Chaos, mathematics and Jack's compass: Your fool-proof personalised guide to choosing your next watch.

Happy Tuesday Team WC!

This is 100% essential reading before you even contemplate buying another watch.

I promise you that I'm not going to fob you off with some wishy-washy, vacuous advice like "Just buy what you love!", which is of zero use, because either we have no idea what we love, or love is not enough, otherwise we would not be repeatedly driven to seek advice from random people off the internet.

First, let's check out the WC action from the past week, then I will solve all your watch buying problems.

Three quick bites from WC this week for those in a rush…

1. Come share your most adventurous exploits while watch wearing, with @Ben_ImperialWatchCo

2. Marvel at @Nathannn’s awesome ai generated watches.

3. Keep up to date with @Aurelian's #1WC challenge.

New members:

New members who I’ve seen posting this week…

@srmusic @marc1979 @tivvy98 @RolloPollo @Landsperson @Mutated_Cupboard @Phimaux @Harrys_horology @AlanBrom

Welcome everyone!

Hot Posts:

This weeks topics that got the community talking…

“Do you have a brand preference in your watch collecting?” - @Edykhemod

“What type of watch would you never own?” - @James12345

“Watches every collector should have” - @Nicksen

“Lume shot battle” - @Luca_WTC

“It’s official: Seiko has been gentafied” - @tonmed

“This is a great model” - @Lord_dappingtonshire

“Has anyone in public ever complimented your watch?” - @samdeatton

“Do you love textured dials? Show yours” - @ars3nal02

“Your next watch?” - @imdvon

“Case size 34mm too small for a man?” - @Lord_dappingtonshire

“Please be honest, is it going to be ok?” - @Dochorahan

“Do you have a brand preference in your watch collecting?” - @Edykhemod

Meetups and Events:

12th June – The first 100 years of Patek Philippe – Online talk and meetup

20th June – Watch Meetup Solely for Ladies - London

14th – 16th July - Windup Watch Fair 2023 - Chicago

20th – 22nd October - Windup Watch Fair 2023 – New York

Big thanks to @GasWorks for setting last weeks photography theme of ‘Sheep’. His very deserving winner this week was @GoingTopShelf with this excellently choreographed shot….

Come see the runners up and find out the chosen theme for this weeks photos here, which has been kindly set by this weeks guest judge @Max .

My picks from this past weeks watch releases.

Top row, left to right: Tissot, Manero, IWC, Rudis, Casio

Bottom row: Seiko, Certina, Isotope, Longines, Hamilton.

Updates from the YouTubers, Podcasters, bloggers and brand owners in our community...

“Hello: Quick intro, bio and offer” – @clipse94

“Proxima Review” – @HonestWatchReviews

“Horology part 5: The history of digital watches” – @the_poor_horologist

“Enicar: Your sherpa guide to an amazing vintage watch brand” – @illuminatingwatches

“New Seiko 5 sports: Anniversary Snoopy edition” – @HHWatchReviews

“Bolder Venture Titanium diver review” – @HonestWatchReviews

Longer posts from the knowledgeable and creative writers amongst the WC family….

“Watches under the microscope vol 16: Seiko 5” – @Nooski

“Tudor ranger: The choice of destructive teenagers” – @Dingus

“A tale of two Fears” – @AllTheWatches

“A leap of faith: dNG design journal Chapter 10” – @defsNOTgenta

“Rainbow month” – @sagebrush

“Beers and dress watches” – @mainreasontostay

Chaos, mathematics and Jack's compass: Your fool proof personalised guide to choosing your next watch.

Poor watch buying decisions are the hidden epidemic in our community.

The impulse buying, watch flipping and sellers regret are so common place that we don't even see it as weird any more.

Every day there are posts from Crunchers asking for help with a watch choice, and these questions are probably being asked even after hours of internet research and YouTube watching, pouring over watch stats and scrolling through wrist shot images on Google.

I know. I've done it too.

There is a colossal amount of choice out there. I discovered exactly how much when I started to do the 'Latest watch releases' section for Bites. There could be 30+ releases each WEEK, and they were just the ones I heard about.

Add these into the bulging catalogue of watches already out there, and it's a ridiculous number of watches to choose from... plus the endless vintage options.

Throw into this mess the need to consider if a new watch is just a passing fad, or is it a keeper, which YouTubers opinion do we trust?....

And worst of all...

The completely and utterly unhelpful advice from the watch community.

If you ask for any kind of opinion on a watch… "Is this too big for my wrist?", "Is this watch too small?", "Does two-tone suit me?", “Should I choose this Tudor or that Rolex?”....

You'll always get someone (usually me) saying....

Now, I love that we are such a friendly, accepting and non-judgmental place to be.... But man are we massively unhelpful at times.

It is true that anyone can wear any size, any brand, quartz, automatic, less than £10, more the £10k, Swiss made, American made…. whatever…. but this complete lack of rules is making watch buying a nightmare for some.

So, in this world without rules, where chaos reigns, how do we improve our chances of making a good watch choice, and buying something that will be loved and cherished beyond the honeymoon phase.

First, we need to look at why we buy watches in the first place.

