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Amassing 1,000 platinum and white gold watches of distinction is not an easy task.
By Roberta Naas
There are watch aficionados, watch lovers and watch collectors. Where the line is drawn between one and another is not always clear. Distinctions are blurred. Generally, however, when one speaks to the experts at the auction houses, the top brands and amongst the elite corps of watch buffs – a single common thread weaves that defines a collector: a passionate buyer who simply can’t – and won’t – stop.
Such is the case with Abbas Y. Behbehani, affectionately known -- with known being the operative word -- by his friends and colleagues as Abbas. This man is perhaps one of the foremost collectors of watches – with a penchant for luxury timepieces that has landed him a series of the world’s finest watches from the best brands on the globe.
“I haven’t actually counted them,” Abbas says. “I just know around how many I have – and I wear them.”
Indeed, he does wear his watches – unlike many collectors who hide them away in safes. On the day I spent interviewing him, he was sporting a Patek Philippe skeleton watch, one that he says he had accidentally dropped and broken, and had to have totally refurbished. .
“It’s ok, those things are going to happen if you wear your watches and I love these watches, I want to enjoy wearing them, “ Abbas says warmly.
As Abbas and I walked the Doha Watch and Jewelry Fair together, wherever we went, the watch brand executives hailed him by name, asking him which watch he was wearing
His vast collection includes multiples of many brands, with outstanding pieces from some, such as the Ulysse Nardin Astrolabium #12, Harry Winston Opus 9 (specially made), the Vacheron Kalla on strap, Girard-Perregaux with Three Gold Bridges (one of the first tourbillons he ever purchased), and several Patek Philippes, including the new Skelton watch, two cloisonné made enamel clocks one custom made with falcons. ((and the set of four falcon watches indigenous to his region)) proposed but not yet finalised (was supposed to get the world time in enamel in March but it has been delayed), and Parmigiani Bugatti, a Rolex Ice, Dewitt, Breguet and on and on. In fact, if you name it, he most likely has it – ALMOST. He says he wants a Hautlence HL2 that he doesn’t yet own, as well as a few others.
To Abbas, buying timepieces is about buying what he likes. In his early buying years, he just selected things he loved, but now he has the abilities and monetary capacity to special order many pieces. In fact, on the day I was with him, he was waiting for the Harry Winston Opus 9 to be delivered to him – he had it made with blue sapphires (blue is his favorite color).
“I like things that are different from what everyone else has,” says Abbas, who only wears platinum or white gold for religious reasons. “It is also important to be able to see the watch and read it easily, since I wear it. A lot of people buy because the watch may be worth more in the years to come, but I need to like the watch.”
Abbas, a truly affable gentleman with a warm smile, hearty laugh and good nature, is also a man of his word and a humble man. “I am honest up front when I start searching for a watch. I know what I am looking for; I am willing to listen and I want honesty from the brands and the people I deal with, especially when it comes to waiting times.”
In fact, even though Abbas has been buying watch after watch for more than 30 years, and everyone knows him, he still has to wait for many of his watches like every one else.
“I waited a year for the Opus 9 to be specially made, and I have waited 2 to 3 years for some of the watches I’ve bough. But if I wait too long, I do tend to lose interest.” It’s a humbling situation. Still, even for Abbas there are a few that got away: an Audemars Piguet Perpetual and a Patek Philippe Jumping Hour to name a couple.
Collecting at an early age
Abbas admits that his love of timepieces started when he was a child and visited his father’s business. His father sold a brand of watches called West End which at one time was the biggest selling which in the world even though it was mostly sold in the Middle East and his four uncles sold almost every other brand in addition to their other importing businesses , as well. Abbas has five brothers only one of them is in the watch and luxury goods business in some way or another.
“But I am the only one who started collection watches. I wanted to start when I was little and I saw things I liked. The first watch I liked retailed for $20 and my father said I should wait for something else. I actually started collecting at age 15 when I bought a Bulova Accutron that I saw and liked. I didn’t thing about if it would have value later. Even now I look at the looks of the watch first. It has to appeal to me or I won’t buy it.”
“I remember seeing a Perpetuelle AP and that was actually the first nice watch I bought in the early 1970s. Then I was hooked. My father thought I was crazy spending this kind of money on a watch compared to what one would pay for a West End Watch.”
In 1985, Abbas started visiting the Basel Fair – a changing point for him. He had already been reading everything he could get his hands on about watches, and, of course, he was in the business, so he was well prepared for the show.
“I saw so many watches I wanted that year and I was more prepared to buy. I saw an Omega Skelton with the movement in the outer chapter ring, Genta was there with special pieces. It was like a dream for me.”
Currently, Abbas is in the process of having a special room built for him in his home that will house his entire watch collection. Custom created by Buben & Zorweg, , the room features two entire walls of watches via watch winders, drawers and display cases build of leather and wood, and housing approximately 1,000 pieces. It is unique and specially designed for Abbas. The approximately 14x6 meter room is meticulously appointed with an amphitheater, library for watch books, space for his incredible clocks and more.
“I know it doesn’t sound like it,” says Abbas insistently, “But I am not a fanatic. I don’t take it [watch collecting] over seriously. I do it just for the love and fun of it because I love watches.”
Abbas also has a car collection of about 13 to 14 automobiles, including a limited edition Ferrari, several Bentleys (with a Bentley by Breitling watch, of course). He orders his cars with his specific needs in mind and with every possible option. He also likes writing instruments and select items in the technological realm.
He promises to share with me a walk through his new room as soon as it is complete; and we hope to share it with you, our avid readers.