SOTC: December 2023

Hello Fellow Crunchers,

This hobby is so great, isn't it? What started in 2010 for me has become a land of a million different rabbit holes to go down. There are so many little things to obsess over and think about even though at a basic level, it's all more than a little bit superficial. But hey, that's what we like about it!

2023 saw me go from 14 to 16 watches in the collection even though the goal at the beginning of the year was to consolidate. Whoops. I recently bought a new watch box to accommodate them all. As you'll read below (if you can stick with me that long!), the actual regular rotation is more like 10 watches, so I definitely can free up a few slots in my already full box.

In terms of where my collecting has taken me in the last year, I have come to appreciate dressier watches more. I'm taking second looks at ultra thin JLCs and Breguets that I never would have bothered with before. I am appreciating black dial watches more even as white is still the dominant dial color in my collection. I continue to gravitate to German and English brands more so than Swiss ones. I'm an A. Lange & Sohne guy (even though my wallet is not an A. Lange & Sohne wallet), a Sinn guy, and a Grand Seiko guy, and I remain a Christopher Ward guy, which is the brand that started it all for me.

Here are the 16 watches that make up my collection at the end of 2023, in order of acquisition. For my SOTC last year, I only listed them out, so here are some thoughts on each (excuse the length) and a few select photos over the years. Enjoy!

1. Christopher Ward C70 Cunningham Stripe (2010): This is the second watch I bought once I came down with the collecting bug. It's the only quartz in my collection. I remember being floored by the design when I first opened the box. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen in a watch. These days, the battery is dead and I don't wear it anymore. I'd sell it, but I don't think I'd get much for it anyway.

2. Christopher Ward C20 2009 Forum LE (2012): Back in the day, members of the CW forum would design a Forum Limited Edition watch each year, and 100 or so would be made. I missed my chance at this watch when it came out, but a member of the forum sold me his after he consolidated down to one watch (the horror!). I don't wear this one much anymore although I have been wearing it a little more lately. I am a sucker for blue markers on a white dial, but I also don't really get along fit wise with most integrated bracelet watches that I have tried, and this one isn't an exception.

3. Bremont Solo White 43mm (2012): I remember being very taken by Bremont's ethos when they first came onto the scene, and something about the Solo really spoke to me. It's clean and elegant but also built solidly and very versatile for what it is. And I might be a sucker for a gimmick, but I like the over-engineered Trip Tick case. All that said, it was a stretch for me to buy a 43mm watch, and now that I am pickier about size, I don't wear this one much anymore. I am waiting for the right 36mm - 40mm Bremont to speak to me the way this watch did at first, and I'll probably do a buy and trade.

4. Omega Speedmaster Racing Yellow (2013): I respect the Speedmaster Moonwatch, and I would definitely consider buying one now. But when I was looking heavily at Omegas 10 years ago, I was convinced that the Moonwatch was too plain looking for me. That said, I wanted an Omega, and back then, the titanium Planet Oceans were out of my budget. So on a bit of an impulse, I went with the gray and yellow racing variant of the Speedmaster, and I'm glad that I did. For a long time, this was my favorite watch, and I wore it all the time. Now, I've had a couple of friends ask me how much I'd want for it, and I'm tempted to part with it to make some space in my watch box.

5. Tudor Black Bay Blue Heritage 41mm (2014): I originally bought this even though what I really wanted at the time was a 1st generation Pelagos. But it was too big; it wore bigger than my 43mm Bremont. And if I was going to get a Black Bay instead, part of me wanted the red bezel one, but with some encouragement from the sales guy, I decided that the blue bezel version was more my speed. So, getting this watch instead was me settling on a couple of different fronts. It's still a good watch, don't get me wrong, but it's not hard to see why this one doesn't get much wear these days.

6. Sinn EZM 13 Mk 1 (2015): In some ways, this is my favorite watch of the collection. It's just so awesome and unapologetic. Overbuilt and more than a little weird. I totally don't need anything it offers, but I love having it anyway. The 4:30 date window doesn't bother me, and for this watch, it is actually part of its charm. You can read my WC Review of this watch here: https://www.watchcrunch.com/Peteo72/reviews/sinn-ezm-13-review-20188

7. Sinn 103A SAB LE (2016): This watch is just beautiful. The pictures out there don't do it justice. And it's amazing to me that the same company that produces watches like the EZM 13 also made this one. I really love it. My only quibble with it is that it wears top heavy on my wrist. I've tried it on a number of different straps, NATO and leather, and I haven't been able to get the fit I want. I think maybe it needs to be better counter balanced with a more substantial buckle. Anyway, the watch itself is great. Hard to imagine selling this one, and it's got some significant marks on one of the lugs, so I'm not really tempted to try and sell it anyway.

