In a recent national survey on consumer behaviour it was
found that nearly eighty percent of respondents admitted to acquiring certain
material goods, whether they could afford them or not, so as to avoid losing
face with their friends and peers. Correspondingly,
many of those surveyed reported avoiding goods and brand names considered by
their peers and friends to be “uncool”.
Poor buggers, caught on a consumerist hamster wheel and clearly afraid
to jump off, they suppressed expressions of their own tastes and preferences for
fear of displeasing the mob.
A similar phenomenon can be seen in some, but not all, watch
collecting fraternities, where acolytes and newcomers fall into line with
received wisdom and take on the prejudices and collecting tastes of those who are
believed to be more knowledgeable, more savvy, or more experienced. Chances are
many of the doyens of today’s horological circles acquired their tastes and
prejudices in a similar fashion. Fortunately,
in the vintage watch collecting fraternity there are enough contrarians around to make
the hobby interesting, and this post is directed at them.
As we're well and truly into a new decade, it is timely that
Constellations hitherto attracting bad press or little interest should be reappraised,
particularly when much of the odium surrounding the calibre 10xx series of
movements has lifted in the light of a more balanced analysis of their pro and
cons. And so, we arrive at the last two
in-house Omega Constellation chronometer collections to be produced before the
sky fell in on the Swiss watch manufacturing industry.
I believe both collections have very strong and appealing
design elements, and have written a short piece here extolling their merits. The
essay should be read in conjunction with this survey of the calibre 10xx
movements.
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