Rationality and Emotional Collection Interview with Senior Watch Collector Fan Weici
'24 W&W
He modestly states that he is still relatively young in the field of watch collection and does not own the largest number of works. However, as Professor Fan Weici said, "My major in art is a hobby for most people, but I face my hobby with a professional attitude." .
Because Professor Fan is deeply involved in music and art, he has always been interested in cultural relics with a sense of history and era. When I was young, the first collection I came into contact with was coins with different styles from various countries around the world. The coins often carry the unique historical background of each country and the customs and characteristics of different ethnic groups, which can be said to be quite exciting. During the nearly 30 years of collecting, Professor Fan was very fond of Chinese gold and silver coins from the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. For example, the Qing Dynasty coins all used dragon totems, which later gave the professor a special affection for the image of the dragon.
More than ten years ago, Professor Fan got involved in the field of watch collection by chance. On the one hand, it stemmed from his professional background in music, because music is the art of time, and watches are the recorders of time and the best witnesses of time. A real presence. On the other hand, continuing his original collection of coins, Professor Fan is also deeply fascinated by round watches that display the ultimate craftsmanship, especially such crafts as engraving, fine carving, enamel inlay, and artistic painting. bell.
Fan Weici, a senior watch collector, has an artistic vision and unique perspective on his hobbies and collections.
soIn the current journey of watch collection,Most of the watches that he wants to include in his collection come from brands with profound production technology and full of historical heritage.Breguet,Patek Philippeand other brands. It can also explain the craftsmanship he is good at and the reasons why he is worth collecting.
The collection covers a wide range of categories, ranging from popular sports watches to gold-engraved watches with complex structures. This diverse interest echoes his enthusiasm for fashion, astronomy, history and other fields in addition to music creation; he has invested a lot of time in each field for in-depth research and analysis.
Because he has a background in the music field and is also a creator, what Professor Fan Weici cares most about is the overall beauty of the watch, including whether the lines between the case and the lugs are smooth or not, and the proportions of the dial layout. If it is a transparent case back, you can appreciate it. When designing the movement, its structural vision is also one of the key points to consider. The pursuit of various details reflects his keen insight into art.
Left sectionBreguetRed Grand Feu enamel global limited edition8BranchClassique Dragon 7145Wristwatch, and right modelArnold & SonYear of the Dragon Limited3DThe combination of the moon phase watch and the three-dimensional gold sculpture makes people fall in love at first sight.
The dual drive of collections
Although we always analyze rationally, there are still exceptions. Professor Fan Weici shared his collectionBreguetWhen it came to the Year of the Dragon zodiac watch, he said, “I placed an order even before the style was revealed,” reflecting the confidence he had built up after long-term observation of the brand.BreguetThe red Grand Feu enamel dial is inlaid with a hand-carved gold dragon-shaped totem, showing a sense of majesty and surprising him.
Coincidentally, it specializes in independent watchmaking brandsSHHSpecialty store opened in Taipei last year101and broughtArnold & SonYear of the Dragon Limited3DThe moon phase watch, which is also the brand's unique moon phase design, is combined with a three-dimensional gold sculpture for the first time. He, who was already paying attention to this series of watches, fell in love at first sight and lost his wallet.
Professor Fan Weici onBreguetThe work is quite certain that this Grand Feu enamelClassique Dragon 7145The watch is inlaid with a hand-carved gold dragon, and the exquisite craftsmanship is admirable.
Pay attention to the development trend of high-end watches
Facing his hobby with a professional attitude, Professor Fan Weici can be seen on watch-related social platforms and forums who are willing to share collection concepts and observations of industry trends. He mentioned that in recent years, various brands will launch special watches in response to their founding anniversaries and other reasons, and many of them are replicas and tributes to past classic designs. The second is the table diameter size,
Just like the fashion cycle, it went from huge to moderate again.
In addition, the use of titanium, carbon fiber or other composite materials has become a new area of experiment for high-end watches. It is worth noting that yellow, which was always considered tacky in the past,KGold has been on the verge of returning as king in recent years. And inartificial intelligenceWhile technology has been greatly used in our lives and has had an impact, Professor Fan Weici privately hopes to retain more elements of humanity and craftsmanship in watch production.
Because that's part of the joy of being a collector.
CartierSantos-DumontThe hollow watch is combined with the classic airplane-shaped automatic dial in the lower left corner of the dial, and the ingenious design is extremely charming.
A balance between investment and taste
In addition to being willing to share his opinions, Professor Fan Weici believes that for those who are interested in starting to collect watches, they need to clarify their purpose and why they should buy it? From his experience, the biggest common denominator is to own it only if you really like it, and every watch will be actually worn and will not be kept in a safe just because of the price. I even carefully plan in advance every two months in my notebook to wear every watch I own in turn.
If you want to look at it from an investment perspective, it is recommended that you do what you can. However, it is more important to maintain your own judgment and taste, so that collecting can not only reflect your personal style, but also become a pleasure. This balance is perhaps the essence of fine watch collecting.
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