I have always believed, through all my years as a vintage watch specialist and aficionado, that extreme quality is what makes a watch truly valuable. There may be a thousand multiples of an exact same model, but when it comes to vintage every single one will be different from the other: better examples, worst examples and, with all likelihood, very, very few exceptional examples. To me condition is the perfect balance between wear, patina and aging: these define the unique personality of a particular watch and determine its “magic.” You can find that in a watch that is still in new-old-stock condition as well as in the scruffiest beat-up survivor. I never shopped for price and always strived to buy only the extraordinary. It’s a philosophy that has always paid back myself and my clients and, as far as I am concerned, the founding principle at the base of any collection that is meant to be a wise investment.