SOTC and Year in Review (Warning heavy Ebel content)

[WWII70]

My final installment in this thread is to review the watches that came into the collection and those that left in 2019. It was a fairly typical year with 4 in and 2 out – no major buying binges or clear-outs!

There was no activity in the first half of 2019, then in July Movado called me with some older models that had just come into stock. I picked two chronographs with the in-house cal 137 movement; a blue Le Modular at 38mm and a Tekton at 48.5mm. Quite the contrast and both quickly became firm favourites!


My older daughters are in their 20’s and getting into fashion brands like Daniel Wellington and Olivia Burton, so I am trying to steer them to better brands and automatics in particular. When my oldest came to visit for her birthday in September, I offered her a selection of watches from my collection that I felt I could part with and she chose the Orient Bambino that Walter had gifted to me in an IWL giveaway in 2018. I hope Walter won’t mind that this has gone on to the next generation.


Also in September, I finally found a used Tarawa chrono, another one with the Cal 137 movement, which I have been seeking for ages. This came from a jeweler in Miami Beach and I intended for my wife to give it to me as a birthday present. Unfortunately, the leather strap was in much worse condition than described. I suspect that someone had disconnected the deployant and stored this flat, which is not how Ebels should be stored, and the leather was tearing by the screw attachment to the case. I’ve never seen this before but it was clear the strap was ready to fall off, so I sent it back. In my disappointment, I decided to get a used Tarawa three hander on bracelet from National Watch in Philadelphia, who I’ve bought from before. Although this arrived too late for my birthday, I couldn’t be happier with the watch. The case is a bit rough with a few scratches but I can live with this for the next few years until it needs a service when I will also get the case and bracelet polished – then it should be as good as new.


The arrival of the Tekton showed me I could wear bigger watches and confirmed that 42-45mm is my sweet spot. I got to thinking that I had too many small 38mm Ebels and then I spotted a WTB post for a steel and gold two tone Ebel, a Chronosport or something similar. I responded and we settled on a Chronosport that I had bought in a Crown and Caliber clearance in 2015 and gradually restored with a case and bezel polish, new crystal and replacement strap. I was sad to see this one go but happy to get the number of Chronosports down from 3 to 2.


Finally, in December I bought a new model Discovery diver. I had been looking at photos of this with a black dial for a few months. While I liked that it had the classic Ebel case shape, with the bump at 9 o’clock and the 5 screws around the bezel, I felt unconvinced that it would match up to older Ebels. Then in October, I was at Dehli airport killing some time at a watch boutique and they had the white dial version. I liked the feel on the wrist and was taken by the quick-release bracelet which could be replaced by springbars opening up all sorts of strap possibilities (most Ebels have screw attached proprietary straps only), so I emailed Movado from the airport and ordered the black dial. It has been liberating playing with strap options and so far I’ve worn in on the bracelet, a Nato and two different leather straps.




It also has great lume for an Ebel.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WWII70]

Rory, you have long exceeded my Ebel collection. And I need to do a SOTC—it’s been a while.

I’d love to have the orange Aquatica 500, especially if it had a matching strap (it doesn’t). I’ve never seen one, though.

Rick “whose Ebel collection has been tainted by other brands” Denney

Rick
Thanks for correcting my typo. I thought the technical references would be useful for folks to google for more information so it’s good to have them right. Reference is now fixed.

I kept tracking down Ebels while you diversified and found other bargains. Yours was probably the better path to a balanced collection.

Your SOTC would be great to see. It would also be good to GTG again.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mlcor]

Really like the Discovery-definitely would like to see that one in real life. Hint, hint.

[Samanator]

Maybe I missed it , but I’m curious why Ebels? This is the detail I find just as interesting as the watches. Why someone chooses to collects specific brand or style. I was a huge Panerai, Ball and Seiko, Speedmaster watch guy. Each had a specific reason that lead to the obsession for the brand or type. So I’m curious why the Ebels. Mine has ebbed and flowed from time to time. Yours seems to have remained constant. Again, what keeps it going?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[Rdenney]

Maybe I missed it , but I’m curious why Ebels? This is the detail I find just as interesting as the watches. Why someone chooses to collects specific brand or style. I was a huge Panerai, Ball and Seiko, Speedmaster watch guy. Each had a specific reason that lead to the obsession for the brand or type. So I’m curious why the Ebels. Mine has ebbed and flowed from time to time. Yours seems to have remained constant. Again, what keeps it going?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

I can answer for myself, and maybe won’t be too far off from Rory.

