Weaves in the Philippines - Ifugao Face Masks, Part 1

I end July with another face mask post. The previous one was on the Itneg weaves that I acquired first showed one group's designs. Here is another set of masks from the Ifugao, another indigenous people from the Cordillera region to the north of Metro Manila. I got these masks via the Cordillera Textiles Research Project or "Corditex", which maintains a Facebook page where they have the links to the various other groups engaged in creating these weaves. This set comes from the Ifugao Nation.

Four face masks of Ifugao weaving patterns

The dominant blue in the pattern reminded me of the design on a table runner we had acquired many years ago in one of the trade fairs held at SM Megamall.

My favorite in this set is this pattern. I use this mask for when I go the office.

Light colored but more complicated weaves, which the wife prefers and uses whenever she goes out.

Another light-colored design

The inner side of the mask features a cotton linen lining

Mask layers - a microfiber layer is inside the mask for more efficient filtration

These washable face masks may not be the best out there but they do offer enough protection as shown above. The bottomline again is for everyone to use these masks whenever possible even indoors or inside vehicles. All the studies show how effective wearing masks is in preventing the spread of corona virus and others as well.

Here are more information about the Ifugao:
https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/glimpses-peoples-of-the-philippines/ifugao/

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Another vintage Citizen Alarm Phynox watch

The design is conspicuous. It is familiar. But no, it's not a Jaeger LeCoultre Memovox. It's a Citizen Alarm watch. I featured one of these previously that had a mother of pearl dial that may be a little on the fancy side for some. I personally prefer this more 'regular' version of the watch.

The dial is a homage to the more famous (and many times more expensive) JLC Memovox.

 

Side view showing the original crowns. The one at two o'clock is for the alarm setting and winding. The one at 4 o'clock is for the time adjustment and watch winding.

The other side view showing the overall good condition of the dial and case.

Watch back

Close-up of the dial showing some wear in the middle. Other than that, this watch is in great condition.

The obligatory wrist shot

 

I like wearing the watch as it is both classy and practical (alarm-wise). This one's another definite keeper. Here is the watch after the recent strap change - a custom gator. I have a suki for my watch straps who makes excellent leather straps. Two One Four Straps is on Facebook.

Custom alligator leather strap on my Citizen Alarm watch

 

While I don't have a photo of the movement, I have timed the watch and on a full wind it averages 45.5 hours. Not bad for a vintage watch. It also keeps time so as long as its wound (with enough power stored) then it will give accurate-enough time to the user.

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Ramen Sundays and missing an old friend

It's a post on a Sunday but we actually had the ramen yesterday, a Saturday. I was just reminiscing about Sundays in Yokohama and the mornings I spent at Yamate Catholic Church (Sacred Heart) or Yamate Katoriku Kyokai. It was a rainy daw yesterday and we had a craving for ramen. Fortunately, we had recently gone to check out a new Japanese grocery near our place so we had the ingredients for good ramen.

I have very fond memories of our community in Yokohama and how we got together on a Sunday for church and afterwards. Sometimes, if there were enough of us who had the free time, we went out for lunch at the nearby shopping street. But most of the time, we just ate a heavy snack or an early lunch at the church basement. Most Sundays were 'Ramen Sunday" as the late Fr. Alfred Burke announced just before giving the final blessing for the 10:00-11:00 AM English Mass. And he would usually join the community after post-Mass greetings at the church's main door to chat with us or perhaps have a bowl of ramen himself. I recall a couple of Japanese parishioners made good ramen almost every Sunday and people looked forward to it. I will write more about Fr. Burke in future posts. There is a lot about him that other people, especially Filipinos in Japan, don't know about that he did that I appreciate so much. Here's to a good bowl of ramen on a Sunday or any other day when you feel like having one. :)

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Vintage Seiko SKX 401 diver

Perhaps among the most collectible watches in the Philippines are the so-called Philippine divers watches. These are supposed to be divers watches that were manufactured and released in the Philippine market. There are two of them - the SKX 399, which has a black bezel (becoming blue with the use and/or the passing of time), and the SKX 401, which has a red and blue bezel (often termed Pepsi, after the colors of the soft-drink). These were usually very expensive  with prices usually triple compared to the 399's. I had maybe three or four opportunities to get one but decided against purchasing as the timing wasn't right (i.e., I had more important things to spend money on.). This one came a bit unexpectedly or so it seems and the price was right so things were just right for its acquisition.

Signature Pepsi bezel on the SKX 401 - this one is the original and not a replacement, and not too weathered or damaged

Size view showing the screw-down crown

The other side view

Case back showing the serial number that indicates this watch to have been manufactured in November 1999.

Close-up of the dial showing the original bezel and the well-preserved hands and lumes.

The watch is powered by the same Cal. 7S26A used in the 399 that runs at 21,600 beats per hour with a potential power reserve of 43h. I haven't really attempted to measure the power reserve but it runs overnight after I take it off and I don't have to adjust it in the morning. I have been using the watch for my regular morning constitutionals and it works fine. I probably will soon change the plastic strap into an oyster or a super engineer.

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Seiko 6117-6400 World Time - white inner bezel

I have another Seiko World Time that I only recently acquired. This one's a little more beat up than the first one but I got it at a very reasonable price so I was willing to take the risk of having it checked and repaired if there were issues.

The watch has its original bracelet so it was a no-brainer pick-up when the opportunity to acquire this watch came up. It also helped that the measurement of the bracelet fit me well. It would have been difficult to find links for this.

Side view showing the crown. The inner bezel does not work but unfortunately I still can't have the watch serviced.

The other side view showing a watch in very good condition for its age.

The serial number indicates date of manufacture as February 1970.

