Vintage Rolex - Meter First 5513

Since I have moved my shop, I have been busier and I haven't written an article for a long time, why don't I write about Diving 5513's Matte Dial. Rolex fans who have played with vintage diving model, they all know that in the early stage was the Lacquer Dial, in the middle stage was the Matte Dial, and the last stage was the Glossy Dial. When did Matte Dial start to be made?

The earliest Meter First Dial (MF) of Submariner Reference 5513 was produced in 1967. It came out at the same time as Lacquer Dial, so the original MF were made of the same tritium material as the Lacquer Dial. It can also turn on green ray when it encounters UV light. This kind of luminous light is relatively special. It usually looks a little bright yellow, some people call it the granulated sugar luminous light. It is the only luminous dial in the Submariner 5513 matt dial that can light up.This luminous case is the same as that of the contemporaneous models such as the GMT-Master 1675, Explorer 1016, diving 5512 MF dial.

This kind of matte dial is a product from 1967, but Rolex soon launched a dial made of tritium, which is "unlighted". We can find MF dials of the same year in the market, but with different responses to UV light. In addition to the luminous colour of this MF dial, which will turn yellow and dark, a very small amount of the black surface will turn brown and become Tropical Dial. Of course, the market price of beautiful brown dial can be very expensive, and I have not encountered a good example for many years, so I don’t have collection of this kind. 

After 2013, the appreciation of the Submariner 5513 is obvious, and it ranks among the best in the vintage sport watches. The most sought-after ones were MF and Maxi dials. After reaching the high point in 2018, there are signs of stagnation. In recent years, new watch fans are focused on new models, so the Submariner 5513 is cheaper, especially the MF 5513, which is relatively cheaper than the Maxi dial. Whether this situation will change in the future, it most likely depends on market forces.

The subsequent dial design was Feet First. In 1969, two dials were produced to replace the MF face, which were the Serif and Non-serif dials. These two dials have very similar designs. There are traces of them from the beginning of the serial number two million to the five million. How to differentiate them?You can take a look at the following pictures: The most obvious is the rectangular luminous, the upper and lower or left and right sides have a hooked appearance, there is a slight difference in the position of the ROLEX font. If you want to know how to identify their differences, you have to strengthen your observation and memory of these subsections.Submariner 5513 has begun to have new changes at this time. Have you heard of COMEX? In the next episode I will share with you about the origin of these Terms, and the most glorious era of this model, Maxi dials.

自搬舖之後，整體忙碌了，已很久沒寫文章，不如就寫寫潛水5513的粉面 (藥膏面/ Matte Dial) 吧。如果錶友有玩開舊裝潛水，都知道早期是瀝架面 (Lacquer Dial)，中期是粉面，最後期是釘框面 (Glossy Dial)。粉面是什麼時候開始製造的？

潛水5513最早的粉面是 Meter First Dial (MF)由1967年開始生產，是緊接瀝架面同時面世的，所以最初的MF 面是用瀝架面同一種氚（Tritium )的物料，到現在遇上UV光也會著燈 (綠光/ Glowing)。這種夜光相對比較特別，平時看上去有點鮮黃色，有人叫砂糖夜光，是

粉面惟一會著燈的面盤。這個夜光情況和同期的款式如GMT-Master 1675, Explorer 1016, 潛水5512 MF面盤一樣。

這種粉面都是1967年的產品，但勞力士很快就推出「不著燈」的物料氚的面盤了，我們可以在市場上找到同年，但對UV光有不同反應的MF面盤。這種MF面盤除了夜光會變黃變深色之外，有極少量黑色面底會變啡，成為啡面 (Tropical Dial)，當然漂亮的啡面市場價會很貴，而本人這些年來也沒有碰到很好的example，所以就沒有收藏了。 

潛水5513粉面在2013後的升幅很明顯，在舊裝運動錶中算是名列前茅，當年最受追捧的正是MF 和 Maxi dials，到了2018年高點後開始有停滯的跡象。這幾年新進錶友都集中火力玩新裝，此消彼長下，潛水5513反而便宜了，尤其是 MF 5513 ，相對比Maxi dial 更感低水，這種情況在未來日子裏有沒有可能會翻身，就看市場力量了。 

隨後的面盤設計是Feet First，在1969年開始產生了兩款面盤代替 MF 面，就正是 Serif 和 Non-serif 面了。這兩種面盤有著很接近的設計，由流水號二百萬初到五百萬中都有著它們的蹤跡。怎樣分，大家可以看看以下的圖片 : 最明顯是長方形的夜光，上下或左右邊位有著起鈎的外型，ROLEX字體位置有微少的分別。大家如果要懂得辨認就得加強觀察及記憶這些小節了。潛水5513到這個時候又開始有新的變化，大寫聽過COMEX沒有？下一集對大家講講這們Terms由來，和期後這型號最輝煌的時代，Maxi dials。

Champagne was a still wine?

