Die-hard watch enthusiast Ozy Mamodeally talks about the inspirational timepiece that drew him into watches…
It was back in 2005 that my love affair with watches began. I was immediately struck by this beautifully round shiny object, which I stumbled across whilst gazing through the window of a prestigious watch boutique.
Before that, I didn’t know the difference between a watch and a timepiece. Case in point – the watch I wore everyday was a battery-powered Columbia Sports Watch. ‘What’s wrong with that?’ I hear you say. Well, yes, it told the time, but the display piece in the window didn’t just tell the time – it somehow spoke to me. This was no ordinary watch, it was a Giuliano Mazzuoli Manometro timepiece. The watch was designed in Florence over twenty years ago, and named after its creator – Giuliano Mazzuoli. He came from a well-renowned family of Tuscan clock-makers who spent centuries perfecting the precise art of clock tower movements.
I was lured in by the model name which sounds far more appealing in Italian than it does in English, (Manometro translates as pressure gauge), and I just had to have it. Thetimepiece is cleverly based on a tyre pressure gauge which subtly plays on Mazzuoli’s other passion for fast cars. Interestingly, in his former years he was a successful ex-Alfa Romeo racing driver. How cool is that!
It did not take me long to part with the £2,100 price tag, and I walked away with a quality timepiece, which was a a far cry from your everyday watch. My newly-acquired Manometro was everything you’d expect from Italian craftsmanship. Beautiful curves, and an aesthetically pleasing, yet simple design. The Manometro was released at a time when big watches were the fashion. It was the ‘tool watch’ that every man should adorn on his wrist. It boasts a beefy 45.5mm diameter yet still fits perfectly on the wrist. It oozes class and sophistication, whilst perfectly combining tradition with timeless design.
The accomplishment of this timepiece was not the horological complication – as it had none. It just told the time, and didn’t even have a date window. However, it is was the pure simplicity in the design that meant form followed function. It had already set itself apart from all other watches as the beauty amongst the brides. The mechanics of the timepiece was a base movement ETA 2824, a robust workhorse reliable enough to outlast humanity. It was distinctive, and whilst all Swiss made watches have the quality logo ‘Swiss Made’ stamped onto the dial, Mr Mazzuoli chose to have the words, ‘Made In Italy’ proudly adorned on the front instead. Put together with a beautiful Italian calf strap that comes in many different colours, the Mamometro is a timepiece for life.
It has stood the test of time, and still today retails close to the original price of £2,100. This was the watch that started it all for me. It may not have the mechanical prowess of a Patek but I guarantee your grand children would be very happy to inherit it.
Details: Sapphire Crystal, Automatic ETA 2824 movt, Stainless steel 2 piece case, 50mm water resistant.
