Horological Meandering

ThomasM
[PuristS]
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great topic, great post, Anaesdoc.

Hi,

A very good topic, and I hope to read many more personal thoughts and experiences on this very subject. Thanks, Daos, for opening the door...

In yet another airport lounge, waiting for yet another flight across yet another body of water...and with a watch on my wrist that, yes, is a companion, a friend, and a memento of my "real life" that I am so often far away from.

In short for now - my favorite watch is the one that I miss the most when I am away from it. Which, for me, means my AP Petite et Grande Sonnerie, the Beat Haldimann H-1 Central Tourbillon ThePuristS edition, and a few special pieces that have my personal DNA in their design or construction.

Sorry for the cut and paste (see above) but I composed the following for the inaugural issue of a magazine I have a feature column in; I feel the same way today as I did 5 years ago. Indeed, as I have felt for a few decades.

Cheers, and looking for exchanging many more thoughts and ideas with you, Anaesdoc.

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The appreciation of fine timepieces has always been considered a gentle passion. Traditionally, serious watch connoisseurship has required an interest in history and tradition, an eye for aesthetic design, a fascination with mechanical techniques and craftsmanship, and a tidy sum of money.  As a result, the serious watch aficionado tended to be a person sure of their own tastes and priorities, confident in their own choices but respectful of others. 

Many who are new to this field are surprised to discover not only that watches can be as expensive, complex, or essential as cars and houses; in some cases, the very top examples of the horological art can surpass them in all these areas.

Relative to other high dollar consumer expenditures such as automobiles or houses, the more common expressions of wealth and status, fine watches are a much more subtle, personal luxury, one the serious aficionado acquires more for himself rather than for others.  In a very important sense, this is the ultimate luxury. 

For someone who is not familiar or experienced with high quality personal timepieces, one’s that are created to serve a lifetime and more, that embody the vision and skill of the creator, as well as satisfying the aesthetic, and yes, the spiritual needs of its owner, the questions are often asked, “What makes a watch special?”  “Why are watches accorded so much respect and affection?”  “How can one justify the commitment in dollars and care and attention that watch nuts lavish on their timepieces?

Certainly, there are a myriad of possible answers to these questions, but as I type these words 30,000 feet in the air, on an airbus A-340-500, leaving my family thousands of miles behind yet again, going off to yet another distant foreign land far from home, the following seem the most significant -

Personal mementos – personal timepieces accompany us as trusty and stalwart companions on our journey through an increasingly chaotic and transient world and time. More than any other personal item, it is an anchor that offers a small but always present safe harbor of familiarity and comfort.

Heirlooms – just as a special timepiece becomes a part of our lives, almost an extension of our bodies, it is by virtue of this role that it also picks up significance as a legacy, when passed on from one generation to another, that can connect past and future owners, physical embodiments of an intangible past and the abstract concept of time.

Personal statement of style and taste - as well as a subtle but clear expression of our personal standards of quality and excellence.  It shows, to ourselves as much as the world, that we care; care about quality, design, tradition, history.  That the world does not have to be disposable, revolving around products of increasingly short product life cycles, with built in 6 months obsolescence; that fine human craftsmanship, and the appreciation of that craftsmanship, is alive and well.

As someone who has been keenly interested in high horology for over 30 years and actively collecting for nearly as long, as well as being a lifelong student of the psychological underpinnings of consumer psychology and behaviour, I am honored to join ... as Special Editorial Advisor.  I respect the high editorial standards exhibited by the publishing group, and look forward to sharing with you views of the industry; the rich, fascinating history of not only the technical developments in the field of horology, but also the relationship of fine timepieces with their owners; the dynamics in the field of collecting; and presenting specific case studies of particular brands and special models.

Sincerely,

TM

Doctor of Organizational Psychology, Management, and Leadership