Champagne is a wine of joy. Festival, weddings, celebrations, you could will be the emergence of champagne. However, we have too much misunderstanding of champagne. So why don’t we pop a bottle of Champagne for celebration of Chinese New Year, and turn to the next page to start a trip towards the Champagne region!

A place called Champagne, located at the north-eastern part of France, people once produced Pinot noir which reminiscent of Bourgogne reds. This is the prototype of what is now called Champagne. Due to the cold weather, the fermentation process was often interrupted until it re-started again next spring. This leads to accumulation of little bubbles.

This ‘sparkling’ wine was widely favoured by British and French cafe society. However, the wine is very different from what we call Champagne today. Later, new technologies were invented by several persons, who has greatly improved the quality of champagne:

In 1662, Christopher Merret from the UK published its invention of “adding sugar and yeasts to generate bubbles”, which is named “second fermentation”. This becomes one of the most critical steps in the production of champagne, making its fizz much fuller.

It was rumored that Dom Pierre Perignon, who was also known as the father of Champagne, was the inventor of Champagne. It should be clarified. It is Dom Pierre Perignon who suggested to blend different grapes in Champagne to boost the flavours.

Provide the yeasts with sugar, they would produce the bubbles. However extra sugar not only leads to overwhelming sweet, but also build up gas pressure that is hazardous. In 1830, a pharmacist named André François developed an equation to calculate the precise amount of sugar that should be added..

Lees sediment causes turbidity and even odd flavors. Veuve Cliquot's Madame Clicquot invented the riddling method to remove sediment effectively, which become the tradition since the methodology is revealed to public.

香檳是快樂的酒，舉凡節日、婚禮、慶祝都會有香檳的出現。不過，我們也對香檳有著太多的誤解。既然如此我們何不以新春節慶為名開支香檳，並翻開下一頁，讓眼睛來一趟香檳區之旅！

沒錯，在法國東北部一個名叫香檳的地方，酒農們從前都釀造果香充沛、細緻優雅的黑皮諾紅酒。這正是香檳的原型，口感有點像布根地的紅酒；然而因氣候寒冷，葡萄酒的發酵過程往往中斷，直到翌年回暖酵母復甦繼續發酵，因此瓶內有時會積聚少量氣泡。

這種微氣泡酒當時廣受英法上流社會的青睞，甚至王室也鍾愛。不過，它跟我們今天飲用的香檳相差甚遠。後來出現了幾位重要人物，他們分別發現新的技術，大大改善了香檳的品質.

1662年，英國人Christopher Merret發表在葡萄酒內加糖生產氣泡酒的方法，命名為二次發酵。這是製作香檳最關鍵的步驟之一，令香檳的氣泡比一般氣酒充沛綿密。

被譽為香檳之父的Dom Perignon，很多人以為他是發明香檳者，其實他對香檳的貢獻是在另一方面。香檳是勾兌的藝術，正是Dom Perignon提出以不同種類葡萄增加香檳的風味。

提供糖份予酵母就能製造氣泡，但太多的糖份不但導致香檳過甜，同時過多氣泡會增加瓶內氣壓。1830年，一名叫André François的藥劑師研究出方程式，準確計算出添加糖份的份量。

香檳瓶內的酵母，會造成酒液混濁，甚至奇怪的味道。人們一直尋找各種方法移除。Veuve Cliquot的Madame Clicquot於十九世紀發明了以轉瓶法移除瓶內沉積物，成為其他香檳仿傚的對象。

Virtual Tasting of Premium Champagne this Summer

Due to COVID-19, there are many country’s wine events and winery tastings got cancelled. People cannot meet in person to taste wine and interact together. But wine people are smart and change the tasting into virtual tasting, so that we can still connect with the winemakers or winery owners to taste wine together. We all have to stay home and stay safe. It’s a hot and boring summer. It’s a great idea to open a chilled quality champagne to relax a bit.

