My IWC takes me EVERYWHERE...

Greetings everyone,

Yesterday I was feeling delighted while browsing through the photos posted in the forum. I was particularly fond of some by Kokoro, Shing and Blue Orca just to mention a few. I posted some simple shots myself and afterwards I started thinking that mostly all photos posted are in pretty amazing locations that certainly stimulate everyone else's curiosity and sense of wonder. Since I am living in Mozambique (which is generally consider a pretty exotic location) I was planning to post photos of my Aquatimer by the beach, near some beautiful old buildings and definetely with the background view from the pool in the Polana Hotel, one of Maputo's ex-libris. I was planning to do it probably during next weekend but, today I just had a sudden inspiration... I thought why not do something that is completely different? So this afternoon I grabbed a discrete Hilux 4x4 and put my Leica in snapshot mode and I just drove through the outskirts of Maputo and took some photos of my IWC with a background of the real african everyday life. I do not intend to be provocative or use the obvious contrasts at play to create any controversy. My only point is that these are places that people outside of Africa will rarely see or know about and it might be interesting to be aware of a different reality and also yes, my IWC really takes me EVERYWHERE...!
The photos are not as good as I would like but I do hope you understand these were quick snapshots, one doesn't want to call unwanted attention.
Anyway I hope you enjoy and that these can fuel our love of watches and provide food for thought.

Thank you for bearing with me...

Jeronimo, welcome to the forum, and many thanks for sharing your country with us - Mozambique ! yet another destination I need to get myself to.

Thank you very much Shing!

Let me know whenever you feel like visiting.

I will post some more photos - in more appealing locations of the country - in the next few days.

Well, my opinion is different.
It could be very dangerous to "show" luxery items in poor countrys.
I would never use such items in poor countrys.

Regards

HEBE

Hi Hebe,

I do understand your opinion and believe me, I have a company in Africa since 1997 and been living here since 2004, so I am only to aware of the dangers.
Unfortunately is not only for using luxury items that you became a target, basically any foreign investor IS one. I had three people w/ AK47's breaking into my house in the middle of the night 2 1/2 years ago, even having a professional security guard at the door, with me, my wife, my daughter and my mother-in-law inside with the results you can imagine...
Anyway one just has to make use of good sense and do not call unnecessary attention... And I imagine that you love your watches like I love mine and its very difficult not to wear them.

Thank you for sharing your opinion and all the best.

It is very sad to see my old stumping grounds referred to as a dangerous African place. I know the length and depth of that country, from Maputo to Moçimboa da Praia, from Beira to Zumbo. When lived there it was a paradise.
Vasco da Gama, when he landed in Inhambane on his way to India, called it the "Terra da boa gente" which is Portuguese for "Land of the good folk."

Mueda, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, 1970. No danger here.

Hi Clepsydra,

Thank you for your comments!
I'm a portuguese myself and I live and work here in Mozambique by my own choice. I just tried to explain to Hebe that I clearly understood his point. This said unfortunately lately with the tremendous economical development of the country criminality has also increased in a dramatic way, with robbery, hijacking, murder and kidnapping ocurring at a frightening rate.

BUT, even despite we were robbed and held at gunpoint for three hours nobody got hurt and we are still here and I do love this country and his people, some of the best I ever found to work with!

If I may ask until when did you live here?

Keep well!

I lived there from 1970 until 1981. My wedding ceremony was held at the Polana and I was there recently, at the Polana, with my wife and daughter to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary.
I did not have an IWC when I got married, had a Breitling Navitimer, but took an Ingenieur when I returned in 2004. :-)

Your pictures make me think that at any point we, the luxury items lovers, live out of the reality. I live in Buenos Aires, and in some parts of the city, it is dangerous to show an expensive watch, a camera or a laptop. Sorry to say that, but that is our everyday reality. When I bought my last IWC, the shop wrap it in a garbage bag to not show that inside was an expensive watch, although the shop is located in one of the safest places of the city. Now I only use my IWC´s when I can cover them with a shirt or a coat, so, no IWC in summer or in hot weather.

