Earlier this month I had the honor to attend the very exclusive Officine Panerai Dive Into Time VIP event in Beverly Hills.  I had the pleasure to talk and dine with Giovanni Carestia (President of Panerai North America), Alessandro Ficarelli (Product Development Director), and several others from the Panerai team.  And as if that was not awesome enough, we also had the chance to view and play with some newly released Panerai models.  Needless to say, it was one heck of a night and one worth sharing with the rest of the watch community.   

Last November, Linde Werdelin and Jewells at Galpin hosted an exclusive event for #LAWatchGang at the Galpin Aston Martin dealership in Van Nuys.  Many Linde Werdelin models were on display and attendees were able to get a close look at them without the pressure of a salesperson.  Overall, an amazing night full of fantastic watches, beautiful cars, and great company.

Every year, WatchBuys hosts a Road Show in Pasadena so that watch enthusiasts can learn more about the various brands they offer and for a chance to see the timepieces in the flesh.  Last month, WatchBuys held a special Road Show event just for the #lawatchgang.  The brands included: Sinn, Hanhart, D. Dornbluth & Sohn, Nomos Glashutte, Jochen Benzinger, Bruno Sohnle Glashutte, Thomas Ninchritz, Junghans, Stefan Kudoke, and a few other German brands.

This was my first time attending a Morning Octane event and I must say that this has to be one of the best free car events in Southern California.  This event is truly for all types of car lovers.  What makes this event so much fun is that it is not limited to expensive exotic cars... there are plenty of modified imports, modified domestics, motorcycles, and much more. 

Chase, founder of Oak & Oscar, was in town on July 26 and invited the #LAWatchGang to check out his very first model, the Burnham.  For those unfamiliar with the brand, Oak & Oscar is a relatively new American brand (Chicago based) that in a very short time has made a big impression in the watch community with the Burnham model… and rightfully so.  The watch is unique and attractive.  

This past Saturday I attended the RPM Exotic Car Gathering at the Hing Wa Lee Plaza in Walnut for the third time... easily the best one I have attended so far (sans a Bugatti)!  The parking lot was completely packed!  So packed that they actually had to turn away several Ferraris and Lambos since there was no more space.  As always, there was complimentary Dim Sum breakfast and plenty of watches to enjoy inside the Hing Wa Lee watch store.

On June 18, Feldmar Watch Company and Breitling hosted an exclusive event to unveil some of their new 2015 models.  Honestly, I am not a big fan of Breitling... but not because I do not think that they are a reputable watch manufacturer, I simply have not connected with any of their models at that level.  There are a few collections that I find attractive, like the SuperOcean and Navitimer, but I seem to always end up looking elsewhere...

This past Friday a few members of the #LAWatchGang and I had the pleasure to meet Jessica Casser from Breva Genevè (also on Instagram) and we all got to play with a few of their timepieces.  Prior to meeting Jessica, I had seen several photos online about the various Breva Genevè models and their unique features... needless to say, I was very excited to see these in person!

On April 26, Ferrari Club of America held their annual Concorso Ferrari event in Pasadena.  This year marked their 8th year.  With approximately 140 Ferraris (and a few other exotics) at the event, three blocks of busy Colorado Boulevard were closed for this admission free event.  I have never seen this many Ferraris together, from vintage to modern models.  It was a true spectacle! 

This past Saturday I attended the RPM Exotic Car Gathering at the Hing Wa Lee Plaza for the second time.  Like last time, there was complimentary Dim Sum for breakfast, sick cars, and beautiful timepieces. 

I was finally able to make it to the RPM Exotic Car Gathering hosted by David Lee @davidlee_hingwalee and Hing Wa Lee Jewelers this past Saturday March 3.  This car gathering is being held every second and fourth Saturday of the month at the Hing Wa Lee Plaza located in the city of Walnut.  The event is open to the public and there is even complimentary breakfast and drinks courtesy of Hing Wa Lee Jewelers!  Exotic cars, watches, and free food... what else could I need?

Earlier this month I attended the special event "Experience the Art of Jaquet Droz" hosted by the Tourbillon Boutique of Beverly Hills.  During the event I was able to meet and talk to a Master Painter and Engraver and learn some of the details behind the art of Jaquet Droz's hand painted enamel dials.

 On October 2, Feldmar Watch Company hosted a special event with Bremont.  I had the pleasure to meet Nick English (co-founder of the brand) and Mike Pearson (Director of North America) during the event.  Having always been a fan of the brand, I was extremely excited to finally see them in person.  

This past Sunday I had the pleasure to meet with Fiona Krüger and her husband to talk watches and learn more about her brand, Fiona Krüger Timepieces (also on Instagram).  Fiona is currently on a business trip, stopping by Los Angeles and Mexico to meet up with customers, watch aficionados, and different retailers.

