and only the mostexpensive example of these kinds of wristwatches.
MONDAINE WATCHES : You know folks, there was a time when pocket watches were availablewith display backs, but after a short time this fad ended becauseeveryone realized that only show-offs, pompous rich people, one-upsmenand incredibly insecure people ever cared about being able to see theinside of a pocket watch through a display back (even though a displayback on a pocket watch doesn't require removing the watch from it'slocation of intended use). As an added note, Patek pocket watches havenever been as well finished as many of the high grade railroad watchesmade in the USA in the early 1900s, so why bother with a 2nd or thirdbest Patek Philippe pocket watch, buy a high grade railroad pocketwatch made in the USA between 1906 and 1933 and own a REALLY goodwatch using Jack's own criteria, and you can even get display backsfor them, while saving money in the process. Also you can get thesehigh grade American railroad watches adjusted for all 6 positions,temperature and isochronism. Sadly, even though wristwatches canactually end up in all 6 positions, Patek and 99.9% of the Swisswristwatches ever made are not adjusted for 6 positionsbecause...well...it's too difficult for even Patek to do on a regularbasis.
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