Watch Nerd Wake Up Call

Truth is, us watch collectors are not normal. We’re fulfilled by anachronistic objects that literally counts down our impending demise. In spite of that, we persevere. Maybe we should get into stamp collecting too. 😂

I have learned not to go too in-depth if people talk to me about watches. Pretty much everyone I've spoken to presumed they all have a battery, and quite honestly, I'm grateful they are satisfied with "They are wound by the movement of your wrist", because I'm not sure I know, or could explain, any more than that myself!

Look, just because this clown of an individual had no clue that watches were made before batteries, doesn’t make you the weirdo. Just makes them the typical millennial/gen z’er—clueless about the world that doesn’t directly involve/revolve around them, regardless of how easy it is to look up information on anything and everything.

All is not lost, at least you have hair.

Fellow watch nerd here. I can definitely relate. Seams like the only time my rants make sense to anyone is if that person is also a watch nerd. So now it becomes and education before a discussion. But unfortunately they all get that look like the first time in algebra class. I don’t really care and when will I ever use this information!?!?!

I made the mistake of trying to explain the Main Spring and Rotor then saw that I lost her so reeled it in and changed the subject lol.

To be fair, having been born in the '80s, I was in my teens before I knew anything about mechanical timepieces. My first exposure to the concept was in eighth grade English class when we read The White Mountains and the main character comes across an automatic watch, which he is stunned to find begins to run without his having wound it up. The concept was so confusing to our class that the teacher had to explain -- all we'd ever known was quartz. I found it interesting at the time, but it wasn't until I was in law school that the bug really bit me.

I learned some time ago there is not appropriate to discuss two thing about our hobby to non-watch nerd: how it works in details and how much I paid. Otherwise you risk them getting lost/uninterested and being attacked if you are stupid paying so much for a time telling device you have on your phone. Imagine if you tell them on top that some expensive watches are 3-5s off every day🤯

What I've learned:

No one cares about your watch except you and the rare other watch enthusiast you just happen to bump into at the store.

When someone compliments your watch, just say thanks and if the questions continue, that's your cue to keep talking. Otherwise, NEXT SUBJECT! lol

Thanks for sharing 😊 We have all been there 😅

Attempting this conversation outside a watch forum is insane!

I a learnt lol

That's funny. My wife is not into watches. She was telling me that her friends husband is into watches and bought her a Tag and how that is about as an expensive a watch as she's wear. Then I told her how much that Tag actually costs .... silence and shocked face.

I own no watch worth more than $1000 dollars but even that seems to shock people.

I'm well old (when did Generation X become old ... sigh) anyway always knew about mechanical watches but never encountered an automatic until later in life. I still remember being amazed. Likely why I'm not a quartz guy.

Exactly, even 1k€ is shocking to them. The irony is those shocked people wear some smartwatch for 500-1000€ that will be replaced in couple of years and my Alpinist or Longines for same money will last much longer. That is why I never discuss the value, especially when wearing 5-10k watch

Yeah bugger money …. “ Watches !!!!!!! 😉 😜

Yeah bugger money …. “ Watches !!!!!!!!! Yeah

"We’re fulfilled by anachronistic objects that literally counts down our impending demise".

Holy shit. He's right. Momento Mori indeed.

I get this from people regularly, I've had guys ask me what battery my 1908 Illinois pocket watch takes.

I've had men who should know better react just the same.

Most are a lot less, and my Ultra does a lot more than your Longines and is a LOT more durable.

1. My sisters are both hairdressers… just jest , both worked in top salons were both smart but found working in that job hard work and dealing with chemicals all day plus shallow customers with more money than sense , to me paints a picture. Plus you wouldn’t like me anyway as I am not a feminist.

I was going to make a smarmy reply to this, but its really not worth it. I'm finally getting a watch back this week I gave up on more than a half decade ago and its not worth bickering. I'm simply in too good a mood.

Well it depends on your preferences. I personally use my phone as phone or music device so don't need another same device on my hand and health tracking is not an issue as I sleep 8h every day and excercise regularly. As for durability lets get back to this post 5 years later when I will still wear my Longines and you will be on next Ultra/Mega model in line👍

I have many automatics. I'm wearing one now. The nice thing about the ultra is I can just leave the phone at home. :)

Good, let’s keep it about watches good luck .

Good for you if that usage fits your lifestyle and meets your priorities👍I can't imagine using the watch as phone but that is me. I would just emphasize that my initial comment was made not to bash smart watches or their users ( I had two Garmin watches in the past too ) but the irony that somebody is criticizing you for spending certain amount on analog watch but at the same time spend same amount on smartwatch that will be replaced in couple of years, that is all. Not to mention that they check the watch every time notification pings, impolite to say the least.

I agree, but that applies to you too. Don't bait people.

I will do my best

When my father told me his watch runs by his pulse 🤔😐🥺😱😵