PATRIA WATCHES - OMEGA SIBLING?

Patria is a Latin word cognate with the Greek πατρίς (patris), both of which derive from the word for "father", or “fatherland”.

The watch brand Patria is commonly mentioned in the same breath as the brands of Brandt, Gurzelen, Labrador, Regina and Helvetia, all of whom are seen as “sister brands” of Omega.

Earlier this year I received this Patria as a gift.

Unfortunately, I don’t really have a horological book collection, so I have been somewhat limited in my primary and secondary material searches. What this has lead me to so far is puzzlement.

The puzzlement is about the actual Patria brand itself. There appear to be two schools of thought.

The first is that along with the brands mentioned above i.e. Brandt, Gurzelen, Labrador, Regina, Helvetia, it is a sibling of Omega in the sense that these brands are early manifestations of the brand as we know it today.

The second school of thought that I came across, with reference to Pritchard’s “Swiss Timepiece Makers” was that Patria was known in 1920 as “E.Matthey & Ed.Mathey-Grau, Patria Watch Co., Bienne). Omega Watch Co., New York, was listed in 1924 and 1925 as importing the brands Sada, Himalaya, Patria, Omega, Regina, Champ, Ethic, and Meric. According to this information, Patria was imported by Omega between 1910 and 1924 but Patria itself was not as a separate company until 1924.

I admit to having been rather restricted in my research to date, especially as I do not have a copy of that monumental Omega : A Journey Through Time, but I am interested in knowing a bit more about the brand. Coincidentally, another one of the Tarts also has a vintage Patria, which she was also given as a gift, but I haven’t yet had the opportunity to photoraph it.

If anyone has any knowledge of these “minor” Omega brands, I’d love to learn some more about them.

[AP]

A TALE OF THREE BURGERS

Plan B by Becasse
204 Clarence Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Ph: 9283 3450


GPO Oyster Bar
No.1 Martin Place
Sydney NSW 2000
Ph : 92997700


It all started with the Rockpool Wagyu Burger. In the last month, I have eaten three burgers, which is more than I normally eat in a year. Although the flavouring (and especially the brioche bun) of the Rockpool Burger was good, the experience had been been soured by the presence two things that should not have been there. I am prepared to give most places more than one chance, so I will return there at some point to see if I fare better on a second occasion.

I had yet to have Plan B’s Wagyu Burger, but having been struck by burgermania, it was onward ho.

Herewith, the $10 Plan B burger, described as “600-day grain fed wagyu beef burger”.

A significant $8 cheaper than the Rockpool one, I found it quite different. The sesame seeds on the bun were a welcoming “old school” item, but I must confess that tastewise, I preferred the Rockpool brioche. The patty itself was saltier than Rockpool’s, and with a little bit of charred crunch to its exterior, but unfortunately, fell apart as soon as I cut the burger in half (for ease of consumption). Needless to say, the fork came in handy. I did enjoy the beetroot, another “old school” item.

Part way into the burger, I began to wonder whether I was just unlucky, or had been jinxed by some sort of manic Burger Diety, as lo and behold, I encountered two unexpected visitors again, only in this case, it wasn’t gristle and cartilage, but gristle and well, you can see for yourself....




I could do nothing but laugh resignedly at this point, but it did make me turn slightly monomaniacal about having another burger sooner rather than later. This time, I thought that I’d go with the “non wagyu” approach, but still target a location where I’d hope that the burger would maybe be a bit interesting, and at the very least, tasty, and in a price range between Rockpool and Plan B. Maybe I'd get lucky.

The destination was by chance rather than planning, and it was the GPO Oyster Bar. Their $15.50 beef burger, described as “Pure beef pattie [sic] (160g) seasoned with onions and garlic and served with egg, tomato, cucumber, lettuce, mayonnaise in a buttered Panini and served with chips” was presented as follows –



I think that the photo speaks for itself – the presentation is rather basic, the patty is considerably flatter than the other two, and the egg rather institutional in appearance. The chips were as they appear, rather ordinary.

