Sunday Night Stupid Watch Thoughts
Why are we, as watch folks obsessed with jewelry designed for a theoretical construct?
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Joe
“The universe is a big place, perhaps the biggest.”
NYC
Member since
Last active: 3 months ago
I love watches because, in this tiny thing that fits on your wrist, you have the intersection of engineering, art, design, physics, history, economics, humor, beauty, philosophy, sociology, politics, and culture. These stupid, amazing little pieces of jewelry connect us to the best and worst of humanity, and obsessing over them is equal parts absurd, academic, fun, and grueling. Worse ways to pass the time.
Well said, what I would add is that we live in a time when everything is designed to fail and be obsolete on a timed cycle. The permanence of a mechanical watch on your wrist is a reminder that we don't have to fall victim to this disposable mentality.
Think part of it is the romanticism behind wearing and getting attached to something that will outlive us
I love watches because, in this tiny thing that fits on your wrist, you have the intersection of engineering, art, design, physics, history, economics, humor, beauty, philosophy, sociology, politics, and culture. These stupid, amazing little pieces of jewelry connect us to the best and worst of humanity, and obsessing over them is equal parts absurd, academic, fun, and grueling. Worse ways to pass the time.
Whenever non-watch people ask me why I like horology, I always have trouble putting it into words, but you summarised it perfectly. Hope you don't mind me stealing this, next time someone asks, and I hope they don't have a follow-up question or I might have to go into a 45-minute TEDx talk explaining each of those points in detail. hahaha
So this is a really great reflection I've both had myself and been asked by friends. I'd say a lot of what has been said above, but really, for me, it's about permanence and the connection to the past.
I am also a bit of a nerd with older electronic devices (game consoles, computers, etc.) and try to get some use out of them no matter how old they are. Watches, by the simplicity of their purpose and honesty of their design (usually), are comfortable in that they never grow obsolete or lose OEM support.
Whenever non-watch people ask me why I like horology, I always have trouble putting it into words, but you summarised it perfectly. Hope you don't mind me stealing this, next time someone asks, and I hope they don't have a follow-up question or I might have to go into a 45-minute TEDx talk explaining each of those points in detail. hahaha
Steal away! Just glad it makes sense to you. I’ve gotten my fair share of eye rolls when I talk about watches this way (most of them deserved, haha). Being a watch enthusiast is silly a lot of the time.