Wrist shot taken when I first used the watch

Close-up shows a rather weathered inner bezel. I could not adjust it so for now it's fixed on London until I have this part fixed. All the other features work well.

This also runs on a Cal. 6117B movement. The watch initially kept time but now it has to be adjusted every day as I noticed it to be running late by a few minutes every day. I have not had this serviced so I guess that will be part of what needs to be checked for this watch.

[Note: 7/17/2020 - I just left the watch for servicing with my watch guy. Aside from the movement, I had the inner bezel checked as well as the gaskets as moisture seeped in a couple of times; once while I was washing the dishes and another when I was watering our plants.]

[Note: 7/21/2020 - I got back the watch and found that there was no gasket for the back cover and a worn out one for the crown. These were replaced. Unfortunately, the inner bezel's tread is also worn out and that means it would have to be replaced. I passed on that as it means I had to get an aftermarket bezel as replacement. That could bring the value of the watch down.]

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Weaves in the Philippines - Itneg face masks

The pandemic led to the institution of health protocols formulated to reduce the risk of spread of the COVID-19 virus. One called for the wearing of masks whenever outdoors and ideally also when one is indoors. At first, most went into a frenzy purchasing surgical or medical masks, most of which were disposable. As such, there was a brief shortage of masks in the country, what with the pandemic closely following the eruption of Taal volcano and the ash fall that necessitated many in Metro Manila and Southern Tagalog to wear masks. 

It turned out that you didn't need surgical masks to keep you safe. Those are for doctors, nurses and other medical staff for their work in hospitals and clinics. Cloth masks would suffice as long as they have the minimum in terms of filtration. 

A good friend referred me to a Facebook page run by a friend of his who is based in Baguio City. The latter is involved in a research project on textiles and weaves in the Philippines, and regularly posts on their work as well as items for sale by various collaborators in the project. The page is where I discovered and learned about the many weaves around the country including those that I am already familiar with like the Yakan, Tausug, Inabel and Hablon weaves that we have at home.

And so I tried to get a few masks first that we could use for our daily walk/jog. The first one to catch my eye were masks made with the Itneg weaves. Here is more information about the Itneg or Tinggian people:

https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/glimpses-peoples-of-the-philippines/tinggian/

Woven face masks as they came out of the packaging

This design features spiders.

More intricate weaving pattern of blue with red accents

Lizards

The package came with a bonus pouch

I took another photo of the masks together with a signature woven blanket design from Abra that I got about 5 years ago.

More on these masks again soon!
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Vintage Cortebert Spirofix

Nice Cortebert watches are hard to come by. By nice I mean clean, running watches with decent power reserve and basically pristine backs (i.e., no names or whatever etched at the back). This is what I might call "nice enough" as it runs well and keeps time and the patina on the dial is rather acceptable.

This watch has no day or date features

Case back stating the watch to be waterproof and having anti-magnetic features. Incabloc refers to the shock resistance of movements of the same release period as this watch.

Side view showing a signed crown. The emblem though isn't Cortebert's but another that I have not identified.

The other side view

Close-up of the dial

The movement, which is signed, is a Caliber 689. The movement runs at 18,000 A/h and dates it to the mid 1940s and onwards.

This is a gold-plated watch

The obligatory wrist shot

I've been acquiring and unloading vintage watches for and from my collection. This one's in the gray zone in as far as I am concerned. I use it from time to time but only at the office for a few hours at a time. I don't mind selling this but it was an interesting acquisition together with another Cortebert, one with Roman numeral indices, that is now worn on another person's wrist.

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Seiko LImited Edition Star Bar - Honeycomb

I have been collecting vintage watches for some time now. Some are on the cheaper side; allowing me to collect quite a number of them. Some are priced moderately making them affordable but also making me consider and think at least twice about the acquisitions. And then there are those that would be classified as luxury - premium pieces from well known brands such as Omega, IWC and Jaeger Le Coultre.

I can count the times I bought a new one for myself or loved ones. I got a pair for my parents while I was residing in Japan. Another for a favorite cousin while also there. Another for a girl I was courting back in the day. But that's another story to tell someday.

The watch features a distinctive 'open heart' showing the movement and the signature honeycomb

Signed crown

The watch features a quick release leather strap with deployant clasp

Exhibition (transparent) back showing the movement, a 4R38A running at 21,600 beats per hour with a power reserve of 40 hours. The movement also features hacking (second hand stops when you adjust the time) and manual winding.

Close-up showing the movement marking (4R38A) and the watch number. This is number 2,165 of 6,000 units made.

Close-up of the dial showing the model number, dauphin hands, and the 'Made in Japan'

The customary wrist shot taken on Palm Sunday months ago.

I got this watch for the Clairvoyant but after wearing it a couple of times, she decided it was too big for her. So instead, I have been wearing this watch. The price though was one of my vintage JLC's that she now keeps in her storage. :)

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Chocolate review: Cachet Hazelnut Dark Chocolate

One of the few remaining chocolates from our pre-lockdown cache was this bar from Cachet. We don't remember buying this so its probably a gift or souvenir from our friends.

Hazelnut Dark Chocolate

Details on the chocolate at the back of the package

Lifting the flap reveals the story of this chocolate

The production of this chocolate benefits a scholarship program in Tanzania. We have a soft spot for fair trade chocolates and those who have civic programs engaging and benefiting communities.

Nutrition information

Ingredients showing the chocolate to have at least 54% cacao

This was an enjoyable one and not just because we were running out of good chocolate. I am not a big fan of hazelnuts and prefer almonds or pistachios instead but you can't let down a good chocolate with the right portions of hazelnuts and just the right bitterness and sweetness for the chocolate. Will probably pick this up should I see this on a supermarket shelf.

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