Horological Meandering

Hi all,

as Daos ("dxboon")  recently encouraged everybody to share our ideas on various topics, this is my attempt to describe a phenomenon which I observed with myself and many people posting on this and other watch-related sites:

1. We are eager to acquire "new" (no matter whether vintage or brandnew) watches and are by no means content with a single watch. (Somewhere I spotted a pic of several hundreds of - how else can you name it - accumulated watches)
2. On the other hand we are longing for a quality like authenticity and "personality" that comes with a watch only if it is worn on a regular daily basis.

I can remember reading posts where we could almost feel the aura of a vintage watch that arose from the fact that is was someone´s Dad´s watch which he had on his wrist for decades and people reacted with emotional and passionate comments.
It is obvious that all our treasured, beautiful watches will hardly ever gain this status that we value so much, because we do not wear them on a daily basis.

Talking of myself, I have about a dozen of nice watches for various occasions: work, leisure, sport, formal issues.
My son sometimes asks: "Got a new watch, daddy?", whereas my wife lost track of them already. But my son or wife would not be able to tell which of all these watches was so very special, because it was "my" watch. My son may inherit a watch collection one day, but never his "father´s watch".
I suppose this quality is inevitably lost, as soon as you are no longer happy with one watch. (Which is only too understandable as there so many lovely ones around!).
Sometimes you can hear an echo of our longing for "The" watch, I think, if you feel the need for another watch, the "Allrounder", i.e. a watch that is suitable for many different situations and could therefore get this special quality. But usually there will come another beautiful watch and the allrounder will sleep in its box until it is woken up sometime.

Does this sound familiar to you?
I would be interested to learn from your your experience and appraisal!

Best regards,

anaesdoc

I read with interest your post about "collecting" watches.  I think many people acquire watches just for the sake of quantity and once they have acquired several realize that they have sacrificed quality and become disillusioned about the whole subject. It is watch sites such as this one that allow one to become more formally schooled in the nuances of watch collecting by being exposed to so many manufactures.

For myself I am so fickle that I will sometimes wear 3 or 4 different watches in one day. If I am going out to a formal affair, for example I may wear a platinum Glashutte and carry a  turn of the century Patek pocket watch just to play with and share with friends.  I have no interest in purchasing these magnificent creations and then leaving them in a safe, never wearing them. My children and grandchildren all have their eyes on one piece or another and someday (way off in the future) they will inherit them; I hope they wear them, learn about the origin of the measurement of time and all its applications and enjoy them as I have.  My life is certainly more colorful and rich for the experience.

BTW, be careful about giving away your watches too soon; I gave my oldest daughter's husband my 1969 Rolex submariner that I bought while a US Naval officer in South East Asia- He won't give it back!  xx DD

that might be paid for your gift by your son-in-law, isn´t it, daringdave?
If he does not want to give it back or away, this is just something I would wish for when giving a watch away.
BTW, I find giving a watch as a gift is most difficult in many instances; guess how idiosyncratic I would be if given a timepiece. There simply is too much preformed taste and mindset on my side to be a rewarding recipient!

But that definitely would make a topic for another thread...

All the best,

anaesdoc

I do think stories of singular timepieces passed down between generations, especially of the type you cite (a watch worn daily for decades by a father, then passed to his son) are moving, but I also believe that in a collection of multiple watches, equally meaningful and authentic emotions can abide.  

A son may not inherit his father's ONE special watch, but maybe instead he will inherit multiple watches that together carry with them the story of his father's journey through life -- the good son will lovingly cherish his father's first "nice" watch, bought when the man was just starting out and had to scrimp and save to gather enough funds for the purchase; he will sentimentally recall his dad when choosing to wear another watch once worn by the old man on the day he married the boy's mother; he will walk confidently while sporting a watch his father once bought to celebrate the day his name was added to the masthead at the prestigious law firm.  Would a son not be pleased to have all these watches, regardless of how often his father had worn them? 

Perhaps the key is not necessarily finding that one "all around" watch that sees your wrist daily and becomes an heirloom because of it, but in sharing your thoughts, emotions, and stories behind all the many timepieces you've obtained and love, with the people you love.  These little acts, and time spent together amongst your watches, in and of themselves add to the specialness of your timepieces IMO.

Cheers,

Daos

 

Hi Daos,

I am sure, you´re right with your consoling thought, that I/one may have several watches and there still is a possibility for the watches to be fitted with a special significance (I just try to figure out, what to do if you had suggested to sell or give away all but one). But, as you explained, there has to be made a special effort to get there: spend time, tell a story behind the watch.
Whereas in the "old days" people´s lives and watches became united by the fact that whereever the people were, were their watches; nowadays we have to add the stories to particular watches. Modern times are more complicated at times, aren´t they?

