Horological Meandering

We had an interesting discussion with Cookies about Watches and Lifestyle.

Cookies was saying that his lifestyle was important for him, when deciding on the watch he wanted to wear ( or to get? ).

Do you think it is an important criteria?

For example, James Bond used to wear a Rolex Submariner ( 6538 ) on a Tuxedo.

I'm sure he would wear with the same elegance a Vintage Calatrava, but you would object that it wouldn't be the best choice for him as he had a very active and dangerous life.

I would say that wearing a Big Crown on a Tuxedo is the " chic du chic ".

On another hand, I have a friend who currently lives in the country.

He seems to be frustrated to not have enough opportunities to enjoy his dressy or complicated watches, while he enjoys his sporty time keepers.

So, the question is here: Does your lifetsyle have an incidence on your " watchstyle "?

Curious to hear your opinion ,here....

Best,

Nicolas.

I would say watches for different ocassions.  Our lifestyle are not fixed 24 hours.  A Banker does not sit at office all day so you dont expect him to wear a dressy watch to go with his cuff links and tie.  An active Banker wears a lot of sports range watches made to tough it out as the Banker may be out of office most of the days, meet his clients outside of office during the day and at night the Banker needs to entertain or be entertained by his clients vice versa.  Thus a Banker may not wear a dress watch, gold, white dial, leather, measure 34mm and smaller, but he wears watches which are tool watches... So from what i can read here, yes and no, watches we choose are not and may be defined by our profession or lifestyle. I am undecided with what i am trying to achieve here.  Tough question, Nicolas.

Are you assimilating lawyers to vampîres, by the way?

Best,

Nicolas.

This message has been edited by amanico on 2011-02-27 03:04:05

... because I have shirts made in such way.  But in case the watch shows its small part, my watches are all white metal.  I don't like to wear gold color watches, at office or at home or wherever.  So, my watches are ALL white metal.  Having said that, majority of my watches are simple, conservative three hands or two hands.  Some has date, most don't.  So, I can pretty much wear any one of them for work.  So, I guess that is my lifestyle and watch.

On the other hand, I have one AP ROO and S and Y 490 - both are not for office and are used on weekends.

When go on a business trip overseas, I bring Seiko Brightz Solor Radio Wave world time.  Not too expensive and I can swallow even if it were stolen overseas (I still feel sorry for what happened to you, Nicolas).

May not be interesting lifestyle I have, but that is how I choose watches.

Of course, I have a few other really crazy stuff, but that is for another time....

Best,
Ken

Excellent question.

..Lifestyle is more difficult to define.  It should be Profession / Lifestyle.. Ken, your reply gives me a picture of you spending many hours at office and you prefer dress watches mostly with leather straps?

I do have a bracelet Speedy, though.  But I have changed all my Grand Seiko to leather strap, and so on.
For me, for now, profession IS lifestyle, unfortunately.....  I am a single man, living with old mother

Ken

..you mum appreciates you..

I am doing alright.  Just lost wife to cancer a few years ago.  But found this hobby and that has made me alive again.  That made my "lifestyle and watches" pretty much.  Thanks to this great community.

Ken

...good and happy memories from the time you guys were together.  Cape diem, seize the day, and i am sure life will be more meaningful ! Great to hear you continue to find happiness here and everywhere and everything should be felt with the heart, we sometimes just have to live the moments meant for our lives....

and am glad you discovered and pursued this hobby.

best, Horo

also sorry to read about your loss...
and happy that you have found some comfort here...

Cheers

From the mundane to the simpler.

So, I'm lucky ( ? ) enough to have the opportunity to choose from a wide selection of very different watches.

Best,

Nicolas.

From now on I'll keep your thought in mind when i'm looking at funny watches.

Best
Tyler

Choosing them carefully is better, in my opinion.

Does it fit your collection, do you really appreciate it rather than being a simple " caprice ", is it refflecting what you love in watches rather than what others think, do you see a future in your relation with the watch, etc ????

