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superstar or even honest, but there are some out there that<br />
have good taste and will stand by what they sell.<br />
How does your passion for watches complement your<br />
passion for men’s fashion?<br />
Clothing for me is expression. I wear these clothes because<br />
they speak on my behalf, they express something I want to<br />
say to the world around me. Watches, as something worn on<br />
the body, are part of this logic. I am conscious of matching<br />
certain things to other things. Dress watches with dressy<br />
clothes. Sport watches with casual clothes. Unusual watches<br />
for particular situations. Special watches for memorable<br />
occasions. I like my appearance to the world to be coherent<br />
and communicative according to me.<br />
In my particular niche of menswear, which tends<br />
towards classic style, details are important, and a watch is<br />
a microcosm of dense detail. I think there is an interesting<br />
parallel between classic menswear and basic horology. In<br />
classic menswear, there is a fundamental framework of:<br />
jacket, shirt, tie, trousers, shoes, etc, in the same way that<br />
in horology, all basic time-only movements have some<br />
fundamental principles: a certain number of wheels, a gear<br />
train, a balance wheel, an escapement, a mainspring, etc.<br />
Within these fundamentals, endless variations have been<br />
created and it is fascinating to see the extent of human<br />
ingenuity and even be involved with it from time to time.<br />
Can you speak a little to the pieces that you cherish most in<br />
your collection?<br />
Rather than just talk about my favorites, I brought a little<br />
cross section of my collection right now.<br />
I brought three two-register chronographs, all from the<br />
’30s to ’40s. This is one particular type of watch I am very<br />
fond of and I tend to give them a second look when I come<br />
across them. The first thing I am drawn to is the typography<br />
and layout. Colored dials were not an option during this<br />
period so designers were very skilled in what we would today<br />
call graphic design. The balance and proportion of the dial<br />
elements are excellent in all three pieces. The case sizes for<br />
all three watches are 35 to 36mm yet they are clearly distinct<br />
watches. I enjoy the nuances that visually distinguish these<br />
three from each other, based on dial design and variations in<br />
pushers, crowns and lugs.<br />
The Patek 130R is a case of me buying good provenance.<br />
I spoke to the auction house, seller and collected whatever<br />
paperwork I could trace it back to the original owner,<br />
verifying that it has been with the owner’s family since its<br />
original sale. It’s a lovely piece, perhaps too much so. I am<br />
a little too precious with it and don’t wear it as much as I<br />
should. I will probably let this one go in the next few years as<br />
a result.<br />
The Rolex 2811 was love at first sight, I was struck<br />
by everything about it and it was the first two register<br />
Previous spread,<br />
clockwise from left<br />
Cho wears the<br />
Grand Seiko<br />
Elegance SBGZ001,<br />
made for the 20th<br />
anniversary of<br />
Spring Drive.<br />
This spread,<br />
clockwise<br />
The Vacheron<br />
Constantin 4072<br />
with vintage<br />
Vacheron logo;<br />
the Rolex 2811<br />
chronograph; a rare<br />
Patek Philippe 130R<br />
in prime condition.<br />
158 VINTAGE
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