Yes, I like this idea of yours, Daos and will go ahead telling my watches history, hoping there is one for each piece other than greed

All the best,

anaesdoc

 

...are increasingly complex to be sure, but the true things -- like the love of a child for his father -- always remain as they ever were.  I have no doubt your son will one day cherish one or more of your watches, not as an object of inherited means, but as a tangible reminder of you and a lifetime of shared experiences. 

Thanks for your thoughtful post!

Cheers,
Daos 

Hello Daos,

Your post is very interesting.  It reminded me of the watch I gave my son.  Just before our son was born, I splurged and bought myself a "nice "watch.  It was a used Rolex stainless datejust.  I wore that Rolex for the next twenty years as my daily knock around piece.  I wore it every day to work, even on vacations, while hiking, and doing light projects around the house.  Never gave it much thought since it "was a Rolex" - an it's a tough watch.  I didn't even have to service it once.  When my son was about to graduate from college, I decided to make that watch a gift to him because he had been eyeing it for years.  Had it serviced and polished to like new.  My son's expression was priceless when he realised what I was giving him.  He never expected me to part with "my watch".  The first day he wore the Rolex, three different people at work asked him "Is that a REAL Rolex?"  I think all the attention embarassed him, so he decided to wear it only on special occassions.  That's fine with me.  It meant more to him for that special  event.

I happened to be very fond of the Omega Speedmaster triple dates.  So much so that I bought a white dial one for my daily wear.  But I had always wanted a blue dial, which seem to be about $200 more.  As luck would have it, I came across a Speedmaster triple date with a blue dial for a bargain.  So, once again, I hade the white dial speedmaster cleaned up and I gave it to my son when he received a promotion at work.  He was very pleasantly surprised, and like the watch very much.  What can I say?  How can I not like someone who shares my passion for the same interest?

My passion in watches leans towards the warmth of rose gold.  To my surprise, my son commented about a rg watch I wore one day.  He said it was a nice watch, but he's not into rose, or any gold.  He likes the clean modern look of stainless steel.  I told him "silly kid.  Wait until you grow older."  Lately, he's eyeing my few Pateks.  But they are either rose or yellow gold.  When he was joking about the Patek advertisement " One never owns a Patek, he just takes care of it for the next generation", I told my son, "Too bad.  They are not your color."

Cheers,  Frederick

...to have such a generous father!    It's wonderful that the two of you can share this hobby together!  My dad and I share many common interests, but I'm afraid watches are not one of them.  C'est la vie!

Hope you are having a great week so far!
Daos

Thank you for sharing the nice story.

I bought a Rolex SD when my son was born.  The Explorer 1 that I wore for years was sent in for routine service and that triggered the itch to add a SD. The idea of getting a watch for the birth of my son didn't cross my mind when I was looking for the SD during my wife's pregnancy. For months I couldn't find a SD in Hong Kong and eventually my buddy found one in Singapore. He travelled from our hometown to Singapore, picked up the watch at the airport, and delivered to me in HK. My boy was less than 2 weeks old when it arrived.  

The SD has been on my wrist since then and I couldn't get the Explorer 1 off my wife's wrist. Over the past nine years, a number of  watches were added to the collection. Ironically, all of them have a story behind....which I shall save for other treads. This SD is significant to me as it relates so closely to my son. So often I recalled the emotional moments when I carried the two new borns in my arms. Up till now, it still warms my heart when i spend time with my son with the SD on my wrist, in the ocean, in the pool, in the garden, in the car...

I bought a JLC Reverso GT earlier this year. My son commented it was a very beautiful watch, but he likes the SD. I didn't expect a reason from a 9-yr old boy.

During my last home visit earlier this year, I took out all the old watches that I'd kept in the family house. Among them was the Roskopf pocket watch my grandfather passed down to my father and eventually to me. It belonged to my grandfather's buddy who has used the watch for a long time before giving to my grandfather about 80 yrs ago.

I was sharing the stories of these watches with my father as I drooled on each of them. He went back to his room and returned with all his old watches that I knew so well. We spent a very meaningful afternoon walking down the memory lane.  Many names of his old friends popped up in our conversation as most of these watches have a story too.

When we acquire a watch, I guess we believe the price worth the pleasure of owning it. But very often, a watch becomes priceless when one relates it to time and events.

Pete

 

 

turn into pieces of time!

Very moving story of a walk back into personal history by the means of one´s watches - thank you for sharing, Pete!

Many more good stories to follow...

anaesdoc

Well said Pete; I think that people sometimes wait too long to attach meaning to various items in their lives. That old car that has been sitting on the family farm, that special pen, the gold watch. Those stories need to be told and passed along. They are the character and substance that makes families richer for having them to tell. xx DD

Thank you Anaesdoc and DD for the encouraging words. These are stories I seldom share with others as they are my feelings more than the watches.