Choosing a watch is an Art...Paying for it is not he most interesting point.

Best,

Nicolas.

I would personally replace the word "art" with main part of the of the passion. Paying and owning is only the maintenance part of it.


Best
Tyler

Lifestyle consideration? Absolutely.

stiff is pretty active.  He submerged a vintage dress PP (with no water resistance) on more than one occasion.  stiff won't allow the opportunity to repeat dat mistake.

stiff, however, doesn't have to wear da rugged watch to establish dat he is rugged, hence da dress watch with da day coat or dinner jacket.

For sport, stiff likes da asthetics of da domed Plexiglass crystal and it affords some impact resistance, too.

stiff muckler iiH!

except for cycling etc. or any risky activity that might compromise the perfectness of my scratch-free bezel :P

dont want anything other watches..

Hi Nicolas,

This is headache man.......

Well....tuxedo in bracelete watch,tuxedo in rubber strap watch or even plastic watch are very personal preferences......This minute he might be joining cocktail party and the second minute he goes for diving...who knows.

At home,my watches category A are always standby....they make up of bracelet,rubber and leather.From Richard Lange down to IWC Galapagos.Depends on my need and enviroment.Meeting clients in cosy atmosphere even justufiable with a MR....and where driving is concern usually Chronograph watches will go along.

But when travelling,i sometime carry along 2/3 watches,consist of outdoor and indoor watches and perpetual will play a role here in order for me to makesure all the days and date running through out the whole month.And again occasion and enviroment will let me select which is the most appropriate watch to match.

Well.....that's me and i guess there are many out there have their lifestyle and preferences to match along.....

Thanks

BHK9

 

Lifestyle/Profession all are secondary.

When I go out whether for work, sports or leisure is up to the decision of what I want to be or for the lack of a better word "purpose"

If is heavy contact sports: Any steel or rubber strap watch preferably not gold unless is golf.

I do wear the milgauss while I jog around the park.

I have had my Royal Oak chrono wiith a blue suit while attending a formal dinner works well as I am a fun seeking person in that event.

I have my 5055G with short sleeve and jeans for chic once when I'm out dinner n movie with my wife.

A speedmaster on racing strap with plain or white long sleeve shirt and black pants when I'm out meeting client.

A MIH to a purist GTG? (Now I missed mine )

How about RG lange with white linen head to toe? Will it work, I think it might.

Often decisions are made based on mood, combination of apparel and what reaction we want from people around us (I count no reaction as one of it as well)


Conclusion, do my lifestyle affect my watches? How about do your watches affect your lifestyles? I think the scope is too narrow to define such a broad topic. When we speak of watches it account to one of the many factors we consider in our daily life. Clothing, venue, the crowds that all have to comes in to have a meaningful discussion.

Just my 2 cents

Tyler

since I spend the majority of my time at work I tend to focus my watches on what I like to wear there, so white metal conservative watches, and I have less of an emphasis on the weekend (steel watches, bigger). This way I can maximally enjoy my collection.

Best

Andreas

My collection 5 years ago consisted of an equal amount of "dress" watches and "sports watches".  Since I wore a suit every day to work, I tended to wear "dress watches" as they fit under a shirt sleeve much better and were more elegent.  However, when the moment turned casual, I tended to trend toward "sports" watches.  5 Years ago I retired and found that my dress watches tended to not get enough watch time so I have sold some of them and now trend heavily to "sports" watches.  Pretty simple for me.

If I were still going into the office every day, wearing lots of formal clothes, meeting with high end clients, I would definitely be more inclined to purchase dress watches.    I do go to a casual office twice a week, and have various more formal business and personal occasions, but not enough to justify a lot of watches that I have to remember are on my wrist before engaging in a full range of activities.    A woman can wear practically any watch in any situation and it will be judged as an accessory - it allows a bit more freedom in the fashion choice, but there are still practical considerations.

