Wabi Sabi vs Vintage Watch Collecting - Will Vintage Collectors Adopt A New Approach To Collecting?
If you ain't know, Wabi Sabi is a Japanese aesthetic based on accepting imperfection. This aesthetic has recently become mainstream with the likes of Kanye West's home adopting a Wabi Sabi interior design.
On the flip side, vintage watch collectors obsess over the condition of the watch being as close to perfect as possible. Forgive my ignorance but is there is subculture of vintage watch collectors who embrace the imperfections the watch picks up over the years, outside of patina?
I've recently started a sub-collection of skin divers and the pictured Adora skin diver was a great eBay find. The bezel is mis-aligned, there plenty of scratches and even more dings on the lugs which for me gives it more character and charm.
Do you ever see the concept of Wabi Sabi being adopted by vintage watch collectors? Can you see yourself showing off all the scratches on your watch one day?
Personally, the addition of Wabi Sabi into vintage watch collecting only makes it more interesting.
Welcome to my WatchCrunch profile.
I have shifted from searching for the best condition vintage pieces to more worn/enjoyed pieces.
For me, I became self conscience of wearing perfect, super nice vintage pieces, if it was old and nice, I mind wanted to preserve it and keep it that way instead of wearing and enjoying and not worrying about it and I would eventually moving those pieces.
Nowadays , if I look for vintage, I look for one that I can wear without hesitation or worry.
I am not a collector, I am a wearer so what makes a "good condition" vintage watch might be different than someone else's filter.
Very thought provoking post, @doitforthedial.
If wabi-sabi becomes more popular among vintage watch collectors, does that mean watches that have been clearly but artfully repaired start going up in price rather than being treated as frankenwatches?
Maybe in self interest one should hope that wab-sabi does not become popular in vintage watch collecting so that those who do enjoy pieces that have been well worn and have a personal history can find them at a discount.
In the Western tradition the Stoics had a theory of aesthetics that is very similar to the concepts of wabi sabi. The Stoics believed that for an object to be beautiful it must fulfill its purpose and be in harmony with nature. Imperfections in the external world are accepted as beyond our control.
Does it tell time? Can the dial be clearly read? Is it harmonious to nature: 1) is it in proportion to your wrist, 2) do the materials used help the object fulfill its purpose? If it fulfills its purpose in harmony than a sixty year old Dorset can be equal of a similarly aged Omega. They will both be beautiful.
The imperfections give the piece a story, a history. However, I am still going to buff out a foggy acrylic crystal.
I enjoy the concept of Wabi Sabi a lot. 3 out of 4 vintage watches I own have patina and I love them for that. Vintage watches in crisp conditions are expensive anyways… haha.