"A house is a house until one makes it a home". "A watch is a watch until one makes it  pieces of time".

pete

This topic put me in a reflective mood.  I'm embarrased to admit that my interest in watches far surpasses that of my hard working (now long since retired) father.  My dad, like his own father, was a career Correctional Officer for the state of New York.  Day shift, night shift, swing shift, overtime when he could get it.  I remember his light blue uniform shirt and his working class car pool companions over the years.  He certainly never had the discretional income to purchase an heirloom quality watch...  actually he only wore a wedding ring.  His lack of interest in accessories/jewelry may have been related to professional practicality as a prison guard I suppose.  He probably put that ring into his locker before entering the inmate holding areas, and put it back on when he drove home. 

My lot in life has been different.  And although I live a half a world away from my aging dad (he's in NY, I'm in Kuwait) I still feel a little self-conscious strapping on a five-figure watch as my daily.  And no kids to pass it to.  If anything I'd pass a nice watch up to him as a gesture of my appreciation for his sacrifice.  Although he may accept it out of kindness, as the country song goes "My Dad was never a Cadillac man"...  he probably be too embarrassed to put it on.  Just not his style.  All he really values now is to have his family together - which is why Ana and I will be in upstate New York for his and my mom's 50th wedding anniversary in early October.

Hello Robert,

I believe you are right when thinking your dad would accept a gift for courtesy but might not really value it.

I have seen that some times and must admit, I once was so unappreciative myself!
My parents gave me a nice Maurice Lacroix watch for graduation, nothing spectacular from an horological point of view, but really nice. The drawback: it had a QUARTZ movement. That - even in those young days of my watch dedication - was desastruous for me. So I took the watch and valued my parents´ intention, but I never felt really comfortable with the watch.
Luckily enough the Portofino I gave my dad at his 70th birthday was a direct hit, as it became his daily wearer which is a gift for me as the giver in turn!

What about nephews or nieces, godchildren as possible interested parties? And judging from your avatar there still might be time for children yourself ? Listen to mkt33´s advice - he´s a doctor!

Cheers,

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.

==================

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

 

Hi Thomas,

I feel very indebted to you for your approving comment and almost see myself as an intuder in your specialty when musing on the psychological implications of our watches. Your post with the excerpts of an article are another proof for the truth of the saying "There is nothing new under the sun" (Eccl. 1,9) as you have covered the topic in a very comprehensive way already.

Thanks for dealing with a newcomer.

Kind regards,

anaesdoc

anaesdoc,

As another anaesthetist, I am glad for your missive; obviously you have calm periods at work to think about stuff  

I can see your argument about watches with insufficient wrist-time to become 'special'.

On the other hand, the current Mrs MTF knows which watches are special because we have a box of 6 watches each that we can grab easily in case of rapid egress from the house.

Included are:

My 'Life' watch that I got to celebrate NOT dying a few years ago. Eventually, i will...... but not in 2007.

The watch Mrs MTF consoled me with when "I reached 40 years of age and with no prospects"; she was proven correct when everything changed for the better  2 months later.

So, the value of the watches are their stories.

 

Finally, my family knows which is My Favourite watch even if I only wear it 3 times a year because I tell them what it was and renew my vows annually.

So far, no other usurper has taken that title despite many intervening and worn purchases.

So, you can just tell your family which is THE one.....

Regards,

MTF

... may occur in an anaesthetist´s life, that´s for sure, but in this case, I am sorry to report, it was due to a nightshift which did not give me a decent rest, so that I decided to turn to posting, MTF - nice not to be the only (sleepless) "sleep doctor" around here.

Talking about doctors and calm periods at work, you may know the joke, how you can tell a doctor´s specialty from the colour of his white coat stains?

(Further reading probably not advisable for non-medical persons)

Red stains - blood -  surgeon.
Yellow stains - urine - urologist.
Brown stains - coffee - anaesthetist!

Thanks for your thoughts, all the best,

anaesdoc

he gave it to me on my 40th birthday and i treasure it, possibly more than any of my watches. (i'd have to think about that one).

i have a large number of watches, but there are always one or more watches that mean more to the owner than other pieces. for me there are a couple of watches i've purchased that were made the year i was born. they mean a lot to me and my family are picking up on that fact. over the years it will become even more apparent so although there wont be 'the one watch' as many have inherited from their fathers there will still be 'the special few' which have equal meaning.

i hope the notion of inheriting 'Dad's watch' doesnt die, but as you have suggested, it may get diluted.

best

Graham

important.

It would seem we share similar issues:

1.  I have more watches than limbs

2. I need another watch as much as I need a hole in my head but somehow I always have a new excuse for the next purchase.

