Three Gift Ideas for a Watch Nerd – Part 2
Gatsby’s style sign from Rolex. Original Seiko Date Tee and last, but not least, an Omega Speedmaster poster.
A few weeks ago, we shortlisted our first three gift ideas. We created this series to show you what’s out there for watch nerds like ourselves, besides watches — cool things to have.
Creative lighting
I once bought an all original 1975 Ford “Coke bottle” Cortina from an old fellow from the Czech Republic. I also noticed a big Ford sign hanging down from his ceiling. I thought to myself, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get it”. So I asked, but I didn’t get it. But three weeks after I bought the car, I got a call from him. I was not asking this time, but I got it. I restored it and proceeded to hang it in my living room. When we recently moved into a new flat, the Ford neon sign was one of the very few decorations I took with me. I don’t turn it on very often, but when I do, it makes for the perfect midnight atmosphere.
#1 Rolex lighting sign
When I spotted this gigantic Rolex neon sign being sold by an Italian auction house Meeting Art Casa D’Aste, I could immediately picture it in our living room. My imagination blurred a little though, when I saw the asking price of €8000. If I had a nice vintage watch shop in the city center, it would be an easier decision. But to put this Rolex beauty in the office or meeting room for this price is slightly beyond my comfort zone.
Image Courtesy: Lone Wolf Cigar Company & Lounge (after 20 minutes of photoshopping to get you an idea how your living room might look like)
Some Facts
The description says that the Rolex neon sign is from the 1970s. I didn’t even try to check it, as I don’t consider it very important (as I am not buying anyway). What really needs attention are the dimensions, 231cm x 129cm. That’s huge. The thickness of 10.5cm and a combination of metal and colorful plastic suggest enough plasticity and room for luminous equipment.
Image source: Auction 867, www.meetingart.it
Reminder
If you look closer, you will notice that the lot passed at this recent auction. Don’t forget, if you don’t ask, you don’t get it. Too many zeros for me, so fewer competitors for you. If you do end up purchasing it, definitely send us a picture.
#2 Omega Speedmaster poster
Persistence, frequency, and randomness all play important roles in landing unique collectible pieces. If you want something now, it is often because a lot of people want it now too. The result is that there is not a sufficient supply of the goods available, or the asking price is outrageously high. Therefore, it is important to keep a list of items you like and randomly come back to search engines after some time.
In 2017, the 60thSpeedmaster Anniversary was the number one topic at Omega. One of the nice gifts commemorating the anniversary was this special poster.
Image Courtesy: @eugeneandresson / omegaforums.net
I picked my Speedmaster 60th at Omega Boutique in Budapest in December 2017, and I asked the boutique manager if he could get one of these posters for me. Surprisingly, three months later, he sent me an email that he got one for me. I know a lot of collectors were after this poster, and in 2017, you could hardly get one. If you are looking for a gift for an Omega fan, here is one Speedmaster 60th Anniversary poster up for grabs for 60 euros.
#3 Seiko Day-Date Wheel Tee
Believe it or not, I still don’t have a single watch nerd t-shirt. There are a lot of them around, but you need to stay picky not to end up with either a boring promotional piece or an ugly design. If I were to pick a single t-shirt and recommend it, this one would do it:
Image source: uchi.co.uk
I like that there is no brand name, although you can tell from the picture. I also like that there is no artsy interpretation of the watch case or watch blueprint. Instead, it only shows the date disc. This is creative in its simplicity. I think our colleague and Seiko-fan Mike will get one. You can find them here just for 25 GBP.
Do you have any ideas for watch nerd gifts we should feature on Fratello? Shoot me an email to [email protected] or DM me on Instagram @rosputinsky_tomas.
