Time Travel Collector
Greetings Watch Enthusiasts,
I hope this post finds you well and surrounded by your cherished timepieces. I was musing over a curious thought today and wanted to share it with this illustrious community, hoping to ignite a fascinating discussion.
We often appreciate the artistic, technical, and historical significance of our favorite watches, reflecting on the eras they belong to. However, have you ever pondered what your dream watch collection would look like if you could travel across different time periods?
"If you had a time machine and could visit any era to collect your dream watches, which period would you choose, and what watches would you collect?"
For example, I'm enamored by the Art Deco period of the 1920s-30s. The elegance and sophistication of watches from this era are, in my opinion, unmatched. I would without a doubt add a pristine example of a Cartier Tank or a Patek Philippe Calatrava to my collection.
On the other hand, the revolutionary 1960s, an era marked by boldness and innovation, brought us iconic pieces like the Rolex Submariner and the Omega Speedmaster - both of which hold a special place in my horological heart.
So, where would your horological time machine take you? Would it be the enchanting craftsmanship of the 19th century, the groundbreaking innovation of the mid-20th century, or perhaps the contemporary era, marked by its unique blend of tradition and modernity?
Feel free to elaborate on why you picked your chosen time period, and the specific pieces that catch your fancy. And if there's a particular story, historical event, or person associated with your choice, I'd love to hear about that as well.
Looking forward to journeying through time with you all in this discussion!
Instagram: watchyostyle
I'd travel to now... Watches that are being made these days are superior to anything made previously. I'd rather have the power to have a modern version of a classic watch made, instead of the ability to buy any watch made in the past.
Great Scott…just bring an iPhone back to the last, start your own company and own the Future
Ahem
So according to the movies, I have two options: A) get to collect watches from different eras -or- B) get into semi-sexual hijinks with my teenage mother.
With JCVD clearly not policing this hypothetical, I choose A and would buy as many Daytonas as I could fit in the trunk of my Delorean. Head straight back to the present and the welcoming embrace of Chrono24.
In reality I'm going back to 1890's or earlier and getting some sweet pocket watches. But I'm not versed enough to name any specifics, so let's say I'm going to Reich Germany to swipe Hitler's watch. Make it 1945 so I can freejack it at the last minute. I'd also like to go back to 1921 to prove that Vacheron is talking out their backside with the cockamamie stories they tell about the crooked watch.
Wait, can I just do this as a total interventionist, where I go and get NASA to pick not-the Speedmaster and I keep Stallone from finding out about Panerai? That would be cool. But back to freejacking, I'd get to the set of 1960's The Fugitive Kind and run in right around here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IylXpV_yOQ
and run up to Joanne Woodward and say "it's me, your cousin, thanks for getting my Rolex triple calendar back! I'll take that now."
Funny enough, I actually own the 1995 watch version of the Gray’s Sports Almanac
Funny to look up a steel Paul Newman Daytona… priced at $7000. Even crazier… no-date sub at $800 😂
I'd travel to now... Watches that are being made these days are superior to anything made previously. I'd rather have the power to have a modern version of a classic watch made, instead of the ability to buy any watch made in the past.
I agree that now is the best time. Even if watches from the Art Deco era are your favourite, you can still buy them right now, most often for a fraction of their original price when converted to relative buying power from then to now.
If you like late 50s Atomic Age design, these are also still available today at very reasonable prices.
As a rule, many of the Deco and 50s watches we desire today were actually quite expensive in their era. Patek, VC, AP, Cartier, etc. still cost in their relative snack bracket back then as today. Rolex with it’s tool watch roots is the exception, not the rule.
I love history. It holds many lessons we need to embrace
I don't necessarily care if a watch is a perfect mechanical specimen, so while now is an exciting time to be an enthusiast, I want something different.
I'd love to own pieces that are the same models my forefathers wore & used.
Unfortunately, the issue I'd be facing is I don't know what those models were.
I would use this time travel to learn more about my family while trying to impart the knowledge that 2023 me would love to own the watches they wore and hopefully just have them treasured, maintained & passed down to me along with small stories about each from everyone they passed through on their way to me.
I’m going back to collect the comic books of my youth, I ruthlessly trashed so many now considered highly collectable and valuable. Watches from different epochs that are factory fresh, new might be boring definitely not good horology. People are going to have trust me when I say that my first AP, Brequet never mind Breitling, Omega and Rolex Datejust watches did not keep as accurate time as my unregulated Oris Diver 65 before a watchmaker remedied and timed the movements.
Awesome post! 🤩
Thank you for sharing this with us
Keep up the good work 🙌🏾
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60-70s for sure. Best style period in my opinion.