July GTG - What's Next? Part 2

So, we got together in February for the Leap Year gathering and we saw many Perpetual Calendars and some very unusual ones at that. This time around in July, we had dinner at Setsuri Ishinomaki at Guoco Midtown and the two themes were - Chronographs and Non-Round Case timepieces.

This is Part 2 of the blog featuring all the non-round case timepieces plus the "oddballs". For the first part featuring the Chronographs, click this link.

For the non-round case category, we start with the Roger Dubuis Sympathie time-only white gold piece.

These original Roger Dubuis Sympathies have a very unique case shape and what's even more amazing is the front sapphire glass being cut to shape. Later iterations of this range had the round sapphire glass in front - perhaps it was too difficult to make.

But the conversation of the night had to go to this Mido Multifort TV Big Date!

Featuring an automatic winding movement with an amazing 80 hours of power reserve. Based on the Calibre 80 (ETA base) the timepiece was developed to celebrate their 100th Anniversary.

Comes with bracelet and rubber strap versions. And if you are a K-Drama fan, lead actor Kim Soo Hyun wore this very model (black dial orange strap) during that series. I was none the wiser until a fellow collector told us about it. And then it was revealed that Kim is the brand ambassador. As I am writing this blog, my mind keeps going back to the Multifort and which version appeals to me the most.

Another big date non-round case timepiece is the Girard Perregaux 1945.

The 1954 Grande Date. My kinds timepiece - Big Date or no date.

Nowadays, Cartier is the brand in the limelight with the Crash and many of their non-round cases.

Crash it is not, but featured above is the equally iconic Tank American. I had wanted to bring my Santos Skeleton but I figured the Roger Dubuis was probably not going to be represented.

Then there were three JLC Reversos... What's even more amazing is the fact that two of the three are automatic movements.

This is a special JLC Reverso (above) - The Reverso Grande Automatique Wempe Limited Edition.

A well worn Reverso Automatique.

And so is this... the SG50 offering featuring a closed case back with a laquered Singapore map.

The other Reverso is the Chronograph. What a winner!

Speaking of lacquer back, what about this enamel Seiko Presage?

And speaking of non-round case, what about this Urwerk 103? Definitely special.

And the Georg by Lang & Heynes. This is another beauty both front and back. But first, the back...

And now for the front... This is the Sincere SHH Edition.

What about this space ship looking piece? The Angles Bastion

A rather interesting time telling machine - the four corners are the hour indicators and where the minute indicator is positioned, it's where we look at the bubble for the hour indication.

I'm sure we have seen many Vulcain Crickets but a rectangular piece? Well, there's one (above)! What about the food and the restaurant?

One of the mains is this Premium Chirashidon... fantastic stuff including uni (sea urchin).

The food at Setsuri was good and the restaurant was very accommodating allocating us one corner for our meals and table shots.

At the end of the dinner, we always have that table shot... where all of us put our prized possessions on the table for everyone to touch, feel and hold. It's not everyday you get to see and touch some rare pieces.

Coming up in Part 3 of the coverage are the oddballs... Some very interesting pices including the Kollokium Project 01 and an enamel dialed Vulcain Cricket Olympics. Stay tuned for that!