As I was reflecting here a couple weeks ago on an eventful year watch nuttiness, I took a quick and blurry photo of what I had right then, and I wasn't satisfied:
Not the complete collection, as the Headwind was in for service but still, I thought I was missing something. After about a week of thinking about it, I decided I wasn't bonding with the Sinn, was going to sell it, and didn't know what I wanted to replace it. I stopped by the local AD and there sat a really sharp Transocean Chrono LE, pre-owned, at a really good price. Different look from what I had. My salesperson was out, so I called a couple days later, and said I'd try to find a moment to come by and have a look at it. I found a free moment and decided to go, but then thought also about my long-time independent watch guy. He'd taken in some interesting pieces lately, including the Navi Fighters I now own. Before I got serious about the Transocean, I decided to stop by first.
We've known each other a long time, so we talked a little while about what I thought was missing in my collection. He is primarily a Rolex guy but gets in a lot of different brands and models. In fact, he got the Fighters on the day I went to him to get the bracelet sized on the Sinn. For some reason I was back to make sure lightning wouldn't strike twice. Anything I needed to see before I went to look at the Transocean?
Nothing specific, he said, but if I wanted to go a little nuts he had just taken in two APs. I tried one on a couple years ago, didn't do anything for me but maybe that had to do with the price tag. So, he pulled them out. First one, he told me a little small for me, little older, smaller model at 36 mm but it did have power reserve and an inner dial GMT:
(He still has this one. If anybody is interested I can give you contact info.)
Nice, but probably too small for my 7 3/4 inch wrist. Then he pulled out the one he said might interest me:
He was right. I Took this photo to compare because if I was interested, the extra coin would require selling both the Sinn and My Rolex Yachtmaster, the one I just bought from him three months before and was still enjoying to the fullest.
I stopped searching then to think about things. The AP I had tried on didn't look or feel like this. Because that one didn't interest me I lost interest in the brand, and frankly, the price was high to begin with. Then I started studying and figured out I tried a different model, the 15300, with a thicker case, bezel and overall different proportion. This one, while just a few years old, is the original Royal Oak Jumbo, model 15202, put together just as God and Gerald Genta had envisioned. It seemed like a completely different watch. The exhibition back and gorgeous movement didn't hurt:
Then I noticed the logo-shaped folding clasp mechanism:
Uh oh....
So I went back in wearing the Yacht. Doug, my dealer, has a love for all watches but he is clearly attached to Rolex above the others. He swears by their durability. He and I looked at both of the pieces, looked at each other, and we both shook our heads--there was no comparison. That AP was a stunner.
Okay, so now I'd have to sell both the Sinn and the AP, and sales tax at this price was steep. At that point, Doug offered that he thought he could find a home for the Yacht pretty quickly, and offered to take it back in trade, at about what I paid for it, to save sales tax. At that point, only one to sell. That pretty much did it.
So, I sold the Sinn, finished the trade today, and now the collection looks like this:
I would have loved to have had that TO, but this to me is a bit more special.
I'll still need a blue watch of some sort again, but I'm as happy with my collection now as I have been at any time, and my watch fund is blown to smithereens. The Breguet I had I described as a supermodel of sorts, but like one wrong tuck, it had a problem--the brownish dial color, which is why nobody here has one now, so far as I know. I can't honestly say I like that many other APs, but this one, its super-thin JLC-sourced movement beautifully decorated, with gorgeous dial and hand-brushed surfaces blends simplicity and elegance together for me in a color that goes with anything. I am officially tired of calling something a keeper and then selling or trading it, but maybe, just maybe this is one. At the very least, it's the most elegant piece of metal I have ever strapped on my wrist.
And so, my four-watch winder has room. I'll put in my vintage Accutron maybe and watch it spin, just for laughs.
The adventure continues....
and that movement is a stunner... love the skeletonized rotor. Hope you enjoy this one for awhile! 
I have one currently but I'm contemplating whether I should do an upgrade. a blue dial is a must for any collection IMHO.