Fantastic, what an amazing period of history you lived while in here...
I hope you enjoyed it very much! By the way where are you from? If you return anytime please drop me a line, lunch or dinner is on me... Polana obviously (they just hired a new Chef by the way)!

Hi Arqui,
Glad that my photos are getting to the point. And yes I do believe we mostly live in our sort of "parallel" reality and sometimes we tend to forget the rest of the world around us. The good thing of living in here is that you have a reality shower everyday. I'm very sad to hear that things are like that in Buenos Aires nowadays I was convinced it was still a great place to live... My wife is going to be heartbroken when I tell her...
Thank you for sharing.

The Chinese have a curse that says "May you live in interesting times" or something to that effect. Well, the years I lived in Mozambique were definitely very interesting. Probably too interesting.
I witnessed the birth of a new country, from Portuguese colony to independence (coincidently on my birthday) and the destruction of said country in about five years in the name of "Scientific Socialism". Now there's an oxymoron.
But this is a forum about IWC and not about the politics of Africa, and even less about me.
I may actually go to Maputo for a very short trip in the next six months. I'll let you know then, and we can eat some camarões, and drink Laurentina, na Costa do Sol. :-)

Wise words!
I'm married to a Taiwanese by the way...

My email is j.h2o@hotmail.com or jeronimocg@adholding.net please DO let me know before you come.

Keep well!

Had a Navitimer myself and afterwards a B2, unfortunately gone... Nice watches, not IWC though... The Ingenieur is something. I will be considering one very seriously as my next IWC! ;-)
And congratulations for your birthday (with a two week delay!).

Very nice new photo...
Liked the one with the chopper too.
Two thumbs up!

In Cabo Delgado nearby Pemba 2006

Hy, Jeronimo.
Buenos Aires City fortunately isn´t yet a so dangerous city as some of the Mexican cities, but it isn´t a safe place as some years ago it used to be. It´s a pity because it is a beautiful city, but poverty and drugs were spreading in the last years because the govern is looking more to Venezuela than to much better countries in South America like Brazil or Chile. I hope this situation can change in the near future.
Regards.

Several years ago I tried to visit the IWC boutique in Buenos Aires. It was like a fortress. At that time you had to figure out when it was open and make an appointment. They warned me several times about security. I decided that it was not worth the effort even though the currency at that time was falling apart and I probably could have made a good deal on a watch.

Hi Arqui,

That is such a shame, I do hope that things will improve in there, I've unfortunately never been to Argentina but it is high on my list of places to visit. I've been to Venezuela in the late 90's en route to the Caribbean and one could really feel the insecurity around. I was appalled to see lots of shops with guards armed with shotguns at the door...! Not very inviting.
Nevertheless, and on a happier note, at least you have an IWC shop to visit! Here in Mozambique the best thing that you can find is a very small Montblanc shop and a Swatch shop both in a little shopping centre in Maputo... Other than that there is a very small jewelry shop whose owner imports some Rolex, Omega or Tag Heuer, mainly used, from Europe and at prices that I'm not even commenting...
Anyway this is what we got, and the people that live in Europe (like I did most of my life), North America and all the other places that don't have security issues have no idea how lucky they are, still it should help us make the experience of buying and owning beautiful things all the more precious. And like a good swedish friend of mine always says COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!

All the best to you!

Hi Alan,

After visiting some places here in neighboring South Africa, particularly Johannesburg, I can completely relate to your experience!
I still prefer to buy watches in Europe or, has I've been doing lately in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Thank you for sharing.

Keep well!

Hi Everyone,

Just a few more photos taken this afternoon in more "palatable" locations of Maputo!
Av. de Angola

Av. Kenneth Kaunda

Praça do Destacamento Feminino


Somewhere in Sommerschield

Hope you enjoy!