On September 2, I attended the SevenFriday LA Flash Party with a few members of the #LAWatchGang.  Had the chance to meet Anish Bhatt (@watchanish), Daniel Niederer (the creator of SevenFriday), and Armen Eskijian (from Beverly Hills Watch Company).

 On July 1, Bell & Ross hosted an exclusive event for the #lawatchgang, the unveiling of their B-Rocket.  This was a special event for me as I worked together with Robert Kolcon (Western Regional Sales Manager at Bell & Ross) to make this night a reality.  Special thanks to Robert, Stacie Orloff (President Bell & Ross Americas), Bell & Ross, and Feldmar Watch Company for the lovely event.  

I was one of the fortunate few that had the opportunity to attend a very special all expenses paid GTG hosted by Maurice Lacroix for watch passionate people like myself.  The event was held in Las Vegas on May 31.

On May 15, I attended the "LA Collector's Event" dinner hosted by Feldmar Watch Company and Maurice Lacroix and what a night!  Definitely one of the most fun and informative watch-related nights I've ever had.

After missing the last two #LAWatchGang GTGs, I made sure I did not miss October's!  As always, great company and beautiful watches.  Brands in attendance that night included: IWC, Rolex, Heuer, Patek Philippe, Audemars PIguet, TAG Heuer, Seiko, Omega, Weiss, Tourneau, Hamilton, JLC, and many others.  Please keep in mind that I try to take photos of watches that have not yet been featured in my previous GTG reports.  

July’s #LAWatchGang GTG was hosted by the Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique in Beverly Hills.  So besides enjoying our member’s watches and conversations, last month we added a few Jaeger-LeCoultre beauties to the mix… a few Tourbillons and even a Spherotourbillon!  Not a bad month!

April's #LAWatchGang GTG was huge!  With over 25 members showing up, the number of watches was insane!  Two members brought with them a large part of their collection so we had more watches than we had people!  As it should be!  Brands represented during this GTG included: Rolex, Tudor, IWC, Audemars Piguet, Bell & Ross, Omega, Breitling, TAG Heuer, Nomos Glashutte, Vacheron Constantin, Longines, Panerai, Sinn, Chronoswiss, and many more!  Please keep in mind that I try to take photos of watches that have not yet been featured in my previous GTG reports.  

On April 11, two members of the #redbarcrew (@redbarcrew) were in town (@kmcgivney and @atommoore) so a GTG with the #LAWatchGang was a no-brainer!  And as if the night could get any better, Robert Kolcon (@robertkolcon) from Bell & Ross showed up with a few pieces from Bell & Ross from his personal collection.  Great timepieces + great company = great night!

Last month's #LAWatchGang GTG was fun as always!  Several new faces for me and plenty of watches that I had not seen before.  Add delicious tacos to the mix and all I can say is that I certainly enjoyed every minute of it.  Some of the brands in attendance that night include Rolex, Ressence, Tudor, Omega, Hamilton, Glashutte Original, Panerai, Girard-Perregaux, Breguet, Audemars Piguet, and Heuer.

The #LAWatchGang is growing rapidly!  Just a year ago we were only a handful of watch geeks and now we are averaging 15 people per meet.  Not bad if you ask me.  Last month's meet offered a great variety as usual... plenty of vintage pieces and a few modern ones.

This is Part II of the #LAWatchGang special evening with Hartmut Kraft.  For the first half of the evening, please see Part I.

Last Tuesday we had a very special ##LAWatchGang GTG with Hartmut Kraft (aka H).  For those unfamiliar with H, he is the President of DKSH (responsible for the distribution of Maurice Lacroix, Glycine, and several other brands in North America).  Before he became an executive in the watch industry, H was and is simply one of us... a true watch enthusiast.

November's #LAWatchGang GTG was by far our largest and craziest GTG so far, with special guest Devon Works.  From a vintage Heuer Monaco to the ultra-futuristic Devon Tread 1, this GTG was simply WOW... overstimulated is an understatement.

For October's #LAWatchGang GTG, @toysofawis surprised the OGs with a customized polo shirt!  Thank you again!  As usual, a lot of familiar faces, but we also had two newcomers with interesting watches.  The selection at October's GTG was quite varied.  Remember, if you are a watch aficionado and would like to attend our monthly #LAWatchGang GTG, please feel free to contact me.

 For this month's #LAWatchGang GTG we had special guest Cameron Weiss from Weiss Watch Company join us.  Friends, Weiss watches, more watches, tacos, drinks... another great GTG! 

This month's #LAWatchGang GTG was probably the biggest to date.  With over 15 people in attendance, the watches to drool over certainly did not disappoint! 

This month's #LAWatchGang GTG was all about the modern Rolex GMT-Master II.  In total we had four different GMTs: steel (ref. 116710LN), steel with black/blue bezel (ref. 116710BLNR), two tone (ref. 116713LN), and the 18K yellow gold with green dial (ref. 116718).  

This Monta Oceanking was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.

