Our evolving tastes, and the watches we love to hate.
So, a recent post by @TheKev about Tudor's infamous Snowflake hands has had me thinking about how our tastes can evolve during our watch collecting journeys. My answer to him was that I thought they were rather weird at first, but love them now. I don't own any watches with them, but I have plans to build one sometime in the future.
Maybe our tastes evolve out of necessity, such as someone "needing" a GMT for work, or possibly just from the constant exposure of watches on forums like WC. I never knew I liked the Omega Speedmaster before joining WC, almost a year ago. There's no shortage of them on the daily WRUW, especially on Tuesdays. I guess I felt rather indifferent towards them at first, but the more I see them, the more I like them (at least in pictures on other people's wrists. Having never seen one in person, that could change). To be honest, I never was a big chronograph guy, but I'm definitely at the point now that I want to add one to my collection. I'm about 99.9% sure it won't be an Omega Speedmaster; more likely it will come from the sub $500 range, like the rest of my collection. Nevertheless, lately I find myself drooling over Speedmasters, Lunar Pilots, Speedtimers, etc. Have my taste evolved, at least enough to give a second glance to a chronograph? You betcha!
So, I really got to thinking...What watches specifically have I grown to love, and which ones can I never see myself wanting to own? It's a pretty easy question for me to answer. I hate to admit it, but the very first time I saw a Seiko Turtle, I thought "What a strange looking chunk of a watch." I had recognized the familiar bezel, probably from a 7002/SKX variant, but had never seen a Turtle before, in any iteration. The wide cushion case and tall bezel which didn't extend to the edge through me for a loop. Little did I know at the time, this would become my absolute favorite style of watch. They were odd at first, but over time I just knew I had to get one. What an icon of a watch, and I almost feel guilty for not instantly falling in love with it at first sight!
Now, for the watch I never liked, and can't see myself ever liking...(I'm sure I'm going to hurt some feelings here) ⏬⏬
The Omega Seamaster 🤯
Well, at least the one with the HUGE WART at the 10:00 position. I've seen some other ones on here that don't have that hideous feature, and I'm okay with them. I just can't look past it. It's kind of weird, because super compressor style watches and Alpinist don't bother me, with their dual crowns on the same side. Maybe I just have an aversion too 10:00 crowns (or valves, or warts, etc.)? I don't know that I could ever like this watch, no matter who wore it, how comfortable it might be, how much of a horological marvel it may be, etc. The first thing I would have to do would be to take a grinder to that nasty barnacle, and that's not very smart is it?
Do you have a watch that you love, but didn't always feel that way about it? What about a watch you love to hate, and will never own, no matter what? I'd love to hear some of your opinions.
Budget watch collector.
I love the Omega SMP 300 and had always wanted to buy one as it is to me THE "Bond watch", being a teen in the 90s. But as I age, I still love looking at it, but it's not on my wish list anymore. Can't exactly pin point to why, but maybe it is just from a different time in my life.
I love the Omega SMP 300 and had always wanted to buy one as it is to me THE "Bond watch", being a teen in the 90s. But as I age, I still love looking at it, but it's not on my wish list anymore. Can't exactly pin point to why, but maybe it is just from a different time in my life.
I feel the same way about the Hamilton KFM. They're not too expensive, so I always pushed them to the back burner, thinking I'd pick one up someday when there wasn't something else I wanted more. Come to find out, there's always something I want more, and even if I did get one, I just don't know how much wrist time it would get, anyway. I like looking at them, though.
The Speedmaster was a watch I initially found to be quite boring. White stick hands and indices, matte black dial AND subdials. It’s manually wound. Doesn’t even have a date complication. Everyone has/had/wants one. Totally cliche.
Fast forward a few years and it is now my most expensive (and valued) watch by far. I chose this over any number of more exciting ~$7K watches.
What changed? Well, the stick hands and indices are perfectly designed for legibility. The black subdials melt into the background when you want to see the time, but when you want to read the chronograph function the slight concavity catches the light and they pop out. The box sapphire crystal and anti-reflective Coating just add to the viewing experience and give you a hint of that moon landing nostalgia with the “bent seconds hand”illusion.
So that’s the super boring legibility thing, but everything else about the watch is exciting! At first glance you don’t catch the beautiful lyre lugs and the way the case architecture works as an integrated crown guard. The short lug width and the way the case is built make this large, thick watch wear very comfortable and appear as it is laying flat like a dress watch.
And oh that sapphire case back and 3861 movement! You just can’t get that view with an automatic. Show stopper. Take my money please!
The Speedmaster was a watch I initially found to be quite boring. White stick hands and indices, matte black dial AND subdials. It’s manually wound. Doesn’t even have a date complication. Everyone has/had/wants one. Totally cliche.
Fast forward a few years and it is now my most expensive (and valued) watch by far. I chose this over any number of more exciting ~$7K watches.
What changed? Well, the stick hands and indices are perfectly designed for legibility. The black subdials melt into the background when you want to see the time, but when you want to read the chronograph function the slight concavity catches the light and they pop out. The box sapphire crystal and anti-reflective Coating just add to the viewing experience and give you a hint of that moon landing nostalgia with the “bent seconds hand”illusion.
