A memorable experience in London: SalonQP

Diogo Costa
7 de nov. de 2017
5 min de leitura

The Legacy Machine Split Escapement from MB&F!

This weekend a special event took place in London.

And I was lucky to be able to attend as press, a memorable moment for me, my first event attending as press.

Let me just tell you that is for me an honor to live this experiences, and every single time a thought happens to cross my mind “I wish I could bring every single friend, every single supporter and reader with me so you guys could also live this amazing moment!”

I’m working towards that!

After landing in London I straight away traveled to my hotel, because on the first night of the event, thursday, a gala would take place.

I immediately took the tuxedo from my bag, and my bow tie also and I thought “This is the moment where my experience starts”, after having this thought I said “Let’s go!”

Fortunately I ended up staying at an hotel really close to Saatchi Gallery, on the next days I would find that the hotel was the right one to choose (it isn’t easy with formal shoes to walk a lot).

The Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon

7pm

Finally arrived at Saatchi gallery, a beautiful palace with a awesome looking roman portico situated at the Duke of York Square, at this time it was already night and I could see lots of people also wearing tuxedos and suits, but not everyone.

I entered the gallery and I finally saw with my own eyes the interior, that I multiple times saw online when searching for more info.

I registered as press, and finally met Marie from the organization of the event, that gave me a warm welcome. Such kindness and humbleness.

8pm

After checking-in, I saw myself really curious to check the first floor first, instead of the ground floor, if you ask me I don’t know why…

After entering one of the showrooms, I saw a familiar face in the back of the room, for my own surprise was great to see a familiar portuguese face, Mr. Miguel Seabra from Espiral do Tempo.

I immediately introduced myself, gosh, it was nice to speak Portuguese!

Then, Miguel introduced me to most of the brands, it was amazing seeing how much he knows about horlogerie!

The amazing Bovet 19 Thirty with an insane blue dial

10pm

I finally had some great shots of some of my favorite timepieces, but unfortunately I only had my iPhone with me..So I promised that on the next day I would bring my digital camera.

It was amazing talking with some of the owners and directors present there, they were all so driven and motivated that their energy could almost be seen!

On the days after the event I contacted James from Itskibblewatches so we could meet up at the event and so we did.

It’s amazing how hard it can be to find that guy in such a small place, it took almost one hour to find each other.

After meeting and having a talk with James and his father (that also, likes James, understands a lot about watches) we decided to go for a walk inside the gallery so we could try some watches and help each others out regarding photography.

James with his two watches: a Tudor Black Bay and an Oris

Second day

On the second day I finally had my camera with me, damn I was quite excited that day, I wore my second suit and there I was, ready to another day of enthusiasm.

At 10am I was already waiting for the gallery to open, but on this moments of waiting I always found someone to talk watches with.

11am

I had just entered the event and I straightaway had to start photographing, and what an exciting day it was, every picture turned out how I had imagined it on the day before.

I always shown the pictures to the brand professionals there, and their reaction was, every single time, a reward to me.

A excited and passionate reaction to the photo.

I find that, sometimes, we have to look to a photography of a watch to discover new ways of embracing and enjoying its beauty.

A close-up at the MB&F Octopod

3pm

After a great lunch with Tiago, the person behind the Bovet stand, and one of the greatest persons I know in the business, I decided to take a closer look at some of the brands I didn’t yet visited, and I ended up making even more photos.

On that same day I felt butterflies on my stomach, finally, after 3 months of hard work and planning, my G2G was about to happen, the attendees would arrive on Saturday.

Like you probably saw on the G2G website I focused my attention on providing two experiences for all attendees, the G2G and the SalonQP so everybody could learn more on a single day.

The Manufacture Royale Androgyne

Third and last day

Already on the street, walking to the event, I texted James (like we both did on the other days of the Salon) so we could meet again at the gallery, we were really excited to finally meet the guys behind some of the nicest Instagram pages out there.

1pm

On this day the event started at 12am instead of the regular 10am opening, and unfortunately for me, my excitement lead me to arriving at 10am, so here I was, staying at Pret a Manger for two hours till I finally had my friend Alex with me, that regularly photographs for my page.

Like always, we talked about watches and personal things.

And he’s Portuguese also, and I met him in Portugal too, so we are great friends first.

Saatchi Gallery where the event was held

2pm

At that moment I was finishing my lunch and I remembered that a_collected_man was attending the event also, and what a nice opportunity to finally met the person behind this amazing page!

I immediately texted him asking if he would like to meet up, he said yes, but first he had to speak at a seminar happening at the Salon.

When he said this to me I was like “Wait, seminar=more knowledge, count me in!”

Just five minutes after texting a_collected_man, James texted me saying he was at the seminar, what were the odds right?!

3pm

The seminar ended and we were all (Me, Alex, James and his father) outside taking wrist shots with a_collected_man, sort of like groupies but on a watch perspective.

After a_collected_man exiting the gallery I received a message from aDutchWrist

“Where are you?”

And I said to the group “Hey, guys! aDutchWrist is here! It’s going to be tough to be recognized but I’m sending him a selfie!”

Everybody agreed with me, but in the moment I said this, a guy start to laugh at me.

I immediately understood that “the guy” was aDutchWrist!

He was there with other attendees of the G2G, like DeGriffStraps such great persons!!

4pm

To my own surprise they already had seen all the showrooms but they didn’t even tried a single watch!

And I thought “If I tried the watches so this guys will too! They deserve to feel this amazing watches!”

And there I was with all this amazing persons by my side talking and trying watches!!

What an amazing day, and it was just starting!

5pm

After an incredible afternoon with lots of laughs, knowledge being shared and lots of fun we all decided to meet at 6:30pm at The Langham Hotel, for the G2G.