It will not have gone unnoticed by loyal Chrono24 users: A lot has happened on our marketplace in the past few days and weeks – with a new logo, a new look and the “Time is our Thing” campaign, we are bringing a breath of fresh air to our platform and stirring up a lot of dust. Despite all the changes, however, one thing has remained the same: Our passion for watches. That’s why we want to share a few of our favorite timepieces with you in this series of articles. Whether marketing, IT, sales or customer service – we have turned all our teams upside down and asked some of our in-house “watch nerds” to put together their personal top 3 for you.
Balazs Ferenczi, Head of Brand Engagement at Chrono24
Ever since he can remember, Balazs has been fascinated by (vintage) watches – and they became even more than a hobby as he started to write about luxury timepieces as a freelance watch journalist and finally joined Chrono24 more than 10 years ago. As Head of Brand Engagement, he now makes sure that this passion for watches runs like a red thread not only through the Chrono24 marketplace, but also through our brand presence and our cooperations.
When he looks for watches himself, he usually already knows exactly what he is looking for, as he tells us:
When you’re looking for a watch – what are the most important criteria for you?
Balazs: I don’t really browse looking for a watch – when I’m on the marketplace looking for a timepiece, I know exactly what I want. So, I’m keen on knowing the details like service history, previous owners, shipping and payment. I guess you could say the boring stuff.
What are your three all-time favorite watches that you recommend to our readers and why?
Omega Speedmaster Professional (neo-vintage) or vintage but with 861 movement
Balazs: One of the coolest chronographs ever made. The size and look, its history and the many variations offer an array of products that I’m sure anyone can pick a favorite from. I chose the 861 movement (1969 onwards) as it’s a more robust caliber than its predecessor, the caliber 321. I love an aged tritium dial, the white lume that turned cream just adds amazing character to this already intriguing piece. This definitely could be the highlight of anyone’s collection.
King Seiko 45-7000 hand-wound
Balazs: Vintage King Seikos are among the so-called sleeper watches in the vintage collecting circles. These 70s timepieces offer an amazing price/value ratio. The quality of these watches is second to none, often with a high beat or even COSC certified movement with beautiful finishing. I love how understated they look and due to the smaller size feel awesome on the wrist. Thanks to its case shape, models like the 45-7000 are instantly recognizable but they are extremely versatile.
Rolex GMT-Master ref. 1675 Pepsi
Balazs: My very first Rolex was a 1675 that I bought about a decade ago. At the time, the price was nowhere near today’s market value, but this was not the reason I bought it. To me, the slimmer case profile, the red and blue bezel matched with the black dial and cream patina indexes was an amazing visual combination. So much so that it took me many years to add another Rolex to the collection. Even that had to be 4-digit, as to me, they represent the pinnacle of vintage Rolex.
Is there a special moment or a story of your life that you relate with watches in general or with one of your watches?
Balazs: Literally my whole life revolves around watches, so it is very hard to pick one specific moment. I’ve never had an heirloom watch with a great story that was passed down to me by my parents or grandparents. So, I guess it’s up to me to create these stories for my own family. Many of my timepieces in my collection, especially the vintage ones, have cool stories about how I got them or who helped me find them. You’d be amazed where some of these pieces come from, or who found them.
What does “time” mean for you in general?
Balazs: Time is as important to me as oxygen. Figuratively and literally speaking. Many of the achievements I’ve had in life are connected to my job, which revolves around watches that represent time. Equally, having time for my loved ones, time to take off from work or focus on hobbies and other activities must also be part of everyone’s life. It is so important and often we forget about it. And lastly, in this fast-paced world, time is crucial to manage our lives. And sometimes taking time off is all we need.
When you have 5 minutes of unexpected me-time – what do you do?
Balazs: Usually, I try to do nothing. I’m on my computer or phone a lot. So having 5 minutes when I do not have to do anything often means I try to do exactly that. But it does not happen often.