So that’s the super boring legibility thing, but everything else about the watch is exciting! At first glance you don’t catch the beautiful lyre lugs and the way the case architecture works as an integrated crown guard. The short lug width and the way the case is built make this large, thick watch wear very comfortable and appear as it is laying flat like a dress watch.
And oh that sapphire case back and 3861 movement! You just can’t get that view with an automatic. Show stopper. Take my money please!
Such a gorgeous watch, thank you for sharing!
Edit: At first I really didn't see the difference between the speedmaster and any other chrono, but the little details really make it stand out. I always did like the twist to the lugs, is that what you meant by "lyre lugs"? And you're absolutely right, that movement! 😍 👌
I received a text message with an image of a Moonswatch on a gent’s wrist informing me that he had ditched his Apple Watch for an Earth Moonswatch, apologized for not contacting me sooner, he had “lost track of time, haha”. My phone misidentified the text sender as my watch loving friend, a sushi chef working for a few years in London England. It turned out in fact to be a young MBA fella who had worked on a project for me suggesting coffee to meet a gent that he believed I might want to meet. A week later I sat down to a Perrier water with my MBA guy and his friend who had secured work at a suburban multi watch brands boutique specializing in Omega sales. The sales guy was showing off a green dial Omega SMP on an OEM green rubber strap. I assume the meeting was for a seller and potential buyer to meet up. I quickly explained that I was content with my regular ad and the small courtesy discounts that I receive when I make my occasional Omega purchases. Chatting was bit awkward, I decided to ask the SA’s opinion of the helium escape valve on the SMP. I explained that I recently purchased a white dial black bezel iteration and personally give little extra thought to the valve. He said simply that Omega sells a lot of SMPs to persons who obviously like or do not object to the valve, the company is not overly concerned about a small vocal minority who probably would not buy the watch regardless, helium valve or not. I thought that he made a point. My MBA guy had flipped his Moonswatch for a VC Overseas for the meeting, said the Moonswatch was just to get my attention.
How you feel about the Omega Seamaster is how I feel about the Turtle, lol. I just can't get over the case shape.
Perhaps in time.
Heck, I used to hate divers, now I have 14! 😜
I received a text message with an image of a Moonswatch on a gent’s wrist informing me that he had ditched his Apple Watch for an Earth Moonswatch, apologized for not contacting me sooner, he had “lost track of time, haha”. My phone misidentified the text sender as my watch loving friend, a sushi chef working for a few years in London England. It turned out in fact to be a young MBA fella who had worked on a project for me suggesting coffee to meet a gent that he believed I might want to meet. A week later I sat down to a Perrier water with my MBA guy and his friend who had secured work at a suburban multi watch brands boutique specializing in Omega sales. The sales guy was showing off a green dial Omega SMP on an OEM green rubber strap. I assume the meeting was for a seller and potential buyer to meet up. I quickly explained that I was content with my regular ad and the small courtesy discounts that I receive when I make my occasional Omega purchases. Chatting was bit awkward, I decided to ask the SA’s opinion of the helium escape valve on the SMP. I explained that I recently purchased a white dial black bezel iteration and personally give little extra thought to the valve. He said simply that Omega sells a lot of SMPs to persons who obviously like or do not object to the valve, the company is not overly concerned about a small vocal minority who probably would not buy the watch regardless, helium valve or not. I thought that he made a point. My MBA guy had flipped his Moonswatch for a VC Overseas for the meeting, said the Moonswatch was just to get my attention.
It's obvious that many don't share my same feelings about the valve on the SMP. Just look at the daily WRUW, I'm sure we see at least 5-10 a day, in just a few hundred posts. It's a little silly of me to hate on a watch that I will most likely never have the money to spend on it, anyway, but it is a lot more obtainable to the masses. (I mean, I could go out and put one on the credit card right now, but then I would probably be looking new housing situation and a divorce lawyer. 😂)
That seemed kind of sneaky of your "friend" to set you up for that meeting. What do you think he was going to get out of it if you made a deal? A hefty discount on his next purchase, I presume.
How you feel about the Omega Seamaster is how I feel about the Turtle, lol. I just can't get over the case shape.
Perhaps in time.
Heck, I used to hate divers, now I have 14! 😜
I can totally see why someone may not like the Turtle. It definitely doesn't have the glamourous "Submariner vibe" that most non-WIS people probably imagine when they think of a dive watch. I think for me, the more I learned about the different Seikos, the more I started to love it. Even looking at vintage 5s; some of their semi-cushion shaped cases started to draw me in deeper. But my initial reaction to the Turtle was probably the same as any other outsider looking in..."What the hell is that?!" 😂
I'm definitely in a similar boat as you with divers, they are overtaking my watch boxes!
It's obvious that many don't share my same feelings about the valve on the SMP. Just look at the daily WRUW, I'm sure we see at least 5-10 a day, in just a few hundred posts. It's a little silly of me to hate on a watch that I will most likely never have the money to spend on it, anyway, but it is a lot more obtainable to the masses. (I mean, I could go out and put one on the credit card right now, but then I would probably be looking new housing situation and a divorce lawyer. 😂)
That seemed kind of sneaky of your "friend" to set you up for that meeting. What do you think he was going to get out of it if you made a deal? A hefty discount on his next purchase, I presume.
Probably not his idea, more the friend looking for customers, tough situation for commission sales guys, often they do not get a base salary. It was awkward.
You are doing the right thing not going after bits of so called luxury.