1. Bergmann 1982 Quartz Diver | The Ambassador

As his driver pulls the car out from the parking lot, the German ambassador to China takes off the Seagull Tourbillon, which was just presented to him by local officials as an appreciation for his diplomatic work and carefully places it back in its decorated case. As the ambassador looks out the window in the back seat, he reminisces on the last 3 years that he's been stationed here in Beijing, eventually his thoughts trail off, to a day decades back.

It was a hot summer day at the weekend, he was barely a teenage. He remembers that he just joined the local youth's triathlon club, TV1848 in Erlangen, Germany.  As his father and him got ready to go for their 5km run, he was unceremoniously given his father's old Bergmann 1982Quartz Diver.  The ambassador, till then, had only worn children's watches, and he remembers vividly how very excited he was about his first grown up time piece. Before they started their run, his father showed him how to use the 24-hour dial to measure time, which became an obsession of his in later life, the measuring of time and achievements.  Maybe that was the day when everything began?

Hutongs flashes before the ambassador's eyes until he is finally taken back to his residence.  Before he gets out of the car, he puts his Bergmann back on.  He has other watches, of course, in fact, over the years he's built quite an expansive collection. But despite the scratched crystal, the faded metal dial ring, and the leather strap barely hanging on, the Bergmann remains his true companion.  As he steps out, he reaches forward to his driver to hand him the Seagull Tourbillon. Taken aback by the generosity, the driver refuses, to which the ambassador replies 'for your son'.

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