THINGS THAT TICK, STRUM, VROOM AND BOOM
Let's face it I'm just on WC in the hopes that I'll hang with some of you in person someday. If suffering through occasional social media stupidity is the price of admission in order to hang with some truly remarkable people then I'll be among the first to buy a ticket.
Fun Crunchers like @KairosChrono who has been hoovering up every watch in sight and brought a wonderfully diverse collection to share.
The West Coast watch gatherings are "extra" in every imaginable way but most of all in the nature and quality of the enthusiasts that come out to play.
Last night's "Hot Rods and Handguns" event was one of the best attended meetups this year and it took place in a uniquely spectacular venue.
I get that not everyone is enthusiastic about American gun culture but I'm not here to judge or to provide an opportunity for those that do.
There was a time in my life when a firearm was just an occupational tool like a hammer or a wrench so I don't fawn over or fear them. By all means, as in watches, do you and feel free to scroll on by if guns aren't your jam.
In addition to a plush cigar lounge, full kitchen restaurant and hipster bar there were several indoor shooting ranges, classic cars and even a guitar wall.
We also had special guest, Nick Federowicz, join us. Nick is the founder and owner of Ad Patina and he brought a great assortment of vintage watch related advertisements, artfully curated and many framed. One 1986 example highlighted Keith Haring's Swatch designs and I hinted that I wanted it to someone I hope was listening.
A few YouTube personalities joined in the festivities including Ripley Sellers...
Ripley joined us in the communal drooling over the newest version of the Bulgari Octo Finnisimo "Sketch" designed by Fabrizio Bounamassa. It was picked up by Lydia just hours before we gathered and she was kind enough to let us handle it...gently.
The ever lovely Emily Fergason of Bob's Watches came out to play as well even with a bun that's has so far spent 32 weeks in the oven.
Emily and my better half have become a big part of the ever growing "girl power" contingent at our monthly gatherings.
Rebecca wore her rose gold Laykin Et Cie that entertainer Jack Benny had originally gifted his daughter. Laykin Et Cie was a prestigious "jeweler to the stars" during the Golden Age of Hollywood and the supplier of their movements even survived the sinking of the Titanic! Talk about a watch with a back story!
Emily didn't half step either and wore a sumptuous gold Rolex Cellini.
Last night we had a strong number of Crunchers attend and I like to think I've contributed to poaching some of the best Crunchers on the platform to play outside of Crunchville. I was fortunate to finally meet @celinesimon who couldn't be blamed if perhaps she thought I've been stalking her. Celine isn't just a gifted writer but a lovely conversationalist as well.
BTW I always get a little nervous tagging the crunchers that attend for fear that I'll omit someone but I'll try nonetheless. Forgive me if I missed anyone!
@Drowning_in_Digitals brought perhaps the coolest method for displaying watches.
Steve also brought a new person, Pete, whose family owns the Time Center in the City of Orange. I'm always looking for new watch repair resources and these gatherings have been excellent for networking.
Pete brought only the second Titoni I've seen at a meetup besides the ones I occasionally display so we hit it off immediately. Pete also had some other awesome vintage watches including an Omega, Vacheron Constantin and Hamilton.
I rolled with my special edition IWC Antoine Saint Exupery Chronograph which paired well with some of the aviation themes that were present last night. Of course I had to honor the spirit of the event so I also brought out the Porsche and the perfect Adidas Pistol Pete sneakers!
@MikeShaw and @Tiempo_Relativo joined good friend Carlo and I for a few rounds and they always make the party better.
Fellow cruncher and YouTuber @ckim4watches, whose hidden super power is being a Bachata dance instructor also made an appearance. Check out Carl's YouTube channel if you're interested in some content with a wider view of marker dynamics.
Before too long the event was packed, conversations were flowing and the flashing of the ceiling lights signaled that it was "...closing time, you don't have to go home but you can't stay here".
This event was definitely one of the best in the dozen or so I've attended or hosted this year. Hoping to organize something around Intersect on July 27th and I will definitely share details as they firm up.
Kudos to everyone that came out to play and fingers crossed that I meet more of you in the future.
In the meantime Your Wrist, Your Rules, Do You...
I prefer in person gatherings and have a soft spot for new enthusiasts and wise OG collectors. I also love sneakers over gatekeepers, hate seekers, logic leapers and shit heapers. Ghost those who don'...
It was so great to finally meet you and your lovely wife, @FlatteryCamp! Until the next one 🍻 (where we can maybe get an actual photograph together!)
It was so great to finally meet you and your lovely wife, @FlatteryCamp! Until the next one 🍻 (where we can maybe get an actual photograph together!)
LOL! Baby steps....
What a cool venue to hold a watch meetup! Add motorcycles to the mix and count me in! (I created this image in the laughable Adobe Firefly with the keywords of motorcycle handlebars steampunk watch industrial group)
What a cool venue to hold a watch meetup! Add motorcycles to the mix and count me in! (I created this image in the laughable Adobe Firefly with the keywords of motorcycle handlebars steampunk watch industrial group)
Right?
We did have a few vintage motorcycles displayed at a previous meetup but more is better.
You had me at 1911...👀🤏🏻😜.
Awesome get together, and looks like a sweet spot to just chill at.
And prolly one of the main reasons I do not currently have a Tudor, is because ammo and firearm accoutrements prices would make a watch enthusiast blush 😂.
Almost too much to take in Jack…lots of favorite things all packed into one event 🍻
Almost too much to take in Jack…lots of favorite things all packed into one event 🍻
Right? Add music and dozens of simultaneous conversations and it can definitely be sensory overload. My ears were ringing a little on the drive home.
Right? Add music and dozens of simultaneous conversations and it can definitely be sensory overload. My ears were ringing a little on the drive home.
I do not doubt that for a second…I can only imagine the various subjects you discussed lol
Always a great time with you and Rebeca; can wait for the next one 🍺
This is probably one of the most American things I’ve ever seen 🤣 Don‘t get me wrong, it looks like a great time! Just so foreign to me
Terrific write up Jack! It was great to see everyone last night, these are really terrific events, I've met so many new people. Always awesome hanging out with you and the wife, excited for Intersect to get here. I loved the story that went along with your IWC, and @Tiempo_Relativo pulled out a heavy hitter last night. Got to see a bunch of really terrific watches. That location was simply incredible, had no idea how amazing a place like that could be, your photos did a great job showing the place off. Until next time my friend!
Cheers 🍻
Where was this.
Out of curiosity, and this is a genuine, honest question, why?
Our modern idea of a wrist watch has roots in the military.
And quite a few enthusiasts, from all over the world, have a proud tradition of serving in the mil/LEO/tactical community.
And those that do are oftentimes into watches AND firearms.
95% of @FlatteryCamp's post was nothing but watches. Yes there was a few handgun photos. But the meetup has that in the title.
And kudos to the OP by staying away from the politics. It's a watch event.
If we can have posts on Watch Crunch about 420, Ulysse-Nardin erotic watches, etc...we can have posts about watches and firearms/knives/pens/Legos etc.
Wow I missed out on this event looked like fun too!!
Always a good time buddy! And lovely to see Rebecca again. I didn't know that she was named after the Novel (plus movie!).
Ultimately this event was exactly about what people went for - gents & gals celebrating horology. Good times were had by all without any drama or noise to sully it. Always something new to see/learn at these gatherings. And the effect timepieces have on the community is in itself something to celebrate.
It was great seeing crunchers again and hope to meet more members and check out their collections at the next one. 🍻
For your own peace of mind I sincerely urge you to develop the ability to scroll past material that you don't like.
If viewing material you find distasteful is a compulsion you can't master then consider staying away from a medium that will occasionally contain material you don't like but that many other viewers will find to be reasonable subject matter.
If you ignored my thoughtful explanation that the post contained guns and also ignored my suggestion to keep scrolling if guns aren't your thing then who is responsible for whatever feelings you experienced because you went ahead and viewed the post anyway? The answer to that is pretty straightforward.
Everybody should own their own stuff before dumping their dislikes on others. It took more effort for you to post your dislike then it would've taken for you to scroll on past.
It's your duty to protect your sense of well being online and not the duty of others to track all the many ways others may be offended when they post pictures of what happened in their day.
There may be "Just Stop Oil" protestors triggered by Hot Roads, recovering substance abusers upset with depictions of alcohol, religious zealots angry with women who wear pants and don't cover their hair and perhaps even vegans angry at plates heaped with shredded pork. I have no intention of accommodating all those sensitivities nor should I.
There was even a troll the other day who complained about a vehicle's ambient light level when a Cruncher posted a lume shot from within their car. Boundaries people, boundaries.
I took the time to respond rather than slagging you off because I want to create the kinder world I want to live in but you'll need to step up and do your part.
Lastly consider using the mute and block functions to filter out people like me who may occasionally post material you don't want to see. Be well!
PREACH Brother PREACH 💯🙏🏽
Ultimately this event was exactly about what people went for - gents & gals celebrating horology. Good times were had by all without any drama or noise to sully it. Always something new to see/learn at these gatherings. And the effect timepieces have on the community is in itself something to celebrate.
It was great seeing crunchers again and hope to meet more members and check out their collections at the next one. 🍻
I'm hoping to give the Time Center some repair work sometime in the next few days so thank you for introducing us to to Pete. He and Rebecca were having a great watch conversation and we hope he continues to join us.
