I had the opportunity to spend some time at the Girard-Perregaux boutique last night, courtesy of my good friend, the inimitable Chip Henderson, so I thought I would share some of my experience with the forum.
The evening began at an all-to-familiar location:
Once through the doors I was greeted by friends and fellow collectors:
After grabbing a glass of wine and saying hello to our host and hostess, Chip and Wendy, respectively, my eyes fell on this:
I wonder, what pray tell could be under here?
Oh, dear...
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear...
Alas, no lottery wins that I'm aware of, so this beauty did not leave with me. Sigh.
But really, I was here to check out the new Sea Hawks:
The strap and clasp are made to the same high standards as the rest of the watch:
I was not disappointed. Yes, these are polarizing designs -- either you get it, or you don't (FYI, I get it big time) -- but what can't be disputed is the high degree of finishing on the case and dial that we've all come to expect from G-P. What's more, in spite of their imposing size, they fit extremely well, even on smaller wrists (you can thank the wrap-around case back for this).
Here it is with the previous model:
I find that I love each for different reasons, which is an interesting thing; the new one doesn't negate the old -- they each stand on their own merits, yet their relationship remains abundantly clear.
Another favorite of mine:
(Get 'em while they're hot; this one isn't coming back...)
Fortunately for me, if not my wallet or my resolution to lose weight, the party didn't end at the boutique. A quick jaunt down to 57th Street found our group dining at Teodora, where we were able to sit back and reflect on all that we saw over yet more wine and some truly excellent Italian cuisine.
(Hi, watchjoe...)
The requisite table shot:
All-in-all, it was a wonderful evening, and once more, my hat's off to Chip and Wendy for taking such excellent care of us. I'm definitely looking forward to my next visit!
Regards,
Adam
PS - Yes, I know that my iPhone photos leave something to be desired, however my personal watch photographer, Jae (Flypenfly) was present with his pro setup, so perhaps we can prevail upon him to post some legitimate pics of the watches... Jae?
- craniotes