The renowned premium champagne Krug has launched its Krug Grand Cuvee 168eme Edition recently. Due to the pandemic situation, Olivier Krug, the sixth  generation of Krug family & Director of the House, has hosted its first Krug Grande Cuvee 168eme Edition ZOOM Champagne Tasting with media in Hong Kong. First of all, I received a Zoom meeting invitation. Then, two days before the tasting, I also received the delivery of the champagne with glasses for us to chill it before the meeting. Everyone will stay home or in his/her own office and go online together to join the Zoom meeting, meet with Olivier and taste the newly launched champagne together. 168eme Edition is a blend of 198 wines from 11 different years, from 1996 to 2012. The climate in 2012 is unstable with less grapes but very concentrated ones, which turned out to be a great year. It’s aromatic with floral, pear, ripe peach, honey, brioche, mineral, orange zest and toasty nuts notes. It’s lively and complex. When I asked Olivier if he thinks Krug matches well with dim sum, he said as Krug Grande Cuvée is elegant & versatile, with over 120 reserved wines blended together, it matches with many different cuisines and dim sum is definitely a great match!

Another renowned premium champagne Dom Perignon has also launched its new 2010 vintage champagne. I’m also very delighted to be invited to join its virtual tasting. This experience is a bit different from zoom meeting. We were invited to join the virtual tasting in a suite of a hotel, a small group tasting with everyone sitting apart to be safe and met with the winemaker Nick Lane to taste the new vintage live together. Apart from 2010 vintage, we also tried 2008 vintage to compare. 2010 is full of sunshine, it can be compared to its 1996 great vintage. You can taste the sunshine from the richness of the champagne, including white peach, citrus, white flowers, honey, mineral, toasty & brioche notes. Comparatively, 2008 has a longer finish and 2010 has more richness on the palate. Both vintages are wonderful and different. Since we all need to stay home and stay safe, why don’t we open a nice champagne to cheer up ourselves at home? Cheers!

由於疫情，其實很多不同國家的葡萄酒活動及不同品牌的葡萄酒試酒會亦已相繼取消。沒有實體試酒會活動，酒商亦靈活變通，改為網上試酒會活動，跟釀酒師或莊主一同試最新推出的佳釀。由於疫情又常常宅在家，這麼悶和熱的夏天，開一瓶冰凍又優雅的香檳喝喝，輕鬆一下也不錯。

法國著名香檳莊Krug 香檳近日推出新型號Krug Grand Cuvee 168eme Edition香檳。由於疫情，Krug 香檳的第六代 Krug Olivier遠在法國，跟香港傳媒進行Krug首個 Zoom 香檳試酒會。首先是收到Zoom約會邀請，而在試酒會前兩天，便收到Krug香檳和酒杯，讓你可預先把香檳雪定。大家都在家或各自的工作室一起上線，到網上試酒會開始時，跟莊主一起率先試他最新推出的佳釀。Krug Grand Cuvee 168eme Edition，由11個不同年份（1996年-2012年）198款酒款組成，香氣四溢，帶白花、香梨、熟桃、蜜糖、牛油麵包、礦物、橙皮及烤果仁等味道，活潑而層次複雜。2012年由於氣候返覆，收成少咗，但果香豐富，十分精采。問到Krug Olivier覺得Krug配點心㚒嗎？他説由於Krug優雅而具層次，以多於120款基酒組合而成，跟很多種類的食物也很夾，當然不少得點心吧！

另一法國著名香檳Dom Pérignon近日亦推出了新年份2010年年份香檳。我亦被邀參加了它的搖距網上試酒會（virtual tasting）。這個體驗跟Zoom試酒會有點不同，我們被邀請去酒店的套房，大家保持距離的分開坐，然後一起跟在電視螢光幕中的釀酒師Nick Lane作視像交流。席間我們除了試2010年份外，亦同時試了2008年作比較。2010年陽光充沛，比喻可同1996年好年份相比，你可以從這個年份香檳飮得出充滿陽光的濃郁果香，包括白桃、柑橘、白花、蜜糖、烤烘、礦物、牛油麵包等味道，而2008年相對餘韻比較長，但味道相比2010年份沒有那麼豐富，各有各美態。既然要留家抗疫，不如開一瓶高質香檳讓自己高興一下。Cheers!

