Acquiring this watch took a more circuitous route than most. I attended the forum preview of the Dune and like the Aquitaine before it, I was a little underwhelmed. It was perfectly lovely, I appreciated the the design and the engineering and the little steps up each had taken, but I wasn't reaching for my credit card.
When the Dune edition of Loupe arrived, there was a macro shot of the white sand on a similarly coloured background and the finishing on the dial, the blobs and the applied logo hit me. They looked lovely. I'd vowed I would not buy another watch with the same handset and a Trident seconds hand, and counting the ordered FLE, did I need CW number 15? Of course not, but as we know, need and want are two very different things.
So back in February I had a couple of hundred quid in my watch fund and although I had never sold a watch before, and never really wanted to, I agreed with myself that if I could make enough money from a couple of sales I would buy one and see if I liked it as much as I did in the pictures.
The sales went easily enough, I offloaded a Marloe I never wore and a C3 Malvern Chrono Mk2 found a new home around these parts. So I was good to go. Then as if the universe was trying to tell me something it went onto pre-order for May. Taking the cosmic hint, and with a swollen watch fund burning a hole in my bank account I turned my attention to a Farer Hopewell. I'd long admired the Farer, it didn't have a Trident seconds hand and was almost in reach. I saved a little longer, was ready to buy...and it sold out. Although an email to Farer confirmed it would be back, with their newer movement, in June.
I turned my attention back to the Dune, even though I started to see real world pictures where it didn't look as nice. I ordered on March 31st to avoid the price increase and it was due in early May, then mid May, then late May, then Early June, then mid June. I reconciled the wait and at least I could buy the Dune and the Farer for my Birthday, in June and compare. Then Farer told me that they were now looking at October for the Hopewell. By this time it was nearly a year since I'd bought a watch and I was starting to get the shakes. The FLE was definitely going to be arriving fashionably late and at this rate the Dune would be a Christmas present.
Then last week, whilst abroad, I got an email that the Dune was coming...Not early June, not mid June...But late May! It would be delivered on Tuesday...the day I got back...Then on Saturday I got a text from the Finance Director, who remained at home, advising, slightly sternly that a CW box had arrived. I placated the FD and confirmed it had already been agreed in the budget and when I got home, there it was. I Don't know why, but for the first time ever I didn't dive straight in. I didn't open it for three days. I think I was worried about finally having to make a decision.
Anyway it's open. Wow! I absolutely love it. I remember remarking that the Sealander brought a massive step up in finishing. This has done the same again. The dial is exquisite. The finishing on the applied indices is phenomenal. It's doesn't just catch the light it glints and sparkles like the summer sun dancing off the waves. It's colour is beautifully understated and it really does manage to be a field watch and a dress watch. The crystal also plays tricks with the light and in some lights the hands look gold. They are definitely silver but in the late evening sun I was absolutely convinced they'd fitted gold hands. I'm so pleased with this one and can't wait to get it on my wrist with a linen shirt for some lovely evenings dining against the sinking sunlight in the Med in a few weeks.
It took a while from preview to wrist but it was worth the wait. And the Farer? There is always Christmas.
