Q: How did you get into watch collecting?
I've always loved watches since I was a kid with my red and blue 'learn to tell the time' watch that I grew up with. But I never seriously got into watch collecting until recently when I bought a Solar Citizen watch on a flight coming back from a family holiday. As soon as I wore it I suddenly felt the urge to buy more watches. I still have the Citizen but it hardly sees any wrist time now since I started buying automatics. But I still look at it fondly.
Q: What was the first watch you ever owned?
Timex Learn to tell the time watch, back in the 80's. I then went crazy for the Casio calculator watch from Back to the Future ... I was lucky enough to get one!
Q: Do you have a watch with a particularly interesting story behind it?
I've recently bought a Timex Marlin Snoopy watch, the one where Snoopy is riding his motorbike with a Woodstock on the back. I saw it and had to have it because, on the day I was born I was given a silver snoopy mug and spoon (it was the kind of gift you got when you were a child in the 80's) but I remember my Mum keeping the cup and spoon for years, she wouldn't let it go, even when I was well into my 30's. Sadly my Mum passed away in 2019 and whilst clearing out her house I found the Snoopy mug and Spoon, very tarnished but still there in all their glory. I've kept them ever since and in fact my kids still use the spoon for their cereal in a morning. I'm mad into motorbikes, and ever since i watched Terminator 2 i promised myself i would buy a Harley Davidson one day, but i always kept putting it off for one reason or another. I sold my sports bike when I became a Dad, purely because I'd never have time to ride the thing whilst changing nappies and i didnt want my kids to grow up without a father if anything happened to me. Whilst talking to my Mum in her last few weeks on earth she told me "don't put anything off, we aren't guaranteed our time in this life, do what you have to do now and have no regrets, enjoy yourself." This advice stayed with me for months after her death. So one day whilst out driving on my own, I came across a Harley Davidson showroom that I had no idea was there. I went in, spoke to the salesperson and with the advice from my Mum echoing in my mind, I walked out of there with a stunning white Harley Davidson Breakout. When I saw the Timex snoopy watch with him on the motorbike I knew I had to have that watch no matter what. Everytime I look at it I see Snoopy, my childhood mascot, living his best life on his motorbike and my Mum's advice to live life to the full, NOW! ... it makes me smile everytime.
Q: What is one piece of advice you have for someone just getting into watches?
Buy watches that YOU love and enjoy. Don't just buy a brand that is the "it watch" of the moment. Yes, it's nice to have expensive luxury watches, but ask yourself, who are you really buying them for, yourself or to impress those around you?
Q: What brands have been getting your attention lately?
Casio, Tissot, Seiko and Timex
Q: What is your grail watch and why?
I promised myself that one day I would own a Breitling watch. I love aviation and a Breitling is the epitome of what aviation is. I feel they're the classiest looking watches on the market and not at all pretentious like a Rolex... although I wouldn't say no to a Rolex 😁
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