A cross section gives a better indication of the innards -

What can I say? It was a burger. It wasn’t an exciting burger, but of the three that I’ve eaten this year, it was the only one gristle free.

[AP]

Good Food & Wine Show
Convention Centre
Darling Harbour
Sydney NSW 2000

3-5 July 2009


Not having been to the Good Food & Wine Show for a number of years, largely due to an anathema re: navigating through crowds intent on freebie maximisation, I hadn’t planned on going this year, but the post of thelonefoodie proved my undoing. With many thanks to chocolatesuze (aka The Biscuit Tree), I found myself one of the many recipients of her generous twitter GF&W Show ticket giveaways.

Staggering my way to Darling Harbour, hidden behind sunglasses, I almost missed chocolatesuze. Handing over my energy drink offering, as per the advice of thelonefoodie, we parted ways as she headed back to man her stall, and I headed inwards.

Wishing to do the logical thing of going down each row systematically, I had only made it to the first row, where I was given a discount brochure by Singapore Airlines (I find it slightly hilarious that their stand, which looked spartan at best, had decided to illustrate Singaporean’s rich food culture by means of instant noodles and packaged food), when chocolatesuze called, asking me if I wanted to see Tobie Puttock.

Huh? I thought, WHO??? There is a wee hole in my education with regards to knowing as many chefs and restaurants as I probably should....I suppose that I am just kind of go where I go according to my own ever changing non-existent guidelines type of person; some chefs and restaurants I find out about, others I don't. Without doubt there are chefs and restaurants I would like to visit, but I’m just not really that au fait with all major chefs, so feel horror if you must....!

Back to Tobie Puttock. I thought that she should give the ticket to someone else, given that she’d already given me a free entry ticket, but as she was going, and I hadn’t actually ever been to one of the GF&W chef related shows, I thought okay, why not?

Giving the other extra ticket to a startled woman queuing for a ticket, we entered to a perhaps two-thirds full mini stadium.

Naturally, I took advantage of the pre-show so-called comedy routine to take a photo of the watch I had chosen to wear for the day....

I’d decided that there was no watch more suited to “battling the crowds” than my most indestructible watch, the Sinn U1. An American collector once relayed to myself and the other Tarts the story of how had once given some folks a heart attack when, to illustrate to some sceptics how hard tegimented steel actually is, he repeatedly and forcibly hit his U1 against a block of concrete, with not a mark to this monster of a watch.

The Sinn U1 is constructed from the same (tegimented) steel that is used on the outer hull of submarines, and purchased by by Sinn from a steel supplier to Emden GmbH, a German North Sea shipbuilding yard which constructs submarines. This steel is not only extraordinarily sea water resistant but it also possesses a very high anti-magnetic quality. Standard steel used by most watch companies has a hardness of between 200 and 300 Vickers. Sinn’s tegimented steel is up to 1,500 Vickers, which gives it an incredibly high level of protection against case damage from salt water and corrosion. It is also water resistant up to 1000m.

Sinn's (trademarked) tegiment surface hardening process derives from food technology. Food processing machines are made from stainless steel but they must be extremely resistant to corrosion. If their surfaces are soft, their molecular structure is as such that rust appears easily. By surface hardening these machines, their molecular structure is sealed and they are made extremely resistant to corrosion. The process is performed below 300 degrees and uses a special mixture of air and gas. This creates a chemical reaction that closes the molecular structure of the metal.

Helmut Sinn, the founder of the eponymous Sinn Spezialuhren Zu Frankfurt Am Main, though no longer affiliated with it but with GUINAND-UHREN Helmut Sinn GmbH , is an interesting and to some, divisive man, and I will do a short separate post about him as well.

So back to Tobie Puttock of “Fifteen” in Melbourne. Well it was interesting, and I found my first experience of what the audience is like at these events amusing. Assuming that it was a typical audience of course. There were 3 courses and approximately two dozen people walked out during the show – is that normal or was it something about the sidekick’s comedy routine?