I am very excited for our very first comparison review!  The straps will be compared against each other under the same categories of a regular strap review.  For each category, a winner will be selected (or it could be a tie) and an overall winner will be chosen at the end of the review.  Since both of these straps were previously reviewed in detail (Rubber B Rubber Strap with Tang Buckle for Rolex GMT-Master II and Everest Rubber Strap with Tang Buckle for Rolex GMT-Master II), this comparison review will only focus on the differences between the two straps and not on the details of each individual strap.  Note that for this battle, the straps are the tang buckle versions and sold as fitting the Rolex GMT-Master II.

This Horus strap was reviewed on 5 different criteria.  The review is for this specific strap, other straps may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.  If you would like to submit your product for a review, please contact me.

This Snyper Two Yellow was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.

This Rubber B strap was reviewed on 5 different criteria.  The review is for this specific strap, other straps may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.  If you would like to submit your product for a review, please contact me.

This Everest Bands strap was reviewed on 5 different criteria.  The review is for this specific strap, other straps may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.  If you would like to submit your product for a review, please contact me.

This Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Mysterious Seconds (ref. MP6558-SS001-095-1) was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.

This Graham Chronofighter Superlight Carbon (2CCBK.B15A) was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.

This IWC Pilot Chronograph (ref. 3777) was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.

This Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver (15703ST.OO.A002CA.01) was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.

This Devon Tread 1 (Version C) was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.

This Rolex Explorer II (ref. 216570) was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.  Please also check out my review on the 116710BLNR. 

Life of a WIS is once again expanding the "Reviews" section to now include reviews of watch related accessories.  The first accessory to go through my tough scrutiny is this North Atlantic anchor bracelet from WatchBandit.com (@watchbandits).  This bracelet was reviewed on 5 different criteria.  The review is for this specific bracelet, other bracelets may perform differently.  If you would like to submit your product for a review, please contact me.

This Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Gravity (ref. MP6118-SS001-110) was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.

This CT Scuderia (ref. CS10210) was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.

This Girard-Perregaux Chrono Hawk (ref. 49970-11-131-HDBA) was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.

This Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph (ref. 26400SO.OO.A002CA.01) was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.

Life of a WIS is expanding the "Reviews" section to now include reviews of aftermarket straps.  The first straps to go through my tough scrutiny were these perlon straps (blue and red) from whatchs.com (@whatchs).  These straps were reviewed on 5 different criteria.  The review is for these specific straps, other straps may perform differently.  If you would like to submit your product for a review, please contact me.

This Maurice Lacroix Chronographe Retro (ref. PT6288-SS001-130) was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.

This Rolex GMT-Master II (ref. 116710BLNR) was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.  Having owned a 116710LN from 2009 to 2014, this Rolex was no stranger to me.

This Swatch Sistem51 (ref. SUTS401) was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences.

This SevenFriday P1-1 was reviewed on 10 different criteria.  The review is for this specific watch, other models may perform differently.  Evaluation is based on my wrist size, personal opinions, experiences, and preferences. 

The exclusive Life of a WIS interview series continues with my next guest: Lee Scott, Founder of Vulcan Watch Straps. Stay tuned for a strap review of the Azure Blue strap and find out how Vulcan Watch Straps compares to Rubber B and Everest Bands!

The exclusive Life of a WIS interview series continues with my next guest: Chase Fancher, Founder of Oak & Oscar.  I met Chase for the first time during his visit to Los Angeles last year.  Though I had seen many photos of the Burnham (his very first model) on Instagram, I had actually never seen one in person.  After playing and dissecting the watch, it is evident that no detail was left to chance.  Every detail on the Burnham has been meticulously designed by Chase.

The exclusive Life of a WIS interview series continues with my third guest: Scott Meller, Vice President of Feldmar Watch Company.  I met Scott for the first time during a special Maurice Lacroix event that was held at their beautiful retail store.  Feldmar Watch Company was renovated in 2013 for their 100th Anniversary and WOW... the new store is simply fantastic.  With over 10,000 square feet of showroom space, there are plenty of watches to enjoy.  They are an authorized dealer for all the brands in their showroom, which includes: Omega, Breguet, Blancpain, Arnold & Son, Bovet, Bremont, Jaquet Droz and many many more.

The exclusive Life of a WIS interview series continues with my second guest: Fiona Krüger, Founder of Fiona Krüger Timepieces.  I met her for the first time in September this year while she was on her business trip visiting Los Angeles.

As part of the exclusive content only available at Life of a WIS, I am very excited to share with everyone my very first interview post.  And what better person to kick this off than my favorite aftermarket strap supplier and good friend... Ron, Owner of BandRbands.com (@bandrbands).  BandRbands.com is your one stop for all aftermarket Bell & Ross straps and more!  Great quality, various sizes to accommodate all wrists, and extremely reasonable prices... no wonder they are my favorite place to buy aftermarket straps!