Hugging the Summer of Chablis Wine Village

Chablis is one of 44 statutory wine villages. There is only one Chablis Grand Cru in the Premium Park AOC. Unlike the other 32 Burgun Premium Parks, which use the name of the vineyard as the statutory production area such as Chambertin, Corton, etc., but the Chablis Premium Park has seven small gardens and they are allowed to put its name on the wine label , so the consumers can choose among different styles, such as grapes growing in the orchard located near the river or the grapes growing in the orchard located on the mountain. While Moutonne, the wine yard which is located between the two orchards of Preuses and Vaudesir, has a profound historical background and was not included in the recognized eighth small garden at that time, but as it is located within the Premium Park, its existence value cannot be ignored. So, that’s why this little Grand Cru has its value on the market.

In fact, Chablis is located in the southern part of the Champagne region, far away from the Burgaon area. In the early Middle Ages, it was under the rule of the Count of Champagne. It was not included in the Duke of Bourgogne until the late 15th century. The incident did not end in this way. Some wineries continued to supply dry whites for champagne wineries, they are processed into champagne in Reims and Epernay, and even Simmonet-Febvre winery also produces its own Chablis sparkling wine. Of course, these situations was no longer happen after the AOC production area protection law is set. Nowadays, the product produced at Simmonet-Febvre can only be called Bourgogne sparkling wine.

The base of Chablis is the 150 million-years-old fossil soil Kimerigian. The classic mineral taste comes from these marine oyster valleys. The soil contains high calcium content that help preserving the acidity of the fruit juice. This is the root of the characteristics of Chablis, so only Chardonnay that produce here is regarded as unique. However, as the market demand kept increasing at that period ,the production can’t catch up with the demand in the 1970s, and the winery began to consider using harvests from the surrounding as supplements. The peripheral Portlandian soil is also used for producing Chardonnay, but it can only be included in the Petit Chablis AOC production area.

Chablis wine is well known for its simplicity in the wine world. The refreshing and pure nature used to be its selling point. By minimizing the impact of oak, the lively orange and refreshing mineral aromas can faithfully reflect a single variety and unique soil characteristics. This is the selling point of the simplest Chablis. When the epidemic is still there, stay at home and drink Chablis to relieve heat and the worries.

Chablis是44個法定酒村其中之一, 特級園AOC只有一個Chablis Grand Cru, 不同其他32個布爾岡特級園單以葡萄園名字作法定產區如Chambertin, Corton等, 但Chablis特級園裡七塊小園又可放其名字在酒標上, 讓消費者選擇不同風格, 如近河邊的一塊風土條件又跟在山上那一塊果園不同. 介於Preuses和 Vaudesir兩塊果園中的Moutonne, 雖然懷有深遠的歷史背境, 當年不列入認可的第八塊小園, 但由於身居在特級園範圍又不能忽略其存在價值, 所以市面上出現這塊不簡單的小Grand Cru。

其實Chablis就在香檳酒區南部, 遠離布爾岡地帶, 在中世紀早期是由香檳伯爵所管轄, 直到十五世紀後期才納入布爾岡公爵領地. 事件並不是這樣完結, 某些酒莊一直供應乾白給香檳酒廠, 在Reims和Epernay加工製成香檳, 甚至乎如Simmonet-Febvre酒莊也自家出品Chablis汽泡酒, 這些情況當然在AOC產區保護法例定下之後已不再發生, 現在Simmonet-Febvre生產的只可稱為布爾岡汽泡酒。

Chablis以一億五千萬年化石泥土Kimerigian作基礎, 經典礦物味道就是來自這些海洋蠔穀, 土質含高鈣量保存果實汁液酸度, 此乃Chablis的特性根源所在, 所以這裡生產的莎當妮才是獨一無二. 但隨市場須求,在七十年代産量短缺,酒莊開始考慮以周邊收成作補给,外圍的Portlandian泥土也在生產莎當妮,但只可列入Petit Chablis AOC產區。

Chablis酒在葡萄酒界以單純見稱, 一直以清爽純潔作賣點, 儘量減小橡木影響, 讓活潑橘子和怡神礦物香味忠誠地反映著單一品種和獨有土壤特性, 這就是最簡單不過的Chablis賣點.今年疫情非同小可,還是留在家中喝Chablis解暑吧。

The Dramathon and Whisky

The whisky-themed running competition-The Dramathon, started three years ago and is held every October in Speyside, Scotland. I participated in its 10km race for the first time the year before. It is the first time in my life that I participated in a running race overseas.