In the vintage theme collections (alarm and hi beat) lifestyle does not affect the purchase decision, only the decision on when or whether to wear the watch.   Luckily I have a selection of practical chunky 70s hibeats  and therefore can fill my need for very casual watches  from there and give them some needed wrist time as well.     On days when I am home I frequently change the watch during the day from true beater I can wear for hiking or gym to another casual watch that can survive cooking and general household activities.      There is also the summer collection with metal bracelets - I could wear them in the winter but I try to rotate with seasons.

Travel is a bit of a quandary.    I have tried out a number of GMT's and have not yet found the "keeper".   We usually include some outdoor pursuits in travel so a sturdy bracelet watch is necessary. 

And, since I am a woman, if I can't get satisfied with the existing watch choice to match a particular outfit (similar to the way some women feel about shoes), I "need" to get one that does match.

Ginger

This might sound strange, but I see it that my lifestyle is really determined by who I am. There is a reason that I am in technology, because ultimately that is where things took me with the capabilities I have. In turn, I choose watches that fit me, not my lifestyle. I don't know that any of this makes sense, I guess I am suggesting that both our watches are our lifestyles are merely extensions of who we are (or perhaps want to be).

If you look at my modest collection, you'll likely get an idea of the type of person that I am; rather than the lifestyle that I have. I doubt that my taste will change dramatically when I retire. Naturally, I allow that age might change my taste. But I still think that I'll be looking favorably upon the same styles.

--Sancerre

….perhaps even the most important factor for me at this point in .

I’ve owned a few elegant dressy pieces in the pass that I was absolutely in love with but just never wear because it just does not fit my style or "lifestyle" , just ended up feeling a bit self conscious wearing them.

I am currently looking for a Hybrid piece of sort, one that I can wear with Jeans and T-shirt and still look appropriate with a Suit …Sports - elegant ??

Drew

i just wear what i like when i like.

G

What watches to get and to wear!

 

I wear a Geomatic with jeans and at the Gym.

 

I wear a Polaris with anything and anywhere!

 

 

 

Best, my friend!

 

Blomman

In the past I wore larger and sportier watches, but then came to the realization that my wrist isn't that big and that I'm usually wearing a suit. I wanted to believe I had the lifestyle of a secret agent, but the reality is a touch more mundane. Watches can be a one piece Halloween costume and I think there is a touch of romance in that. Put on a ROO or Panerai and feel like an action hero. Don a Reverso and feel like Gordon Gekko... although I think he wore an IWC. Put on a Patek complication and feel like Charlie Sheen

I think my lifestyle has shaped the kinds of watches I appreciate and enjoy wearing. I choose watches for aesthetic appeal, technical marvel, elegance, comfort and suitability. I do find beauty in coloured metal, but only wear it to work if I know I'm not seeing clients that day. I may actually be more concerned with the image I don't want to portray than the image I do want to portray. In this day in age I sometimes feel a 40 mm Rolex in steel is understated. I've seen some pretty ostentatious 46 mm quartz pieces of junk that will get noticed long before a Submariner. Ultimately I buy what creates an emotion in me and I wear what I feel like, but I think my taste has evolved. I am mindful of the occasion.

Interesting topic BTW

This message has been edited by emcquillan on 2011-02-25 13:47:17 This message has been edited by emcquillan on 2011-02-25 13:56:14

I thought you had lost your mind, how can the cookies we eat define the watches we wear!?

But I think it depends on personality, some of my friends wear their Hublot/AP ROO for every occasion, whether it is a camping trip or a formal dinner, makes no difference to them.
But I personally wear my steel tool/sporty watches for every day use, as I sit at a desk most of the day and that involves the occasional smack on the edge of the desk, i feel bad taking a dress watch and getting big scratches on it. My very "economically" priced timex is the one I wear for the more dangerous days (camping, going to the scary parts of town), as I dont really worry about cracking the crystal or even losing it.

Regards
Marwan