After making sure that there would be enough Biscuit Tree biscotti and shortbread left for when I eventually made it over to Stand F8, off my U1 and I went to battle through the hungry hordes.

This woman from Luvaduck appeared to be enjoying herself but cracking really bad puns and the like about ducks. I don’t know how many ducks she helped sell but she deserves a gold star for her effort.

At the Lifestyle Food Channel’s stand, you could enter a competition to win a Kitchenaid and various and sundry bits and pieces, including the pasta rack.

I really liked the bags at Batlow. So much so that I almost spent $2 on half a doz apples to get the bag, but eventually dragged myself away by reminding myself that I could go and get some perfectly decent apples for far less at the nearby Paddy’s Markets.

One thing that had me marginally perplexed was the large number of people interested in the various instant noodle exhibitors. Now I love my instant noodles as much as the next person, but seriously, what were they doing at a Good Food & Wine Show anyway?

Tender Value Meats were cooking up a veritable storm of Thai Chicken, Basil and Coconut Cream sausages.




Seeing the pies at Mick's Bakehouse

I decided to get some. 2 Beef Burgundy pies for $5 was the deal at this point.

These were really pretty ordinary. They are award winning pie makers but I found the pastry bland, the filling “gluggy”, for want of a better expression with almost glue like consistency, and there was no tomato sauce!

That was the only food I paid to eat (though I purchased some items to take with me) so here are some of the other things that passed my way.

Adora Handmade Chocolates

Market Pride

Barossa Fine Foods

Pacific Coast Eco Bananas

Movenpick Ice Cream

Stracciatella

Manu Fidel of L'Etoile at the Campbell's booth :

Unlike when thelonefoodie visited, the National Food stand was somewhat lacking in the acitivity department. I went past a few times, but they remained doggedly cooked-pizza-free.

To my complete surprise, I bumped into my favourite watchmaker Max.

Last but not least, chocolatesuze, who had a list of about two dozen "stalkers" by this point...LOL.

And my purchases from the day –

From The Biscuit Tree - shortbread for myself, Pistachio Biscotti for TheChap, and the Coffee & Ginger Biscotti for AnonymousChocolateSuzeFan.

Tender Value Meats

The Poacher's Pantry

Carmans's Fine Foods

[AP]

Firefly Bar

24 Young Street

Neutral Bay

Ph : 02 9909 0193

We wandered into this place quite by accident. Driving past Neutral Bay, our hunger dictated that we made a stop and to look for something to eat. Deciding to forgo the usual places such as Oporto and Subway, in light of something a little more… shall we say, cultured? We stumbled upon Firefly. Seeing that there were people inside already, it was a good start…

The place had a great ambience. Wooden panels and wooden tables and chairs give it a warm atmosphere, and the soft jazz playing in the background suited the mood quite well - that of the lazy Sunday afternoon. It wasn’t too full, so the noise level was low.

On the first cursory glance through the menu, the prices seemed a little on the high side, until AL realised that there was a stimulus package special on - it was $20 per person, and you get 2 plates to share, and a drink. So between the 2 of us, we ordered 4 different plates and AL had the house white, whereas I went for the Peroni. It just felt like that sort of an afternoon.

First up were the seared scallops with caramelised fennel and Spanish vinegar. It was so delicious that I doubt it could’ve been improved. This could easily take on restaurants twice the price and still beat them hands down. The combination of the flavours was simply perfectly weighted, and the scallops almost melted in my mouth. It went with the beer really well, and I could not have asked for a better way to start the meal. The potato fries came along with it, and again, fried to perfection. It was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and lightly salted - just right…

Then came the Chicken Parmigiana with Italian coleslaw. I think this was the surprise dish of the day. The coleslaw was laid on top of the chicken and the crisp, fresh salad juxtaposed with the warm chicken fillet, giving an interesting palette that worked amazingly well together.

