As a scholar of watchmaking history and an enthusiast of vintage timepieces, it will not come as a surprise that I have a preference for smaller watches. I enjoy the fact that they often sit more comfortably on the wrist and are visually not that overpowering. This all makes sense, but for some reason, it all goes out the door when summer begins. In a complete contradiction, I then suddenly prefer watches like the Breitling Emergency and the Anonimo Militaire Chronograph indeed watches with quite a substantial diameter.
As I enjoy wearing polo shirts in the summer, a watch that can slip under the cuff is no longer a requirement. It further doesn’t make much sense as, for me, it is quite a shift from my usual style and preference. Quite fortunately, in collecting watches, making sense is not a requirement. There is no need to understand why it doesn’t make sense. These contradictions are more part of the fun, as they allow you to enjoy an even broader segment of the watch world.
Contradictions can also exist on different levels. For me, it is mostly about the size of the watch, but I can also think of a handful of collectors who are just as much into Patek Phillipe’s as they are into G-Shocks. While these watches represent different sides of the spectrum, combined they offer them the whole experience. Think of how smartwatches did not cause a second quartz crisis in the watch industry but instead they became all the more complimentary to traditional watchmaking. A pleasant thought that is especially welcomed in Switzerland and Japan. So, contradictions in collecting are nothing to worry about, useless to analyze, but all the more something to enjoy, as they can be central in enriching your favorite hobby.
Do you face any contradictions when it comes to watches? Let us know in the comments
I recently made a Super Cyclone Storm Watch, that required a Northern Hemisphere Cyclone, anti-clockwise movement. After wearing for a month and going back to a normal watch dial, I found it really weird. I wear both now, but prefer the anti-clockwise movement.
Enjoyed the article. I follow a simple rule…wear what fits you. If you are Woody Allen (35mm to 38mm) works. If you are Arnold Schwarzenegger, 45 mm to 50 works. This is called having style. This goes for attire, hats etc. Another of my rules is if your watch primarily serves a functional purpose, buy one with clear, legible hand and numbers. If you have to look at your watch for the first few moments to figure out where the hands are (skeleton), you have made a mistake. And finally, what self-proclaimed fashion expert decided it was “in” to wear 3-4 bracelets on your watch wrist…especially metal ones. A beautiful watch deserves all the attention…and what about scratching the watch?
Our collections can be as diverse as our activities… A fine dress watch for attending an elegant dinner or a wedding. A G-shock for yard work. Dive watches for the beach.
I personally love many styles of watches and match them to my mood or activity… And of course, the watch colors must compliment the outfit!
No contradictions on watches for me fell in love with SCUBA diving as child watching Sea Hunt. First watch I bought was a dive watch at sixteen years old then became a certified diver and the only watch I will own is a DIVE watch