Watch Clichés
William Safire once cautioned aspiring writers to "avoid clichés like the plague." Yet, we all use them to write about watches and we see them when we consume watch content. There are many to choose from and this poll only gives me four options.
So, here is the question: Which do you find yourself using non-ironically the most? Put your favorites in the comments.
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Greg
Restitutor Orbis. Aristocrat of beauty. Autocrat of time. (Trying to perfect trolling over at theescapementroom.com)
Charleston, SC
Member since
Last active: 32 min ago
Probably "value for money." I try to avoid the cliches but of course I have used all of these I think!
GADA…shivers. It’s hard to dance around this term.
Some of my personal favourites:
Light play
Workhorse movement
GADA…shivers. It’s hard to dance around this term.
I am guilty of unironically using "GADA" in a post but people!! It's all a lie!!!! You can still do adventurous shit with a leather strap!!!!!!
I’m probably guilty of using more of them than I realize. Of your alternative it will be ”value for money”. Unlike @SpecKTator I think GADA is pretty handy word. But maybe I use it wrong. I see it as an allround watch with spec and design that allows you to wear in any occasion. You know, for normal people owning just one watch.
Entry level seems to be what I tell pushy ads trying to sell me more expensive watches is my preference.
Wear it in good health. @English_archer made an observation about the phrase that had me chuckling 🤭
GADA and Strap Monster always turn me green.
I love a watch which is strap versatile ie strap monster so yes use the term a lot (like I use straps) so guilty as charged. GADA well I've not many of them as its a very nuanced description but I will say as an alternative ABC 'all bases covered'* my take on GADA I've not read of ABC described before so I my take it as mine, to say does a bit of everything in some level of competencey . No watch does everything???, well it tells the time and works, well like I said, nuanced (very). Workhorse, does sound a bit elitist, but we all need levels right (hopefully of engineering and technicality rather than elitistism).
We all use commpn descriptors, and they do get a bit wearing at times, but they do convey a concise way of describing something (pigeon holing). I'm guilty as the next, but its fun to try and come up with the new (and a skill as a great writer)**
*I might have used ABC in describing a strap monster on past posts, so guilty of 'over'using the thing I've sort of pertained to have invented.
** I don't claim in the slightest to be a great writer, or even a writer, and anyone who's used ABC before please don't sue me.
Has anyone mentioned the J word yet....
Goodness knows what's all these black dots are.
Some variation of "Value for Money". As @Magstime has mentioned I definitely use "Wear it in Good Health". Another one I like to use is "Light Catcher". Now that I think of it I'm full of cliches. No Bueno!
Love me some GADA. But then, after a career in uniform, acronyms are like a second language to me.
This is such an interesting post, and has made me realise that almost everything associated with the hobby is some form of cliche. To a degree that is understandable because watch enthusiasm is so far removed from the function of telling time that the reasons we share this interest are abstract and end up being expressed as simplified concepts that become cliches, “tiny machine with a soul”, “connects me to a time gone by”, “plays with the light”. Even pointing this out has become a cliche recently, the ‘self aware watch collector’.
Once I thought about this I realised cliched concepts and statements were everywhere.
Is this watch too big/small?
X brand is bad/good, luxury/tool, overrated/underrated
Pretty much anything associated with Rolex, Seiko, Casio and the Speedmaster
Buying watches in association with life events not otherwise connected to watches
Are homages good/bad, what is/is not a homage
The entire concept of a collection
The thing is all of these cliches don’t need to be a bad thing, recognising them let’s us see how we are limiting our own thinking and gives us an opportunity to consider how we appreciate our watches and the community around them in different ways.
As someone who aspires to write and who happens to also be shit at proofreading, cliches annoy me, but as you said, we are all guilty to some extent. Many good ones are named already.
In terms of the ones that get to me, I think workhorse movement is probably the most annoying. Any modern movement should be reliable, but hey, call the NH35 workhorse to make it seem better than it is. While we are at it, let's avoid:
Grail - dumb
Beater watch
GADA
Investment grade
Scratches show character
Desk diver
Fit and finish
Quality vs. quantity (Seriously stop)
Wear it in good health. @English_archer made an observation about the phrase that had me chuckling 🤭
Once you’ve seen it, you can’t unsee it 😈
"without much further adoo"
Is a compulsory phrase for all watch YouTubers 😂😂
"Down the rabbit hole" is used all the time with watch collecting
I think entry level is something that makes sense saying, sometimes at least.
What always baffled me is the persistent claim that a tapering bracelet is somehow more comfortable.
OMG.. does this mean I have to stop using GADA? 😱
I think entry level is something that makes sense saying, sometimes at least.
What always baffled me is the persistent claim that a tapering bracelet is somehow more comfortable.
You beat me to it, UnsignedC. Cheap, affordable, budget, entry level. What's the best description? It's hard to say. I usually go with entry level.
OMG.. does this mean I have to stop using GADA? 😱
At the end of the day, FWIW, yes BTW.
what happens if I use clichés ? does the planet explodes ?