The hardest thing for me is narrowing down all the various features I like to a model number 
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Indeed. Took me a good few weeks. Then cross match to whatâs actually available and it can be difficult. I dithered and someone actually bough my watch before I made up my mind. When it re appeared (presumably returned as it was not running right) I jumped on it. I did have to wait a couple of months before it was returned all fixed but worth it in the end.
Had a play with a nice little Rolex that has an interesting history:
Itâs one of the 3000 watches that Rolex sold to Allied POWs on the basis that they could pay for it when they got home after the war. A bit of a gamble by Wilsdorf that
A: the purchaser survived the war and
B: The Allies wonâŚ
It had a load of paperwork with it and it turns out itâs even been the subject of a couple of short articles:
For sale at ÂŁ5k, which is probably all itâs money, but comes with a nice yarn to tell about it.
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Very nice, love history like that. Sure antiques roadshow had a chronograph one sent to an RAF officer that went for mental money.
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Think the one youâre talking about belonged to one of the Great Escapees.
That would certainly push up the price!
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Looks interesting. March 8th.
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Recent conversations with watch dealers when looking to sell a watch
âYes the watch is fine, everything checks out, unfortunately our offer will be reduced as the watch has been worn and will require a polish and we we will have to factor in the costâ
or
âYes the watch is fine, everything checks out, unfortunately our offer will be reduced as the watch has been polished and our customers prefer a watch in original used conditionâ
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New strap day. I had been looking for a replacement 23mm sailcloth strap for my Blancpain and after seeing a recommendation online I bought one from Oz based company Artem. Its pretty much an exact copy of the Blancpain strap (except I went for the lighter stitching) at a quarter of the price. Came with a standard buckle and a free butterfly clasp which was nice. After struggling slightly more than expected taking the current strap off Iâm glad i went for the quick release springbars. It took an age to get here but worth the wait. Its the first watch I have had a sailcloth strap. I quite like them.
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I have been looking at a sailcloth strap (admittedly Watch Gecko rather than Artem) but I noted the following on the Artem website
" feature Artemâs synthetic, embossed upper material, complemented by the undersideâs expert blend of a leather base and a natural rubber (caoutchouc) layer for enduring comfort and durability. "
One of the reasons I am considering sailcloth is because I canât wear leather, Have you got a pic of the underside or any comments about its construction?
From a review.
On the underside of each strap is a thin rubber lining thatâs glued and stitched to the sailcloth, with a choice of black, gray, and white stitching colors.
From Artemâs website.
- Material: Synthetic upper, leather underside with natural rubber (caoutchouc) coating.
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I wouldnât like to say one way or the other what material it is Kev. Itâs certainly comfortable and not clingy if that makes sense. Maybe email them and ask them to clarify.
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I do like the fact they just used some random guy who looks a bit like Clint Eastwood for the pic rather than licensing a proper image - Even Moar Betterer 
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https://www.chrono24.co.uk/watch/MWH9Q9
Yes please!
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Get it bought!
I have a soft-spot for Chronoswiss - wish I could teleport back 10 years when they were an outrageous bargain!
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Just looking unfortunately but really like a lot of their stuff.
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Like that 
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Just had a call from Northern Goldsmiths, watch is ready to pick up.
Need to give them a call 15 mins before Iâm due and theyâll get some coffee and snacks on the go and a look around their workshop if I want.
Four weeks isnât that bad, assuming they havenât fucked it up by polishing me bevels off.
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