He is also the earliest collector of famous watches in China. As early as 1960, Zhang bought his first collection of famous watches-classic double-sided watches (reverso series) from a down-and-out Kuomintang officer.
Zhang never likes "fancy" watches. He has his own collection principle-"I like classic things. The so-called classic is that it has a special life, and you can give it a special explanation. This kind of thing cannot be imitated by others. " Therefore, he is reluctant to let go of any classics that enter his eyes. Zhang once bought a Cartier watch in Italy. It is said that there is only one watch in Italy.
With the deepening of his love for watches, Zhang is no longer satisfied with playing with watches. He began to be obsessed with collecting and disassembling the unique movement regarded as the glory of the century-old crystal brand, and visited all over the world, wandering in major auctions, and spared no expense to buy back the machine tools used by world famous watch masters to make expensive watches, trying to restore and recast the legendary expensive watches with his own hands. So far, playing watches has reached the extreme. Equipped with the most famous self-made EI Primero self-winding movement, the exquisitely carved chronograph dial has a symmetrical and balanced aesthetic feeling, conveying the excellent technology and texture of complex watchmaking process in a minimalist way; Limited to 250 pieces, Mille Miglia series split-second double-chasing chronograph has the functions of rose gold case and chasing chronograph; The four timers on the black dial are arranged in a very dynamic way, showing resolute movement lines, with unique luxury, performance and precision characteristics, reflecting the most accurate movement function and unique charm in watchmaking technology ... In the great era, a precise movement was taken out by Zhang and placed on the workbench of Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex with a history of 250 years. Authentic tools and soft lighting were in Zhang's hands. 49660.8886888866 1
Zhang's love for watches is almost crazy. In order to win a machine tool used by the beloved master Baoji, Zhang lifted the number plate in his hand to the hammer from the beginning, and his determination to win was evident. Today, Zhang has specially built a warehouse to store antique watches. There are all boxes in it. Because of the large collection, each box is labeled, so that he can know what watches are in it. When necessary, Zhang will ask several porters to come and help him, because he can't carry those boxes by himself.
Among Zhang's collections, the most expensive one is Patek Philippe purchased from overseas, which is the only one in the world. In 2006, the auction value of Christie's was165438+10 million US dollars, and it was named "The King's Collection", which was specially made and unique in the world. The biggest difference between Zhang and other famous watch collectors in China is that others collect watches more or less as a means of investment, while Zhang only regards it as a kind of enjoyment. His famous method of collecting watches is: you can only get in and out. He doesn't care how much the watches in the bag appreciate, "because they belong to me all my life." Facing the media, he is very low-key and basically won't share his collection with others. "Just have fun, entertain yourself and don't entertain others."
At home, he usually stays at home, studies some poems and songs, reads some books that no one has read, has a fever, drinks a glass of red wine, smokes a pipe and eats comfortably. Zhang has many friends, not necessarily related to clocks and watches, regardless of age. Even the animals at home (two Tibetan mastiffs, a blind dog in his twenties who was happy in his later years, a talking black-haired stork, a white cat called "beautiful cat" by the stork, and two sea fish growing in a spacious fish tank) can be said to be his friends. Love without obsession, no matter what you play, don't play with things. This is Zhang's philosophy.
In his spare time, if someone talks to Zhang about watches, he will definitely display various world famous watches as if he were an expert in appreciation. Years of experience in "quality" watches have given Zhang his own understanding of various famous watches. For example, "many people will think that Rolex has deep pockets, but its durability and mechanical accuracy are absolutely world-class;" Cartier is a romantic brand. "
None of Zhang's "possessions" are quartz watches. This is because he thinks that only mechanical watches can make him feel the artistic beauty of watchmakers when he creates mechanical "life". Among his followers, Patek Philippe, the world's largest watchmaker, created a mechanical watch with the highest artistic conception, "its mechanical beauty is the best". Aesthetic appreciation from machinery made Zhang realize, "If you can make something not only beautiful but also extremely beautiful, you will certainly succeed." From appearance to works, Zhang hopes that he can not only produce products, but also create an art.