Last up was the chargrilled sirloin with celeriac puree. It looked delicious, with enough pink for me to think that it’s not overcooked. Sadly, it was quite firm, so you really had to chew through the meat, which was great if you wanted to give your jaws a good workout, but maybe not the best time… However, again the combination of the beef with the celeriac puree was divine. I was thinking that the dish would’ve been perfect if wagu beef was used instead. I’d gladly pay the extra.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the meal, and it had exceeded my expectations. (Actually, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I just hoped that it would be half decent.) Definitely a place I would go again in a blink of an eye. I think it’s a great place for a lazy Sunday afternoon late lunch, as there are a few other plates I would love to try. -K

Chronic vs. Pork Spare Rib Noodle

Ramen Gumshara
Eating World
Harbour Plaza
Dixon Court
25-29 Dixon St
Haymarket
Sydney NSW 2000

Closed : Mondays

Lunch : 2 July 2009.

Watch folks can sometimes get excited by limited edition (LE) and limited production watches, but limited production ramen? Apparently it is not uncommon in Japan but news of it at Gumshara set my tastebuds wondering.

It would be my first step beyond the Chronic, and given that there are only 10 made per day, I wasn't fancying my chances at being able to get a Pork Spare Rib Noodle ($13) after 1pm.

Perhaps my consumption levels have been a little high, as I was recognised both by the woman who takes the orders, and the Tonkotsu master himself. 

There is a new apprentice. Does this mean that there has been a rush and they need more staff?

Perhaps I looked a little too happy when told that yes there was still some of the limited production ramen available. Warned about its stickiness, I armed myself with extra tissues and napkins. I mean there's going to be a bone, isn't there? It's a rib after all.

The broth was very intense today. It has been exceptionally so on my last two visits, so I'm wondering whether it is simply going to be like this from now on.

The verdict? The meat was very fatty and tender and fell apart at the touch of my chopsticks. It would have been more-ish, and taken over as a personal preference from the Chronic, if it had been less salty. I like salty foods but the (boneless) rib just tipped over for me. Whether this is the norm or an aberration I don't know, so I will give it another shot (and also try the tomato soup version) before deciding whether to go back to the original. [AP]

An unexpected IWC surprise - 2 July 2009

There were only half a dozen attendees at Tarts tonight but there was a pleasant surprise gift given by one of the Tarts to another - a poster of one of the latter's favourite watches, the IWC TZC Automatic Ref. 3251.

A simple elegant poster :


and the back :

When a certain Tart is in love, the object of his affections has no choice but to be drawn into his horological obsession, and so it proved one warm Sydney Winter’s day when he crossed paths with first one and then another, Tart, all in the name of watches.

He has given me permission to put his photos (taken with a Nokia N71 in bad lighting conditions so pardon the bad quality).

Having cycled in, the man sometimes known as the Cheesemaster first met with one Tart at the Lindt Cafe on Martin Place for a drink,

after which the latter returned to work, and I met him outside a certain AD. We had been unsure as to whether we’d be welcome, given that he was in cycling gear and, with no lock, the racing cycle would have to be taken into the shop. To our surprise, he was allowed in. Surprise on a whole lot of levels but that’s a story for another day.

The lady in question has taken a fancy to the Girard-Perregaux Cat's Eye Bi-Retro in WG as a dress watch, but at this first AD, they only had the Cat’s eye Bi-Retro Zodiac Calendar.




We weren’t hyper enthused by this version of the Cat’s Eye, both of us because of the skeletonised hands making legibility a minor issue (with so much else going on the mother of pearl dial) and in my case, additionally because of the Zodiac, which I found a bit well, silly, although there seems to be some sort of a market for such things, as there is for another Girard-Perregaux women’s watch which focuses on shopping, so women can figure out whether the shops are open on Rodeo Drive yet.

Onward we went to another AD and Girard-Perregaux stockist, where they had a different, and to our mind better Cat’s Eye, the Reference. 80480.

The hands are luminous on this, and it is a happily cheaper as well LOL. The Tart’s girlfriend is interested in pink straps, so he sent her this photo as well :

The Cat’s Eye desire on her part is a long term one, but she is in need of a quality day time work watch, and the front runner at this point is the JLC Duetto Duo :

Will she get either or both of these watches, who can say.....?