Featured Collector - The.Unpretentious.Timepiece

All four watches were gifts to me from loved ones. The Speedy was a gift from my now-passed grandparents. The Tank, Skipper, and Alpinist were given to me by my now-wife at various stages of our relationship. Each of these watches has become associated with memories of those (and other) loved ones. That's one of the great things about watches – they are inanimate objects, but they can represent so much more than their metal and glass components. They take on and embody the memories and people with which they become associated.

When I'm doing something for which I want to have my grandparents with me, I put the Speedy on my wrist. I frequently lose myself in reminiscing about them when the Speedy catches my eye. Or I remember certain celebrations with my wife when looking at the Tank.

As you can probably tell from the above, the Speedy is the most meaningful to me because of that connection to my grandparents and the way in which it allows me to feel like I'm carrying part of them with me. Although, the Tank comes a close second. My wife gave it to me at a critical juncture in our relationship. It represents not just that moment, but the strength of our enduring love.

I can't say there was one specific thing that got me into watches. It was gradual. I started with inexpensive Timexes, Pulsars, etc. My first "real" watch was an SKX007 – it was automatic, ISO certified, etc. etc. From there on, I kept finding new watches to fall in love with.

I think the draw to watches comes from a few places. Part of it is my interest in the analog. In a world dominated by computers and AI programs, I find myself drawn to things like fountain pens, mechanical watches, and manual transmissions. There's something tactile and reassuringly simple about them – something that makes them easier to connect with. They're devices of varying complexity, but understanding what makes them tick (no pun intended) feels far more accessible and tangible than the abstractness of digital technology.

So that romanticism – the watch as a piece of understandable, mechanical engineering – draws me in. And then of course, the mechanical watch is a connection to a bygone, mid-20th century era that many of us romanticize. There's also something undeniably cool about knowing that the watch on my wrist is powered by the movement of my own body. Maybe it's just watch marketing propaganda, but that feels like a genuine symbiotic relationship – me keeping it going, and it keeping time for me.

Finally, there’s vanity. Watches today are undeniably jewelry and luxury items. And honestly? I like looking at a good-looking watch on my wrist.