You only buy a watch for one of two reasons.

For yourself, or for other people.

If you're buying a watch for yourself, then there are two traps you can fall into.

The first is being too openminded.

Now, you would think being openminded would be a good thing, right? If you're pretty easy to please, don't have particularly fixed ideas about what you like or dislike, then you'll be happy with anything you get, surely?

But the problem with this is that you risk getting stuck in a world where everything is perpetually 'ok'.

If pretty much anything will do then nothing ever disappoints…. because you’re an easy to please kinda person… but on the flip side, you can end up having standards that are so easy to meet, that before you know it you’ve filled you watch box with a bunch of vanilla watches which are ‘fine’ but none of which truly thrill you.

The other issue when you're buying watches for yourself is if you're too narrow minded.

These are the folks with the 20 point criteria tick list a watch has to pass before it can even get on the 'Maybe' list....

200m WR, no less than 38mm, no more than 40mm, only on a bracelet, no Roman numerals, no Mercedes hands, only Swiss made, no cyclops, must have a date complication.... etc etc...

Don't get me wrong, it's great to have strict criteria to keep you focused on what you know you like, but you are going to end up ruling out some awesome watches that could have been 'the one' for you if you'd have tried them on the wrist.

Next is the issue of buying for other people. I am convinced we all do this to some degree, and we just need to admit it and make peace with the fact.

We all care about our appearance and perception to others to a greater or lesser degree. It’s a spectrum which goes from full on flexing narcissist to the 'IDGAF' guy.... but even that guy will be projecting that FU attitude to a degree.

But, despite all doing it, we do know that buying watches purely to impress others is not a plan for long term happiness in watch collecting.

So, what’s the solution?

Usually all I do in these Bites is ask a load of questions and give you zero actual takeaway advice of any use...

Not today...

Here are your three fool-proof approaches to excellent watch buying decisions, each specifically tailored to your watch collecting personality type.

The Journeyers:

This is my group.

We are the ones who unashamedly romanticise watch collecting as a journey of personal self-discovery. We envisage an end point of a perfectly crafted collection that has been honed through years of watch-wisdom and personal inner reflection.

We are the first ones to say "It is the journey, not the destination".

For us, our answer to excellent watch buying decisions is to use Jack Sparrows compass.

For those heathens amongst you who don't know your Pirates of the Caribbean lore, Jack's compass didn't point North, it pointed to whatever the person holding it wanted the most.

So, we need to think ‘What is our true north?’ That one thing for us to focus on when buying a watch.

Is it 'Uniqueness'? Do you crave watches that others don't own? Perhaps obscure 70's seikos', or Chinese microbrands.

Perhaps 'Value'? Maybe your ultimate joy is finding the most beautiful watches you can for less than a meal out.

Or 'Exploration'?

'Shiny'?

‘History’?

'Exquisite dials'?

‘Whisky’? (If that’s yours, let me know how that works out)

Pick your north and use Jack's compass with every watch you consider, to see if it's on the path of your journey.

The Logicians:

Now, if you read the above section and your reaction was...

... you're in this group, with other notable Crunchers such as @Aurelian and @foghorn.

You find the concept of 'the journey' actually physically nauseating, and remain profoundly stoic in your choices.

You are the ones to say "We're all just consumers buying trinkets."

For you guys, the answers can be found in mathematics, in what I have termed:

"The Universal Equation of Watch Feels"

Personal meaning x (Aesthetics + Comfort + Difficulty obtaining) + Other people's opinions - Financial burden = Keeper Score

This carefully constructed and robust equation perfectly balances the intrinsic and extrinsic factors for consideration in watch purchasing and provides you with a black and white answer on whether you should purchase a watch.

The higher the Keeper Score, the greater the chance that your watch will last the honeymoon.

Put your favourite watch through the equation to find out its score, then compare all future purchases against this number. The closer they get to it, the better the watches longevity prospects in your collection.

The Harbingers of Chaos:

If you read the rules and equations suggested above and think…

You are a harbinger of chaos, and you join other fine Crunchers such as @ichibunz and @Chronoguy.

You are just as likely to buy a Timex as an Omega... A Casio or a JLC... and when you post your latest NWA on WC, regardless of what it is, no one is surprised.

No one will ever say "That's a strange choice for you."... Because they know, for you, nothing is off the cards.

You guys don’t want help… and you don’t need it.

Some of you may be thinking, "Hang on, you said that someone who's ok with anything, can never be truly excited by anything?"

This does not apply to the Harbingers of Chaos, because they ARE truly excited and thrilled by most all watches, and when that's the case, there are no wrong choices.

Why do I call them the Harbingers of Chaos?

Because the danger is their infectious enthusiasm can rub off on others. People will start to think its ok to buy any watch at all. They will read their stories about their wonderful eclectic collections and think that that's the way to go for them too... that there is no wrong choice…

But beware their siren song my friends. Grab your calculator and your compass and stay strong!

*****

Let me know what group you feel you are in, and share your True North!

Take care all,

Kaysia.

Disclaimer: Any watch choices made on the basis of imaginary compasses are the sole responsibility of the purchaser. Watch equations are calculated at the users own risk.