At that time, I had made sufficient preparations beforehand as I participated in a race two weeks before the departure, purely for strengthening my endurance , and I finished the race faster than my expected time .However, in the day of the race in Speyside , the temperature is close to 20 degrees though Scotland had already stepped into autumn, together with the rain dropped the night before, the natural track was muddy all over. To make things worse, I brought the wrong running shoes, I feel exhausted when I ran less than half of the distance. Luckily, I was able to complete the whole course in the end. The finishing time is longer than expected.

As long as the runner finish the whole race, every contestant can get a medal made from old oak barrels, and some whiskeys samples that belong to the district. When I went back to the Highlander Inn for a short break. I enjoyed the drink again at the bar ! With the experience of the last time, I joined The Dramathon 2019, running for 10 kilometres and the route remains the same. Hundreds of contestants from all over the world started from Aberlour, running along the path next to River Spey. After passing Craigellachie, we run into a pathway seems like a forest road, the sun shone through the gaps between the trees, like a muddy road with no end. This time I didn’t do enough practice, and my condition was not as good as last time, but the cold weather helped a bit and I wore the right shoes for natural roads, the finishing time was unexpectedly even faster than the last time.

After the race, I went to the the Glenfiddich distillery , lying down on the grass and sipping its 12 yo whiskey , it was my reward for this competition. I couldn’t book a nearby accommodation and I planned to have cheese and beer at Black Isle Bar before having seafood meal at a local restaurant, then I drank two glasses at a nearby whisky bar. The next day early in the morning, I have to fly south to London.

I gave myself a wish at the time: the next time I will come again for the competition but I will choose to run the half-marathon. Unfortunately , the Wuhan pneumonia was broke out. At the time of writing, Europe was slowly untied and gradually unblocked, and the football game reopened, but the competition must be held behind closed doors. Whether The Dramathon in October will be held as scheduled is still unknown. Scotland is my favourite place. I like their lamb and seafood. Of course, their whiskey is my favourite too.

As the saying goes, the road to recovery may be long, but I firmly believe that it will always getting better and better. See you in Speyside two years later.

The Dramathon：https://www.thedramathon.com

以威士忌為主題的跑步比賽 - The Dramathon，由三年前開始，每逢十月在蘇格蘭Speyside舉行，筆者在前年首次參加其10公里比賽，這是我人生中，第一次在海外參加跑步比賽。

當時雖然事前有做足準備功夫，出發前兩個星期還參加了一場比賽，純屬寓賽於操的性質，竟做出快時間（對我而言）；但是去到比賽當日，秋天的蘇格蘭罕有地有接近20度高溫，加上前一晚下了場雨，天然路的賽道，遍地泥濘，而且我帶錯跑鞋，結果跑到未到一半路程，已感舉步維艱，最終也能完成全程，時間就較預期中慢。

每位參賽者，只要跑畢全程，皆獲得用舊橡木桶製成的獎牌，與及一些屬於該區的威士忌酒辦，記得當日比賽後，回到下榻的Highlander Inn小休一會，晚上落地庫的酒吧再飲過！ 有了上次的經驗，剛過去的The Dramathon 2019，再接再勵10公里，路線不變，數百位來自世界各地的參賽者，照舊由Aberlour出發，沿著River Spey旁邊的小路，經過Craigellachie，走進像森林一樣，舉頭望到的是樹葉，陽光在微弱的罅隙照射進來，好像沒有盡頭的泥路；今次賽前疏於操練，狀態沒有上次的好，但寒冷的天氣幫了我一把，特別地穿上應付天然路的跑鞋，完賽時間竟然還快過上一次。

灑著雨粉趟在Glenfiddich酒廠的草地上，喝著其12 yo的威士忌，也許是我這次比賽的一大獎勵；訂不到附近的住宿，即日來回Inverness，計劃找間當地餐廳吃一頓海鮮，然而，我死性不改，先在Black Isle Bar吃芝士喝啤酒，再到附近一間威士忌酒吧飲兩杯，成為了比賽後的晚餐，但真的只是飲兩杯而已，第二天大清早，便要乘坐飛機南下倫敦。

我當時給自己一個期許：下次再來比賽，要增程跑半馬拉松了，可惜人算不如天算，武漢肺炎爆發，執筆之時，歐洲正在慢慢鬆綁，逐漸解封，足球比賽重開，但要閉門作賽；十月的The Dramathon，能否如期舉行，仍是未知之數。蘇格蘭，是我喜愛的地方，喜歡它們的羊肉、海鮮，當然不少得威士忌，正所謂船到橋頭自然直，復原之路或會漫長，但堅信總會好起來。

兩年後，Speyside再見。