The Laings Journal
Welcome to our meet the team feature where you can get to know the people that help make Laings of Glasgow what it is today.
Today we speak with watch specialist Haydn who works in our flagship Laings store in the Argyll Arcade – he been with us for just over a year and has extensive knowledge of watches and luxury brands, his particular areas of expertise are Patek Philippe, Breilting and recent addition Panerai.
We wanted to find out what it is about this watch expert that makes him tick!
What is your favourite watch that you own?
That would be my Breitling Chronomat, as far as watches go it does everything - it has excellent water resistance, a date feature and a unidirectional bezel which comes in handy for making sure I am never late back to the parking meter! The look of the watch is also versatile, it can be worn every day because its robust and comfortable, but you can also dress it up a little with a simple strap change and transform it into an occasion piece. I believe that its an iconic model and when you think of Breitling you think of the Chronomat.
Which famous person would you most like to meet?
I know he is a fictional character but my pick would be James Bond as portrayed by Sean Connery - he is considered by many as the very best Bond and his appeal has spanned 5 decades. Since reading the books it's clear that Connery plays the role true to the original text, much more so than any other Bond... in fact the author Ian Flemming thought so highly of Connery's portrayal that in later novels he subsequently gave him Scottish ancestry.
What watch would you aspire to own?
It would probably be a vintage Rolex Submariner which was made famous in 1962 by Sean Connery in Dr No. This watch is considered an important watch and would be a prized possession for any watch enthusiast.
You are a brand ambassador for Patek Philippe, Breitling and Panerai, can you tell us a little known fact about one of these brands?
During a visit to Rome in the mid nineties Sylvester Stallone purchased a Panerai to wear during the filming of the movie "Daylight" - since discovering the brand and realising its excellence he then generously ordered a batch of these watches to be given to friends and colleagues with his signature engraved on the case back - these watches became known as the Slytech models.
In your opinion what is the best buy available in your store?
In my opinion I would highly recommend the Panerai PAM111, because its Swiss made, waterproof, mechanical, comes on a calf strap, but also has an interchangeable rubber strap for diving. Its main distinction is what is known as the "sandwich dial" - to explain, the dial is made up of two separate plates, the bottom plate is made from luminescent material, the top is the black dial with the numbers and hour markers cut out which allows the luminescence to shine though for optimum visibility in the dark. In addition, the exclusivity of Panerai as a brand also means you are unlikely to bump into someone else wearing the same watch - these properties combined make this watch iconic, functional and stylish which is why I think its such a great investment.
