Both Sides of the Fence

Keeping you up-to-date from the horological world as found in the recent Robb Report "Watch Collector," Issue No. 1, where not so much watches, but tourbillons are sold, witness the Ghengis Khan.

From Swiss watchmaker Ulysse Nardin, I'm guessing the Ghengis appeals to those feeling particularly domineering or rapacious; perhaps both. Special timepieces these -- you can't just walk up to the display case and pull one out. The representative demurred on the pricing request, saying it depends on the watchmaker with whom you work.

When I asked for a ballpark, she fairly gasped: "Who are you?" "Just someone who saw it in the watch magazine, lady." I was given the ballpark: $650,000 suisse francs. With a slightly favorable exchange rate for the U.S., 1 USD:1.17 francs, you'll pay for this watch what you could buy a shack for in Ojai, should such a thing be available.

Meanwhile, in my neck of the woods, if you asked about the horological forecast, you'd probably get a concerned look about the state of AIDS and other STD's in our counties, one of which leads the state in number of newly reported AIDS cases this year. These people won't be buying the Ghengis Khan anytime soon.

--Lisa