Step 1: Wander into a Movado Company Store to shop for a Movado or a Coach as a gift.

Step 2: Notice the unusual and (comparatively) jewel-like Ebels in the display case back where the expensive stuff is.

Step 3: Notice the massive discounts.

Step 4: Perform some quick iPhone research. Is Ebel a good brand? Read stories of how Pierre-Alain Blum saved the El Primero by using it in a watch in the depths of the Quartz Crisis. Read about how the company started as a husband and wife partnership in 1911. Read about how Ebel made watches for many other luxury brands, not least of which was Cartier. Realize that Ebel is a premium brand (in the Swiss sense of haute de gamme).

Step 5. Buy a 1911 for a quarter of retail.



Step 6. Do more research. Visit watch stores to study famous brands to validate Ebel quality. Read about Ebel’s resurrection and upgrade of a great Lemania chronograph. Go back to the store and buy a BTR Chronograph with that movement.



Step 7. Interact with lunatics online.

Step 8. Become a lunatic.

Step 9. Research more, and discover more to research. Realize that Ebel, despite obscurity now, was a leading company in the 80’s and 90’s, and throughout its history, and deeply respected in the trade. Buy more, research more, branch into vintages, translate press articles, learn the names of key people. Unlike many popular brands, Ebel is not a resurrected ghost brand. It was family owned until 1994—much later than most brands. There is much to research for the determined.

Step 10. Develop an appreciation for watches with unique and characteristic aesthetics.

But I have branched out, collecting characteristic examples from other companies I admire, buying watches that make my blood run hot, and responding to unique buying opportunities.

Rick “SOTC in prep” Denney

[WWII70]

Before I start my 2020 year in review, I want to answer Michael’s question – why Ebel? (This is also a cheap excuse to bump this old thread in case anyone wants to refer to my SOTC at the end of last year.) There are three parts to the answer to why I mainly stick with Ebels;

The brand. The main reason is that I just like ‘em! Ebel is a well-respected Swiss manufacturer, if nowadays a bit beaten down relative to its peers, and their watches are well made with great build quality and high-end movements, including the in-house calibers. Even their non-COSC movements are remarkably accurate. I like the Ebel styling, mainly in the older models (1980’s – 2000’s) and particularly the BTR series. The asymmetric case shape, bulging at 9 to balance the crown at 3, and the 5 screws are not to everyone’s taste but I like these features that carry the “Ebel DNA”. Most of the current designs leave me cold but there are a couple that I like and own.

Familiarity. Importantly, I am comfortable buying Ebels without trying them on because I have seen or handled many of their watches. I can’t say this about any other brand and I am typically cautious about buying just based on photos and reviews (although there are exceptions). I’ve only owned 3 Ebels that I haven’t liked due to their size (2 were too small for me and 1 too big) and fortunately I was able to return them.

Price. Ebel has not prospered as other Swiss watchmakers have and ownership/leadership of the brand has not been good since it was sold by the founders’ family. They have lost respect and market position and, hence, deep discounts are available on both new and pre-owned pieces. This is especially true if you are patient. So buying Ebel makes my watch budget go further than other ‘name’ brands.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WWII70]

I can answer for myself, and maybe won’t be too far off from Rory.

Rick “SOTC in prep” Denney

Rick
Did I miss your SOTC?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Rdenney]

Did I promise any particular year?

Rick “could take a while” Denney

[WWII70]

Finally, I like Michael’s count of lifetime watches. I can’t recall the watches I had as a kid and into my thirties, so I don’t have an accurate count of lifetime watches but I can track from when I started collecting in about 2000.

At the end of 2019, I was at watch 70 as an approximation. I mention this again as frame of reference for my 2020 year in review.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WWII70]

Did I promise any particular year?

Rick “could take a while” Denney

No sir but ‘in prep’ does imply some reasonable timeframe. Just kidding but it would be great to see your collection.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk