To pass away an idle 30 minutes, I thought I'd share a few pictures of one of my favourite watches - there are others starting with a B
It's an IWC GST Rattrapante.
This was a watch that had been tugging on my heart strings for years but I was a little adverse to buying at its rrp, or indeed at some of the prices being asked for used examples. Some of the pre-owned examples where truly used too - rather sad.
Eventually a collector answered my wanted ad' and offered it a fraction of what I expected to have to pay. Bought from new it had spent much of its life in a safe with an occassional outing. It's a close to mint as could be - not a blemish in sight and with everything supplied from new.
Offered with a variety of dial colours, it was the rhodium faced version that I wanted. Think Rolex Yachtmaster with the Rolesium dial but a little darker and you'll be close. Absolutely lovely in good light, with a little sparkle and the ability to softly change hues.
Other options included the ubiquitous black, an inky dark blue, white which was rather smart and salmon pink...God only knows how that colour was chosen but it's hideous in the metal!
A substantial chunk of metal, 17mm high and 44/45mm diameter, it soon shrinks on the wrist and wears very comfortably. The bracelet is rather clever - for those unfamiliar with IWC's bracelets, the individual links are connected with a clever "sprung bar" system with makes stripping the bracelet down for a quick tidy up (center links are scratch magnets!) an absolute breeze.
A pair of brass tools are provided, with one tool the spring loaded pin in the reverse face of the bracelet is depressed and with the other, the pin is pushed out of the bracelet. Couldn't be easier and no risk of damaging the bracelet with screwdrivers or "pin-pushers"
The Rattrapante facility is rather amusing too. I've no need for it in real life, but it's rather fun showing folk that with a press of a button another second hand magically appears from behind the first!
Enjoy!
David