8. Grand Seiko SBGA415 Winter (2020): This watch is also a little bit of a lesson in settling. I, like much of the watch collecting world, wanted the Spring watch in this series (the one with the barely pink dial, SBGA413), but it was much harder to get. I could have ordered one and waited a while, but I had decided that I wanted my first Grand Seiko, so I bought the Winter instead. As with my Tudor Black Bay, I recognize that it is a great watch, but I don't love it in the way that I love others in my collection. I want to have a Spring Drive in my collection, so for now, I am keeping it.

9. Casio G-Shock (2020): Don't really wear this watch much, but also can't be bothered to sell. They say every watch enthusiast needs a G-Shock, and I understand why, but it turns out that it doesn't really apply to me.

10. Towson Watch Company C20 Cockpit Chronograph (2021): The Towson Watch Company is based in a town that's ten minutes west of where I grew up. When I first learned of the brand, I knew that I wanted one of their watches. Problem was (and continues to be) that their design aesthetic doesn't really work for me. But I got this one used, and the look of it is much more my style than TWC's usual fare. Like I said, blue markers on a white dial go a long way for me. I'm on the lookout regularly for something new in TWC's offerings that might work for me, but so far, this is the best one for me.

11. Grand Seiko SBGJ251 Spring (2021): While my SBGA415 Winter feels a little underwhelming these days, the SBGJ251 is a watch that I totally love. Much like the 415, the 251 also had another colorway that was in much greater demand (the light blue SBGJ249). This time though, I had my choice of the two, and I fully, happily decided on the 251. The 249 was too showy for me. The deep green and the subtle dial texture of the 251 are really great. In some lights, it manages to look like a plain black dial, but when the sun hits it, the fullness and depth of the green are on display. I even enjoy that the GMT hand is a muted rose color rather than a bright orange. It's little things like this that make Grand Seiko one of my favorite brands.

12. A. Lange & Sohne 1815 Annual Calendar (2021): A Lange & Sohne is my favorite watch brand. Full stop. Their top end models just make me swoon. When I got engaged, I decided that I would stretch my budget to get something really special to wear on my wedding day. I originally looked at the 1815 Chronograph, but at the time, ALS Chronographs were beginning their steady climbs to where they are today, and I regretfully had to set my sights a little lower. But the thing is, going with the 1815 Annual Calendar definitely did not feel like I was settling for anything. This watch is beautiful. Everything about it is quality, and at the same time, it's not trying to be too much. This is the one watch that I would keep above all others.

13. Christopher Ward C65 Super Compressor Blue (2022): This watch is just fun. I smile a lot just looking at it. The case shape is fun, the dial is fun, the hands are fun. This is my summer watch, and I put it on when I'm feeling especially carefree.

14. Christopher Ward C63 Sealander 36mm Yellow (2022): This is such a great little watch. To me, it embodies what Christopher Ward is all about, even with all the hype they've gotten lately with the Bel Canto and the Twelve. At its core, CW is all about great value and quality. I hope they never lose sight of that. And I love yellow dials. You can read my WC Review here: https://www.watchcrunch.com/Peteo72/reviews/christopher-ward-c63-36ada3-s00y0-b0-review-20223

15. H. Moser & Cie Heritage Center Seconds Funky Blue (2023): H. Moser is a tricky brand for me. Many of their watches feel a bit trite to me. The fume dials with no other features somehow feel like some high school kid was asked to design a watch, and they just shrugged their shoulders and used a bad Photoshop filter. For the money I am paying, I would expect more. But the Heritage Center Seconds always grabbed me in a way that other Mosers have not. I'm still not sure what it is about it that smacks me upside the head, but this watch really is a stunner. I think the numerals on the dial and how they stand proud from it, really makes a difference. And to be honest, maybe I have to get over what the fume dials look like in pictures because I took a chance on this one, and it is gorgeous.

16. Tudor Pelagos 39mm (2023): As I mentioned before, I've wanted a Pelagos for a long time, and this year, I finally got the one for me! This watch is so good on so many levels. I hesitate to say that it is perfect, but at the same time, I struggle to think of anything I'd change about it. I could probably use one less line of text on the dial (come on, Tudor!), and the clasp could be a little shorter, but honestly, these are tiny nitpicks. I know this is probably recency bias talking, but if it weren't for the sentimental and actual value of my 1815, the Pelagos might be the watch I'd keep if I were forced to consolidate down to a single one.

Other Watches I've Owned

• Christopher Ward C60 Kingfisher, C9 Forum LE, C60 "JAG" Forum LE, C5 Malvern MK 1, C2 Lido Black

• Steinhart NavB Chrono DLC

• Ball Trainmaster Streamliner White

• Oris TT1 Day Date

• Hamilton Navy Pioneer Silver

• Nomos Metro Black

• Magrette Regattare Bronze, Regattare Tiki Blue

• Seiko 5 Fathoms SNZH53K1

If you've made it this far, congratulations, and thank you for going down yet another rabbit hole with me. I hope everyone has a wonderful time collecting in 2024!

Pete