Origin Stories
I'm curious about your origin stories.
Originally, I was going to ask about first watches, but I think it's more interesting to think about the watch that turned you into an enthusiast and why. If it helps, think about this: which was the first watch you took a picture of (because if you're taking a picture of a watch, then you're probably an enthusiast).
For me, it was the Farer Universal Ponting.
The above (half out of focus) wrist shot is the first picture I ever took of a watch. I had owned other watches before - watches that I still think are quite handsome - but the combination of colors, materials, and functions of this Farer (along with its being a mechanical watch with a display caseback) was the difference that made the difference.
Zero regrets.
Okay, actually, a few regrets. But zero regrets about becoming a watch enthusiast.
Welcome to my WatchCrunch profile.
For me it was when a friend showed me some pictures of the next watch he was getting... the A Lange & söhne Saxonia thin with the aventurine dial, I was hooked.
(Image source: monochrome watches)
For me it was when a friend showed me some pictures of the next watch he was getting... the A Lange & söhne Saxonia thin with the aventurine dial, I was hooked.
(Image source: monochrome watches)
I totally understand. That watch is a work of art.
A few years back I was wearing an Apple Watch daily getting smacked on the wrist by notifications all day long until the face popped off after the battery swole up from age, then I decided I had enough of that. A few months later for xmas 2018 my father bought me a Shinola Runwell. I was familiar with Shinola a little and pretty excited about the watch (my brother got a matching one too). I was still cooking professionally though so a Shinola on a leather strap wasn't about to come to work with me. I'd wear it on occasions when I went out or on vacation. I eventually moved to a different non-cooking role in a restaurant that has me 'expediting' the orders in the kitchen. It's a role that requires me to have a good grasp of time on a minute to minute basis and I was wearing a suit instead of a chef coat and not cooking any more so the Shinola came off the bench and onto the wrist. Then I started noticing watches and learning about them and buying a few of my own. My first mechanical watch was less than a year ago when I bought my Brew Retromatic, add a few cheap digitals, a G-Shock, and a small handful of other watches and next thing I'm buying a watch box, then a second watch box... It's 15 pieces in the collection currently, 5 or so were gifts, 5 or so were cheap impulse buys (F-91W for $11) and five or so are favorites I bought, with one more on the way...