How do you start a conversation about watches with people who are collectors and with people who are not?

Complimenting someone on his/her watch is usually a good start.

I wouldn’t.

Ask about persons watch.

If someone answering like eh, yeah it looks cool.

Or yes, this is Tissot prx powermatic, my watch today - You’re in the right company 👏

I seem to get positive results when I talk about stories and history first. Nobody really cares about things like helium escape valves, co-axial escapement, or sapphire crystals when they start out. What gets people hooked is hearing about stuff like how Jim Lovell used his Speedmaster to control reentry burns on Apollo 13, or how WW1 took watches out of men's pockets and put them on their wrists in the trenches instead. You start appreciating the technical stuff only after you've made a connection to their importance.

ok i will read history.

Hell... just dive right in!

I usually compliment the person's watch, particularly if it's one from leftfield that would indicate a more discerning taste or a greater knowledge of the wider watch market.

I have to say that generally if someone is wearing a Rolex I don't bother. I say that as someone that owns 3 so please don't be offended. My experience with other Rolex owners is that they don't have a wider interest in watches.

I have started to say "what the hell is that?" and point to their watch. Watch people will give you a watch people answer. The rest will say something like "my kids gave it to me for father's day."

Then I compliment the watch. I don't volunteer my watch information unless asked.

Cool watch 😂.

Agreed 100%. I always compliment the watch unless the watch is a Rolex. If it's a Rolex, I don't bother. I always say something if a person is wearing a vintage watch, but be ready to listen everything about the vintage reference for minutes at least. I've seen a guy wearing a Doxa once, and I got so excited. He was excited to find another Doxa wearer.

EDIT: By the way, this is not a Rolex hate. It's just that people who wear Rolexes may or may not be someone who wants to talk about their watches. Whereas if I see a dude wearing other lesser known brands, he's dying to talk about it.

There's definitely something special in meeting someone with the same lesser known brand of watch. I love it, nothing better than 2 smug b@st@rds sitting together thinking "we're great" whilst looking at our wrists 😀👍

I just compliment their watch and take it from there.

Hey Buddy what’s the time?

"Hey that's a cool watch!"

And I let them decide if they want to continue the convo or end with "K thanks"

Non collectors go "I have a smart watch". Collectors are easy.

Definitely not by asking "Is that a Timex?". And if someone asks you that, keep your hands close to yourself. 😀

You open your mouth

Is it not often that you meet another watch enthusiast but my personal experience includes some really interesting anecdotes that some watch guy is dying to share. Most recently when I was checking out a new turntable at a long established electronics store, the sales guy told me how he was buying a pre owned 80s Tudor when some fella who worked for Rolex Canada convinced him to immediately return the Tudor for a Datejust instead, apparently the Rolex was for sale on consignment by the helpful stranger who had just dropped off his watch at the store. Lately I have been meeting a lot of Rolex wearers who love to tell their watches’ stories. However when I notice a Rolex watch on some stranger, I never even attempt to initiate a convo.

You don't

Introduce yourself as a watch addict/ pervert………😂

Most people like the word, “hello, can I talk to you about the afterlife?”

Same here to be honest. I have two Rolexes, and there are watch fans out there who own Rolex (many) but stastically I feel they are less likely to be likeminded if they have a Rolex. (Probably says a lot more about what I think of Rolex owners than may actually be the reality!)

I don’t. 😂 unless it occurs naturally.