warlock
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Q: How did you get into watch collecting?
When I bought my 1st watch (Tag Heuer Kirium Quartz, which I still own and will never sell) in 1999 as a reward for my promotion to Senior Investment Consultant in my 1st job. I was 24 years old at the time. This started my journey
Q: What was the first watch you ever owned?
I think it was either a Timex analogue watch or Casio F-84W. The former was gifted to me by my family to help me learn how to tell the time properly. The latter I owned and used to show to my classmates but can't remember who gave it to me
Q: Do you have a watch with a particularly interesting story behind it?
Vostok Komandirskie. I first saw this being promoted in a hardware store in 2001. It had a newspaper clipping of a story about Soviet watches being used in the 1st Gulf War which piqued my interest. Watches on sale were all hand wound mechanical with date but some had interesting dials. I selected the best of the bunch on offer which was a green paratrooper with 420 case. I owned this for a few years until I sold it which I subsequently regretted doing so. A few years later, I bought a similar looking green paratrooper Amphibia (I preferred the larger crown which resembled the one fitted to my vintage Komandirskie) from eBay and added 2 other Amphibias to my collection (Tank Commander and VDV Paratrooper). Eventually sold the VDV Paratrooper and gave the Tank Commander to my friend as he loved the clean and simple design. Reason for selling was due to the annoying non-quickset date. Finally, in 2021, I bought 2 no-date Vostok Amphibia 090 case models which I continue to enjoy today on FKM rubber straps without any of aforementioned quirks/flaws!
Q: What is one piece of advice you have for someone just getting into watches?
Watch collecting is closer to an drug addiction. You need to identify and match your own style against a watch (i.e. does it suit what you wear on day to day basis etc.), otherwise you will end up buying lots of watches which although look very nice, you will rarely wear.
Q: What brands have been getting your attention lately?
Chinese watch brands such as Pagani Design, San Martin and Steeldive
Q: What is your grail watch and why?
Grand Seiko Spring Drive (which I first noticed in a WatchTime magazine in 2002). I was fascinated with the design of the movement which merged a mechanical design with quartz precision but more importantly had a seconds hand which glided (reminded me of electric wall clocks I saw daily in school). I finally acquired my grail, the Grand Seiko SBGA375 with 9R65 spring drive movement in 2020 when I walked into a boutique and the dealer representative gave me a 20% discount
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