3. Our professions sometimes do not allow us to wear nice watches everyday so they sit at home until the appropriate occassion (I have vernix on my white coat).

My two kids will inherit my complete collection one day but  I have a special one picked out for each of them (they have "baby wrist shots" as photodocumentation of who gets what so they can't fight! )   But ultimately what warms my heart is the fact that when my kids see a picture of a watch the next  words out of their mouths are " look pappi, that's your watch".  As they grow older I hope to teach them what is special about each of the watches so perhaps when they glance at all the watch they will not only remember me but also the time we spent talking about each specific one and why I treasured each differently.

By the way I have an easy solution to your problem...

Have more kids!  Then your excuse will be I need more watches so that each offspring can have a separate inheritance.  Isn't that a typical response from an Obstetrician

 

Best, Mike

 

This message has been edited by mkt33 on 2009-06-17 09:11:28

... Mike, but when "collecting" my family I did not pre-estimate my future watch collection .

At least my wife and I made it up to one third of my watches number (see above to make the maths) and nowadays I´d rather give away some watches than start all anew with so many more kids! Somehow my interest in watches could develop once I did not not have to feed babies, change nappies and had a decent night rest (if not on call) again!
But thanks for your proposal which might be a little step towards an increase of the birth rate in western countries at least.

Good luck delivering even better stuff than watches,

best regards,

anaesdoc

It would be an ideal world if I could choose MY watch, the only one I will live with.

From my collection, I can't choose only one, and decide to sell the others.

I sell, form time to time, watches which don 't correspond to my tastes, anymore or which I don't wear anymore ( which is the same )...

MY watch would be the ideal watch, the watch which sums all the qualities I'm looking for in one and only one watch.

I can make it with women ( I found her ), but not with watches...



This being said, let's go on with another thought:

Is it sad to ont wear only one watch, which, hence, would be our trustful companion?

I have in mind one PP slogan: A Watch which would share all the mpoments, good or bad, of your Life.

That's a great diea, but it is not realistic:

For example, will you wear your beloved Patek World Time when you're at the beach?

Certainly not!

Will you wear your Panerai Egiziano when you have an elegant event, or when you're at work, meeting some important people?

Well, you will tell me that you can't wear an Egiziano in any circumstances but you got my point.

Certainly not!

I belong to this category of people who think that each watch correspond to a precise situation.

So, you may have 3, 4, 5, let's say 10 watches, it would remain meaningful.

The " Realistic Ideal " ( a new concept ... ) thing would be to severely select one watch from one category, and to not double them.

So you would be able to say that each watch you selected is YOUR watch.

And I don' t find any contradiction with intimacy and abundance.

I wear ALL my watches, I stay quite a long time with the same, then I change.

And it is always a renewed pleasure.

So yes, my watches share my life.

I love the idea of your post!

Thanks!

Best,

Nicolas

...is a famous and often quoted saying, but nevertheless it´s true, isn´t it, Nicolas?

I am with you, that I could hardly say, what might be MY one and only watch. I would also be unable to say what could be MY shoes or MY clothing - they vary according to various demands. Just concerning MY wife, I hold the same view like you! But then we are talking about people, not things. (Funny how often we describe our affection to watches with similar words (beauty, splendor, warmth, radiation, perfection, companion etc.) as poets might do for their beloved ones, isn´t it?)

Having said this, there is an accompanying loss of "flair" or "character", just that sort of thing, that the Patek´s advertisement alluded to: a watch witnessing all the different moments of its wearer´s life. It is the same with shoes: our different pairs of shoes never will come up to the glamour and character of a cowboy´s boots which he ever wears, from dust till dawn. But on the other side: do we want to wear just one pair of shoes for making them so special? So, I think at leat SOME watches should be allright.

Thanks for your thoughts!

All the best,

aneasdoc

For some reason, I'm more attracted to how others do it.
Probably the same reason, that although I'm basically an artist and painter by trade, I have virtually none my own art on display in my home.

I know which watch to give to my son regardless of the wrist time.  My wife even has decided THE watch to give to my daughter.  I agree with MTF that it is the story behind the watch that makes it "special" not the wrist time.

In addition to "my" watch, there is ANOTHER watch that my son will inherit from me, that is my father's ONLY watch.  This is his ONLY watch during his life time - Titoni.  Naturally, the decision was easy for him to let me inherit his watch.

Perhaps, our lives are too good/complacent or we are too greedy/successful to own too many watches which get us into such dilemma.

Regards

Ling

 

... firstly on reinforcing MTF´s remark, that the stories behind them make our watches special.

...secondly that we are talking about a very luxurious dilemma, that many people would like to share with us! So, there´s no need to cry out loud, rather we may be grateful for having it.

Thanks for this addition!

Ciao,

anaesdoc