Watches You Never Thought of Acquiring

I was recently given a Hamilton Ventura skeleton with a brown dial and it got me wondering how many people have watches in their collections they never thought of having just because their interest in watches has grown to a point that people just start giving them random watches and watch related things.

I am not someone that collects oddball watches or ventures into very niche territory with watches. I like to wear sweaters that are black, blue, grey, or brown. Usually with jeans or chinos in basically that color scheme, and brown or black boots. Some would call it boring, conservative, safe, etc. and it’s hard to disagree. I like quality without making a loud statement. So, you may have an idea what my watch box looks like. Needless to say, a Hamilton Ventura of any configuration was not on my radar. I don’t like… like it. Aesthetically it looks like it should have come with a costume, or like it should say “Starship Enterprise” somewhere on the dial. It’s a bit too bulky for its avant garde shape, in my opinion. It is not refined by any means, but it also demands your attention. Even as I’m writing this I had to look up the history because I feel like I’m missing something - and it does have a more fascinating history than expected. But, I digress. History aside, I can appreciate this watch for two reasons. It marks a departure from me being a collector who just researches and makes lists of what I want because it categorically makes sense. It reminds me of when I was 10 and an escaped cockatoo landed in our yard while my brother and I were riding bikes. We never found where it came from and so it became the one and only bird I ever had as a pet. Sometimes plans change to incorporate completely unintended circumstances, and so the story of your life has that added to it. Secondly, because it is a funky, unconventional watch, it has captured my attention in a different way. Watches I have, or I try on at the AD because I wish I had it, normally elicit attraction on an aesthetic or craftsmanship level. This watch, now that it’s in my possession, insists on keeping my attention for a different set of reasons. So, while it will definitely never be my favorite watch to wear, or my favorite watch to look at, for now it holds a unique place in my collection.

If you’re still reading this, do you have any watches that ended up in your collection against your will? Do you still have them, or what place does it have in your collection now?