If he's there when I pop in I might have him show me whatever other vintage pieces the shop may have stashed away.
I reallllly liked the Vacheron Constantin.
I'm hoping to give the Time Center some repair work sometime in the next few days so thank you for introducing us to to Pete. He and Rebecca were having a great watch conversation and we hope he continues to join us.
If he's there when I pop in I might have him show me whatever other vintage pieces the shop may have stashed away.
I reallllly liked the Vacheron Constantin.
I had to do a double take when I saw that VC (the print was so tiny!). I had no idea what he'd bring with him but it was all very eclectic. Ofc I had to make sure he showed you the Titoni he inherited of all things - serendipitous to say the least. And I do recommend their shop as they've gone above and beyond to take care of me. ⭐
Sad I missed this event. I was there in spirit though. I'm still in Georgia at Fort Moore for the USA Shooting National Championship. Still wearing the Monaco which comes in handy for timing the 60 seconds we have to load and prep our pistols for 25 meter Rapid Fire.
This bunch, Orange County Chrono Group, generally meets the 4th Thursday of the month in a variety of great locations.
The San Diego Chrono Group I believe meets the 2nd Thursday of the month with their last meetup being at a brewery.
Consider getting on their email notification lists.👍
Yes the San Diego Chrono meet up is 2nd Thursday monthly. You can DM on IG to get on the list under chronogroup_sd :)
Sad I missed this event. I was there in spirit though. I'm still in Georgia at Fort Moore for the USA Shooting National Championship. Still wearing the Monaco which comes in handy for timing the 60 seconds we have to load and prep our pistols for 25 meter Rapid Fire.
You were missed!
Not having Mr. Gun at a gun related event had that "something is missing" vibe like having a double at Out Burgers.
Everyone that attended received "One Day Member Passes" that are good for making an appointment to experience everything a member normally does. LMK if you want to use one of ours.
We could even meet up there and have a little friendly "winner buys dinner" marksmanship competition. 😁
Yes the San Diego Chrono meet up is 2nd Thursday monthly. You can DM on IG to get on the list under chronogroup_sd :)
I'm very much hoping to attend a few of the SD gatherings after meeting a few members who attended the WC after party I hosted at WindUp SF.
If the next SD meetup is July 11th I want to book a room so I can party late without having to drive back to L.A.
What a fantastic venue and crowd! I wish I had a fancier place to shoot. Handguns and watches share so many traits; I love to take them apart, clean them, appreciate the movements and functions. Your post here made my day - thanks Jack!
What a fantastic venue and crowd! I wish I had a fancier place to shoot. Handguns and watches share so many traits; I love to take them apart, clean them, appreciate the movements and functions. Your post here made my day - thanks Jack!
I came to watches from the classic car and off-road community so I totally get the joy of working on (and using!) mechanical things. Some people aren't wired that way but not everything is for everybody. Let's not pretend either that it isn't a decent excuse to build up a great tool collection!
The car community in Southern California has been very diverse yet very supportive. In many ways it's less judgmental than the watch community in general. I've even seen race teams loan tools and parts to their competitors!
I don't own nearly as many cars as I use to but fortunately there is a car show almost every weekend when I need that "fix". Have a Great Weekend!
I came to watches from the classic car and off-road community so I totally get the joy of working on (and using!) mechanical things. Some people aren't wired that way but not everything is for everybody. Let's not pretend either that it isn't a decent excuse to build up a great tool collection!
The car community in Southern California has been very diverse yet very supportive. In many ways it's less judgmental than the watch community in general. I've even seen race teams loan tools and parts to their competitors!
I don't own nearly as many cars as I use to but fortunately there is a car show almost every weekend when I need that "fix". Have a Great Weekend!
It certainly is an appreciation and love, and sharing that with a group of like-minded people is the best of our world. Cheers Jack 👊🏻
Sadly I RSVPed for this event way too late and never got confirmation one way or the other, so I showed up early but they told me my name wasn't on the list and the event was full, oh well, lesson learned for next time!
This is probably one of the most American things I’ve ever seen 🤣 Don‘t get me wrong, it looks like a great time! Just so foreign to me
As an American who lives in that area, yeah it's such a stereotypical American thing 😂
I'm very much hoping to attend a few of the SD gatherings after meeting a few members who attended the WC after party I hosted at WindUp SF.
If the next SD meetup is July 11th I want to book a room so I can party late without having to drive back to L.A.
Make sure to DM sdchrono and get on the list. Look me up when you get here!
Is there a story behind the white T-Bird? Looks like it coulda been teleported right from the set of American Graffiti! Very cool get togethers you guys have over there in California.