Web version 2.00 has finally spawned the first internet TV channel devoted to horology.
Styled 'theTimeTV' this channel offers the watch aficionado the very latest Swiss propaganda and spin on new offerings from the land of chocolate, secure banking, watchmaking and yodelling. There are some nice historical pieces on vintage watches as well. From a Christies 'infomercial' on how great they are at selling complicated pieces, to some very slick content produced by Omega, theTimeTV is sure to become a favoured haunt of many horological petrol-heads
Amongst the elegant sleight-of-mouth promotion and content largely serving Swiss national self-interest are some lovely gems. Persevere, because it's only a matter of time before this chanel will have to go beyond glitzy promotional videos and establish some journalistic or editorial integrity on the content it presents.
I, for one, will be a regular vistor, hoping for a balance between promotional zeal and editorial substance.
Click here to go to thetimeTV
I have read your great blog for weeks now, because i´m trying to buy me my first vintage constellation. It´s wild out there and i have gained a lot of usefull information from your blog. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI think here is something wrong...
Ebay item 120331072556
hands? too short?
Movement 561 and serial 244xxxxx don´t seem to be right?
Keep on good work.
Ville
Ville, youre getting very savvy :) Congrats on doing your homework, because you are now able to get to the finer distinctions.
ReplyDeleteThe hands are skeletonised and have luminous inserts and yet the dial does not have a T to indicate tritium luminosity which, in a model from this period, it should have.
Also the hands fall a little short of the minute index and really they should slightly over-reach the index. nSo we have to conclude that this watch has the wrong hands and should have plain faceted hands that just touch the index....not a problem if you can source the right hands.
Serial number is ok as they were still peoducing the cal 561 in 1966....but only just. Cal 564 was well and truly in production too, but 561 was still being used.
the dial doesnt look so bad at all, although I would want bigger pics that show the serif on the uppercase lettering and also to confirm that the lettering is gold...but it looks that way.
All in all, the dial could well be original (subject to the qualification I mentioned above).
The movement looks ok....a tiny bit of rust on the steel ratchet wheel. Note that the movement has a few minor marks (but ok) and the screws are not overly burred, so this movement has not been vandalised or overly worked.
Case is looking pretty shard, notice all the stars in the observatory medallion are present.
General opiunion? Well this one could be an opportunity. Black dial is rare and if confirmed correct is well worth having....hands seem to be the major issue (although could be substituted with the specified hands for this model)
Regards
desmond
Wow, very cool... I'll be sure to check that out. Thanks for the post. I'm always on the hunt for useful information that I can use on my own website.
ReplyDeleteDear Mondodes,
ReplyDeleteThis is Boon from TheTimeTV in Geneva, and I would like to thank you for your post about TheTimeTV.
With regards to your short paragraph regarding “Amongst the elegant sleight-of-mouth promotion and content largely serving Swiss national self-interest are some lovely gems. Persevere, because it's only a matter of time before this chanel will have to go beyond glitzy promotional videos and establish some journalistic or editorial integrity on the content it presents”, I would like to clarify that while TheTimeTV is dedicated to being a showcase platform for the luxury watch industry, it is not merely an advertising channel.
Rather, TheTimeTV is also responsible for developing its own editorial news program – 360 News (http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1766638235/bclid1463262326/bctid3438253001) that is broadcasted every fortnight. This program is mainly showcasing some of the latest news (and very often, covering brands that are not paying to be featured) in the watch industry, and is basically a non-sponsored program.
At the same time, if you continue on with the visit, you will also realise that it is not just pure advertising videos, but rather, videos that is more concentrated towards letting viewers develop a better understanding of the brand through events, interviews etc. Granted that there are some brands that are featured with promotional videos, TheTimeTV does try to establish some sort of balance as well.
Once again, I thank you for your comments, and I hope that you will continue to support TheTimeTV.
Have a nice week ahead.
Sincere regards
Boon
Hi Boon and thankyou for taking the time to post your response.
ReplyDeleteI agree that TheTimeTV is an exciting concept and is most certainly a showcase for the Swiss industry. I have no quarrel with that.
I also agree that the channel has more depth than that of a promotional platform.
Having viewed 360 degrees and looked at the site for various content, my feeling is that it still has a way to go before it stretches beyond what I would term a feast of eye candy and brand optimism.
While I am impressed with the production values of content, including 360 degrees, love the layout and navigability, and have high hopes for the channel, I would like to see some objective balance.
I'm not suggesting that a critical editorial stance is taken, but perhaps, apart from presenting the positive features of various marques and events, from time to time you offer impartial reviews of brands and models by noted experts and occasionally offer expert contrastive analysis between similar models. To me, at the moment there is too much of a slant towards brand and industry advocacy and too little consumer advocacy. If you could strike a balance, I believe TheTimeTV could earn a cherished place in the world of collecting and enjoying high-end Swiss watches.
Public education vignettes, such as how a consumer can tell the difference between, say, a high-value watch and movement and an 'also-ran' or utility watch, and perhaps even a series on watch care and servicing (a thing the Swiss industry tends to shy away from so as not to put off potential purchasers by exposing the ongoing costs of owning a mechanical movement) and other material that strikes a balance between brand and consumer advocacy, I believe, may well help establish your channel as a prime source of reliable information about Swiss brands.
AS I said, I am an enthusiastic supporter of your basic concept and wish you well.