Tuesday, April 20, 2021

In Praise of the Mondaine Stop2Go

I love my Mondaine Stop2Go.  I don't claim to know or understand what is currently motivating Mondaine's approach here in the US, but having spent enough time in Switzerland I can say that I find 
it a reassuring quantity there. The Stop2Go is based on the same motion as the Swiss Rail clocks and (if I am not mistaken) in the lobby of certain portions of Boston Logan airport. The second hand sweeps around the face of the clock, pausing or "stopping" at 12:00 o'clock before the minute hand advances.
With the purchase/acquisition of Luminox, Mondaine seemed to lose its luster to the owners. Apologies to one and all if that seems unfair, I can only go by what I saw at the last BaselWorld I attended (LOTs of Luminox, and about zero Mondaine). 

The other thing I've noticed is a decided de-emphasis on the Stop2Go. And in some ways I get it. Compared to the other pieces in the collection, they are not inexpensive. And as I have to remind myself, I am not the only consumer out there, Mondaine makes watches for A LOT of people, not just me ; )

Now again, for those of you unfamiliar, the Stop2Go gets its name form the pause of the second hand just prior to the minute advancing. In essence, it stops. The minute hand then advances and the second hand resumes its sweep around the dial.

My particular Stop2Go is the Gottardo 2016, with a green bezel derived from the door of a train, as they were painted green back in the day.

I managed to pick mine up in 2018 - and it was NOT EASY!

COVID has changed a lot for all of us.  For the second year in a row, I find myself in my New England home rather than riding the rails across the cantons in to visit dear friends and search out new stories.  Let's hope that our collective "STOP" is nearly over, and we can all "GO" in the not too distant future. You will know me when you see me - I'll be the Northern Youth standing in the station, coffee in one hand, camera in the other. I hope to see you all there soon.

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