Watches and me - The story of a Real Watch collector

My watch collecting journey started around 2007/2008, One of my friends had purchased himself a

Breitling Colt and I was obsessed with it from the minute I laid eyes on it. What also amazed me was the

price of the thing! Probably upwards at the time of £2800! Which to me, at the time, seemed like a crazy

thing to waste your money on!

I grew up on the Isle of dogs so was close to all the shops in Canary Wharf shopping centre. I remember

constantly walking past the Goldsmiths Jewellers looking in at the Breitling’s and dreaming up ways of

saving up to one day have my first luxury watch....

I will always remember one of these visits the most because it was the day, I came face to face with the

Omega Seamaster Railmaster! There it was, perched up on its own stand with a small mirror just off set

to one side reflecting the rear of the case back. “Is that the movement!?” I asked myself, and, just like

that, it was love at first sight. The price was right also, £1680 was on the small price tag and it was a lot

cheaper than the Breitling I’d been eying up. That was it, the wheels were in motion, “I’m getting that

watch!”

I was 24 years old, working as an Improver carpenter and joiner, and still living at home with my parents.

Saving up £1680 was going to be a big task, but doable. Being a 24-year-old single lad who’d just

discovered Drum and Bass and going out all night to raves, the Fridays and Saturdays spent dancing

around like a loon with my nearest and dearest mates was taking up most of my funds! This was going to

be harder than I first thought.

Around 11 months had past and I was one of my usual window-shopping walks “over the Wharf”. As I

got closer to the window, I could see the Railmaster in all its glory on its little display stand. As I started

to admire the reflection of the movement, I’d noticed something had changed. The price was now at

£1850!! “What the hell is this!” (Full disclaimer – i know now that this was due to the yearly price hike)

I’d manage to save up around £1100 in almost a year, at this rate, I’d be getting my dream watch by the

following Christmas.

Later that week, I was on the walk to Bond Street Station from work. There used to be an Ernest Jones

on the corner of South Morton St. They had the usual Tag’s, Rado’s and Gucci stands in the window,

when i came along the stand by a brand I’d never seen before. That brand was Longines and the watch in

question was, Longines heritage master collection L26284783.

It looked to me to be nearly the same, it too was on a small display stand elevated above the rest of the

line on its own and, it had its own little rear-view mirror displaying the movement! The other thing i

noticed was the price, “£1250” i muttered to myself, “What’s the catch?”

For the rest of that week, that Longines kept playing on my mind. “I could get that now if I wanted” or

“it’s just the same watch but with a white dial” were the thoughts running around my brain. I decided to

take another walk up to Goldsmiths to see if they had the Longines in stock. I was also hoping that by

some miracle , the Railmaster was on a sale or had come back down in price!? Neither of my thoughts

had came true...

I also couldn’t see the Longines display stands in any of the window displays, “I wonder if they sell them

inside” I asked myself? This, believe it or not, was my first walk through the door in to the shop!

I was welcomed straight away by the shop assistant with the usual “can I help you today Sir?” And just

To the left of her, I could see tons of Longines watches in the counter displays, “Can I have a look at that

one please?” I asked the Lady. “certainly “ She said, please take a seat over here” and “would you like a

Drink? Tea, Coffee or a glass of champagne?”

“I’m an adult now” I thought, and this was my time to treat myself to something very special. As I sat

drinking my cappuccino, she brought over a cushioned tray with 3 watches on, all Longines and all

looked roughly the same (one was in gold). I tried on all 3 and the one I went in there for was now

superseded by the gold version with what I now know, had a power reserve indicator on the dial.

“How much is this one?” I asked, “£3600” she said with ease as I nearly spat my coffee out! “I’ll take this

one then please” I said, without any hesitation. Handed over my card, watched her fill out the guarantee

card and package everything up with the upmost care and consideration. I can’t believe I’ve finally got a

luxury watch” I thought to myself, “I can’t wait to show the lads!”

16 years has now past and I still have that Longines, it’s the one watch that has been a constant within

my collecting journey and I don’t ever think we’ll part ways. BUT, there’s still a small part of me that

wishes I’d waited, wishes I’d saved that little bit longer.

That Railmaster today sells for around £3000 on

the used market for a semi decent one. It still remains in my thoughts, eBay searches and google history

to this day! It’s my Grail, it’s the one that got away and one day I hope to finally add it to the family! It

will need to learn to get along with the Longines still, because, as the say, “ you’ll never quite get over

your first love”.